Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2 Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye.
3 Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
4 Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman;
5 ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8 lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;
9 kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.
13 Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves.
19 Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;
20 Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.'
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away.
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare — and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26 Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain.
