Masese 2
1 Mwana na ngai, soki ondimi maloba na ngai mpe obateli kati na motema na yo mibeko na ngai;
Oh, my son, that thou wouldst receive my words, And treasure up my precepts within thee;
2 soki opesi litoyi na yo na maloba ya bwanya mpe okabi motema na yo na makambo ya mayele;
That thou wouldst apply thine ear to wisdom, And incline thy heart to understanding!
3 soki obeleli mayele mpe ogangi epai ya bososoli;
For if thou wilt call aloud to knowledge, And lift up thy voice to understanding, —
4 soki oluki yango penza ndenge balukaka palata to bomengo oyo ebombama,
If thou wilt 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 shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.
6 Pamba te Yawe nde apesaka bwanya, mpe maloba ya monoko na Ye epesaka mayele mpe bososoli.
For the LORD giveth wisdom; From his mouth proceed knowledge and understanding:
7 Abongiselaka bato ya sembo elonga mpe azali nguba ya bato oyo batambolaka na bosembo.
He layeth up safety for the righteous; He is a shield to them that walk uprightly:
8 Pamba te abatelaka bayengebene mpe nzela ya bato oyo batosaka Ye.
He guardeth the paths of equity, And defendeth the way of his servants.
9 Boye, okososola likambo nini ezali solo, alima, sembo: nzela nyonso oyo ememaka na bolamu.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness and equity And uprightness, yea, 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 to thy soul,
11 Bososoli ekobatela yo, mpe mayele ekobomba yo
Discretion will guard thee, Understanding will preserve thee.
12 mpo na kobikisa yo na nzela mabe, na moto oyo alobaka makambo ezanga tina,
It will deliver thee from the way of the wicked, 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 in doing evil, And delight in the perverseness of the wicked;
15 na bato oyo nzela na bango etengama-tengama mpe etamboli na bango etonda na mobulu.
Whose paths are crooked, And who are froward in their ways.
16 Bwanya ekobikisa yo lisusu liboso ya mwasi mopaya, liboso ya mwasi oyo atonda na maloba ya sukali,
It will deliver thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, who useth smooth words;
17 oyo akima mobali na ye ya bolenge mpe abosana boyokani oyo asalaki elongo na Nzambe na ye;
Who forsaketh the friend 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 sinketh down to Death, And her paths to the shades of the dead:
19 Moto moko te oyo akotaka epai na ye azongaka mpe amonaka lisusu nzela ya bomoi.
None that go to her return again; They will not attain the paths of life.
20 Boye, okotambola na nzela ya bato malamu mpe okolanda nzela ya bato ya sembo.
Therefore walk thou 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 righteous 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 transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
