Proverbs 23
1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
Soki ovandi mpo na kolia mesa moko elongo na mokonzi, tala malamu moto oyo azali liboso na yo.
2 For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
3 Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
4 Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
5 When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
6 Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
7 For as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: Eat and drink, saith he to 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 spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
9 Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence of thy words.
Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
10 Remove not the ancient landmark, and into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
11 For their redeemer is strong; he will indeed plead their cause with 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 thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
13 Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Kozangisa te kopesa mwana etumbu; soki obeti ye fimbu, akokufa te.
14 Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (Sheol h7585)
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 what is equitable.
Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
17 Let not thy heart be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
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 future, and thy hope will not be cut off.
pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
19 Hear thou, my son, and become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe zala na bwanya, batela motema na yo kati na nzela ya sembo.
20 Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
22 Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be old.
Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
23 Buy the truth and sell it not; [also] wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
Luka bosolo, kasi koteka yango te; sala se bongo na bwanya, na mateya mpe na mayele.
24 The father of the righteous will be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
Tata ya moto ya sembo akozala na esengo mingi, mpe moto oyo abota mwana ya bwanya akosepela kati na ye.
25 Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
26 Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch 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 harlot is a deep ditch, and a strange woman is a narrow well.
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 like a robber, and she 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 hath quarrels? who hath complaints? who hath wounds without cause? who hath 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 late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
Mpo na bato oyo bawumelaka liboso ya masanga ya vino, mpo na bato oyo bamelaka masanga ya makasi.
31 Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
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 will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
33 Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
34 And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on 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 smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
Okoloba: « Babeti ngai, kasi nazali koyoka pasi te; babeti ngai fimbu, kasi nazali koyoka eloko te! Tango nini nakolamuka? Nakozongela lisusu komela vino. »
