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 what is before thee;
2 Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
For thou wilt put a knife to thy throat, If thou art a man given to appetite!
3 Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
Long not for his dainties. For they are deceitful meat.
4 Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
Toil not to become rich; Cease from this, thy wisdom.
5 Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
Wilt thou let thine eyes fly toward them? They are gone! For riches truly make to themselves wings; They fly away like the eagle 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 him that hath an evil eye, And long not for 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 he thinketh in his heart, 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, thou shalt vomit up; And thou wilt have thrown away 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 avenger is mighty; He will maintain their cause against thee.
12 Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
Apply thy heart to 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 a child; If thou beat him with the rod, he will not die.
Beat him thyself with the rod, And thou shalt rescue him from the underworld. (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.
Yea, my reins shall exult, 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 continue thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long;
18 pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
For surely there shall be a reward, And thine expectation 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 let thy heart go forward in the way!
20 Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
Be not thou among winebibbers, And riotous 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 will clothe a man with rags.
22 Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
Hearken to thy father, who begat 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; Buy 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 a righteous man shall greatly rejoice; Yea, he who begetteth a wise child shall have joy in 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 have joy; Yea, 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; Yea, a strange woman is a narrow pit.
28 Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
Like a robber she lieth in wait, And 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 contentions? Who anxiety? Who wounds without cause? Who dimness 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 in to seek 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 sparkleth in the cup, When it goeth 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 an adder.
33 Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
Thine eyes will look upon strange women, And thy heart will utter perverse 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 one that lieth down in the midst of the sea, And as one that lieth down 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 stricken me [[shalt thou say]], —I suffered no pain! They have beaten me, —I felt it not! When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.
