Proverbs 4
1 Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
Bana na ngai, boyokaka mateya ya tata, bozalaka na bokebi mpo ete bozwa mayele.
2 for I give you sound learning. Don’t forsake my law.
Pamba te nazali kopesa bino mateya ya malamu; bobwaka mateya na ngai te.
3 For I was a son to my father, tender and an only child 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 He taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain 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 Get wisdom. Get understanding. Don’t forget, and don’t deviate from the words of my mouth.
zwa bwanya, zwa mayele, kobosana yango te, kopesa mokongo te na maloba ya monoko na ngai,
6 Don’t forsake her, and she will preserve you. Love her, and she will keep you.
kosundola bwanya te, mpe yango ekobatela yo, linga yango mpe ekobomba yo.
7 Wisdom is supreme. Get wisdom. Yes, though it costs all your possessions, get understanding.
Tala ebandeli ya bwanya: Zwa bwanya, pesa biloko nyonso oyo ozali na yango mpo ete ozwa mayele.
8 Esteem her, and she will exalt you. She will bring you to honour when you embrace her.
Simba yango makasi, mpe ekotombola yo; yamba yango, mpe ekopesa yo lokumu.
9 She will give to your head a garland of grace. She will deliver a crown of splendour to you.”
Ekolatisa yo ekoti ya lokumu na moto, ekopesa yo motole ya nkembo. »
10 Listen, my son, and receive my sayings. The years of your life will be many.
Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe yamba maloba na ngai, mpe mibu ya bomoi na yo ekobakisama.
11 I have taught you in the way of wisdom. I have led you in straight paths.
Nazali kolakisa yo nzela ya bwanya, nazali kotambolisa yo na nzela ya alima.
12 When you go, your steps will not be hampered. When you run, you will not stumble.
Mpo ete makolo na yo ezala na mikakatano te tango okotambola; mpe soki okimi mbangu, okokweya te.
13 Take firm hold of instruction. Don’t let her go. Keep her, for she is your life.
Tingama makasi na mateya oyo bapesi yo, kobwaka yango te, batela yango malamu mpo ete ezali bomoi na yo.
14 Don’t enter into the path of the wicked. Don’t walk in the way of evil men.
Kokotaka te na nzela ya bato ya mobulu mpe kotambolaka te na nzela ya bato mabe.
15 Avoid it, and don’t pass by it. Turn from it, and pass on.
Longwa kati na bango, kolekela wana te, kosala mpe maseki kuna te, kasi kende na yo na nzela mosusu.
16 For they don’t sleep unless they do evil. Their sleep is taken away, unless they make someone fall.
Pamba te balalaka pongi te soki basali nanu moto mabe te, mpe pongi ekimaka bango soki babomi moto te;
17 For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.
baliaka lipa na nzela ya mabe mpe bamelaka vino na nzela ya mobulu.
18 But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light that shines more and more until the perfect 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 wicked is like darkness. They don’t know what they stumble over.
Nzela ya bato ya mobulu ezali lokola molili, bayebaka te eloko nini ekokweyisa bango.
20 My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
Mwana na ngai, zala na bokebi na maloba na ngai, pesa litoyi na yo na mateya na ngai.
21 Let them not depart from your eyes. Keep them in the centre of your heart.
Tika ete ezala te mosika ya miso na yo! Batela yango malamu kati na motema na yo,
22 For they are life to those who find them, and health to their whole body.
pamba te ezali bomoi mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango, mpe epesaka nzoto kolongono.
23 Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life.
Batela malamu motema na yo koleka biloko nyonso, pamba te makambo nyonso oyo tosalaka, wana tozali na bomoi, ewutaka na motema.
24 Put away from yourself a perverse mouth. Put corrupt lips far from you.
Longola lokuta na monoko na yo, mpe longola mabe na bibebu na yo.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
Tika ete miso na yo etalaka kaka liboso, mpe salaka makambo na bosembo mpe bosolo.
26 Make the path of your feet level. Let all of your ways be established.
Bongisa nzela oyo makolo na yo ekolekela, mpe tambola kaka na nzela oyo oyebi malamu.
27 Don’t turn to the right hand nor to the left. Remove your foot from evil.
Kotengama te, ezala na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali to ya mwasi, longola makolo na yo na mabe.
