Warning against Adultery
1 My child, pay attention and listen to my wisdom and insight. 2 Then you will know how to behave properly, and your words will show that you have knowledge. 3 The lips of another man's wife may be as sweet as honey and her kisses as smooth as olive oil, 4 but when it is all over, she leaves you nothing but bitterness and pain. 5 She will take you down to the world of the dead; the road she walks is the road to death. 6 She does not stay on the road to life; but wanders off, and does not realize what is happening.
7 Now listen to me, sons, and never forget what I am saying. 8 Keep away from such a woman! Don't even go near her door! 9 If you do, others will gain the respect that you once had, and you will die young at the hands of merciless people. 10 Yes, strangers will take all your wealth, and what you have worked for will belong to someone else. 11 You will lie groaning on your deathbed, your flesh and muscles being eaten away, 12 and you will say, “Why would I never learn? Why would I never let anyone correct me? 13 I wouldn't listen to my teachers. I paid no attention to them. 14 And suddenly I found myself publicly disgraced.”
15 Be faithful to your own wife and give your love to her alone. 16 Children that you have by other women will do you no good. 17 Your children should grow up to help you, not strangers. 18 So be happy with your wife and find your joy with the woman you married— 19 pretty and graceful as a deer. Let her charms keep you happy; let her surround you with her love. 20 Son, why should you give your love to another woman? Why should you prefer the charms of another man's wife? 21 The Lord sees everything you do. Wherever you go, he is watching. 22 The sins of the wicked are a trap. They get caught in the net of their own sin. 23 They die because they have no self-control. Their utter stupidity will send them to their graves.
Jenjedzo ngekwe bupongwe
1 Nkololo wangu, bhulutana butjenjedu gwangu,
Teya zebe uhwe kuhwisisa kwangu,
2 kutindizo ugale una njele,
ne milomo iyo itjengete luzibo.
3 Ngobe milomo ye nkadzi we bamba inodotha butji,
ne ndebo iye inosodzoloka kupinda mafuta,
4 koga mu bupelo unobaba se nshashanyama,
unopitsha se thumo linotjeka ntha dzose.
5 Makumbo awe anoyenda ku lufu,
thambo dzidze dzotobela zila inoyenda ku gomba,
6 aana hanya ne zila inoyenda ku butjilo,
zila dzidze dzakamoneleka koga ngono aatoziba nge kwako.
7 Koga ngwenu, imwi bakololo, munditeedze,
kakale musithubukane ne matama e nlomo wangu.
8 Muzanile kule kwe nkadzi wakajalo,
kakale musitongo yenda pejo ne nkoba we ng'umba iye,
9 kuti musidwe mupa bamwe gudzo lenyu,
ne makole enyu kuna bana mimoyo mikukutu,
10 kuti musidwe motolegwa masimba ne bataya
ne fumwa yenyu ingadwa ikanojiwa ne bapoga,
11 kukoti mu bupelo gwe butjilo nthu ekogomela,
nyama ne mbili zwashakala,
12 ekoti, “Ndakabe ndakabenga kulayiwa tjini,
ne moyo wangu wakalingila pasi kutjemegwa!
13 Andizo teedza hwi le badiyi bangu,
kene kuteya zebe yangu ku balayi bangu.
14 Ndakabe ndabepejo ne kuloba,
pakati kwe gubungano.”
15 Ing'wa vula mu tshime lilo,
vula inodwilila mu tshime lilo woga.
16 Apa misenya iyo ingawungila pamwe ne pamwe,
misenya ye vula mu dzizila kene?
17 Ngaibe misenya inong'wiwa nawe koga,
usinga ishanganyila ne bataya.
18 Tshime lilo ngali kombolegwe,
kakale ushathile nkadzi we buzhuzha gugo,
19 se phala hadzi yakanaka ne ngululu hadzi mbuya.
Mazhamu awe ngaakugutshe nge shatho,
ugale wakagutshiwa ne ludo gugwe.
20 Nkololo wangu, ini ungatogwa mazwiwo ne bamba wali
ube ushathisiwa nge kun'gumbatila?
21 Ngobe zila dze nthu dzimu mesho a Yahwe,
ibo banobona zila dzidze dzose.
22 Jinyo le nthu lombhatshila,
kakale unobhatshigwa mu mishingo iye ye bubi.
23 Unobulawa nge kushaya kutjemegwa,
ngekwe bulengwe gugwe bukulu wakalashika.