Masese 21
1 Kati na loboko na Yawe, motema ya mokonzi ezalaka lokola moluka oyo atindaka esika nyonso oyo alingi.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 Nzela nyonso ya moto emonanaka alima na miso na ye, kasi ezali Yawe nde amekaka mitema.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Na miso na Yawe, kosala makambo ya sembo mpe ya alima ezali motuya koleka bambeka ya kotumba.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Miso ya lofundu, motema ya lolendo mpe kongenga ya bato mabe ezali masumu.
Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
5 Mabongisi ya moto oyo asalaka mosala ememaka ye na bomengo, kasi kozala motema moto-moto ememaka na kozanga.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Kozwa bomengo na nzela ya lokuta ezali kaka molinga oyo epanzanaka mpe motambo oyo ememaka na kufa.
Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
7 Makambo ya bato mabe ebebisaka bango moko, pamba te baboyaka kosala makambo ya sembo.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Nzela ya moto mabe ezalaka na mabaku, kasi mosala ya moto ya peto ezalaka sembo.
Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
9 Kovanda na songe ya ndako ezali malamu koleka kovanda elongo na mwasi oyo aswanaka-swanaka.
It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
10 Molimo ya moto mabe elingaka kaka makambo mabe; ata moninga na ye penza azwaka ngolu te na miso na ye.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Tango bapesaka motioli etumbu, zoba akomaka moto ya bwanya; mpe tango bapesaka malako epai ya moto ya bwanya, azwaka solo boyebi.
When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
12 Nzambe ya sembo atalaka na bokebi makambo oyo esalemaka kati na bandako ya bato mabe, mpe akweyisaka bango kati na pasi.
[God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
13 Soki moto akangi matoyi na ye mpo na koboya koyoka koganga ya mobola, ye mpe bakoyanola ye te tango akoganga.
There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
14 Likabo oyo bapesi na nkuku ekitisaka kanda, mpe kado oyo batie na tolo ekitisaka kanda makasi.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 Ezali esengo mpo na moyengebene kosambisa makambo na sembo, kasi yango ezali pasi makasi mpo na bato oyo basalaka mabe.
Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
16 Moto oyo abungi nzela ya bwanya akovanda kati na lisanga ya bakufi.
Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
17 Moto oyo alingaka biyenga akokoma mobola; moto oyo alingaka masanga ya vino mpe mafuta akotikala kokoma mozwi te.
Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
18 Moto mabe azalaka lokola motuya oyo bafutaka mpo na kosikola moto ya sembo; moto ya sembo te azalaka lokola motuya oyo bafutaka mpo na kosikola moto ya alima.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Kovanda kati na esobe ezali malamu koleka kovanda esika moko na mwasi oyo aswanaka-swanaka mpe asilikaka-silikaka.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Bilei ya kitoko mpe mafuta ezalaka kati na ndako ya moto ya bwanya, kasi moto oyo azangi mayele abebisaka yango.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Moto oyo alukaka bosembo mpe bolingo akozwa bomoi, bomengo mpe lokumu.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 Moto ya bwanya abundisaka engumba ya bato ya makasi, mpe akweyisaka bandako ya makasi oyo bato batielaka mitema.
A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
23 Moto oyo abatelaka monoko mpe lolemo na ye abatelaka molimo na ye na pasi.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 Kombo ya moto ya lofundu mpe ya lolendo ezali: « Motioli. » Asalaka makambo na lolendo oyo eleka ndelo.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Baposa ya moto ya goyigoyi ekoboma ye, pamba te maboko na ye eboyaka kosala.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Mokolo mobimba, akufaka na ye kaka na baposa makasi; kasi moto ya sembo apesaka na kobomba te.
All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
27 Mbeka ya moto mabe ezalaka nkele; ezalaka nkele koleka soki amemi yango na makanisi mabe.
[Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
28 Motatoli ya lokuta akokufa, kasi moto oyo ayokaka akoloba tango nyonso.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 Moto mabe akangaka elongi na ye, kasi moto ya sembo alendisaka nzela na ye.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 Liboso na Yawe, bwanya moko te, mayele moko te mpe toli moko te ekoki kolonga.
[Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
31 Mpunda ebongisama mpo na mokolo ya bitumba, kasi elonga ewutaka na Yawe.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
