Proverbs 4
1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.
Bana na ngai, boyokaka mateya ya tata, bozalaka na bokebi mpo ete bozwa mayele.
2 For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.
Pamba te nazali kopesa bino mateya ya malamu; bobwaka mateya na ngai te.
3 When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,
Ngai mpe nazalaki mwana malamu na miso ya tata na ngai, boye mama na ngai alingaki ngai makasi lokola mwana oyo abotama kaka ye moko.
4 he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.
Tata na ngai azalaki koteya mpe koloba na ngai boye: « Tika ete motema na yo ebatela maloba na ngai, bomba mibeko na ngai mpe okozala na bomoi,
5 Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.
zwa bwanya, zwa mayele, kobosana yango te, kopesa mokongo te na maloba ya monoko na ngai,
6 Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.
kosundola bwanya te, mpe yango ekobatela yo, linga yango mpe ekobomba yo.
7 Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever you may acquire, gain understanding.
Tala ebandeli ya bwanya: Zwa bwanya, pesa biloko nyonso oyo ozali na yango mpo ete ozwa mayele.
8 Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.
Simba yango makasi, mpe ekotombola yo; yamba yango, mpe ekopesa yo lokumu.
9 She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”
Ekolatisa yo ekoti ya lokumu na moto, ekopesa yo motole ya nkembo. »
10 Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe yamba maloba na ngai, mpe mibu ya bomoi na yo ekobakisama.
11 I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.
Nazali kolakisa yo nzela ya bwanya, nazali kotambolisa yo na nzela ya alima.
12 When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.
Mpo ete makolo na yo ezala na mikakatano te tango okotambola; mpe soki okimi mbangu, okokweya te.
13 Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.
Tingama makasi na mateya oyo bapesi yo, kobwaka yango te, batela yango malamu mpo ete ezali bomoi na yo.
14 Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.
Kokotaka te na nzela ya bato ya mobulu mpe kotambolaka te na nzela ya bato mabe.
15 Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.
Longwa kati na bango, kolekela wana te, kosala mpe maseki kuna te, kasi kende na yo na nzela mosusu.
16 For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.
Pamba te balalaka pongi te soki basali nanu moto mabe te, mpe pongi ekimaka bango soki babomi moto te;
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
baliaka lipa na nzela ya mabe mpe bamelaka vino na nzela ya mobulu.
18 The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.
Nzokande, nzela ya bato ya sembo ezali lokola pole ya tongo makasi, oyo kongenga na yango eyaka malembe-malembe kino tango moyi ekobima makasi.
19 But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.
Nzela ya bato ya mobulu ezali lokola molili, bayebaka te eloko nini ekokweyisa bango.
20 My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
Mwana na ngai, zala na bokebi na maloba na ngai, pesa litoyi na yo na mateya na ngai.
21 Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.
Tika ete ezala te mosika ya miso na yo! Batela yango malamu kati na motema na yo,
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.
pamba te ezali bomoi mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango, mpe epesaka nzoto kolongono.
23 Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.
Batela malamu motema na yo koleka biloko nyonso, pamba te makambo nyonso oyo tosalaka, wana tozali na bomoi, ewutaka na motema.
24 Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.
Longola lokuta na monoko na yo, mpe longola mabe na bibebu na yo.
25 Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.
Tika ete miso na yo etalaka kaka liboso, mpe salaka makambo na bosembo mpe bosolo.
26 Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure.
Bongisa nzela oyo makolo na yo ekolekela, mpe tambola kaka na nzela oyo oyebi malamu.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.
Kotengama te, ezala na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali to ya mwasi, longola makolo na yo na mabe.
