Izaga 5
1 Ndodana yami, nanzelela ukuhlakanipha kwami, ulalele kuhle amazwi ami alombono,
My son, attend unto my wisdom; incline thine ear to my understanding:
2 ukuze uhlale ukwazi ukukhetha okuqondileyo lokuze izindebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
That thou mayest preserve discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 Phela izindebe zesifebekazi zithonta uluju, lenkulumo yaso iyatshelela kulamafutha;
For the lips of a strange woman drop honey, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 kodwa ekucineni iyababa ingathi yinyongo, ibukhali njengenkemba esika nxa zombili.
But her latter end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on Sheol; (Sheol h7585)
6 Kasikhathali ukuthi kuphilwa njani; izindlela zaso ziyazombeleza, kodwa kasikuboni lokho.
So that she findeth not the level path of life: her ways are unstable [and] she knoweth [it] not.
7 Ngalokho-ke, madodana ami, ngilalelani; lingaphambuki kulokho engikukhulumayo.
Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Hambani ngendlela ekhatshana kwaso, lingasondeli emnyango wendlu yaso,
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 funa unikele kwabanye amandla akho wonke lobudala bakho kulowo olesihluku,
Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10 funa abemzini bazitike ngenotho yakho lokusebenza kwakho kunothise umuzi wenye indoda.
Lest strangers be filled with thy strength; and thy labours [be] in the house of an alien;
11 Ekupheleni kokuphila kwakho uzabubula, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekugugile.
And thou mourn at thy latter end, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 Uzakuthi, “Uthi ngangikuzonda yini ukulaywa! Inhliziyo yami yayikuzonda njani ukuqondiswa!
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 Ngangingafuni ukulalela abafundisi bami kumbe ukulalela abeluleki bami.
Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
14 Ngacina sengisenkingeni enkulu ngiphakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.”
I was well nigh in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Natha amanzi kowakho umgqomo, amanzi agelezayo kowakho umthombo.
Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
16 Kambe imifudlana yakho ingayekelwa igelezela emigwaqweni, lezifula zakho zamanzi zigelezele ezinkundleni zabantu na?
Should thy springs be dispersed abroad, and rivers of water in the streets?
17 Kazibe ngezakho wena wedwa, ungazabelani labafokazana nje.
Let them be for thyself alone, and not for strangers with thee.
18 Sengathi ungabusiswa umthombo wakho njalo sengathi ungathokoza ngomfazi wobutsha bakho.
Let thy fountain be blessed; and rejoice in the wife of thy youth.
19 Oyimpalakazi ethandekayo, imbabala ebutshelezi amabele akhe sengathi angakusuthisa lanini, nini lanini ukhangwe luthando lwakhe.
[As] a loving hind and a pleasant doe, let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
20 Kungani ndodana yami, uthunjwa yisifebekazi? Kungani ugona iqolo lomfazi wenye indoda?
For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 Phela izindlela zomuntu zisobala kuThixo, uyazihlola zonke izindlela zakhe.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he maketh level all his paths.
22 Izenzo ezimbi zomuntu omubi ziyamthiya; izibopho zesono sakhe zimuthe nko.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.
23 Uzabhubha ngoba engalayeki, elahlekiswa yibuphukuphuku bakhe.
He shall die for lack of instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
