Masese 23
1 Soki ovandi mpo na kolia mesa moko elongo na mokonzi, tala malamu moto oyo azali liboso na yo.
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider well him that is before thee;
2 Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
Be not desirous of his dainties; seeing they are deceitful food.
4 Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
Weary not thyself to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon it? it is gone; for riches certainly make themselves wings, like an eagle that flieth toward heaven.
6 Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainties;
7 pamba te azalaka ndenge makanisi ya motema na ye ezali. Alobaka: « Lia mpe mela, » kasi motema na ye ezali elongo na yo te.
For as one that hath reckoned within himself, so is he: 'Eat and drink', saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
9 Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
Speak not in the ears of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
10 Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
Remove not the ancient landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless;
11 pamba te Molobeli na bango azalaka makasi, akozwa makambo na bango na maboko mpo na kotelemela yo.
For their Redeemer is strong; He will plead their cause with thee.
12 Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
Apply thy heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Kozangisa te kopesa mwana etumbu; soki obeti ye fimbu, akokufa te.
Withhold not correction from the child; for though thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou beatest him with the rod, and wilt deliver his soul from the nether-world. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana na ngai, soki motema na yo ezali na bwanya, motema na ngai ekozala na esengo.
My son, if thy heart be wise, my heart will be glad, even mine;
16 Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
Yea, my reins will rejoice, when thy lips speak right things.
17 Tika ete motema na yo elulaka te bato ya masumu, kasi zalaka tango nyonso na posa makasi ya kotosa Yawe;
Let not thy heart envy sinners, but be in the fear of the LORD all the day;
18 pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
For surely there is a future; and thy hope shall not be cut off.
19 Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe zala na bwanya, batela motema na yo kati na nzela ya sembo.
Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thy heart in the way.
20 Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
Be not among winebibbers; among gluttonous eaters of flesh;
21 pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty; and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
22 Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
Hearken unto thy father that begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.
23 Luka bosolo, kasi koteka yango te; sala se bongo na bwanya, na mateya mpe na mayele.
Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding.
24 Tata ya moto ya sembo akozala na esengo mingi, mpe moto oyo abota mwana ya bwanya akosepela kati na ye.
The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.
25 Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
Let thy father and thy mother be glad, and let her that bore thee rejoice.
26 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, pesa ngai motema na yo, mpe tika ete miso na yo esepela na nzela na ngai!
My son, give me thy heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.
27 Pamba te mwasi ya ndumba azali lokola libulu ya monene, mpe mwasi ya mopaya azali lokola libulu ya mozindo.
For a harlot is a deep ditch; and an alien woman is a narrow pit.
28 Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
She also lieth in wait as a robber, and increaseth the faithless among men.
29 Mpo na nani: « Ah ngai, mawa! » Mpo na nani: « Eh! » Mpo na nani koswanaswana? Mpo na nani kolelalela? Mpo na nani kowelana ezanga tina? Mpo na nani kotelisa miso?
Who crieth: 'Woe'? who: 'Alas'? who hath contentions? who hath raving? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
30 Mpo na bato oyo bawumelaka liboso ya masanga ya vino, mpo na bato oyo bamelaka masanga ya makasi.
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to try mixed wine.
31 Kotalaka te masanga ya vino tango ezali motane, tango ezali kongala kati na kopo mpe kokita na pete na mongongo.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth its colour in the cup, when it glideth down smoothly;
32 Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like a basilisk.
33 Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
Thine eyes shall behold strange things, and thy heart shall utter confused things.
34 Boye, okokoma lokola moto oyo alali kati na ebale monene, mpe lokola moto oyo alali na songe ya nzete ya molayi.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
35 Okoloba: « Babeti ngai, kasi nazali koyoka pasi te; babeti ngai fimbu, kasi nazali koyoka eloko te! Tango nini nakolamuka? Nakozongela lisusu komela vino. »
'They have struck me, and I felt it not, they have beaten me, and I knew it not; when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.'
