1Ndodana yami, lalela ukuhlakanipha kwami, ubeke indlebe yakho ekuqondeni kwami.
2Amasu nokwazi makukugcine, khona kuyakulonda izindebe zakho.
3Izindebe zowesifazane ondindayo ziconsa uju; umlomo wakhe ubushelelezi kunamafutha,
4kodwa ekugcineni uyababa njengenhlaba, ubukhali njengenkemba ekhaliphe nhlangothi zombili.
5Izinyawo zakhe zehlela ekufeni; izinyathelo zakhe zibheke endaweni yabafileyo.
6Akayiqikeleli indlela yokuphila, funa ukwenza kwakhe kuguquke engazelele.
7Ngakho-ke madodana ami, ngilaleleni, ningachezuki emazwini omlomo wami.
8Dedisela kude naye indlela yakho, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe,
9funa unikele ngodumo lwakho kwabanye, neminyaka yakho kwabanonya,
10funa abafokazi badle basuthe ngamandla akho, kuthi umsebenzi wakho owukhandlekele uye endlini yomfokazi.
11Uyobubula ekugcineni, lapho umzimba wakho nenyama yakho sekuphela,
12uthi: “Yeka ukuzonda kwami ukuyalwa, nokwedelela kwenhliziyo yami ukusolwa!
13Angililalelanga izwi labafundisi bami; angibekanga indlebe yami kubo ababengifundisa.
14Ngacishe ngabhubha ngaphela phakathi kwebandla nasenhlanganweni.”
15Phuza amanzi kowakho umthombokwakhiwa, amanzi agobhozayo esuka kowakho umthombo.
16Ngabe imithombo yakho isisabalele yonke indawo, nemifula yamanzi ezigcawini na?
17Mayibe ngeyakho wedwa nje kuphela, ingabi ngeyabafokazi abahlala phakathi kwakho.
18Mawubusiswe umthombo wakho, uthokoze ngomfazi wobusha bakho.
19Uyindluzelekazi ethandayo, negogokazi elihle; amabele akhe mawakwenelise njalo, uhlale ugajwe uthando lwakhe.
20Ndodana yami, yini ekwenza uhlanyiswe ngumfazi ondindayo, ugone umfazi ongamazi esifubeni na?
21Ngokuba izindlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo kaSimakade; uyayilinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
22Isikhohlakali siyakubhajwa ekukhohlakaleni kwaso, sibhajwe yizintambo zesono saso.
23Siyakufa ngenxa yokweswela ukuyalwa, nangenxa yobukhulu bobuwula baso, siyoduka.