Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of his 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; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to 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 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by 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 mirth.
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 for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to 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 a fool. This also is vanity.
Koseka ya bazoba ezalaka lokola makelele ya basende oyo ezali kozika na se ya nzungu; wana mpe ezali pamba.
7 Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.
Minyoko ekomisaka moto ya bwanya zoba, mpe bakado epengwisaka motema.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. 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 hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Kotombokaka noki te, pamba te kanda evandaka kati na bazoba.
10 Say not, “What is the cause that the former days were better than these?” For thou dost not inquire wisely 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 as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for them that see the sun.
Bwanya ezali lokola libula, ezalaka malamu mpe epesaka litomba na bato oyo bamonaka moyi.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have 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 the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
Tala malamu misala ya Nzambe: Nani akoki kosembola eloko oyo Ye asili kogumba?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man should not find out any thing which shall be after 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 this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked men who live long in their 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 overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto ya sembo to ya kozala moto ya bwanya; mpo na nini komibebisa?
17 Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst 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 this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For he that feareth God shall escape all those things.
Ezali malamu kokangama na toli ya liboso mpe kosimba toli ya mibale, pamba te moto oyo atosaka Nzambe akosalela toli nyonso mibale.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
Bwanya ekomisaka moto oyo azali na yango makasi koleka bakambi zomi kati na engumba.
20 Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.
Kati na mokili, ezali na moto moko te ya sembo oyo asalaka kaka malamu, bongo azanga kosala masumu.
21 Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!
Kotiaka matoyi na bilobaloba ya bato te, noki te okoyoka mosali na yo kotiola yo;
22 For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself 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 tried 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 That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Nyonso oyo ezalisami ezali mosika, mozindo mpe mozindo makasi; nani akoki komona yango?
25 I applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and 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 found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall 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 the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.
Mosakoli alobi: « Tala makambo oyo nasosoli sima na koyekola mwasi moko na moko mpo na kozwa mayele:
28 That which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found, is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a thousand have I not found.
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 have I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
Tala makambo oyo nasosoli: Nzambe asala bato mpo ete bazala malamu, kasi bato bamilukelaka mindondo bango moko. »
