Masese 24
1 Kolulaka te bato oyo basalaka mabe mpe kolukaka te kozala elongo na bango,
Do not envy wicked men or desire their company;
2 pamba te mitema na bango ekanisaka kaka kosala mabe, mpe bibebu na bango eyeisaka kaka mobulu soki elobi.
for their hearts devise violence, and their lips declare trouble.
3 Ndako etongamaka na nzela ya bwanya, mpe elendisamaka na nzela ya mayele.
By wisdom a house is built and by understanding it is established;
4 Bashambre ekotondisama na biloko nyonso ya talo mpe ya kitoko na nzela ya boyebi.
through knowledge its rooms are filled with every precious and beautiful treasure.
5 Moto ya bwanya atondi na nguya, moto oyo azalaka na boyebi alendisaka nguya na ye.
A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge enhances his strength.
6 Pamba te kolonga na etumba esengaka bwanya, mpe lobiko ezalaka kati na motango ebele ya bapesi toli.
Only with sound guidance should you wage war, and victory lies in a multitude of counselors.
7 Bwanya ezalaka likolo mingi mpo na zoba, yango wana azalaka te na likambo ya koloba kati na mayangani oyo esalemaka pembeni ya ekuke.
Wisdom is too high for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the meeting place.
8 Moto oyo asalaka mabongisi ya kosala mabe akokende sango lokola moteki baninga.
He who plots evil will be called a schemer.
9 Mabongisi ya bozoba ezali masumu, mpe bato bayinaka motioli.
A foolish scheme is sin, and a mocker is detestable to men.
10 Soki omilembisi na mokolo ya pasi, makasi na yo ekozala pamba.
If you faint in the day of distress, how small is your strength!
11 Kangola bato oyo bazali komema bango na kufa, mpe bikisa bato oyo bazali kokende na kufa lokola bato oyo balangwe masanga.
Rescue those being led away to death, and restrain those stumbling toward the slaughter.
12 Soki olobi: « Tala, toyebaki likambo moko te kati na makambo oyo nyonso; » boni, Ye oyo amekaka mitema asosolaka yango te? Ye oyo abatelaka molimo na yo ayebaka yango te? Afutaka te moto na moto kolanda misala na ye?
If you say, “Behold, we did not know about this,” does not He who weighs hearts consider it? Does not the One who guards your life know? Will He not repay a man according to his deeds?
13 Mwana na ngai, lia mafuta ya nzoyi, pamba te ezalaka kitoko! Mwa ndambo ya mafuta ya nzoyi ekozala elengi na lolemo na yo.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to your taste.
14 Yeba lisusu ete bwanya ezali elengi mpo na molimo na yo; soki ozwi yango, yeba ete lobi na yo ekozala malamu, mpe elikya na yo ekozala ya pamba te.
Know therefore that wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, there is a future for you, and your hope will never be cut off.
15 Yo moto mabe, komeka te kotia mitambo kati na ndako ya moto ya sembo, mpe komeka te kopanza yango,
Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, near the dwelling of the righteous; do not destroy his resting place.
16 pamba te ata soki moto ya sembo akweyi mbala sambo, akotelema kaka; nzokande pasi ekweyisaka moto mabe.
For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.
17 Soki monguna na yo akweyi, kosepela te; mpe soki apengwi, tika ete motema na yo esepela te;
Do not gloat when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart rejoice when he stumbles,
18 noki te Yawe akomona, akosepela te mpe akokitisela yo kanda na Ye.
or the LORD will see and disapprove, and turn His wrath away from him.
19 Kosilika te likolo ya bato oyo basalaka mabe, kolula te bato mabe;
Do not fret over evildoers, and do not be envious of the wicked.
20 pamba te lobi ya malamu ekozala te mpo na moto oyo asalaka mabe, mpe mwinda ya bato mabe ekokufa.
For the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be extinguished.
21 Mwana na ngai, tosaka Yawe mpe mokonzi, kosanganaka te na batomboki,
My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not associate with the rebellious.
22 pamba te bango mibale bakoki kotindela batomboki pasi na pwasa. Bongo, nani ayebi pasi oyo bakoki kotinda?
For they will bring sudden destruction. Who knows what ruin they can bring?
23 Makambo oyo mpe ezali toli ya bato ya bwanya: Kopona bilongi, kati na kosambisa, ezali malamu te.
These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good.
24 Moto oyo alobaka na moto mabe: « Ozali moto ya sembo, » bato bakolakela ye mabe, mpe bikolo ekotombokela ye.
Whoever tells the guilty, “You are innocent”— peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him;
25 Kasi bato oyo bapamelaka moto mabe bakozala malamu mpe lipamboli ekozala likolo na bango.
but it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 Eyano ya solo ezali lokola beze ya bibebu.
An honest answer given is like a kiss on the lips.
27 Bongisa libanda ya mosala na yo, bongisa bilanga na yo, bongo na sima, tonga ndako na yo.
Complete your outdoor work and prepare your field; after that, you may build your house.
28 Kotatola na pamba te mpo na kosala moninga na yo mabe; mpo na nini olingi kosalela bibebu na yo na lokuta?
Do not testify against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips.
29 Kolobaka te: « Nakosala ye ndenge asali ngai, nakozongisela ye kolanda makambo oyo ye asali. »
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.”
30 Nalekaki pembeni ya elanga ya moto ya goyigoyi, mpe pembeni ya elanga ya vino ya moto oyo azangi mayele;
I went past the field of a slacker and by the vineyard of a man lacking judgment.
31 bongo, tala ndenge etondi na banzube, tala ndenge matiti mabe ezipi yango, mpe mir na yango ya mabanga ebukani.
Thorns had grown up everywhere, thistles had covered the ground, and the stone wall was broken down.
32 Tango natiaki makanisi na ngai kati na makambo oyo namonaki, nazwaki mayele oyo:
I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
33 mwa pongi moke, mwa kopema moke, mwa kokanga maboko moke mpo na kolala,
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,
34 bobola ekoyela yo na pwasa lokola moleki nzela, mpe pasi ekoyela yo lokola moyibi.
and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and need like a bandit.
