1 My son, keep my words,
And lay up my commandments with thee.
Mwanangu, yashike maneno yangu, Na kuziweka amri zangu akiba kwako.
2 Keep my commandments, and live;
And my law as the apple of thine eye.
Uzishike amri zangu ukaishi, Na sheria yangu kama mboni ya jicho lako.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers,
Write them upon the table of thine heart.
Zifunge katika vidole vyako; Ziandike juu ya kibao cha moyo wako.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister;
And call understanding thy kinswoman:
Mwambie hekima, Wewe ndiwe umbu langu; Mwite ufahamu jamaa yako mwanamke.
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman,
From the stranger which flattereth with her words.
Wapate kukulinda na malaya, Na mgeni akubembelezaye kwa maneno yake.
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through my casement,
Maana katika dirisha la nyumba yangu Nalichungulia katika shubaka yake;
7 And beheld among the simple ones,
I discerned among the youths,
A young man void of understanding,
Nikaona katikati ya wajinga, Nikamtambua miongoni mwa vijana, Kijana mmoja asiyekuwa na akili,
8 Passing through the street near her corner;
And he went the way to her house,
Akipita njiani karibu na pembe yake, Akiishika njia iendayo nyumbani kwake,
9 In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night:
Wakati wa magharibi, wakati wa jioni, Usiku wa manane, gizani.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman
With the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
Na tazama, mwanamke akamkuta, Ana mavazi ya kikahaba, mwerevu wa moyo;
11 (She is loud and stubborn;
Her feet abide not in her house:
Ana kelele, na ukaidi; Miguu yake haikai nyumbani mwake.
12 Now is she without, now in the streets,
And lieth in wait at every corner.)
Mara yu katika njia kuu, mara viwanjani, Naye huotea kwenye pembe za kila njia.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him,
And with an impudent face said unto him,
Basi akamshika, akambusu, Akamwambia kwa uso usio na haya,
14 I have peace offerings with me;
This day have I payed my vows.
Kwangu ziko sadaka za amani; Leo hivi nimeziondoa nadhiri zangu;
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee,
Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
Ndiyo maana nikatoka nikulaki, Nikutafute uso wako kwa bidii, nami nimekuona.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry,
With carved works , with fine linen of Egypt.
Nimetandika kitanda changu, magodoro mazuri, Kwa matandiko ya Kimisri yenye mistari.
17 I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Nimetia kitanda changu manukato, Manemane na udi na mdalasini.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning:
Let us solace ourselves with loves.
Haya, na tushibe upendo hata asubuhi, Tujifurahishe nafsi zetu kwa mahaba.
19 For the goodman is not at home,
He is gone a long journey:
Maana mume wangu hayumo nyumbani, Amekwenda safari ya mbali;
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him,
And will come home at the day appointed.
Amechukua mfuko wa fedha mkononi; Atarudi wakati wa mwezi mpevu.
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield,
With the flattering of her lips she forced him.
Kwa maneno yake mengi na ulaini akamshawishi, Kwa ubembelezi wa midomo yake akamshinda.
22 He goeth after her straightway,
As an ox goeth to the slaughter,
Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
Huyo akafuatana naye mara hiyo, Kama vile ng'ombe aendavyo machinjoni; Au mpumbavu kuadhibiwa katika pingu;
23 Till a dart strike through his liver;
As a bird hasteth to the snare,
And knoweth not that it is for his life.
Hata mshale umchome maini; Kama ndege aendaye haraka mtegoni; Wala hajui ya kuwa ni hasara ya nafsi yake.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children,
And attend to the words of my mouth.
Basi, wanangu, nisikilizeni sasa, Mkayaangalie maneno ya kinywa changu.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways,
Go not astray in her paths.
Moyo wako usizielekee njia zake, Wala usipotee katika mapito yake.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded:
Yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
Maana amewaangusha wengi waliojeruhi, Naam, jumla ya waliouawa naye ni jeshi kubwa.
27 Her house is the way to hell,
Going down to the chambers of death.
Nyumba yake ni njia ya kwenda kuzimu, Hushuka mpaka vyumba vya mauti.
