4
Ukuhlakanipha Kuyinqaba
Zwanini, madodana ami, izeluleko zikayihlo;
lalelani lizuze ukuqedisisa.
Ngilipha izifundo ezipheleleyo;
ngakho lingalahli imfundiso yami.
Ngathi ngisengumfana emzini kababa,
ngisebuthakathaka, ngiyimi ngedwa ingane kamama,
wangifundisa ubaba wathi,
“Abambe amazwi ami ngenhliziyo yakho yonke;
gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile.
Zuza ukuhlakanipha, zuza ukuqedisisa;
ungawakhohlwa amazwi ami, kumbe ugudluke kuwo.
Ungafulatheli ukuhlakanipha, kuzakuvikela;
kuthande, kuzakulinda.
Ukuhlakanipha kuyinqaba; ngakho zuza ukuhlakanipha.
Zuza ukuqedisisa loba kungathatha konke olakho.
Kugogose, kuzakuphakamisa;
kugone, kuzakunika udumo.
Kuzakwethesa umqhele wamaluba omusa ekhanda lakho
kukwethese umqhele wenkazimulo.”
 
10 Zwana mntanami, yamukela lokho engikutshoyo,
ukuze insuku zokuphila kwakho zibe zinengi.
11 Ngiyakukhokhela endleleni yokuhlakanipha,
ngikuqondise ezindleleni eziqondileyo.
12 Nxa uhamba kawuyikuthikaza;
nxa ugijima kawuyikukhubeka.
13 Bambelela iziqondiso, ungayekethisi;
zigcine kuhle ngoba ziyikuphila kwakho.
14 Ungayingeni indlela yababi
njalo ungahambi endleleni yezigangi.
15 Ixwaye, ungahambi ngayo;
itshiye uqhubeke ngeyakho indlela.
16 Phela kabalali bengenzanga ukuganga;
badela ubuthongo ukuze baqale balimaze omunye umuntu.
17 Badla isinkwa sobubi
banathe iwayini lobudlwangudlwangu.
 
18 Indlela yabalungileyo injengovivi lokusa,
kukhule ukukhanya kwalo kuze kuphelele emini.
19 Kodwa indlela yababi ifana lomnyama omkhulu;
kabazi ukuthi kuyini okubakhubayo.
 
20 Ndodana yami, zwana lokhu engikutshoyo;
lalelisisa amazwi ami.
21 Ungawasusi emehlweni akho,
agcine enhliziyweni yakho;
22 ngoba ayikuphila kulabo abawafumanayo;
lokuqina komzimba wonke womuntu.
23 Phezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho,
ngoba ingumthombo wokuphila kwakho.
24 Lahla izibozi zamazwi emlonyeni wakho;
ungakhuphi inkulumo yokuxhwala ezindebeni zakho.
25 Khangelisa amehlo akho nta phambili,
uwathi nhlo amehlo akho kulokho okuphambi kwakho.
26 Lungisa izindlela ukuze inyawo zakho zinyathele kuhle,
uhambe ngezindlela eziqinileyo kuphela.
27 Ungaphambukeli kwesokunene loba kwesokhohlo;
ugcine unyawo lwakho lunganyatheli okubi.