Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well who is before thee;
Soki ovandi mpo na kolia mesa moko elongo na mokonzi, tala malamu moto oyo azali liboso na yo.
2 and put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties; for they are deceitful food.
Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
4 Weary not thyself to become rich; cease from thine own intelligence:
Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
5 wilt thou set thine eyes upon it, it is gone; for indeed it maketh itself wings and it flieth away as an eagle towards the heavens.
Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
6 Eat thou not the food of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties.
Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
7 For as he thinketh in his soul, so is he. Eat and drink! will he say unto thee; but his heart is not with thee.
pamba te azalaka ndenge makanisi ya motema na ye ezali. Alobaka: « Lia mpe mela, » kasi motema na ye ezali elongo na yo te.
8 Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou vomit up, and thou wilt have wasted thy sweet words.
Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
9 Speak not in the ears of a foolish [man], for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
10 Remove not the ancient landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
11 for their redeemer is mighty; he will plead their cause against thee.
pamba te Molobeli na bango azalaka makasi, akozwa makambo na bango na maboko mpo na kotelemela yo.
12 Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
13 Withhold not correction from the child; for [if] thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die:
Kozangisa te kopesa mwana etumbu; soki obeti ye fimbu, akokufa te.
Na kobeta ye fimbu, okokangola molimo na ye na lifelo. (Sheol h7585)
15 My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine;
Mwana na ngai, soki motema na yo ezali na bwanya, motema na ngai ekozala na esengo.
16 and my reins shall exult, when thy lips speak right things.
Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners, but [be thou] in the fear of Jehovah all the day;
Tika ete motema na yo elulaka te bato ya masumu, kasi zalaka tango nyonso na posa makasi ya kotosa Yawe;
18 for surely there is a result, and thine expectation shall not be cut off.
pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
19 Thou, my son, hear and be wise, and direct thy heart in the way.
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe zala na bwanya, batela motema na yo kati na nzela ya sembo.
20 Be not among winebibbers, among riotous eaters of flesh.
Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth with rags.
pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; wisdom, and instruction, and intelligence.
Luka bosolo, kasi koteka yango te; sala se bongo na bwanya, na mateya mpe na mayele.
24 The father of a righteous [man] shall greatly rejoice, and he that begetteth a wise [son] shall have joy of him:
Tata ya moto ya sembo akozala na esengo mingi, mpe moto oyo abota mwana ya bwanya akosepela kati na ye.
25 let thy father and thy mother have joy, and let her that bore thee rejoice.
Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
Mwana na ngai ya mobali, pesa ngai motema na yo, mpe tika ete miso na yo esepela na nzela na ngai!
27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
Pamba te mwasi ya ndumba azali lokola libulu ya monene, mpe mwasi ya mopaya azali lokola libulu ya mozindo.
28 She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the treacherous among men.
Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
29 Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who contentions? Who complaining? Who wounds without cause? Who redness of eyes?
Mpo na nani: « Ah ngai, mawa! » Mpo na nani: « Eh! » Mpo na nani koswanaswana? Mpo na nani kolelalela? Mpo na nani kowelana ezanga tina? Mpo na nani kotelisa miso?
30 — They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try mixed wine.
Mpo na bato oyo bawumelaka liboso ya masanga ya vino, mpo na bato oyo bamelaka masanga ya makasi.
31 Look not upon the wine when it is red, when it sparkleth in the cup, and goeth down smoothly:
Kotalaka te masanga ya vino tango ezali motane, tango ezali kongala kati na kopo mpe kokita na pete na mongongo.
32 at the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thy heart shall speak froward things;
Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
34 and thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, and as he that lieth down upon the top of a mast:
Boye, okokoma lokola moto oyo alali kati na ebale monene, mpe lokola moto oyo alali na songe ya nzete ya molayi.
35 — “They have smitten me, [and] I am not sore; they have beaten me, [and] I knew it not. When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.”
Okoloba: « Babeti ngai, kasi nazali koyoka pasi te; babeti ngai fimbu, kasi nazali koyoka eloko te! Tango nini nakolamuka? Nakozongela lisusu komela vino. »
