Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
2 Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
3 Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
5 that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
8 crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
9 at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
10 Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
11 She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
13 She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
14 “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
15 So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
20 He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
21 With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
22 He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
23 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
24 Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
26 For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
