Izaga 5
1 Ndodana yami, lalela inhlakanipho yami, beka indlebe yakho ekuqedisiseni kwami,
My son, pay attention to my wisdom; incline your ears to my understanding,
2 ukuze uqaphele ingqondo, lendebe zakho zigcine ulwazi.
so you may learn about discretion and your lips may protect knowledge.
3 Ngoba indebe zowesifazana wemzini zithonta uluju, lomlomo wakhe ubutshelezi kulamafutha.
For the lips of an adulteress drip with honey and her mouth is smoother than oil,
4 Kodwa ukucina kwakhe kuyababa njengomhlonyane, kubukhali njengenkemba esika nhlangothi mbili.
but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, cutting like a sharp sword.
Her feet go down to death; her steps go all the way to Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
6 Hlezi ulinganise indlela yempilo, imikhondo yakhe iyazulazula, kananzeleli.
She gives no thought to the path of life. Her footsteps wander; she does not know where she is going.
7 Ngakho-ke, bantwana, ngilalelani, lingaphambuki emazwini omlomo wami.
Now, my sons, listen to me; do not turn away from listening to the words of my mouth.
8 Dedisela indlela yakho khatshana laye, ungasondeli emnyango wendlu yakhe;
Keep your path far away from her and do not come near the door of her house.
9 hlezi unikele udumo lwakho kwabanye, leminyaka yakho kolesihluku;
In that way you will not give away your honor to others or years of your life to a cruel person;
10 hlezi abezizwe bazisuthise ngamandla akho, lemitshikatshika yakho ibe sendlini yowezizweni;
strangers will not feast on your wealth; what you have worked for will not go into the house of strangers.
11 njalo ububule ekupheleni kwakho, lapho inyama yakho lomzimba wakho sekudliwe;
At the end of your life you will groan when your flesh and your body waste away.
12 njalo uthi: Ngikuzonde njani ukulaywa, lenhliziyo yami yadelela ukukhuzwa!
You will say, “How I hated instruction and my heart despised correction!
13 Kangizwanga-ke ilizwi labafundisi bami; kangibekanga indlebe zami kwabangifundisayo!
I would not obey my teachers or incline my ear to my instructors.
14 Ngaphosa ngaba ebubini bonke phakathi kwebandla lenhlangano.
I was almost completely ruined in the midst of the assembly, among the gathering of the people.”
15 Natha amanzi emgodini wakho, lemifula ephuma phakathi komthombo wakho.
Drink water from your own cistern and drink running water from your own well.
16 Imithombo yakho ichitheke phandle, izifula zamanzi emidangeni.
Should your springs overflow everywhere and your streams of water flow in the public squares?
17 Kakube ngokwakho wedwa, kungabi ngokwabezizweni kanye lawe.
Let them be for yourself alone and not for strangers with you.
18 Umthombo wakho kawubusiswe; uthokoze ngomfazi wobutsha bakho;
May your fountain be blessed and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth,
19 impala ethandekayo kakhulu, legogo elibukekayo; amabele akhe kawakusuthise sonke isikhathi, uzule othandweni lwakhe kokuphela.
for she is a loving deer and a graceful doe. Let her breasts satisfy you at all times; may you be continually intoxicated by her love.
20 Kungani-ke, ndodana yami, uzule kowesifazana wemzini, ugone isifuba sowemzini?
For why should you, my son, be captivated by an adulteress; why should you embrace the breasts of an immoral woman?
21 Ngoba indlela zomuntu ziphambi kwamehlo eNkosi; njalo iyalinganisa yonke imikhondo yakhe.
Yahweh sees everything a person does and watches all the paths he takes.
22 Ezakhe iziphambeko zizabamba omubi, abanjwe zintambo zesono sakhe.
A wicked person will be seized by his own iniquities; the cords of his sin will hold him tight.
23 Yena uzakufa ngokungalaywa, lebukhulwini bobuthutha bakhe uzaduha.
He will die because he lacks instruction; he is led astray by his great foolishness.
