Izaga 7
1 Ndodana yami, gcina amazwi ami, uzibekele imilayo yami.
My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.
2 Gcina imilayo yami, uphile, lomthetho wami njengenhlamvu yamehlo akho.
Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.
3 Ukubophele eminweni yakho, kubhale esibhebheni senhliziyo yakho.
Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart.
4 Uthi kunhlakanipho: Ungudadewethu; ubize ukuqedisisa ngokuthi yisihlobo sakho;
Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou [art].' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'
5 ukuze kukugcine kumfazi wemzini, kowesifazana wemzini oyengayo ngamazwi akhe.
To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.
6 Ngoba ewindini lendlu yami, ngeminxibo yewindi ngalunguza phandle,
For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,
7 ngasengibona phakathi kwabangelalwazi, ngananzelela phakathi kwabatsha ijaha eliswele ingqondo,
And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
8 lisedlula esitaladeni eceleni kwengonsi yakhe, linyathela endleleni yendlu yakhe,
Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way [to] her house he doth step,
9 kusihlwa, ngentambama yosuku, ebusuku obumnyama, lomnyama.
In the twilight — in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
10 Khangela-ke, owesifazana walihlangabeza, lesembatho sewule, elobuqili ngenhliziyo.
And, lo, a woman to meet him — (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,
11 Lo wayelomsindo, eyisiqholo; inyawo zakhe kazihlali endlini yakhe.
Noisy she [is], and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.
12 Khathesi uphandle, abesesiba ezitaladeni, ecathama kuyo yonke ingonsi.
Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) —
13 Ngokunjalo walibamba, walanga, waqinisa ubuso bakhe, wathi kulo:
And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,
14 Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula ikimi; lamuhla sengibhadele izifungo zami.
'Sacrifices of peace-offerings [are] by me, To-day I have completed my vows.
15 Ngakho-ke ngiphumile ukukuhlangabeza, ngidingisise ubuso bakho; ngikutholile.
Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.
16 Ngendlele umbheda wami ngezendlalo, ngamalembu acolekileyo kakhulu alemibalabala avela eGibhithe.
[With] ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works — cotton of Egypt.
17 Ngifafazile umbheda wami ngemure, izinhlaba, lekinamoni.
I sprinkled my bed — myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Woza, sizidakise ngothando kuze kuse, sizithokozise ngothando olukhulu.
Come, we are filled [with] loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
19 Ngoba indoda kayikho endlini yayo, ihambile uhambo khatshana.
For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.
20 Ithethe isaka lemali esandleni sayo; ngosuku lwenyanga egcweleyo izakuza endlini yayo.
A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'
21 Walihuga ngobunengi bemfundiso yakhe, walivumisa ngenkulumo zakhe ezincengayo.
She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.
22 Lahle lamlandela njengenkabi isiya ekuhlatshweni, lanjengesiphukuphuku sisiya ekujezisweni esongweni lenqagala;
He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,
23 uze umtshoko uhlabe isibindi salo, njengenyoni iphangisela esifwini, ingazi ukuthi simelene lempilo yayo.
Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it [is] for its life.
24 Khathesi-ke, bantwana, ngizweni, lilalele amazwi omlomo wami.
And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
25 Inhliziyo yakho kayingaphambukeli endleleni zakhe; ungaduhi emikhondweni yakhe.
Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
26 Ngoba ubawisele phansi abanengi abalimeleyo, labo bonke ababuleweyo bakhe banengi.
For many [are] the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty [are] all her slain ones.
