Warning Against Adultery
1My son, pay attention to my wisdom,
turn your ear to my words of insight,
2that you may maintain discretion
and your lips may preserve knowledge.
3For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
and her speech is smoother than oil;
4but in the end she is bitter as gall,
sharp as a double-edged sword.
5Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.
6She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
7Now then, my sons, listen to me;
do not turn aside from what I say.
8Keep to a path far from her,
do not go near the door of her house,
9lest you lose your honor to others
and your dignity5:9 Or years to one who is cruel,
10lest strangers feast on your wealth
and your toil enrich the house of another.
11At the end of your life you will groan,
when your flesh and body are spent.
12You will say, “How I hated discipline!
How my heart spurned correction!
13I would not obey my teachers
or turn my ear to my instructors.
14And I was soon in serious trouble
in the assembly of God’s people.”
15Drink water from your own cistern,
running water from your own well.
16Should your springs overflow in the streets,
your streams of water in the public squares?
17Let them be yours alone,
never to be shared with strangers.
18May your fountain be blessed,
and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19A loving doe, a graceful deer—
may her breasts satisfy you always,
may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
21For your ways are in full view of the Lord,
and he examines all your paths.
22The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;
the cords of their sins hold them fast.
23For lack of discipline they will die,
led astray by their own great folly.
Onyo Dhidi Ya Uzinzi
15:1 Mit 1:8Mwanangu, sikiliza kwa makini hekima yangu,
sikiliza vizuri maneno yangu ya busara,
25:2 Mwa 2:7ili uweze kutunza busara
na midomo yako ihifadhi maarifa.
35:3 Za 55:21; Mit 2:16Kwa maana midomo ya mwanamke kahaba
hudondoza asali,
na maneno ya kinywa chake
ni laini kuliko mafuta;
45:4 Mhu 7:26; Ebr 4:12lakini mwisho wake ni mchungu kama nyongo,
mkali kama upanga ukatao kuwili.
55:5 Za 9:17; Mit 2:18Miguu yake hushuka kuelekea kwenye kifo;
hatua zake huelekea moja kwa moja kaburini.5:5 Kaburini hapa maana yake ni Kuzimu, kwa Kiebrania ni Sheol.
65:6 Mit 9:13; 30:20Yeye hafikiri juu ya njia ya uzima;
njia zake zimepotoka, lakini yeye hajui.
75:7 Mit 1:8-9Sasa basi wanangu, nisikilizeni;
msiache ninalowaambia.
85:8 Mit 6:20-29; 7:1-27Njia zenu ziwe mbali naye,
msiende karibu na mlango wa nyumba yake,
9usije ukatoa nguvu zako nzuri kwa wengine
na miaka yako kwa aliye mkatili,
105:10 Mit 29:3wageni wasije wakasherehekea utajiri wako
na jitihada yako ikatajirisha
nyumba ya mwanaume mwingine.
11Mwishoni mwa maisha yako utalia kwa uchungu,
wakati nyama na mwili wako vimechakaa.
12Utasema, “Tazama jinsi gani nilivyochukia adhabu!
Tazama jinsi moyo wangu ulivyodharau maonyo!
13Sikuwatii walimu wangu
wala kuwasikiliza wakufunzi wangu.
145:14 Mit 1:24-27; 6:33; 31:3Nimefika ukingoni mwa maangamizi kabisa
katikati ya kusanyiko lote.”
15Kunywa maji kutoka kwenye kisima chako mwenyewe,
maji yanayotiririka kutoka kwenye kisima chako mwenyewe.
16Je, chemchemi zako zifurike katika barabara za mji
na vijito vyako vya maji viwanjani?
17Na viwe vyako mwenyewe,
kamwe visishirikishwe wageni.
185:18 Wim 4:12-15; Kum 20:7; Mal 2:14Chemchemi yako na ibarikiwe
na umfurahie mke wa ujana wako.
195:19 Wim 2:9; 8:14Kulungu jike apendaye, kulungu mzuri:
matiti yake na yakutosheleze siku zote,
nawe utekwe daima na upendo wake.
205:20 Mit 2:16; 7:5Kwa nini mwanangu, utekwe na mwanamke kahaba?
Kwa nini ukumbatie kifua cha mke wa mwanaume mwingine?
215:21 Za 119:168; Hos 7:2; Yer 16:17; Ay 10:4; Ebr 4:13Kwa maana njia za mtu ni wazi kabisa mbele za Bwana,
naye huyapima mapito yake yote.
225:22 Za 9:16; Hes 32:23; Ay 18:9Matendo mabaya ya mtu mwovu humnasa yeye mwenyewe;
kamba za dhambi yake humkamata kwa nguvu.
235:23 Ay 4:21; 36:12Atakufa kwa kukosa nidhamu,
akipotoshwa kwa upumbavu wake mwenyewe.
