Izaga 5
1 Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
My son, attend unto my wisdom; to my understanding incline thou thy ear:
2 ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
That thou mayest observe discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
3 Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
For as of fine honey drop the lips of an adulterous woman, and smoother than oil is her palate;
4 Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
But her end is bitter as wormwood, it is sharp as a two-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death, her steps take firm hold on the nether world: (Sheol h7585)
6 Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
So that she cannot balance the path of life; her tracks are unsteady, and she knoweth it not.
7 Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
And now, O ye children, hearken unto me, and depart not from the sayings of my mouth.
8 Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
Remove far from her thy way, and come not nigh to the door of her house;
9 hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
That thou mayest not give up unto others thy vigor, and thy years unto the cruel;
10 hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
That strangers may not satisfy themselves with thy strength, and with thy exertions, in the house of an alien:
11 njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
While thou moanest at thy end, when thy flesh and thy body are coming to their end,
12 njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
And thou sayest, How have I hated correction, and how hath my heart rejected reproof;
13 Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
While I hearkened not to the voice of my instructors, and to my teachers I inclined not my ear;
14 Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
But little more was wanting, and I had been in all [kinds of] unhappiness in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
15 Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
Drink water out of thy own cistern, and running waters out of thy own well.
16 Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
So will thy springs overflow abroad; and in the open streets will be thy rivulets of water;
17 Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
They will be thy own only, and not those of strangers with thee.
18 Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
Thy fountain will 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.
The lovely gazelle and the graceful chamois: let her bosom satisfy thee abundantly at all times; with her love be thou ravished continually.
20 Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with an adulteress, and embrace the bosom of an alien woman?
21 Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
For before the eyes of the Lord are the ways of man, and all his tracks doth he weigh in the balance.
22 Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
His own iniquities will truly catch the wicked, and with the cords of his sin will he be held firmly.
23 Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
He will indeed die for want of correction; and through the abundance of his folly will he sink into error.
