1 Ndodana yami, nanzelela ukuhlakanipha kwami,

ulalele kuhle amazwi ami alombono,

2 ukuze uhlale ukwazi ukukhetha okuqondileyo

lokuze izindebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.

3 Phela izindebe zesifebekazi zithonta uluju,

lenkulumo yaso iyatshelela kulamafutha;

4 kodwa ekucineni iyababa ingathi yinyongo,

ibukhali njengenkemba esika nxa zombili.

5 Inyawo zaso zehlela ekufeni;

izinyathelo zaso ziqonda nta elibeni.

6 Kasikhathali ukuthi kuphilwa njani;

izindlela zaso ziyazombeleza, kodwa kasikuboni lokho.

7 Ngalokho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani;

lingaphambuki kulokho engikukhulumayo.

8 Hambani ngendlela ekhatshana kwaso,

lingasondeli emnyango wendlu yaso,

9 funa unikele kwabanye amandla akho wonke

lobudala bakho kulowo olesihluku,

10 funa abemzini bazitike ngenotho yakho

lokusebenza kwakho kunothise umuzi wenye indoda.

11 Ekupheleni kokuphila kwakho uzabubula,

lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekugugile.

12 Uzakuthi, "Uthi ngangikuzonda yini ukulaywa!

Inhliziyo yami yayikuzonda njani ukuqondiswa!

13 Ngangingafuni ukulalela abafundisi bami

kumbe ukulalela abeluleki bami.

14 Ngacina sengisenkingeni enkulu

ngiphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu."

15 Natha amanzi kowakho umgqomo,

amanzi agelezayo kowakho umthombo.

16 Kambe imifudlana yakho ingayekelwa

igelezela emigwaqweni,

lezifula zakho zamanzi

zigelezele ezinkundleni zabantu na?

17 Kazibe ngezakho wena wedwa,

ungazabelani labafokazana nje.

18 Sengathi ungabusiswa umthombo wakho

njalo sengathi ungathokoza ngomfazi wobutsha bakho.

19 Oyimpalakazi ethandekayo, imbabala ebutshelezi

amabele akhe sengathi angakusuthisa lanini, nini lanini

ukhangwe luthando lwakhe.

20 Kungani ndodana yami,

uthunjwa yisifebekazi?

Kungani ugona iqolo lomfazi wenye indoda?

21 Phela izindlela zomuntu zisobala kuThixo,

uyazihlola zonke izindlela zakhe.

22 Izenzo ezimbi zomuntu omubi ziyamthiya;

izibopho zesono sakhe zimuthe nko.

23 Uzabhubha ngoba engalayeki,

elahlekiswa yibuphukuphuku bakhe.