Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
2 Keep my commandments and live. Guard my teaching 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 tablet of your heart.
Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4 Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,
Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
6 For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
7 I saw 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, he went the way to her house,
lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
10 Look, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet do not stay in her house.
Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
14 "Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.
Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn 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's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.
Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
19 For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.
Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."
Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a stag leaping into a trap,
Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
23 till an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.
uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
24 Now therefore, son, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways. Do not go astray in her paths,
Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
