Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, agcine amazwi ami ulondoloze imilayo yami ngaphakathi kwakho.
My son! Keep my sayings, And lay up my commands with you.
2 Gcina imilayo yami ukuze uphile; ulinde imfundiso yami njengegugu lakho elikhulu.
Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of your eye.
3 Ibophele eminweni yakho; uyilobe enhliziyweni yakho.
Bind them on your fingers, Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Tshela ukuhlakanipha uthi, “Ungudadewethu wena,” uthi ukuqedisisa kuyisihlobo sakho;
Say to wisdom, “You [are] my sister.” And cry to understanding, “Relative!”
5 lezizinto zizakuvikela emfazini oyisifebe, lakumkakho ongelambeko ngamazwi akhe adukisayo.
To preserve you from a strange woman, From a stranger who has made her sayings smooth.
6 Ngema ewindini lendlu yami ngalunguza ngesikhala.
For at a window of my house, I have looked out through my casement,
7 Ngabona phakathi kwabayizithutha, ngananzelela phakathi kwamajaha ngabona ijaha elingelangqondo.
And I see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
8 Lalisehla ngomgwaqo liseduze lejiko, liqonda endlini yowesifazane
Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he steps,
9 ntambama sekunqunda amehlo, umnyama wobusuku usujiya.
In the twilight—in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
10 Khonokho nje kwaqhamuka owesifazane elihlangabeza egqoke okwesifebe ngoba eqophile.
And behold, a woman to meet him—(A harlot’s dress, and watchful of heart,
11 (Umfazi lowo, ngumuntu womsindo uyisiqholo, inyawo zakhe kazihlali phansi;
She [is] noisy, and stubborn, her feet do not rest in her house.
12 khathesi nangu emgwaqweni, njalo nangu enkundleni, utshobatshoba izindawana zonke.)
Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And she lies in wait near every corner)—
13 Wafika waligona lelijaha walanga wakhuluma engelanhloni wathi:
And she laid hold on him and kissed him, She has hardened her face and says to him,
14 “Ngenzile umnikelo wobudlelwano ngekhaya; lamuhla ngizigcwalisile izifungo zami.
“Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, Today I have completed my vows.
15 Yikho ngilapha ukukuhlangabeza; sengikudinge ngaze ngakuthola!
Therefore I have come forth to meet you, To earnestly seek your face, and I find you.
16 Sengiwendlele umbheda wami ngamalineni eGibhithe awemibalabala.
I decked my bed [with] ornamental coverings, Carved works—cotton of Egypt.
17 Sengiwuqholile umbheda wami ngemure, ngenhlaba langesinamoni.
I sprinkled my bed [with] myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Woza sizitike ngothando kuze kuse; kasizijabulise ngothando!
Come, we are filled [with] love until the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
19 Indoda yami kayikho ekhaya; ihambile iye khatshana.
For the man is not in his house, He has gone on a long journey.
20 Ithwele isikhwama sayo sigcwele imali, ngakho kayibuyi kuze kube phakathi kwenyanga.”
He has taken a bag of money in his hand, At the day of the new moon he comes to his house.”
21 Ngamazwi akhe amnandi waledukisa ijaha lelo; walihuga ijaha lelo ngolimi olumnandi.
She turns him aside with the abundance of her speech, She forces him with the flattery of her lips.
22 Khonokho nje lahle lamlandela njengenkabi idonselwa ukuyabulawa, njengomziki uzingenisa emjibileni,
He is going after her straight away, he comes as an ox to the slaughter, And as a chain to the discipline of a fool,
23 umtshoko uze uyehlaba isibindi, njengenyoni ithothela ngaphansi kwesifu, ingaboni ukuthi isizingenise ekufeni.
Until an arrow splits his liver, As a bird has hurried to a snare, And has not known that it [is] for its life.
24 Ngakho-ke madodana ami, ngilalelani; zwanini lokhu engikutshoyo.
And now, you sons, listen to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
25 Lingayivumeli inhliziyo ikhangwe yizindlela zakhe, langabe iphumputhekele emikhubeni yakhe.
Do not let your heart turn to her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
26 Banengi labo asebadilizile; izinkubela zakhe zilucaca olwesabekayo.
For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
