Proverbs 7
1 My son! Keep my sayings, And lay up my commands with you.
Ndodana yami, agcine amazwi ami ulondoloze imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho.
2 Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of your eye.
Gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile; ulinde imfundiso yami njengegugu lakho elikhulu.
3 Bind them on your fingers, Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Ibophele eminweni yakho; uyilobe enhliziyweni yakho.
4 Say to wisdom, “You [are] my sister.” And cry to understanding, “Relative!”
Tshela ukuhlakanipha uthi, “Ungudadewethu wena,” uthi ukuqedisisa kuyisihlobo sakho;
5 To preserve you from a strange woman, From a stranger who has made her sayings smooth.
lezizinto zizakuvikela emfazini oyisifebe, lakumkakho ongelambeko ngamazwi akhe adukisayo.
6 For at a window of my house, I have looked out through my casement,
Ngema ewindini lendlu yami ngalunguza ngesikhala.
7 And I see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
Ngabona phakathi kwabayizithutha, ngananzelela phakathi kwamajaha ngabona ijaha elingelangqondo.
8 Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he steps,
Lalisehla ngomgwaqo liseduze lejiko, liqonda endlini yowesifazane
9 In the twilight—in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
ntambama sekunqunda amehlo, umnyama wobusuku usujiya.
10 And behold, a woman to meet him—(A harlot’s dress, and watchful of heart,
Khonokho nje kwaqhamuka owesifazane elihlangabeza egqoke okwesifebe ngoba eqophile.
11 She [is] noisy, and stubborn, her feet do not rest in her house.
(Umfazi lowo, ngumuntu womsindo uyisiqholo, inyawo zakhe kazihlali phansi;
12 Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And she lies in wait near every corner)—
khathesi nangu emgwaqweni, njalo nangu enkundleni, utshobatshoba izindawana zonke.)
13 And she laid hold on him and kissed him, She has hardened her face and says to him,
Wafika waligona lelijaha walanga wakhuluma engelanhloni wathi:
14 “Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, Today I have completed my vows.
“Ngenzile umnikelo wobudlelwano ngekhaya; lamuhla ngizigcwalisile izifungo zami.
15 Therefore I have come forth to meet you, To earnestly seek your face, and I find you.
Yikho ngilapha ukukuhlangabeza; sengikudinge ngaze ngakuthola!
16 I decked my bed [with] ornamental coverings, Carved works—cotton of Egypt.
Sengiwendlele umbheda wami ngamalineni eGibhithe awemibalabala.
17 I sprinkled my bed [with] myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Sengiwuqholile umbheda wami ngemure, ngenhlaba langesinamoni.
18 Come, we are filled [with] love until the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
Woza sizitike ngothando kuze kuse; kasizijabulise ngothando!
19 For the man is not in his house, He has gone on a long journey.
Indoda yami kayikho ekhaya; ihambile iye khatshana.
20 He has taken a bag of money in his hand, At the day of the new moon he comes to his house.”
Ithwele isikhwama sayo sigcwele imali, ngakho kayibuyi kuze kube phakathi kwenyanga.”
21 She turns him aside with the abundance of her speech, She forces him with the flattery of her lips.
Ngamazwi akhe amnandi waledukisa ijaha lelo; walihuga ijaha lelo ngolimi olumnandi.
22 He is going after her straight away, he comes as an ox to the slaughter, And as a chain to the discipline of a fool,
Khonokho nje lahle lamlandela njengenkabi idonselwa ukuyabulawa, njengomziki uzingenisa emjibileni,
23 Until an arrow splits his liver, As a bird has hurried to a snare, And has not known that it [is] for its life.
umtshoko uze uyehlaba isibindi, njengenyoni ithothela ngaphansi kwesifu, ingaboni ukuthi isizingenise ekufeni.
24 And now, you sons, listen to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
Ngakho-ke madodana ami, ngilalelani; zwanini lokhu engikutshoyo.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
Lingayivumeli inhliziyo ikhangwe yizindlela zakhe, langabe iphumputhekele emikhubeni yakhe.
26 For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
Banengi labo asebadilizile; izinkubela zakhe zilucaca olwesabekayo.
