Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, better than the day of one's birth.
Kokende sango ya malamu eleki malasi ya solo kitoko na motuya, mpe mokolo ya kufa eleki mokolo ya mbotama na malamu.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; inasmuch as that is the end of all men: and let the living lay it to his heart.
Kokende na ndako ya matanga ezali malamu koleka kokende na ndako oyo ezali na feti, pamba te kufa ezali suka ya moto nyonso; yango wana, bato nyonso oyo bazali na bomoi basengeli kokanisaka na tina na yango.
3 Better is vexation than laughing; for through the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Mawa eleki koseka na malamu, pamba te elongi ya mawa eyeisaka motema esengo.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of joy.
Motema ya moto ya bwanya ezalaka kati na ndako ya matanga, kasi motema ya zoba ezalaka kati na ndako ya bisengo.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than that a man should hear the song of fools.
Koyoka pamela ya moto ya bwanya ezali malamu koleka koyoka banzembo ya zoba.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. Also this is vanity.
Koseka ya bazoba ezalaka lokola makelele ya basende oyo ezali kozika na se ya nzungu; wana mpe ezali pamba.
7 For [exercising] oppression maketh a wise man mad; and bribery corrupteth the heart.
Minyoko ekomisaka moto ya bwanya zoba, mpe bakado epengwisaka motema.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
Suka ya likambo ezali malamu koleka ebandeli ya likambo; kokanga motema ezali malamu koleka lolendo.
9 Be not rash in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in bosom of fools.
Kotombokaka noki te, pamba te kanda evandaka kati na bazoba.
10 Thou must not say, How was it that the former days were better than these? for it is not out of wisdom that thou askest concerning this.
Kolobaka te: « Mpo na nini mikolo eleki ezali malamu koleka mikolo ya lelo? » Pamba te bwanya etindaka te bato kotuna mituna ya boye.
11 Wisdom is better than an inheritance, yea, preferable for those that see the sun;
Bwanya ezali lokola libula, ezalaka malamu mpe epesaka litomba na bato oyo bamonaka moyi.
12 For under the shadow of wisdom [a man is equally well as] under the shadow of money; but the superior excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to him that possesseth it.
Bwanya ezali lokola nguba, ndenge mpe mosolo ezalaka nguba; kasi litomba ya boyebi ezali ete ebatelaka bomoi ya bato oyo bazali na yango.
13 Consider [then] the work of God; for who can make straight what he hath made crooked?
Tala malamu misala ya Nzambe: Nani akoki kosembola eloko oyo Ye asili kogumba?
14 On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity look on: also this hath God made in equal measure with the other, to the end that man should not find the least to censure him.
Na mokolo ya malamu, sepela; na mokolo ya mabe, kanisa; pamba te Nzambe nde asala nyonso mibale mpo ete moto ayeba te makambo oyo ekoya sima na ye.
15 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is many a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is many a wicked man that liveth long in his wickedness.—
Na mikolo ya pamba ya bomoi na ngai, namonaki makambo oyo nyonso: Moto ya sembo akufi mpo na bosembo na ye, mpe moto mabe awumeli na bomoi mpo na mabe na ye.
16 Be not righteous over much; neither show thyself over wise: why wouldst thou destroy thyself?
Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto ya sembo to ya kozala moto ya bwanya; mpo na nini komibebisa?
17 Be not wicked over much, and be no fool: why wouldst thou die before thy time?
Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto mabe to ya kozala zoba; mpo na nini kokufa liboso ete mikolo ya bomoi na yo ekoka?
18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of that, and that also from this thou withdraw not thy hand; for he that feareth God will come forth out of them all.
Ezali malamu kokangama na toli ya liboso mpe kosimba toli ya mibale, pamba te moto oyo atosaka Nzambe akosalela toli nyonso mibale.
19 Wisdom giveth more strength to the wise than ten rulers which were in the city.
Bwanya ekomisaka moto oyo azali na yango makasi koleka bakambi zomi kati na engumba.
20 For no man is so righteous upon earth, that he should do always good, and never sin.—
Kati na mokili, ezali na moto moko te ya sembo oyo asalaka kaka malamu, bongo azanga kosala masumu.
21 Also take no heed unto all the words that are spoken: lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
Kotiaka matoyi na bilobaloba ya bato te, noki te okoyoka mosali na yo kotiola yo;
22 For oftentimes also doth thy own heart know that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.—
pamba te, oyebi malamu, kati na motema na yo, ete yo mpe otiolaka bato mosusu mbala mingi.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Namekaki kososola makambo wana nyonso na nzela ya bwanya, namilobelaki: « Nakosala nyonso mpo ete nakoma moto ya bwanya, » kasi bwanya ezalaki kaka mosika na ngai.
24 Far is what formerly was so, and what was deep remaineth deep: who can find it out?
Nyonso oyo ezalisami ezali mosika, mozindo mpe mozindo makasi; nani akoki komona yango?
25 Then I turned myself about together with my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and experience, and to know the wickedness of folly, and the foolishness of madness.
Boye, na motema na ngai mobimba, namipesaki mpo na kososola, koyeba, koluka bwanya mpe boyebi; mpe mpo na kososola bozoba ya mabe elongo na liboma ya bozoba.
26 And I find as more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are bonds: he that is deemed good before God will escape from her; but the sinner will be caught by her.
Namoni likambo oyo: mwasi oyo motema na ye ezali lokola motambo to monyama, oyo maboko na ye ezali lokola minyololo, azali mabe koleka kufa; mobali oyo asepelisaka Nzambe akotikala kokangama te na motambo na ye, kaka mobali oyo asalaka masumu nde akokangama na motambo na ye.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith Koheleth, [adding] one to the other, to find experience,
Mosakoli alobi: « Tala makambo oyo nasosoli sima na koyekola mwasi moko na moko mpo na kozwa mayele:
28 What my soul constantly sought, but I found it not; one man among a thousand did I find; but a woman among all these did I not find.
Nazali koluka, kasi nanu namoni te. Namoni mobali moko ya sembo kati na mibali nkoto moko, kasi namoni ata mwasi moko te ya sembo kati na basi nyonso!
29 Lo, this only did I find, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought for many [sinful] devices.
Tala makambo oyo nasosoli: Nzambe asala bato mpo ete bazala malamu, kasi bato bamilukelaka mindondo bango moko. »
