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; »
Also call to mind your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of difficulty come, and before the years arrive when 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;
do this before the light of the sun and the moon and the stars grows dark, and dark 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;
That will be the time when the palace guards will tremble, and strong men are bent over, and the women who grind cease because they are few, and those who look out of windows no longer see clearly.
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;
That will be the time when the doors are shut in the street, and the sound of grinding stops, when men are startled at the voice of a bird, and the singing of girls' voices fades away.
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.
That will be the time when men become afraid of heights and of dangers along on the road, and when the almond tree blossoms, and when grasshoppers drag themselves along, and when natural desires fail. Then man goes to his eternal home and the mourners go down 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;
Call to mind your Creator before the silver cord is cut, or the golden bowl is crushed, or the pitcher is shattered at the spring, or the water wheel is broken at the well,
7 liboso ete putulu ezonga na mabele epai wapi ewutaki, mpe pema ezonga epai ya Nzambe oyo apesaki yango.
before the dust returns to the earth where it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
8 Pamba na pamba, elobi mosakoli, makambo nyonso ezali kaka pamba.
“A mist of vapor,” says the Teacher, “everything is vanishing vapor.”
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.
The Teacher was wise and he taught the people knowledge. He studied and contemplated 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 Teacher sought to write using vivid, 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 wise people are like goads. Like nails driven deeply are the words of the masters in collections of their proverbs, which are taught 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.
My son, be aware of something more: the making of many books, which has no end and much study brings weariness to the body.
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 matter after everything has been heard, is that you must fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind.
14 Pamba te, Nzambe akomema misala nyonso na kosambisama, ezala oyo ebombama, ya malamu to ya mabe.
For God will bring every deed into judgment, along with every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.
