Proverbs 5
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:
Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
2 that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.
ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,
Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
4 But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as 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 She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it.
Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
7 Now therefore, son, listen to me. Do not depart from the words of my mouth.
Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
8 Remove your way far from her. Do not come 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 merciless;
hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man's house.
hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
11 You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,
njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
12 and say, "How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
13 neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me.
Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin, in the midst of the gathered assembly."
Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
15 Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.
Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?
Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
17 Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.
Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
18 Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
19 A loving doe and a graceful deer—let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.
impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of YHWH. He examines all his paths.
Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.
Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
23 He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
