Sirach
3:1 Ngizweni uyihlo, O bantwana, futhi wenze ngemva kwalokho, ukuze nibe niphephile.
3:2 Ngoba iNkosi inike uyise udumo phezu kwabantwana, futhi uye
waqinisekisa igunya likanina phezu kwamadodana.
3:3 Odumisa uyise wenza inhlawulo yokuthula ngezono zakhe.
3:4 Futhi lowo ohlonipha unina unjengomuntu oqongelela ingcebo.
3:5 Ohlonipha uyise uyakuba nenjabulo kubantwana bakhe; futhi nini
wenza umkhuleko wakhe, uyezwakala.
3:6 Ohlonipha uyise uyophila isikhathi eside; lalowo okhona
olalela uJehova kuyakuba yinduduzo kunina.
3:7 Lowo owesaba uJehova uyodumisa uyise, futhi uyokwenza inkonzo
kubazali bakhe njengakumakhosi akhe.
3:8 Hlonipha uyihlo nonyoko kokubili ngezwi nangesenzo, ukuze kube nesibusiso
woza kuwe uvela kubo.
3:9 Ngoba isibusiso sikayise siqinisa izindlu zabantwana; kodwa
isiqalekiso sikanina sisiphula izisekelo.
3:10 Ungadumisi ngehlazo likayihlo; ngoba ihlazo likayihlo liyihlazo
kakukho udumo kuwe.
3:11 Ngoba udumo lomuntu luvela kuyise; kanye nomama
ihlazo liyihlazo kubantwana.
3:12 Ndodana yami, siza uyihlo eminyakeni yakhe, futhi ungamdabuki isikhathi eside
phila.
3:13 Futhi uma ukuqonda kwakhe kwehluleka, yibekezelele kuye; futhi limdelele
hhayi lapho usesemandleni akho aphelele.
3:14 Ngoba ukukhulula uyihlo ngeke kukhohlakale, futhi esikhundleni
izakwenezelwa izono ukuze kwakhiwe.
3:15 Kuyakukhunjulwa ngosuku lokuhlupheka kwakho; nezono zakho
liyoncibilika, njengeqhwa esimweni sezulu esifudumele esifudumele.
3:16 Oshiya uyise unjengohlambalazayo; lalowo othukuthelayo
unina uqalekisiwe: kaNkulunkulu.
3:17 Ndodana yami, qhubeka nomsebenzi wakho ngobumnene; kanjalo uyakuba ngothandiweyo wakho
lowo ovunyiweyo.
3:18 The mkhulu wena, kulapho uzithoba kakhulu, futhi uzothola
umusa phambi kweNkosi.
3:19 Abaningi basezindaweni eziphakemeyo nodumo, kodwa izimfihlakalo zembulwa kubo
abamnene.
3:20 Ngoba amandla eNkosi makhulu, futhi uhlonishwa abaphansi.
3:21 Ungadingi izinto okunzima kakhulu kuwe, futhi ungazifuni
izinto ezingaphezu kwamandla akho.
3:22 Kodwa lokho okuyalwe kuwe, kucabange ngakho ngenhlonipho, ngoba kuyikho
akudingi ukuba ubone ngamehlo akho izinto ezingaphakathi
imfihlo.
3:23 Ungabi nelukuluku ezindabeni ezingadingekile, ngoba izinto eziningi ziboniswa
wena kunabantu abakuqondiyo.
3:24 Ngoba abaningi bakhohliswa imibono yabo eyize; kanye nezinsolo ezimbi
usechithile ukwahlulela kwabo.
3:25 Ngaphandle kwamehlo uyakufuna ukukhanya: Ngakho-ke ungasho ulwazi
ukuthi awunakho.
3:26 Inhliziyo elukhuni iyokwehlelwa okubi ekugcineni; nothanda ingozi
lizabhubha kulo.
3:27 Inhliziyo elukhuni iyosindwa usizi; futhi omubi uyokwenza
nqwabelanisa isono phezu kwesono.
3:28 Esijezisweni sabazidlayo akukho ukuphulukiswa; okwesitshalo se
ububi bumile kuye.
3:29 Inhliziyo yohlakaniphileyo iyakuqonda umfanekiso; nendlebe elalelayo
isifiso sohlakaniphileyo.
3:30 Amanzi ayocisha umlilo ovutha amalangabi; nezipho zenza inhlawulo yezono.
3:31 Futhi lowo requitets okuhle ukhumbula lokho okuzokwenzeka
emva kwalokhu; lapho isiwa, iyakufumana indawo yokuhlala.