Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
I saw amongst the simple ones. I discerned amongst 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, 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 middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, 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’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
