Izaga 5
1 Ndodana yami, nanzelela ukuhlakanipha kwami, ulalele kuhle amazwi ami alombono,
My son, give attention to my wisdom; let your ear be turned to my teaching:
2 ukuze uhlale ukwazi ukukhetha okuqondileyo lokuze izindebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
So that you may be ruled by a wise purpose, and your lips may keep knowledge.
3 Phela izindebe zesifebekazi zithonta uluju, lenkulumo yaso iyatshelela kulamafutha;
For honey is dropping from the lips of the strange woman, and her mouth is smoother than oil;
4 kodwa ekucineni iyababa ingathi yinyongo, ibukhali njengenkemba esika nxa zombili.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged sword;
Her feet go down to death, and her steps to the underworld; (Sheol h7585)
6 Kasikhathali ukuthi kuphilwa njani; izindlela zaso ziyazombeleza, kodwa kasikuboni lokho.
She never keeps her mind on the road of life; her ways are uncertain, she has no knowledge.
7 Ngalokho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; lingaphambuki kulokho engikukhulumayo.
Give ear to me then, my sons, and do not put away my words from you.
8 Hambani ngendlela ekhatshana kwaso, lingasondeli emnyango wendlu yaso,
Go far away from her, do not come near the door of her house;
9 funa unikele kwabanye amandla akho wonke lobudala bakho kulowo olesihluku,
For fear that you may give your honour to others, and your wealth to strange men:
10 funa abemzini bazitike ngenotho yakho lokusebenza kwakho kunothise umuzi wenye indoda.
And strange men may be full of your wealth, and the fruit of your work go to the house of others;
11 Ekupheleni kokuphila kwakho uzabubula, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekugugile.
And you will be full of grief at the end of your life, when your flesh and your body are wasted;
12 Uzakuthi, “Uthi ngangikuzonda yini ukulaywa! Inhliziyo yami yayikuzonda njani ukuqondiswa!
And you will say, How was teaching hated by me, and my heart put no value on training;
13 Ngangingafuni ukulalela abafundisi bami kumbe ukulalela abeluleki bami.
I did not give attention to the voice of my teachers, my ear was not turned to those who were guiding me!
14 Ngacina sengisenkingeni enkulu ngiphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.”
I was in almost all evil in the company of the people.
15 Natha amanzi kowakho umgqomo, amanzi agelezayo kowakho umthombo.
Let water from your store and not that of others be your drink, and running water from your fountain.
16 Kambe imifudlana yakho ingayekelwa igelezela emigwaqweni, lezifula zakho zamanzi zigelezele ezinkundleni zabantu na?
Let not your springs be flowing in the streets, or your streams of water in the open places.
17 Kazibe ngezakho wena wedwa, ungazabelani labafokazana nje.
Let them be for yourself only, not for other men with you.
18 Sengathi ungabusiswa umthombo wakho njalo sengathi ungathokoza ngomfazi wobutsha bakho.
Let blessing be on your fountain; have joy in the wife of your early years.
19 Oyimpalakazi ethandekayo, imbabala ebutshelezi amabele akhe sengathi angakusuthisa lanini, nini lanini ukhangwe luthando lwakhe.
As a loving hind and a gentle doe, let her breasts ever give you rapture; let your passion at all times be moved by her love.
20 Kungani ndodana yami, uthunjwa yisifebekazi? Kungani ugona iqolo lomfazi wenye indoda?
Why let yourself, my son, go out of the way with a strange woman, and take another woman in your arms?
21 Phela izindlela zomuntu zisobala kuThixo, uyazihlola zonke izindlela zakhe.
For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he puts all his goings in the scales.
22 Izenzo ezimbi zomuntu omubi ziyamthiya; izibopho zesono sakhe zimuthe nko.
The evil-doer will be taken in the net of his crimes, and prisoned in the cords of his sin.
23 Uzabhubha ngoba engalayeki, elahlekiswa yibuphukuphuku bakhe.
He will come to his end for need of teaching; he is so foolish that he will go wandering from the right way.
