Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
My son, keep my sayings, and, my commandments, treasure by thee;
2 Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
Keep my commandments and live, and mine instruction, as the pupil of thine eye;
3 Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
Bind them upon thy fingers, write them, on the tablet of thy heart;
4 Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
Say unto wisdom, My sister, thou! and, an acquaintance, call thou, understanding:
5 ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
That thou mayest be kept, from the woman that is a stranger, from the female unknown, who, with her speeches, doth flatter.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
For, in the window of my house, through my lattice, I looked out;
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
And saw among the simple ones, discerned among the youths, A young man lacking sense;
8 lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
Passing through the street, near her corner, and, on the way to her house, he sauntered along;
9 kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the midst of the night, and the gloom;
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
And lo! a woman, came to meet him, attired as one unchaste, of a wily heart.
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
Boisterous, is she, and rebellious, In her house, abide not her feet;
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
Now outside, now in the broadways, and, near every corner, she lieth in wait:
13 Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
So she caught him, and kissed him, and, embolding her face, she said to him:
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
Peace-offerings, are by me, to-day, have I paid my vows;
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
For this cause, came I forth to meet thee, to seek diligently thy face, and I have found thee:
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
Coverlets, have I spread on my couch of pleasure, dark-hued stuffs, of the yarn of Egypt;
17 Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
I have sprinkled my bed, with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon:
18 Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
Come! let us take our fill of endearments, until morning, let us delight ourselves with caresses;
19 Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
For the husband is not in his house, he hath gone on a journey afar;
20 Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
A bag of silver, hath he taken in his hand, On the day of the full moon, will he enter his house.
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
She turneth him aside, with her great persuasiveness, —with the flattery of her lips, she compelleth him:
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
Going after her instantly, as an ox, to the slaughter, he entereth, and, as in fetters, unto the correction of a fool.
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
Until an arrow cleaveth his liver, as a bird hasteth into a snare, and knoweth not, that, for his life, it is!
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
Now, therefore, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend, to the sayings of my mouth;
25 Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
Let not thy heart, turn aside to her ways, Do not go astray, in her paths.
26 Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
For, many, wounded, hath she caused to fall, —yea strong men, slain wholly by her:
