Proverbs 23
1 When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
Soki ovandi mpo na kolia mesa moko elongo na mokonzi, tala malamu moto oyo azali liboso na yo.
2 [Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
3 Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
4 Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
5 because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
6 [If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
7 because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
pamba te azalaka ndenge makanisi ya motema na ye ezali. Alobaka: « Lia mpe mela, » kasi motema na ye ezali elongo na yo te.
8 [When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
9 (Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
10 Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
11 because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
pamba te Molobeli na bango azalaka makasi, akozwa makambo na bango na maboko mpo na kotelemela yo.
12 Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
13 Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to 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/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
Mwana na ngai, soki motema na yo ezali na bwanya, motema na ngai ekozala na esengo.
16 I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
17 Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
Tika ete motema na yo elulaka te bato ya masumu, kasi zalaka tango nyonso na posa makasi ya kotosa Yawe;
18 [If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
19 My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe zala na bwanya, batela motema na yo kati na nzela ya sembo.
20 Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
21 because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
22 Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
23 Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
Luka bosolo, kasi koteka yango te; sala se bongo na bwanya, na mateya mpe na mayele.
24 Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
Tata ya moto ya sembo akozala na esengo mingi, mpe moto oyo abota mwana ya bwanya akosepela kati na ye.
25 [Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
26 My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
Mwana na ngai ya mobali, pesa ngai motema na yo, mpe tika ete miso na yo esepela na nzela na ngai!
27 Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
Pamba te mwasi ya ndumba azali lokola libulu ya monene, mpe mwasi ya mopaya azali lokola libulu ya mozindo.
28 They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
29 I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
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 [It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
Mpo na bato oyo bawumelaka liboso ya masanga ya vino, mpo na bato oyo bamelaka masanga ya makasi.
31 Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
Kotalaka te masanga ya vino tango ezali motane, tango ezali kongala kati na kopo mpe kokita na pete na mongongo.
32 because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
33 You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
34 You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
Boye, okokoma lokola moto oyo alali kati na ebale monene, mpe lokola moto oyo alali na songe ya nzete ya molayi.
35 You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
Okoloba: « Babeti ngai, kasi nazali koyoka pasi te; babeti ngai fimbu, kasi nazali koyoka eloko te! Tango nini nakolamuka? Nakozongela lisusu komela vino. »
