Proverbs 7
1 My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.
Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
2 Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.
Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
3 Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart.
Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4 Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou [art].' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'
Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
5 To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.
ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
6 For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,
Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
7 And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
8 Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he doth step,
lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
9 In the twilight — in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
10 And, lo, a woman to meet him — (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,
Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
11 Noisy she [is], and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.
Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
12 Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) —
Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
13 And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,
Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
14 'Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, To-day I have completed my vows.
Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
15 Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.
Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
16 [With] ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works — cotton of Egypt.
Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
17 I sprinkled my bed — myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
18 Come, we are filled [with] loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
19 For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.
Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
20 A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'
Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
21 She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.
Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
22 He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,
Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
23 Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it [is] for its life.
uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
24 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
25 Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
26 For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
