Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
Ndodana yami, agcine amazwi ami ulondoloze imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho.
2 Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye.
Gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile; ulinde imfundiso yami njengegugu lakho elikhulu.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
Ibophele eminweni yakho; uyilobe enhliziyweni yakho.
4 Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman;
Tshela ukuhlakanipha uthi, “Ungudadewethu wena,” uthi ukuqedisisa kuyisihlobo sakho;
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.
lezizinto zizakuvikela emfazini oyisifebe, lakumkakho ongelambeko ngamazwi akhe adukisayo.
6 For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
Ngema ewindini lendlu yami ngalunguza ngesikhala.
7 And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
Ngabona phakathi kwabayizithutha, ngananzelela phakathi kwamajaha ngabona ijaha elingelangqondo.
8 Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;
Lalisehla ngomgwaqo liseduze lejiko, liqonda endlini yowesifazane
9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
ntambama sekunqunda amehlo, umnyama wobusuku usujiya.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
Khonokho nje kwaqhamuka owesifazane elihlangabeza egqoke okwesifebe ngoba eqophile.
11 She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;
(Umfazi lowo, ngumuntu womsindo uyisiqholo, inyawo zakhe kazihlali phansi;
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.
khathesi nangu emgwaqweni, njalo nangu enkundleni, utshobatshoba izindawana zonke.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:
Wafika waligona lelijaha walanga wakhuluma engelanhloni wathi:
14 'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.
“Ngenzile umnikelo wobudlelwano ngekhaya; lamuhla ngizigcwalisile izifungo zami.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
Yikho ngilapha ukukuhlangabeza; sengikudinge ngaze ngakuthola!
16 I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
Sengiwendlele umbheda wami ngamalineni eGibhithe awemibalabala.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Sengiwuqholile umbheda wami ngemure, ngenhlaba langesinamoni.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves.
Woza sizitike ngothando kuze kuse; kasizijabulise ngothando!
19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;
Indoda yami kayikho ekhaya; ihambile iye khatshana.
20 He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.'
Ithwele isikhwama sayo sigcwele imali, ngakho kayibuyi kuze kube phakathi kwenyanga.”
21 With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away.
Ngamazwi akhe amnandi waledukisa ijaha lelo; walihuga ijaha lelo ngolimi olumnandi.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;
Khonokho nje lahle lamlandela njengenkabi idonselwa ukuyabulawa, njengomziki uzingenisa emjibileni,
23 Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare — and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.
umtshoko uze uyehlaba isibindi, njengenyoni ithothela ngaphansi kwesifu, ingaboni ukuthi isizingenise ekufeni.
24 Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Ngakho-ke madodana ami, ngilalelani; zwanini lokhu engikutshoyo.
25 Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Lingayivumeli inhliziyo ikhangwe yizindlela zakhe, langabe iphumputhekele emikhubeni yakhe.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain.
Banengi labo asebadilizile; izinkubela zakhe zilucaca olwesabekayo.
