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Emitawaana Egiva mu Kukwana Omukazi Omwenzi

(A)Mutabani nyweeza ebigambo byange,
    era okuumenga ebiragiro byange.
(B)Kwata ebiragiro byange obeere mulamu,
    n’amateeka gange ogakuume ng’emmunye y’eriiso lyo;
(C)togalekanga kuva mu ngalo zo,
    gawandiike ku mutima gwo.
Amagezi gatwalire ddala nga mwannyoko,
    n’okutegeera, ng’owooluganda ow’omu kika kyo.
(D)Binaakuwonyanga omukazi omwenzi,
    omukazi omutambuze awaanawaana n’ebigambo ebisendasenda.

Lumu nnali nnyimiridde
    ku ddirisa ly’ennyumba yange.
(E)Ne ndaba mu bavubuka abatoototo,
    omulenzi atalina magezi,
ng’ayita mu luguudo okumpi n’akafo k’omukazi omwenzi,
    n’akwata ekkubo eridda ku nnyumba y’omukazi oyo,
(F)olw’eggulo ng’obudde buzibye,
    ekizikiza nga kikutte.

10 Awo omukazi n’ajja okumusisinkana
    ng’ayambadde nga malaaya, ng’ajjudde ebirowoozo eby’obukaba mu mutima gwe.
11 (G)Omukazi omukalukalu,
    atambulatambula ennyo atabeerako waka,
12 (H)wuuyo mu luguudo, wuuyo mu bifo ebikuŋŋaanirwamu,
    mu buli kafo konna ng’ateega!
13 (I)N’amuvumbagira, n’amunywegera
    era ng’amutunuulidde nkaliriza n’amaaso agatatya n’amugamba nti:

14 (J)“Nnina ssaddaaka ez’ebiweebwayo olw’emirembe,
    leero ntukiriza obweyamo bwange.
15 Noolwekyo nzize okukusisinkana,
    mbadde njagala nnyo okukulaba, era kaakano nkusanze.
16 Obuliri bwange mbwaze bulungi
    n’engoye eza linena ava mu Misiri.
17 (K)Mbukubye n’akaloosa,
    n’omugavu, n’obubaane, ne kinamoni, ne kalifuuwa.
18 (L)Jjangu tuwoomerwe omukwano okutuusa obudde okukya;
    leka twesanyuse ffembi mu mukwano.
19 Kubanga baze taliiyo eka;
    yatambula olugendo luwanvu:
20 Yagenda n’ensawo y’ensimbi;
    era alikomawo nga wayiseewo wiiki bbiri.”

21 (M)Yamusendasenda n’ebigambo ebisikiriza;
    n’amuwabya n’ebigambo ebiwoomerera.
22 (N)Amangwago omuvubuka n’amugoberera
    ng’ente etwalibwa okuttibwa
obanga empeewo egwa mu mutego,
23     (O)okutuusa akasaale lwe kafumita ekibumba kyayo,
ng’akanyonyi bwe kanguwa okugwa mu mutego,
    so tamanyi ng’alifiirwa obulamu bwe.

24 (P)Kaakano nno batabani bange mumpulirize,
    era musseeyo nnyo omwoyo eri ebigambo byange.
25 (Q)Temukkiriza mitima gyammwe kugoberera bigambo bye;
    temukkiriza bigere byammwe kukyamira mu makubo ge.
26 Kubanga bangi bazikiridde,
    ddala ab’amaanyi bangi bagudde.
27 (R)Ennyumba ye, lye kkubo eridda emagombe,
    nga likka mu bisenge eby’okufa.

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

My son,(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(D)

At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.(E)
He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
at twilight,(F) as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly(G) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)(H)
13 She took hold of him(I) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:(J)

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering(K) at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed(L)
    with myrrh,(M) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!(N)
19 My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.(O)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b](P)
23     till an arrow pierces(Q) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.(R)

24 Now then, my sons, listen(S) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.(T)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.(U)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
  2. Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.