Isilumkiso sikaBawo
Isilumkiso esiphandle ngokukrexeza, silandelelwa kude kuse esiphelweni: imbeko enikwa abasemzini, iminyaka ephelileyo, umzimba ophelileyo, nendoda ethi emva kwexesha yabuthiya uqeqesho. Olu tshintsho lululo. Yolela umfazi wakho, wazi ukuba uBawo wethu ubona yonke indlela.
5 1Nyana wam, ubekele indlebe ubulumko bam; liphulaphule ngenyameko ingqondo yam, 2ukuze ulondoloze umnkqangiyelo, nemilebe yomlomo wakho igcine ukwazi. 3Kuba imilebe yomfazi owalelweyo impompoza ubusi, umlomo wakhe uthambile ngaphezu kweoli, 4kodwa ekugqibeleni ukrakra njengobuhlungu, ubukhali njengekrele elintlangothi mbini. 5Iinyawo zakhe zihla ziye ekufeni; amanyathela akhe abambelela kwelabafileyo. a a v5 Sheol: igama lesiHebhere lendawo yabafileyo — ingcwaba, ihlabathi elingabonwayo elingezantsi. 6Akancanyangeli indlela yobomi; iindlela zakhe ziyabhadula, engakwazi oko.
7Ngoku ke, nyana bam, ndiphulaphuleni, ningatyeki emazwini omlomo wam. 8Yenze indlela yakho kude naye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe, 9hleze unike abanye imbeko yakho, neminyaka yakho kolunengcwangu, 10hleze abasemzini bahluthe ngamandla akho, nemisebenzi yakho yobunzima iye endlwini yowasemzini, 11uthi ekugqibeleni kwakho uncwine, xa inyama yakho nomzimba wakho uphela, 12uthi: “Yeka ukuluthiya kwam uqeqesho, nentliziyo yam yasicekisa isohlwayo! 13Andiliphulaphulanga izwi labafundisi bam, andizange ndiyibekele indlebe imvo yabo bandiqeqeshayo. 14Bendisemazantsi entshabalalo epheleleyo phakathi kwebandla elihlanganiseneyo.”
15Sela amanzi emhadini wakho, amanzi aqukuqelayo asequleni lakho. 16Zingaphuphumela ezitratweni na imithombo yakho, nemijelo yamanzi akho ezindaweni zembutho? 17Mazibe zezakho wena wedwa, zingabelwana nabasemzini. 18Mawusikelelwe umthombo wakho, uvuye ngomfazi wobutsha bakho, 19imazi yexhama ethandekayo, ibhadikazi elinobabalo. Uthando lwakhe malukwanelise ngamaxesha onke; ngamaxesha onke malukuthimbe uthando lwakhe. 20Kutheni ke, nyana wam, umfazi owalelweyo akuthimbe, uwole umkamntu wumbi?
21Kuba iindlela zomntu ziphambi kwamehlo kaBawo wethu, uyayigqala yonke imendo yomntu. 22Abangendawo babanjwa kukungalungisi kwabo, babanjelelwe ngezintya zesono sabo. 23Uya kufa ngenxa yokuswela uqeqesho, alahleke ngenxa yobudenge bakhe obukhulu.
