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 diligently what is before thee:
2 Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
For thou puttest a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man of a craving desire.
3 Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
Do not long for his savory meats; they are deceitful food.
4 Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
Fatigue thyself not to become rich; because thou hast understanding, forbear.
5 Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
When thou lettest merely thy eyes fly over it, it is no more: for it will ever make itself wings: like an eagle will it fly toward heaven.
6 Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye, and do not long for his savory meats;
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 though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act: 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.
Thy morsel which thou hast eaten must thou spit out, and thou hast wasted thy pleasant words.
9 Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
Speak not before the ears of a fool; for he will despise the intelligence 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 into the fields of the fatherless must thou not enter;
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 indeed 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 thy ears to the sayings of knowledge.
13 Kozangisa te kopesa mwana etumbu; soki obeti ye fimbu, akokufa te.
Withhold not from a lad correction; for if thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Thou wilt indeed beat him with the rod; but thou wilt deliver his soul from perdition. (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 shall rejoice, even mine.
16 Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
And my reins shall exult when thy lips speak what is equitable.
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 be envious against sinners; but [remain] in the fear of the lord all the time.
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 will 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 become wise, and guide thy heart on the right way.
20 Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
Be not among those that drink wine immoderately, among those that over-indulge in eating flesh:
21 pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty; and drowsiness clotheth a man in rags.
22 Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
Hearken unto thy father that hath begotten thee, and despise not thy mother although she be 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 be greatly glad, and he that begetteth a wise child will have joy through him.
25 Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
Let [then] thy father and thy mother rejoice, and let her that hath born thee be glad.
26 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, pesa ngai motema na yo, mpe tika ete miso na yo esepela na nzela na ngai!
Give, my son, thy heart unto me, and let thy eyes watch 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 a strange woman is a narrow well.
28 Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
She also lieth in wait like a robber, and she increaseth the treacherous 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 hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath quarrels? who hath complaints? 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 late over the wine: they that come to seek for mixed drink.
31 Kotalaka te masanga ya vino tango ezali motane, tango ezali kongala kati na kopo mpe kokita na pete na mongongo.
Do not look on the wine when it looketh red, when it giveth its color in the cup, when it glideth down so readily.
32 Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
At the last it will bite like a serpent, and like a basilisk will it sting.
33 Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
Thy eyes will see strange forms, and thy heart will speak perverse things.
34 Boye, okokoma lokola moto oyo alali kati na ebale monene, mpe lokola moto oyo alali na songe ya nzete ya molayi.
And thou wilt be like one that lieth down in the heart of the sea, or as he that lieth on 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 smote me, [but] I suffered no pain; they struck me hard, [but] I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will continue to seek it again.”
