Proverbs 5
1 My son, attend to my wisdom, and bow your ear to my understanding:
Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
2 That you may regard discretion, and that your lips may keep knowledge.
ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
Inyawo zakhe zehlela ekufeni; izinyathelo zakhe zibambelela esihogweni. (Sheol h7585)
6 Lest you should ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that you can not know them.
Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
7 Hear me now therefore, O you children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
8 Remove your way far from her, and come not near the door of her house:
Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
9 Lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel:
hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
10 Lest strangers be filled with your wealth; and your labors be in the house of a stranger;
hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
11 And you mourn at the last, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to them that instructed me!
Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
14 I was almost in all evil in the middle of the congregation and assembly.
Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
15 Drink waters out of your own cistern, and running waters out of your own well.
Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
16 Let your fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
17 Let them be only your own, and not strangers’ with you.
Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
18 Let your fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of your youth.
Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
19 Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy you at all times; and be you ravished always with her love.
impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
20 And why will you, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he ponders all his goings.
Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.
Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
