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, Thou considerest diligently that which [is] before thee,
2 Tia mbeli na mongongo na yo soki ozalaka lokoso.
And thou hast put a knife to thy throat, If thou [art] a man of appetite.
3 Kolula te bilei na ye ya kitoko, pamba te, tango mosusu, ezali na yango bololo.
Have no desire to his dainties, seeing it [is] lying food.
4 Koboma nzoto te mpo na koluka kozwa bomengo, kotia mayele na yo te kati na yango.
Labour not to make wealth, From thine own understanding cease, Dost thou cause thine eyes to fly upon it? Then it is not.
5 Tango okobwaka miso na ngambo ya bomengo, ekobunga, pamba te ezalaka na mapapu mpe epumbwaka na likolo makasi lokola mpongo.
For wealth maketh to itself wings, As an eagle it flieth to the heavens.
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 an evil eye, And have no desire to 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 hath thought in his soul, so [is] he, 'Eat and drink,' saith he to thee, And his heart [is] not with thee.
8 Okosanza eteni oyo oliaki, mpe maloba na yo ya kitoko ekokende pamba.
Thy morsel thou hast eaten thou dost vomit up, And hast marred thy words that [are] sweet.
9 Kolobaka na zoba te, pamba te akotiola bwanya ya maloba na yo.
In the ears of a fool speak not, For he treadeth on the wisdom of thy words.
10 Kozongisa te na sima mondelo ya kala mpe kokota te na bilanga ya bana bitike,
Remove not a border of olden times, And into fields of the fatherless enter not,
11 pamba te Molobeli na bango azalaka makasi, akozwa makambo na bango na maboko mpo na kotelemela yo.
For their Redeemer [is] strong, He doth plead their cause with thee.
12 Tika ete motema na yo endimaka kotosa mibeko, mpe matoyi na yo eyokaka maloba ya boyebi!
Bring in to instruction thy heart, And thine ear to sayings of knowledge.
13 Kozangisa te kopesa mwana etumbu; soki obeti ye fimbu, akokufa te.
Withhold not from a youth chastisement, When thou smitest him with a rod he dieth not.
Thou with a rod smitest him, And his soul from Sheol thou deliverest. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mwana na ngai, soki motema na yo ezali na bwanya, motema na ngai ekozala na esengo.
My son, if thy heart hath been wise, My heart rejoiceth, even mine,
16 Solo, bomoto na ngai nyonso ekotonda na esengo, soki bibebu na yo elobi makambo ya sembo.
And my reins exult when thy lips speak uprightly.
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 at sinners, But — in the fear of Jehovah all the day.
18 pamba te suka na yo ekozala solo malamu mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
For, is there a posterity? Then thy hope is not 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 make happy in the way thy heart,
20 Kozala esika moko te na balangwi masanga to na bato ya lokoso,
Be not thou among quaffers of wine, Among gluttonous ones of flesh,
21 pamba te balangwi masanga mpe bato na lokoso bakomaka babola, mpe bogoyigoyi ekolatisa bango bilamba epasuka.
For the quaffer and glutton become poor, And drowsiness clotheth 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 hath become old.
23 Luka bosolo, kasi koteka yango te; sala se bongo na bwanya, na mateya mpe na mayele.
Truth buy, and sell not, 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 rejoiceth greatly, The begetter of the wise rejoiceth in him.
25 Tika ete tata na yo mpe mama na yo basepela! Tika ete mama oyo abota yo azala na esengo!
Rejoice doth thy father and thy mother, Yea, she that bare thee is joyful.
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 to me, And let thine 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 strait pit.
28 Mwasi ya ndumba atelemaka na ekenge lokola moyibi mpe akomisaka mibali bazoba koleka.
She also, as catching prey, lieth in wait, And the treacherous among men she increaseth.
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 contentions? who hath plaint? 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.
Those tarrying by the wine, Those going in to search out mixed wine.
31 Kotalaka te masanga ya vino tango ezali motane, tango ezali kongala kati na kopo mpe kokita na pete na mongongo.
See not wine when it showeth itself red, When it giveth in the cup its colour, It goeth up and down through the upright.
32 Na suka na yango, ekoswa yo lokola nyoka mpe ekotia yo minu lokola etupa.
Its latter end — as a serpent it biteth, And as a basilisk it stingeth.
33 Miso na yo ekomona biloko na ndenge ya kokamwa, mpe motema na yo ekobimisa makambo ya bozoba.
Thine eyes see strange women, And thy heart speaketh 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 hast been as one lying down in the heart of the sea, And as one lying down 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, I have not been sick, They beat me, I have not known. When I awake — I seek it yet again!'
