Proverbs 5
1 My son, attend to my wisdom, [and] bow thy ear to my understanding:
Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
2 That thou mayest regard discretion, and [that] thy lips may keep knowledge.
ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop [as] a honey-comb, and her mouth [is] smoother than oil:
Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
4 But her end is bitter as wormwood, 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 Lest thou shouldst ponder the path of life, her ways are movable, [that] thou canst not know [them].
Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
7 Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
8 Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
9 Lest thou give thy honor to others, and thy years to the cruel:
hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
10 Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labors [be] in the house of a stranger;
hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
11 And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
12 And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
13 And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined my ear to them that instructed me!
Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
14 I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
15 Drink waters out of thy own cistern, and running waters out of thy own well.
Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
16 Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, [and] rivers of waters in the streets.
Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
17 Let them be only thy own, and not for strangers with thee.
Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
18 Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
19 [Let her be as] the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
21 For the ways of man [are] before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be held with the cords of his sins.
Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
23 He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
