Mosakoli 10
1 Ndenge nzinzi ekufa ekomisaka malasi solo mabe, ndenge wana mpe mwa bozoba ebebisaka bwanya mpe lokumu.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Motema ya moto ya bwanya ekendaka na nzela ya malamu, kasi motema ya zoba ekendaka na nzela ya mabe.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Ata tango zoba atambolaka na nzela, bozangi mayele na ye etalisaka na bato mosusu ete azali zoba.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Soki mokonzi atombokeli yo, kolongwa na esika na yo ya mosala te; pamba te motema ya kokita epekisaka bambeba minene.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Namonaki mabe moko na se ya moyi, lokola libunga epai ya bakonzi:
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 bazoba batombolami na bisika ya lokumu makasi, kasi bazwi batikali na bisika ya se.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Namonaki bawumbu kotambola likolo ya bampunda, mpe bakonzi kotambola na makolo lokola bawumbu.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Moto oyo atimoli libulu akoki kokweya kati na yango; mpe moto oyo abuki mir ya lopango, nyoka ekoki koswa ye.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Moto oyo abukaka mabanga akoki kozoka na yango, oyo apasolaka mabaya akoki mpe kozwa likama.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Soki epasola esili minu mpe bapelisi yango te, moto oyo akosalela yango akobimisa makasi mingi; kasi bwanya epesaka elonga.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Soki nyoka eswi moto liboso ete asakanisa yango, litomba ezali lisusu te epai ya moto oyo asakanisaka banyoka.
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Maloba ya moto ya bwanya epesaka esengo, kasi maloba ya zoba elukelaka ye makambo.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Abandaka na maloba ya bozoba mpe asukisaka na maloba ya mabe.
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 Zoba alobaka mingi. Moto moko te ayebi makambo oyo ekoya; nani akoki koyebisa ye makambo oyo ekosalema sima na ye?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Mosala ya zoba elembisaka ye, ayebi ata kutu te nzela oyo ememaka na engumba.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Mawa na mokili oyo mokonzi na yango azali mwana moke, mpe oyo bakambi na yango balangwaka masanga na tongo-tongo!
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Esengo na mokili oyo mokonzi na yango abotama na libota ya bato minene, mpe oyo bakambi na yango baliaka na tango oyo esengeli mpo na kozwa makasi, kasi mpo na kolangwa masanga te.
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Soki moto azali goyigoyi, likolo ya ndako na ye ekobukana; soki maboko na ye elemba, ndako na ye ekotanga mayi.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Basalaka feti mpo na kosepela, mpe masanga ya vino epesaka esengo na motema, mpe mbongo epesaka biyano na makambo nyonso.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Kolakela mokonzi mabe te, ezala kati na motema na yo; kolakela mozwi mabe te, ezala na mbeto na yo ya kolala, pamba te ndeke ya likolo ekoki komema maloba na yo mpe kopanza sango ya maloba na yo.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
