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 receivest my words, and layest 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 that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom [and] thou apply thy heart to understanding;
3 soki obeleli mayele mpe ogangi epai ya bososoli;
yea, if thou criest after discernment [and] liftest up thy voice to understanding;
4 soki oluki yango penza ndenge balukaka palata to bomengo oyo ebombama,
if thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hidden treasures:
5 okososola solo soki kotosa Yawe elakisi nini mpe okozwa boyebi ya Nzambe.
then shalt thou 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 giveth wisdom; out of his mouth [come] knowledge and understanding.
7 Abongiselaka bato ya sembo elonga mpe azali nguba ya bato oyo batambolaka na bosembo.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; [he] is a shield to them that walk in integrity;
8 Pamba te abatelaka bayengebene mpe nzela ya bato oyo batosaka Ye.
guarding the paths of just judgment and keeping the way of his godly ones.
9 Boye, okososola likambo nini ezali solo, alima, sembo: nzela nyonso oyo ememaka na bolamu.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgment and equity: every good path.
10 Pamba te bwanya ekokota kati na motema na yo mpe boyebi ekosepelisa molimo na yo.
When wisdom entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul,
11 Bososoli ekobatela yo, mpe mayele ekobomba yo
discretion shall keep thee, understanding shall preserve 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 man that speaketh froward things;
13 na bato oyo batikaka nzela ya sembo mpo na kolanda nzela ya molili,
[from those] who leave 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 frowardness of evil;
15 na bato oyo nzela na bango etengama-tengama mpe etamboli na bango etonda na mobulu.
whose paths are crooked, and who are perverted in their course:
16 Bwanya ekobikisa yo lisusu liboso ya mwasi mopaya, liboso ya mwasi oyo atonda na maloba ya sukali,
To deliver thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words;
17 oyo akima mobali na ye ya bolenge mpe abosana boyokani oyo asalaki elongo na Nzambe na ye;
who forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth 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 inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead;
19 Moto moko te oyo akotaka epai na ye azongaka mpe amonaka lisusu nzela ya bomoi.
none that go unto her return again, neither 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 mayest walk in the way of the good, 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 unfaithful shall be plucked up out of it.
