Masese 23
1 Soki ovandi mpo na kolia mesa moko elongo na mokonzi, tala malamu moto oyo azali liboso na yo.
When you sit to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you,
2 Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
and put a knife to your throat if you are a person who likes to eat a lot of food.
3 Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
Do not crave his delicacies, for it is the food of lies.
4 Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
Do not work too hard to gain wealth; be wise enough to know when to stop.
5 Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
Will you let your eyes light upon it? It will be gone, for it will surely take up wings like an eagle and fly off to the sky.
6 Kolia te bilei ya moto oyo azali kotala yo na miso mabe mpe kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko,
Do not eat the food of one with an evil eye— and do not crave his delicacies,
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 he is the kind of man who counts the price of the food. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
You will vomit up the little you have eaten and you will have wasted your compliments.
9 Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
Do not move an ancient boundary stone or encroach on the fields of orphans,
11 pamba te Molobeli na bango azalaka makasi, akozwa makambo na bango na maboko mpo na kotelemela yo.
for their Redeemer is strong and he will plead their case against you.
12 Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge.
13 Kozangisa te kopesa mwana etumbu; soki obeti ye fimbu, akokufa te.
Do not withhold instruction from a child, for if you discipline him, he will not die.
It is you who must beat him with the rod and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana na ngai, soki motema na yo ezali na bwanya, motema na ngai ekozala na esengo.
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart also will be glad;
16 Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Tika ete motema na yo elulaka te bato ya masumu, kasi zalaka tango nyonso na posa makasi ya kotosa Yawe;
Do not let your heart envy sinners, but continue in the fear of Yahweh all the day.
18 pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
Surely there is a future and your 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—you!—my son, and be wise and direct your heart in the way.
20 Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
Do not associate with drunkards, or with gluttonous eaters of meat,
21 pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
for the drunkard and the glutton become poor and slumber will clothe them with rags.
22 Yokela tata oyo aboti yo, mpe kotiola mama na yo te ata soki anuni.
Listen to your father who begot you and do not despise your 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, but do not sell it; buy wisdom, 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 person will greatly rejoice, and he who begets a wise child will be glad in him.
25 Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
Let your father and your mother be glad and let her who bore you 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 your heart and let your 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 prostitute is a deep pit, and an immoral woman is a narrow well.
28 Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
She lies in wait like a robber and she increases the number of the treacherous among humanity.
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 has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has fights? Who has complaining? Who has wounds for no reason? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Mpo na bato oyo bawumelaka liboso ya masanga ya vino, mpo na bato oyo bamelaka masanga ya makasi.
Those who linger over wine, those who try the mixed wine.
31 Kotalaka te masanga ya vino tango ezali motane, tango ezali kongala kati na kopo mpe kokita na pete na mongongo.
Do not look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly.
32 Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
In the last it bites like a serpent and it stings like an adder.
33 Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
Your eyes will see strange things and your 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.
You will be as one who sleeps on the high seas or lies 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 hit me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When will I wake up? I will seek another drink.”
