Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with you.
Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of your eye.
Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
3 Bind them on your fingers, write them on the table of your heart.
Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4 Say to wisdom, You are my sister; and call understanding your kinswoman:
Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
5 That they may keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger which flatters with her words.
ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart.
Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.)
Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,
Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.
Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.
Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
19 For the manager is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
22 He goes after her straightway, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare, and knows not that it is for his life.
uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
24 Listen to me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
25 Let not your heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
26 For she has cast down many wounded: yes, many strong men have been slain by her.
Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
