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 law as the apple of thy 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 to 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 stranger [which] flattereth with her words.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
And beheld among the simple 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, in the black and dark night:
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
And behold, there met him a woman [with] the attire of a harlot, and subtil of heart.
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
(She [is] loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
Now [is she] without, now in the streets, 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 said to him,
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
[I have] peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
Therefore I came forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved [works], with fine linen 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 the good-man [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 a bag of money with him, [and] will come home at the day appointed.
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she impelled him.
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
He goeth after her quickly, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
Till a dart striketh through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it [is] for his life.
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
Now therefore hearken to me, O ye children, 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: yes, many strong [men] have been slain by her.
