Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
My son, guard my words and conceal my precepts within you.
2 Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
Son, preserve my commandments, and you shall live. And keep my law as the pupil of your eye.
3 Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
Bind it with your fingers; write it on the tablets of your heart.
4 Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call prudence your friend.
5 ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
So may she guard you from the woman who is an outsider, and from the stranger who sweetens her words.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
For I gaze from the window of my house, through the lattice,
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
and I see little ones. I consider a frenzied youth,
8 lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
who crosses the street at the corner and close to the way of that house.
9 kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
He steps into shadows, as day becomes evening, into the darkness and gloom of the night.
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
And behold, a woman meets him, dressed like a harlot, prepared to captivate souls: chattering and rambling,
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
unwilling to bear silence, unable to keep her feet at home,
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
now outside, now in the streets, now lying in ambush near the corners.
13 Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
And overtaking the youth, she kisses him, and with a provocative face, she flatters him, saying:
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
“I vowed sacrifices for well-being. Today I have repaid my vows.
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
Because of this, I have gone out to meet you, desiring to see you, and I have found you.
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
I have woven my bed with cords. I have strewn it with embroidered tapestries from Egypt.
17 Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloe, and cinnamon.
18 Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
Come, let us be inebriated in abundance, and let us delight in the embraces of desire, until the day begins to dawn.
19 Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
For my husband is not in his house. He has gone away on a very long journey.
20 Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
He took with him a bag of money. He will return to his house on the day of the full moon.”
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
She enmeshed him with many words, and she drew him forward with the flattery of her lips.
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
Immediately, he follows her, like an ox being led to the sacrifice, and like a lamb acting lasciviously, and not knowing that he is being drawn foolishly into chains,
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
until the arrow pierces his liver. It is just as if a bird were to hurry into the snare. And he does not know that his actions endanger his own soul.
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
Therefore, my son, hear me now, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
Do not let your mind be pulled into her ways. And do not be deceived by her paths.
26 Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
For she has tossed aside many wounded, and some of those who were very strong have been slain by her.
