Izaga 5
1 Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
2 ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
4 Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell. (Sheol h7585)
6 Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
7 Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
8 Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
9 hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
10 hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
11 njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
12 njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
13 Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
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 cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
16 Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
17 Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
Let them be only thine own, and not strangers' with thee.
18 Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
19 impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
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.
20 Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
21 Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
For the ways of man are before the eyes of YHWH, and he pondereth all his goings.
22 Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
23 Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.
