Proverbs 7
1 My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!
Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
2 Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!
Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart!
Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
4 Say unto wisdom, “Thou art my sister!” And call understanding thy near acquaintance;
Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
5 That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.
ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
6 For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,
Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
7 And 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 He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,
lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
9 At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.
kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
10 And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart, —
Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
11 One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;
Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
12 Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.
Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
13 She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,
Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
14 “Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;
Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, —Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee!
Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
16 I have spread my bed with coverlets, With tapestry of the thread of Egypt.
Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
17 I have sprinkled 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 caresses.
Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
19 For the good-man is not at home; He is gone a long journey;
Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
20 He hath taken a purse of money with him; At the day of the full moon he will return.”
Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
21 By her much fair speech she seduced him; By the smoothness of her lips she drew him away.
Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
22 He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the chastisement of the fool,
Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
23 Till an arrow strike through his liver; —As a bird hasteneth into the snare, And knoweth not that it is laid for its life.
uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
24 Now, therefore, ye children, hearken to me, And attend to the words of my mouth!
Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
25 Let not thy heart turn aside to her ways; Go not astray in her paths!
Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
26 For many are the wounded which she hath cast down; Yea, countless is the number of those slain by her.
Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
