Proverbs 5
1 My son! to my wisdom give attention, To mine understanding incline thine ear,
Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
2 To observe thoughtfulness, And knowledge do thy lips keep.
ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, And smoother than oil [is] her mouth,
Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
4 And her latter end [is] bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a sword [with] mouths.
Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
Inyawo zakhe zehlela ekufeni; izinyathelo zakhe zibambelela esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
6 The path of life — lest thou ponder, Moved have her paths — thou knowest not.
Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
7 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And turn not from sayings of my mouth.
Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
8 Keep far from off her thy way, And come not near unto the opening of her house,
Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
9 Lest thou give to others thy honour, And thy years to the fierce,
hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
10 Lest strangers be filled [with] thy power, And thy labours in the house of a stranger,
hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
11 And thou hast howled in thy latter end, In the consumption of thy flesh and thy food,
njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
12 And hast said, 'How have I hated instruction, And reproof hath my heart despised,
njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
13 And I have not hearkened to the voice of my directors, And to my teachers have not inclined mine ear.
Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
14 As a little thing I have been all evil, In the midst of an assembly and a company.
Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
15 Drink waters out of thine own cistern, Even flowing ones out of thine own well.
Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
16 Let thy fountains be scattered abroad, In broad places rivulets of waters.
Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
17 Let them be to thee for thyself, And not to strangers with thee.
Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed, And rejoice because of the wife of thy youth,
Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
19 A hind of loves, and a roe of grace! Let her loves satisfy thee at all times, In her love magnify thyself continually.
impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
20 And why dost thou magnify thyself, My son, with a stranger? And embrace the bosom of a strange woman?
Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
21 For over-against the eyes of Jehovah are the ways of each, And all his paths He is pondering.
Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
22 His own iniquities do capture the wicked, And with the ropes of his sin he is holden.
Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
23 He dieth without instruction, And in the abundance of his folly magnifieth himself!
Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
