Masese 2
1 Mwana na ngai, soki ondimi maloba na ngai mpe obateli kati na motema na yo mibeko na ngai;
My son, if thou will receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee,
2 soki opesi litoyi na yo na maloba ya bwanya mpe okabi motema na yo na makambo ya mayele;
so as to incline thine ear to wisdom, and apply thy heart to understanding,
3 soki obeleli mayele mpe ogangi epai ya bososoli;
yea, if thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understanding,
4 soki oluki yango penza ndenge balukaka palata to bomengo oyo ebombama,
if thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures,
5 okososola solo soki kotosa Yawe elakisi nini mpe okozwa boyebi ya Nzambe.
then thou shall understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God.
6 Pamba te Yawe nde apesaka bwanya, mpe maloba ya monoko na Ye epesaka mayele mpe bososoli.
For Jehovah gives wisdom. Out of his mouth is knowledge and understanding.
7 Abongiselaka bato ya sembo elonga mpe azali nguba ya bato oyo batambolaka na bosembo.
He lays up sound wisdom for the upright, a shield to those who walk in integrity,
8 Pamba te abatelaka bayengebene mpe nzela ya bato oyo batosaka Ye.
that he may guard the paths of justice, and preserve the way of his sanctified.
9 Boye, okososola likambo nini ezali solo, alima, sembo: nzela nyonso oyo ememaka na bolamu.
Then thou shall understand righteousness and justice and equity, yea, every good path.
10 Pamba te bwanya ekokota kati na motema na yo mpe boyebi ekosepelisa molimo na yo.
For wisdom shall enter into thy heart, and knowledge shall be pleasant to thy soul,
11 Bososoli ekobatela yo, mpe mayele ekobomba yo
discretion shall watch over thee, understanding shall keep thee,
12 mpo na kobikisa yo na nzela mabe, na moto oyo alobaka makambo ezanga tina,
to deliver thee from the way of evil, from the men who speak perverse things,
13 na bato oyo batikaka nzela ya sembo mpo na kolanda nzela ya molili,
who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness,
14 na bato oyo basepelaka kosala mabe, na bato oyo bazalaka na esengo ya kokota na bozindo ya mabe,
who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perverseness of evil,
15 na bato oyo nzela na bango etengama-tengama mpe etamboli na bango etonda na mobulu.
who are crooked in their ways, and wayward in their paths,
16 Bwanya ekobikisa yo lisusu liboso ya mwasi mopaya, liboso ya mwasi oyo atonda na maloba ya sukali,
to deliver thee from the interloping woman, even from the stranger who flatters with her words,
17 oyo akima mobali na ye ya bolenge mpe abosana boyokani oyo asalaki elongo na Nzambe na ye;
who forsakes the companion of her youth, and forgets the covenant of her God
18 pamba te ndako na ye ememaka na kufa, mpe nzela na ye ememaka na mboka ya bakufi.
(for her house inclines to death, and her paths to the dead;
19 Moto moko te oyo akotaka epai na ye azongaka mpe amonaka lisusu nzela ya bomoi.
none who go to her return again, nor do they attain to the paths of life),
20 Boye, okotambola na nzela ya bato malamu mpe okolanda nzela ya bato ya sembo.
that thou may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
21 Pamba te bato ya sembo bakovanda na mokili, mpe bato oyo bazangi pamela bakotikala kati na yango;
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
22 kasi bato mabe bakokufa na mokili mpe bakolongola bango kati na mokili ya bato ya songisongi.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the land, and the treacherous shall be rooted out of it.
