Masese 2
1 Mwana na ngai, soki ondimi maloba na ngai mpe obateli kati na motema na yo mibeko na ngai;
My son, listen to what I say, and [consider my instructions to be as valuable as] [MET] a treasure.
2 soki opesi litoyi na yo na maloba ya bwanya mpe okabi motema na yo na makambo ya mayele;
Pay attention to wisdom and try hard to understand it.
3 soki obeleli mayele mpe ogangi epai ya bososoli;
Call out [to God] to get insight; plead with him to help you to understand more [of what he wants you to know].
4 soki oluki yango penza ndenge balukaka palata to bomengo oyo ebombama,
Search [eagerly] for wisdom, like you would search for silver, like you would search for a treasure that someone has hidden.
5 okososola solo soki kotosa Yawe elakisi nini mpe okozwa boyebi ya Nzambe.
If you do that, you will understand how to revere Yahweh, and you will succeed in knowing God.
6 Pamba te Yawe nde apesaka bwanya, mpe maloba ya monoko na Ye epesaka mayele mpe bososoli.
Yahweh is the one who gives us wisdom. He is the one who tells us things that we need to know and understand.
7 Abongiselaka bato ya sembo elonga mpe azali nguba ya bato oyo batambolaka na bosembo.
He gives good advice to those who conduct their lives as they should. He protects [MET] those who do what is right.
8 Pamba te abatelaka bayengebene mpe nzela ya bato oyo batosaka Ye.
He guards those who act justly/fairly [toward others], and he watches over those who are faithful/loyal [to him].
9 Boye, okososola likambo nini ezali solo, alima, sembo: nzela nyonso oyo ememaka na bolamu.
[If you ask God for wisdom], you will understand what is right and just [DOU] [to do], and [you will know] the right way to conduct your life,
10 Pamba te bwanya ekokota kati na motema na yo mpe boyebi ekosepelisa molimo na yo.
because you will be wise in your inner being; and knowing [what God wants you to know] will cause you to be joyful.
11 Bososoli ekobatela yo, mpe mayele ekobomba yo
If you know [PRS] how to choose what is right to do and if you understand [what God wants] you to do, God will protect you and guard you and keep you safe.
12 mpo na kobikisa yo na nzela mabe, na moto oyo alobaka makambo ezanga tina,
If you are wise [PRS], you will not do what evil people do, and you will not [believe what] deceitful people say.
13 na bato oyo batikaka nzela ya sembo mpo na kolanda nzela ya molili,
Deceitful people have stopped acting fairly/justly [toward others] and (walk on dark and evil paths/do what evil people do) [MET].
14 na bato oyo basepelaka kosala mabe, na bato oyo bazalaka na esengo ya kokota na bozindo ya mabe,
They enjoy doing what is wrong; they like to do what is evil and to deceive [people].
15 na bato oyo nzela na bango etengama-tengama mpe etamboli na bango etonda na mobulu.
They (walk on crooked paths/always deceive others) and are always dishonest.
16 Bwanya ekobikisa yo lisusu liboso ya mwasi mopaya, liboso ya mwasi oyo atonda na maloba ya sukali,
If you are wise [PRS], you will [also] be saved from (immoral women/prostitutes); you will not pay attention when adulterous women try to (seduce/entice you by what they say.)
17 oyo akima mobali na ye ya bolenge mpe abosana boyokani oyo asalaki elongo na Nzambe na ye;
Those women have left the husbands whom they married when they were young; they have disregarded the solemn promise they made to God [not to commit adultery].
18 pamba te ndako na ye ememaka na kufa, mpe nzela na ye ememaka na mboka ya bakufi.
If you go into houses of women who are like that, you will die [when you are still young]; the road [to their houses] leads to hell. (questioned)
19 Moto moko te oyo akotaka epai na ye azongaka mpe amonaka lisusu nzela ya bomoi.
No man who (visits/sleeps with) a woman like that will again [live harmoniously with his family]. He will never have a [happy] life again.
20 Boye, okotambola na nzela ya bato malamu mpe okolanda nzela ya bato ya sembo.
If [you are wise], you should behave like good men behave. You should (stay on the paths that righteous [people] walk on/do what godly people do) [MET],
21 Pamba te bato ya sembo bakovanda na mokili, mpe bato oyo bazangi pamela bakotikala kati na yango;
because only godly people will live in this land [and receive God’s blessings]; [only] those who have not done wrong will stay here [for a long time].
22 kasi bato mabe bakokufa na mokili mpe bakolongola bango kati na mokili ya bato ya songisongi.
Wicked [people] will be expelled from this land, and [people] who are not trustworthy will be thrown {God will throw them} out of it.
