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 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou art a man given to appetite.
Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful food.
Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thy own wisdom.
Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
5 Wilt thou set thy eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make to themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his delicacies:
Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: 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 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless:
Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall 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 to instruction, and thy ears to the words of knowledge.
Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not 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, 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 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
17 Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.
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 an end; and thy expectation shall 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 be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe zala na bwanya, batela motema na yo kati na nzela ya sembo.
20 Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh:
Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
22 Hearken to thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is 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 shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.
Tata ya moto ya sembo akozala na esengo mingi, mpe moto oyo abota mwana ya bwanya akosepela kati na ye.
25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bore thee shall rejoice.
Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
26 My son, give me thy heart, and let thy eyes observe 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 an harlot is a deep ditch; and an adulteress is a narrow pit.
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 as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men.
Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? 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 long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Mpo na bato oyo bawumelaka liboso ya masanga ya vino, mpo na bato oyo bamelaka masanga ya makasi.
31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
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 biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
33 Thy eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter perverse things.
Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
34 And thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon 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 have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
Okoloba: « Babeti ngai, kasi nazali koyoka pasi te; babeti ngai fimbu, kasi nazali koyoka eloko te! Tango nini nakolamuka? Nakozongela lisusu komela vino. »
