Proverbs (5/31)  

1. Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
2. ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3. Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
4. Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
5. Inyawo zakhe zehlela ekufeni; izinyathelo zakhe zibambelela esihogweni.
6. Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
7. Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
8. Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
9. hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
10. hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
11. njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
12. njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
13. Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
14. Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
15. Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
16. Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
17. Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
18. Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
19. impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
20. Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
21. Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo e Nkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
22. Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
23. Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.

  Proverbs (5/31)