Proverbs 5
1 My son, attend unto my wisdom; to my understanding incline thou thy ear:
Ndodana yami, nanzelela ukuhlakanipha kwami, ulalele kuhle amazwi ami alombono,
2 That thou mayest observe discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
ukuze uhlale ukwazi ukukhetha okuqondileyo lokuze izindebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3 For as of fine honey drop the lips of an adulterous woman, and smoother than oil is her palate;
Phela izindebe zesifebekazi zithonta uluju, lenkulumo yaso iyatshelela kulamafutha;
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, it is sharp as a two-edged sword.
kodwa ekucineni iyababa ingathi yinyongo, ibukhali njengenkemba esika nxa zombili.
Inyawo zaso zehlela ekufeni; izinyathelo zaso ziqonda nta elibeni. (Sheol h7585)
6 So that she cannot balance the path of life; her tracks are unsteady, and she knoweth it not.
Kasikhathali ukuthi kuphilwa njani; izindlela zaso ziyazombeleza, kodwa kasikuboni lokho.
7 And now, O ye children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
Ngalokho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; lingaphambuki kulokho engikukhulumayo.
8 Remove far from her thy way, and come not nigh to the door of her house;
Hambani ngendlela ekhatshana kwaso, lingasondeli emnyango wendlu yaso,
9 That thou mayest not give up unto others thy vigor, and thy years unto the cruel;
funa unikele kwabanye amandla akho wonke lobudala bakho kulowo olesihluku,
10 That strangers may not satisfy themselves with thy strength, and with thy exertions, in the house of an alien:
funa abemzini bazitike ngenotho yakho lokusebenza kwakho kunothise umuzi wenye indoda.
11 While thou moanest at thy end, when thy flesh and thy body are coming to their end,
Ekupheleni kokuphila kwakho uzabubula, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekugugile.
12 And thou sayest, How have I hated correction, and how hath my heart rejected reproof;
Uzakuthi, “Uthi ngangikuzonda yini ukulaywa! Inhliziyo yami yayikuzonda njani ukuqondiswa!
13 While I hearkened not to the voice of my instructors, and to my teachers I inclined not my ear;
Ngangingafuni ukulalela abafundisi bami kumbe ukulalela abeluleki bami.
14 But little more was wanting, and I had been in all [kinds of] unhappiness in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Ngacina sengisenkingeni enkulu ngiphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.”
15 Drink water out of thy own cistern, and running waters out of thy own well.
Natha amanzi kowakho umgqomo, amanzi agelezayo kowakho umthombo.
16 So will thy springs overflow abroad; and in the open streets will be thy rivulets of water;
Kambe imifudlana yakho ingayekelwa igelezela emigwaqweni, lezifula zakho zamanzi zigelezele ezinkundleni zabantu na?
17 They will be thy own only, and not those of strangers with thee.
Kazibe ngezakho wena wedwa, ungazabelani labafokazana nje.
18 Thy fountain will be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth, —
Sengathi ungabusiswa umthombo wakho njalo sengathi ungathokoza ngomfazi wobutsha bakho.
19 The lovely gazelle and the graceful chamois: let her bosom satisfy thee abundantly at all times; with her love be thou ravished continually.
Oyimpalakazi ethandekayo, imbabala ebutshelezi amabele akhe sengathi angakusuthisa lanini, nini lanini ukhangwe luthando lwakhe.
20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with an adulteress, and embrace the bosom of an alien woman?
Kungani ndodana yami, uthunjwa yisifebekazi? Kungani ugona iqolo lomfazi wenye indoda?
21 For before the eyes of the Lord are the ways of man, and all his tracks doth he weigh in the balance.
Phela izindlela zomuntu zisobala kuThixo, uyazihlola zonke izindlela zakhe.
22 His own iniquities will truly catch the wicked, and with the cords of his sin will he be held firmly.
Izenzo ezimbi zomuntu omubi ziyamthiya; izibopho zesono sakhe zimuthe nko.
23 He will indeed die for want of correction; and through the abundance of his folly will he sink into error.
Uzabhubha ngoba engalayeki, elahlekiswa yibuphukuphuku bakhe.
