Mosakoli 12
1 Kanisa Mokeli na yo, na mikolo nyonso ya bolenge na yo, liboso ete mikolo ya pasi ekomela yo, mpe mibu epusana, mibu oyo okoloba na tina na yango: « Nazali kosepela na ngai na yango te; »
And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 liboso ete moyi mpe pole, sanza mpe minzoto, ekoma molili, mpe mapata ezonga sima na mvula;
before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, be darkened, and the clouds return after the rain;
3 tango bakengeli ya ndako bakolenga, mpe bato ya makasi bakofukama; tango basi oyo banikaka ble bakotika konika yango mpo ete bazali lisusu mingi te, mpe bato oyo batalaka na maninisa bakobungisa kitoko na bango;
in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows are darkened,
4 tango bikangelo ya ekuke ekokangama na balabala, mpe makelele ya basi oyo banikaka ble ekosila; tango bato balamukaka na banzembo ya bandeke mpe bayembi ya basi batikaka koyemba;
and the doors are shut toward the street; when the sound of the grinding is subdued, and they rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low;
5 tango bato bakomaka kobanga komata likolo, mpe bakomaka kobanga makama na nzela; tango nzete ya pome ebimisaka mbuma, tango mabanki ekomaka kilo, mpe baposa ekokisamaka lisusu te; pamba te moto akendaka na ndako ya libela, mpe basi oyo balelaka na bibembe basanganaka na balabala.
they are also afraid of what is high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the grasshopper is a burden, and the caper-berry is without effect; (for man goeth to his age-long home, and the mourners go about the streets; )
6 Solo, kanisa Mokeli na yo liboso ete singa ya palata ekatana, kopo ya wolo efinana, eloko ya mayi ebukana na libulu ya mayi, mpe mashini oyo babendelaka mayi na libulu ebukana;
— before the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be shattered at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern;
7 liboso ete putulu ezonga na mabele epai wapi ewutaki, mpe pema ezonga epai ya Nzambe oyo apesaki yango.
and the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return unto God who gave it.
8 Pamba na pamba, elobi mosakoli, makambo nyonso ezali kaka pamba.
Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.
9 Mosakoli azalaki kaka moto ya bwanya te, kasi azalaki mpe koyekolisa bato boyebi; akanisaki mingi, alukaki mingi mpe atiaki na molongo masese ebele penza.
And moreover, because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, and sought out, [and] set in order many proverbs.
10 Mosakoli asalaki makasi mpo na koluka koyeba maloba ya elengi mpe kokoma na bosembo makambo ya solo.
The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words; and that which was written is upright, words of truth.
11 Maloba ya bato ya bwanya ezali lokola banzube, mpe buku ya masese na bango ezali lokola basete oyo ekotaka makasi na libaya. Masese yango nyonso ewuti epai ya Mobateli mpate moko.
The words of the wise are as goads, and the collections [of them] as nails fastened in: they are given from one shepherd.
12 Mwana na ngai, keba ete obakisa eloko moko te na likolo na yango. Suka ezali te mpo na kokoma mikanda ebele, mpe koyekola mingi elembisaka nzoto.
And besides, my son, be warned by them: of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Yoka suka ya mateya nyonso: Tosa Nzambe mpe batela mibeko na Ye, pamba te yango nde eleki na tina mpo na moto.
Let us hear the end of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole of man.
14 Pamba te, Nzambe akomema misala nyonso na kosambisama, ezala oyo ebombama, ya malamu to ya mabe.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil.
