Proverbs 4
1 Hear, ye sons, the correction of a father, and attend, that ye may know understanding.
Bana na ngai, boyokaka mateya ya tata, bozalaka na bokebi mpo ete bozwa mayele.
2 For, good teaching, have I given you, mine instruction, do not ye forsake.
Pamba te nazali kopesa bino mateya ya malamu; bobwaka mateya na ngai te.
3 For, a son, became I to my father, tender and most precious in the sight 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 So he taught me, and said to me—Let thy heart, lay hold of my words, Keep my commandments and 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 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding, Do not forget, neither decline thou from the sayings of my mouth.
zwa bwanya, zwa mayele, kobosana yango te, kopesa mokongo te na maloba ya monoko na ngai,
6 Do not forsake her, and she will guard thee, —love her and she will keep thee.
kosundola bwanya te, mpe yango ekobatela yo, linga yango mpe ekobomba yo.
7 The principal thing, is wisdom, acquire thou wisdom, With all thine acquisition, acquire thou understanding.
Tala ebandeli ya bwanya: Zwa bwanya, pesa biloko nyonso oyo ozali na yango mpo ete ozwa mayele.
8 Exalt her, and she will set thee on high, she will bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her:
Simba yango makasi, mpe ekotombola yo; yamba yango, mpe ekopesa yo lokumu.
9 She will give for thy head, a wreath of beauty, A crown of adorning, will she bestow upon thee.
Ekolatisa yo ekoti ya lokumu na moto, ekopesa yo motole ya nkembo. »
10 Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, and they will multiply to thee the years of life.
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe yamba maloba na ngai, mpe mibu ya bomoi na yo ekobakisama.
11 In the way of wisdom, have I taught thee, I have guided thee in tracks of uprightness.
Nazali kolakisa yo nzela ya bwanya, nazali kotambolisa yo na nzela ya alima.
12 When thou walkest, thy step shall not be hemmed in, and, if thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.
Mpo ete makolo na yo ezala na mikakatano te tango okotambola; mpe soki okimi mbangu, okokweya te.
13 Take fast hold of correction, let her not go, —keep her, for, she, is thy life.
Tingama makasi na mateya oyo bapesi yo, kobwaka yango te, batela yango malamu mpo ete ezali bomoi na yo.
14 Upon the path of the lawless, do not thou enter, and do not advance in the way of the wicked:
Kokotaka te na nzela ya bato ya mobulu mpe kotambolaka te na nzela ya bato mabe.
15 Avoid it, do not pass thereon—turn from it, and depart.
Longwa kati na bango, kolekela wana te, kosala mpe maseki kuna te, kasi kende na yo na nzela mosusu.
16 For they sleep not, unless they can do mischief, —They rob themselves of their sleep, if they cannot cause someone to stumble,
Pamba te balalaka pongi te soki basali nanu moto mabe te, mpe pongi ekimaka bango soki babomi moto te;
17 For they consume bread gotten by lawlessness, and, wine obtained by violence, they drink.
baliaka lipa na nzela ya mabe mpe bamelaka vino na nzela ya mobulu.
18 But, the path of the righteous, is as the light of dawn, —going on and brightening, unto meridian day.
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 The way of the lawless, is like darkness, they know not, at what they stumble.
Nzela ya bato ya mobulu ezali lokola molili, bayebaka te eloko nini ekokweyisa bango.
20 My son, to my words, attend, to my sayings, incline thou thine ear;
Mwana na ngai, zala na bokebi na maloba na ngai, pesa litoyi na yo na mateya na ngai.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes, keep them in the midst of thy heart;
Tika ete ezala te mosika ya miso na yo! Batela yango malamu kati na motema na yo,
22 For, life, they are, to them who find them, —and, to every part of one’s flesh, they bring healing.
pamba te ezali bomoi mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango, mpe epesaka nzoto kolongono.
23 Above all that must be guarded, keep thou thy heart, for, out of it, are the issues of life.
Batela malamu motema na yo koleka biloko nyonso, pamba te makambo nyonso oyo tosalaka, wana tozali na bomoi, ewutaka na motema.
24 Remove from thee, perverseness of mouth, and, craftiness of lips, put far from thee.
Longola lokuta na monoko na yo, mpe longola mabe na bibebu na yo.
25 Let, thine eyes, right onward, look, —and, thine eyelashes, point straight before thee.
Tika ete miso na yo etalaka kaka liboso, mpe salaka makambo na bosembo mpe bosolo.
26 Make level the track of thy foot, that, all thy ways, may be directed aright:
Bongisa nzela oyo makolo na yo ekolekela, mpe tambola kaka na nzela oyo oyebi malamu.
27 Decline not, to the right hand or to the left, —Turn away thy foot from wickedness.
Kotengama te, ezala na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali to ya mwasi, longola makolo na yo na mabe.
