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; »
Remember also your Creator in days of your youth, While that the evil days do not come, Nor the years have arrived, that you say, “I have no pleasure in them.”
2 liboso ete moyi mpe pole, sanza mpe minzoto, ekoma molili, mpe mapata ezonga sima na mvula;
While that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] rises at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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.
Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper has become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going to his perpetual home, And the mourners have gone around through the street.
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;
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
7 liboso ete putulu ezonga na mabele epai wapi ewutaki, mpe pema ezonga epai ya Nzambe oyo apesaki yango.
And the dust returns to the earth as it was, And the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Pamba na pamba, elobi mosakoli, makambo nyonso ezali kaka pamba.
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [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 further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out—he made right many allegories.
10 Mosakoli asalaki makasi mpo na koluka koyeba maloba ya elengi mpe kokoma na bosembo makambo ya solo.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and [that] written [by] the 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.
Words of the wise [are] as the goads, and as nails planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by 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 further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many scrolls has 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.
The end of the whole matter let us hear: “Fear God, and keep His commands, 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 every work God brings into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.”
