< Mosakoli 2 >

1 Namilobelaki: « Yaka sik’oyo; nakomekisa yo bilengi mpo ete ozala moto ya esengo! » Nzokande, yango mpe ezalaki kaka pamba.
Come, then, I said in my heart, I will have a taste of joy, and thou shalt see what is good; but, behold, this also was vanity.
2 Na tina na koseka, nalobaki: « Ezali na yango kaka bozoba! » Bongo na tina na elengi, nalobaki: « Esalaka nini? »
Of laughter I said, It maketh one mad: and of joy, What doth this do?
3 Wana motema na ngai ezalaki nanu kokamba ngai na bwanya, nazwaki mokano ya komipesa na masanga ya vino mpe na makambo ya bozoba. Nazalaki nde na posa ya kososola bolamu nini moto akoki kozwa na kosala bongo na se ya moyi, na mwa mikolo ya bomoi na ye.
I resolved in my heart to indulge my body with wine, while my heart guideth itself with wisdom; and to lay fast hold on folly, till I might see what it is that is good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heavens during the number of the days of their life.
4 Nazwaki mokano ya kosalisa misala minene: namitongelaki bandako minene mpe namilonelaki bilanga ya vino mpo na bomoi na ngai;
I made great works: I built myself houses; I planted myself vineyards;
5 nasalaki bilanga mpe nabongisaki bisika mpo na kolona banzete ya ndenge na ndenge, oyo ebotaka bambuma;
I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted therein trees of all kinds of fruit;
6 natimolaki mpo na ngai moko, mabulu minene ya mayi mpo na kosopela banzete ya mike mayi.
I made myself pools of water, to water therewith the forest overgrown with trees;
7 Nasombaki bawumbu ya mibali mpe ya basi; kobakisa na motango ya bawumbu mosusu oyo babotamaki kati na ndako na ngai. Nazalaki mpe na bangombe, bantaba mpe bameme ebele koleka bakonzi nyonso oyo bazalaki na Yelusalemi liboso na ngai.
I bought men-servants and maid-servants, and I had likewise those born in my house; I had also great possessions of cattle and flocks above all that had been before me in Jerusalem.
8 Nakongolaki mpo na ngai moko palata mpe wolo oyo ewutaki na bomengo ya bakonzi mpe ya bituka; nazwaki mpo na ngai bayembi ya basi mpe ya mibali, mpe oyo esepelisaka makasi mibali: mwasi mpe basi ebele ya kitoko.
I gathered unto myself also silver and gold, and the choice treasures of kings and of the provinces: I procured myself male singers and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men, wagons and chariots.
9 Nakomaki moto monene koleka bakonzi nyonso oyo bazalaki na Yelusalemi liboso na ngai; kasi atako bongo, bwanya ezalaki kaka kotambolisa ngai.
So was I great, and obtained more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me.
10 Napimelaki miso na ngai eloko moko te oyo elulaki, napimelaki motema na ngai esengo moko te. Motema na ngai esepelaki na misala na ngai nyonso, mpe yango ezalaki lifuti ya mosala na ngai nyonso.
And whatsoever my eyes desired I refused them not; I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart was rejoiced with all my toil, and this was my portion of all my toil.
11 Boye, tango natali misala nyonso oyo maboko na ngai esalaki mpe pasi nyonso oyo namonaki mpo na kokokisa yango, namoni ete nyonso wana ezalaki kaka pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe, ezali na yango na litomba moko te na se ya moyi.
But when I turned myself [to look] on all my works that my hands had wrought, and on the toil that I had toiled to accomplish: then, behold, all was vanity and a torture of the spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.
12 Bongo, nabalolaki makanisi na ngai mpo na koyekola bwanya, bozoba mpe bolema. Eloko nini mokitani ya mokonzi akoki kosala, oyo eleki oyo esila kosalema?
And then I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [only] that which [others] have done already.
13 Namonaki ete bwanya ezali malamu koleka bozoba, ndenge pole ezali malamu koleka molili.
But I saw indeed that wisdom hath the advantage over folly, as great as the advantage of light over darkness.
14 Moto ya bwanya ayebi epai azali kokende, kasi zoba atambolaka na molili; kasi nasosoli likambo moko: suka na bango mibale ekozala kaka ndenge moko.
The wise man hath his eyes in his head, while the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself perceived then also that one occurrence will befall all of them.
15 Namilobelaki: « Suka ya zoba ekozala ndenge moko kaka na suka na ngai; sik’oyo, litomba nini ezali na moto ya kozala na bwanya mingi? » Namilobelaki: « Oyo mpe ezali kaka pamba. »
Then said I in my heart, The same that befalleth the fool will also befall even me: and why have I then been wiser? Then spoke I in my heart, that this is also vanity.
16 Pamba te ezala moto ya bwanya to zoba, bakotikala kokanisa bango tango molayi te; mpe na mikolo ekoya, bato bakobosana bango mibale. Moto ya bwanya mpe akokufa lokola moto ya zoba.
For there is no recollection of the wise any more than of the fool for ever: seeing that which hath long ago been will, in the days that are coming, all be forgotten. And how doth the wise die equally with the fool!
17 Boye, nayinaki bomoi, pamba te misala oyo esalemaka na se ya moyi ezali mabe mpo na ngai. Nyonso wana ezali pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
Therefore I hated life; because I felt displeased with the work that is wrought under the sun; for all is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
18 Nayinaki biloko nyonso oyo namonelaki pasi na se ya moyi, pamba te nakotika yango epai ya moto oyo akoya sima na ngai.
Yea, I hated also all my toil with which I had toiled under the sun; because I should have to leave it unto the man that will be after me.
19 Bongo, nani ayebi soki moto yango akozala moto ya bwanya to zoba? Nzokande, ye nde akozala na bokonzi na likolo ya misala nyonso oyo nabimiselaki motoki mpe mayele na ngai na se ya tango. Yango mpe ezali kaka pamba.
And who knoweth, whether he will be a wise man or a fool? yet will he have full sway over all my toil wherein I have toiled, and wherein I have shown myself wise under the sun. Also this is vanity.
20 Bongo, motema na ngai ekomaki kobungisa elikya likolo ya misala makasi oyo nazalaki kosala na se ya moyi.
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to give up thinking of all the toil wherewith I had toiled under the sun.
21 Pamba te moto akoki kosala mosala na ye na bwanya, na boyebi mpe na ndenge esengeli penza; kasi akotika nyonso oyo azali na yango epai ya moto oyo amonelaki yango pasi te; yango mpe ezali pamba mpe mabe makasi.
For there is many a man whose toil is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and with energy; yet to a man that hath not toiled therefore must he give it as his portion. Also this is vanity and a great evil.
22 Litomba nini moto akoki kozwa na misala nyonso oyo asali mpe amonelaka pasi na se ya moyi?
For what doth a man obtain of all his toil, and of the torture of his heart, wherewith he toileth under the sun?
23 Mikolo nyonso ya mosala na ye ezali kaka pasi mpe komitungisa; ezala na butu, makanisi na ye ezalaka na kimia te; oyo mpe ezali kaka pamba.
For all his days are full of pains, and vexation is [mingled with] his employment: yea, even in the night his heart taketh not rest. Also this is vanity.
24 Eloko eleki malamu mpo na moto ezali kaka kolia, komela mpe kosepela na mosala na ye. Namoni ete oyo mpe ewuti na loboko na Nzambe;
It is not a good thing [inherent] in man that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy happiness for his toil. Also this have I seen, that it cometh out of the hand of God.
25 pamba te soki Nzambe azalaki te, nani akoki kolia mpe kosepela?
For who can well eat, or who can enjoy earthly things more than I?
26 Nzambe apesaka bwanya, mayele mpe esengo na moto oyo asepelisaka Ye; kasi apesaka mosala ya kosangisa mpe ya konduka bomengo epai ya moto oyo asalaka masumu mpo ete atika yango na maboko ya moto oyo asepelisaka Nzambe. Wana mpe ezali pamba, ezali lokola moto azali kolanda mopepe.
For to a man who is good in his presence [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth employment, to gather up and to bring together, that he may give it to him that is good before God. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.

< Mosakoli 2 >