1Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami,
uzibekelele imiyalo yami.
2Gcina imiyalo yami, uphile,
nomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yeso lakho.
3Yibophe eminweni yakho,
uyilobe esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4Yisho kukho ukuhlakanipha: Ungudadewethu,
ubize ukuqonda ngokuthi owazana nawe,
5ukuze bakugcine kowesifazane ondindayo,
kumfokazi owenza-bushelezi amazwi akhe.
6Ngokuba efasiteleni lendlu yami
ngalunguza eheleni lami,
7ngabheka phakathi kwabangenalwazi,
ngabona phakathi kwabasha
insizwa engenakuqonda,
8edlula esitaladini eduze negumbi lakhe,
iya endleleni yendlu yakhe,
9sekuhwelela kusihlwa,
esigayegayeni sobusuku nobumnyama.
10Bheka, isihlangabezwa ngowesifazane;
izingubo zakhe zingezesifebe, enobuqili enhliziyweni.
11Uyanyakaza engenakuthula;
izinyawo zakhe azihlali endlini yakhe;
12manje usemigwaqweni, nangu usezigcawini,
uqamekela emagumbini onke.
13Useyayibamba, uyayanga;
uthwala amehlo, uthi kuyo:
14Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula yayingifanele;
namuhla sengigcwalisile izithembiso zami.
15Ngalokho ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza
ukuba ngifunisise ubuso bakho; sengikutholile.
16Ngendlele umbhede wami ngezindwangu zokumboza,
nelineni elinemishwe laseGibithe.
17Ngifafazile umbhede wami
ngemure*, nangomhlaba, nangokinamona*.
18Woza sizanelise ngothando kuze kuse,
sijabule ngokuthandana.
19Ngokuba indoda yami ayikho ekhaya;
ihambile uhambo olude;
20yaphatha isikhwama semali ngesandla sayo;
iyakubuyela ekhaya ngosuku lokuhlangana kwenyanga.
21Uyamphambukisa ngamazwi akhe amaningi amahle;
ngokuthopha kwezindebe zakhe uyamyenga.
22Uyamlandela masinyane
njengenkabi iya ekuhlatshweni
nanjengamaketanga ehlela isiboshwa esiyisiwula,
23umcibisholo uze uhlabe isibindi sakhe
njengenyoni isheshela ogibeni,
ingazi ukuthi lubekelwe ukuphila kwayo.
24Ngalokho, bantwana, ngizweni,
nilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
25Inhliziyo yakho mayingaphambukeli ezindleleni zakhe,
ungahambi emikhondweni yakhe.
26Ngokuba uwisile phansi abaningi abalimeleyo;
ababuleweyo bakhe bayisixuku esikhulu.
27Indlu yakhe iyindlela eya endaweni yabafileyo,
yehlela emakamelweni okufa.