Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
My son, heed my advice, and guard my instructions [as you would] [MET] [guard] a treasure.
2 Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
Obey my commands, and [as a result you will] live [a good life]. Consider the things that I teach you [to be very precious]; guard them, [just] like you protect your eyes.
3 Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
Tie my commands around your fingers [in order that they will remind you to obey them]. Always keep them in mind [MET].
4 Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
[Love] wisdom [like you love] your sister. Understand what is wise, [and let that be as dear to you as] members of your family.
5 ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
If you are wise and if you understand what is wise [PRS], you will not [sleep with] an immoral woman; you will not listen to a woman who tries to entice you [to sleep with her] by what she says.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
One day, I was standing at the window inside my house, and I looked outside.
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
I saw some young men who did not have good sense. Among them was a man who was very foolish.
8 lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
He crossed the street near [the house of] an immoral woman. He was walking along the path toward her house
9 kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
at twilight, when it was getting dark [DOU].
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
Suddenly the woman came out to see/meet him. She was dressed (seductively/like a prostitute), wanting to persuade him to sleep with her.
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
She was a loud talker, one who was rebellious; she [SYN] never stayed at home.
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
She often went into the city streets and plazas/markets, waiting to trap some man.
13 Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
[When she saw that young man], she put her arms around him and kissed him. Then without being a bit ashamed, she said,
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
“I have [some meat that is left over from] a sacrifice that I made today [to maintain fellowship with Yahweh]; I have fulfilled/done what I promised him that I would do.
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
And now I have come out to meet/see you. I was searching for you, and [now] I have found you!
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
I have put on my bed sheets/bedspreads that were made from [very fine] linen [that were imported] {[people brought]} from Egypt.
17 Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
I have sprinkled [sweet-smelling] perfumes on my bed— myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.
18 Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
Come [with me]; let us enjoy having sex until [tomorrow] morning. Let’s enjoy making love.
19 Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
My husband is not at home; he has gone away on a long journey.
20 Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
He is carrying a wallet filled with money, and he will not return until the middle of this month.”
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
[So] she persuaded him by [her] enticing/tempting words. She allured him by her smooth/sweet talk.
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
[And] he went with her immediately, like an ox that was going to where it would be slaughtered, or like a deer (OR, a fool) that is stepping into a noose/trap,
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
where it will remain/stay until someone shoots an arrow into its liver [and kills it]. [He was] like a bird that flew into a trap. He did not know that (it would cost him his life/he would die as a result).
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
My son, listen to what I say; pay [careful] attention to my words.
25 Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
Do not allow anything to arouse/persuade you to go with an immoral woman like that. Do not go where she goes.
26 Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
She has caused many men to be ruined; truly, no one can count the men she has killed.
