Mosakoli 7
1 Kokende sango ya malamu eleki malasi ya solo kitoko na motuya, mpe mokolo ya kufa eleki mokolo ya mbotama na malamu.
A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 Kokende na ndako ya matanga ezali malamu koleka kokende na ndako oyo ezali na feti, pamba te kufa ezali suka ya moto nyonso; yango wana, bato nyonso oyo bazali na bomoi basengeli kokanisaka na tina na yango.
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
3 Mawa eleki koseka na malamu, pamba te elongi ya mawa eyeisaka motema esengo.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
4 Motema ya moto ya bwanya ezalaka kati na ndako ya matanga, kasi motema ya zoba ezalaka kati na ndako ya bisengo.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Koyoka pamela ya moto ya bwanya ezali malamu koleka koyoka banzembo ya zoba.
[It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Koseka ya bazoba ezalaka lokola makelele ya basende oyo ezali kozika na se ya nzungu; wana mpe ezali pamba.
As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
7 Minyoko ekomisaka moto ya bwanya zoba, mpe bakado epengwisaka motema.
for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
8 Suka ya likambo ezali malamu koleka ebandeli ya likambo; kokanga motema ezali malamu koleka lolendo.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
9 Kotombokaka noki te, pamba te kanda evandaka kati na bazoba.
Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
10 Kolobaka te: « Mpo na nini mikolo eleki ezali malamu koleka mikolo ya lelo? » Pamba te bwanya etindaka te bato kotuna mituna ya boye.
Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
11 Bwanya ezali lokola libula, ezalaka malamu mpe epesaka litomba na bato oyo bamonaka moyi.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
12 Bwanya ezali lokola nguba, ndenge mpe mosolo ezalaka nguba; kasi litomba ya boyebi ezali ete ebatelaka bomoi ya bato oyo bazali na yango.
For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
13 Tala malamu misala ya Nzambe: Nani akoki kosembola eloko oyo Ye asili kogumba?
Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
14 Na mokolo ya malamu, sepela; na mokolo ya mabe, kanisa; pamba te Nzambe nde asala nyonso mibale mpo ete moto ayeba te makambo oyo ekoya sima na ye.
In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
15 Na mikolo ya pamba ya bomoi na ngai, namonaki makambo oyo nyonso: Moto ya sembo akufi mpo na bosembo na ye, mpe moto mabe awumeli na bomoi mpo na mabe na ye.
I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
16 Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto ya sembo to ya kozala moto ya bwanya; mpo na nini komibebisa?
Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
17 Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto mabe to ya kozala zoba; mpo na nini kokufa liboso ete mikolo ya bomoi na yo ekoka?
Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
18 Ezali malamu kokangama na toli ya liboso mpe kosimba toli ya mibale, pamba te moto oyo atosaka Nzambe akosalela toli nyonso mibale.
It is well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
19 Bwanya ekomisaka moto oyo azali na yango makasi koleka bakambi zomi kati na engumba.
Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 Kati na mokili, ezali na moto moko te ya sembo oyo asalaka kaka malamu, bongo azanga kosala masumu.
For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
21 Kotiaka matoyi na bilobaloba ya bato te, noki te okoyoka mosali na yo kotiola yo;
Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
22 pamba te, oyebi malamu, kati na motema na yo, ete yo mpe otiolaka bato mosusu mbala mingi.
For many times he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
23 Namekaki kososola makambo wana nyonso na nzela ya bwanya, namilobelaki: « Nakosala nyonso mpo ete nakoma moto ya bwanya, » kasi bwanya ezalaki kaka mosika na ngai.
All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Nyonso oyo ezalisami ezali mosika, mozindo mpe mozindo makasi; nani akoki komona yango?
[That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Boye, na motema na ngai mobimba, namipesaki mpo na kososola, koyeba, koluka bwanya mpe boyebi; mpe mpo na kososola bozoba ya mabe elongo na liboma ya bozoba.
I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
26 Namoni likambo oyo: mwasi oyo motema na ye ezali lokola motambo to monyama, oyo maboko na ye ezali lokola minyololo, azali mabe koleka kufa; mobali oyo asepelisaka Nzambe akotikala kokangama te na motambo na ye, kaka mobali oyo asalaka masumu nde akokangama na motambo na ye.
And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Mosakoli alobi: « Tala makambo oyo nasosoli sima na koyekola mwasi moko na moko mpo na kozwa mayele:
Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
28 Nazali koluka, kasi nanu namoni te. Namoni mobali moko ya sembo kati na mibali nkoto moko, kasi namoni ata mwasi moko te ya sembo kati na basi nyonso!
which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
29 Tala makambo oyo nasosoli: Nzambe asala bato mpo ete bazala malamu, kasi bato bamilukelaka mindondo bango moko. »
But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
