Izaga 5
1 Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
[My] son, attend to my wisdom, and apply thine ear to my words;
2 ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
that thou mayest keep good understanding, and the discretion of my lips gives thee a charge. Give no heed to a worthless woman;
3 Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
for honey drops from the lips of a harlot, who for a season pleases thy palate:
4 Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
but afterwards thou wilt find her more bitter than gall, and sharper than a two-edged sword.
For the feet of folly lead those who deal with her down to the grave with death; and her steps are not established. (Sheol h7585)
6 Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
For she goes not upon the paths of life; but her ways are slippery, and not easily known.
7 Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Now then, [my] son, hear me, and make not my words of none effect.
8 Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
Remove thy way far from her; draw not near to the doors of her house:
9 hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
lest thou give away thy life to others, and thy substance to the merciless:
10 hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
lest strangers be filled with thy strength, and thy labours come into the houses of strangers;
11 njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
And thou repent at last, when the flesh of thy body is consumed,
12 njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
and thou shalt say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart avoided reproofs!
13 Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
I heard not the voice of him that instructed me, and taught me, neither did I apply mine ear.
14 Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
Drink waters out of thine own vessels, and out of thine own springing wells.
16 Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
Let not waters out of thy fountain be spilt by thee, but let thy waters go into thy streets.
17 Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
Let them be only thine own, and let no stranger partake with thee.
18 Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
Let thy fountain of water be [truly] thine own; and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19 impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
Let [thy] loving hart and thy graceful colt company with thee, and let her be considered thine own, and be with thee at all times; for ravished with her love thou shalt be greatly increased.
20 Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
Be not intimate with a strange woman, neither fold thyself in the arms of a woman not thine own.
21 Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
For the ways of a man are before the eyes of God, and he looks on all his paths.
22 Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
Iniquities ensnare a man, and every one is bound in the chains of his own sins.
23 Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
Such a man dies with the uninstructed; and he is cast forth from the abundance of his own substance, and has perished through folly.
