Lalelani, Bantwana Bami

Ubaba udlulisela lokho akutshelwa nguyise, futhi isahluko sihlala siqaphele lelo ketanga. Izithombe zaso zimayelana nokuqondisa: indlela ekhanya kakhulu iya emini, ibhekene nenye emnyama kangangokuthi awuboni ukuthi yini ekukhubekisile. Gcina inhliziyo yakho, ubheke ngqo phambili.

Isahluko 4.

Lalelani, bantwana bami, imfundiso kababa; nakani, nizuze ukuqonda. Ngininika imfundiso enhle, ngakho ningayilahli imfundiso yami. Ngokuba nami ngangiyindodana kababa, ngimncane, ngiyintandokazi eyodwa kamama. Wangifundisa wathi: “Inhliziyo yakho mayibambelele emazwini ami; gcina imiyalo yami, uyokuphila. Zuza ukuhlakanipha, uzuze ukuqonda; ungakhohlwa, futhi ungaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami. Ungakudeli, kuyokuvikela; kuthande, kuyokunakekela. Isiqalo sokuhlakanipha yilokhu: zuza ukuhlakanipha; kukho konke okuzuzayo, zuza ukuqonda. Kwazise, kuyokuphakamisa; kugone, kuyokuletha udumo kuwe. Kuyokufaka umqhele womusa ekhanda lakho; kuyokwethula kuwe umqhele wenkazimulo.”

Lalela, ndodana yami, wamukele amazwi ami, iminyaka yokuphila kwakho iyokuba miningi. Ngikufundisile indlela yokuhlakanipha; ngikuholile ezindleleni eziqondile. Uma uhamba, izinyathelo zakho ngeke zithikaziswe; futhi uma ugijima, ngeke ukhubeke. Bambelela emfundisweni, ungayiyeki; yigcine, ngokuba ingukuphila kwakho.

Ungabeki unyawo endleleni yababi, futhi ungahambi endleleni yabenzi bokubi. Yigweme, ungahambi kuyo; phambuka kuyo, udlulele phambili. Ngokuba abakwazi ukulala uma bengenzanga okubi; baphucwa ukuphumula uma bengakhubekisanga muntu. Badla isinkwa sobubi, baphuze iwayini lodlame.

Kodwa indlela yabalungileyo injengokukhanya kokusa, okukhanya kakhulu nakakhulu kuze kube semini enkulu. Indlela yababi injengobumnyama obukhulu; abazi ukuthi yini ebakhubekisayo.

Ndodana yami, naka amazwi ami; lalelisisa izisho zami. Ungavumeli ukuba zinyamalale emehlweni akho; uzigcine phakathi enhliziyweni yakho. Ngokuba zingukuphila kulabo abazitholayo, ziwukuphilisa emzimbeni wabo wonke.

Ngaphezu kwakho konke, gcina inhliziyo yakho, ngokuba konke okwenzayo kuphuma kuyo. Susa inkulumo egwegwile emlonyeni wakho, uqhelise izindebe ezikhohlisayo kuwe. Amehlo akho mawabheke ngqo phambili; umbono wakho uqonde ngqo phambi kwakho. Cabangisisa ngendlela yezinyawo zakho, zonke izindlela zakho ziyoqina. Ungaphambukeli ngakwesokudla noma ngakwesokhohlo; ugcine unyawo lwakho lukude nobubi.