Masese 24
1 Kolulaka te bato oyo basalaka mabe mpe kolukaka te kozala elongo na bango,
Be not thou envious of evil men, neither desire to be with them.
2 pamba te mitema na bango ekanisaka kaka kosala mabe, mpe bibebu na bango eyeisaka kaka mobulu soki elobi.
For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.
3 Ndako etongamaka na nzela ya bwanya, mpe elendisamaka na nzela ya mayele.
Through wisdom is a house builded; and by understanding it is established;
4 Bashambre ekotondisama na biloko nyonso ya talo mpe ya kitoko na nzela ya boyebi.
And by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
5 Moto ya bwanya atondi na nguya, moto oyo azalaka na boyebi alendisaka nguya na ye.
A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength.
6 Pamba te kolonga na etumba esengaka bwanya, mpe lobiko ezalaka kati na motango ebele ya bapesi toli.
For with wise advice thou shalt make thy war; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
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 as unattainable to a fool as corals; he openeth not his mouth in the gate.
8 Moto oyo asalaka mabongisi ya kosala mabe akokende sango lokola moteki baninga.
He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.
9 Mabongisi ya bozoba ezali masumu, mpe bato bayinaka motioli.
The thought of foolishness is sin; and the scorner is an abomination to men.
10 Soki omilembisi na mokolo ya pasi, makasi na yo ekozala pamba.
If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small indeed.
11 Kangola bato oyo bazali komema bango na kufa, mpe bikisa bato oyo bazali kokende na kufa lokola bato oyo balangwe masanga.
Deliver them that are drawn unto death; and those that are ready to be slain wilt thou forbear to rescue?
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 thou sayest: 'Behold, we knew not this', doth not He that weigheth the hearts consider it? And He that keepeth thy soul, doth not He know it? And shall not He render to every man according to his works?
13 Mwana na ngai, lia mafuta ya nzoyi, pamba te ezalaka kitoko! Mwa ndambo ya mafuta ya nzoyi ekozala elengi na lolemo na yo.
My son, eat thou honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb is sweet to thy 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.
So know thou wisdom to be unto thy soul; if thou hast found it, then shall there be a future, and thy hope shall not be cut off.
15 Yo moto mabe, komeka te kotia mitambo kati na ndako ya moto ya sembo, mpe komeka te kopanza yango,
Lie not in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous, spoil not his resting-place;
16 pamba te ata soki moto ya sembo akweyi mbala sambo, akotelema kaka; nzokande pasi ekweyisaka moto mabe.
For a righteous man falleth seven times, and riseth up again, but the wicked stumble under adversity.
17 Soki monguna na yo akweyi, kosepela te; mpe soki apengwi, tika ete motema na yo esepela te;
Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth;
18 noki te Yawe akomona, akosepela te mpe akokitisela yo kanda na Ye.
Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.
19 Kosilika te likolo ya bato oyo basalaka mabe, kolula te bato mabe;
Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious at the wicked;
20 pamba te lobi ya malamu ekozala te mpo na moto oyo asalaka mabe, mpe mwinda ya bato mabe ekokufa.
For there will be no future to the evil man, the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21 Mwana na ngai, tosaka Yawe mpe mokonzi, kosanganaka te na batomboki,
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king, and meddle not with them that are given to change;
22 pamba te bango mibale bakoki kotindela batomboki pasi na pwasa. Bongo, nani ayebi pasi oyo bakoki kotinda?
For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin from them both?
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 have respect of persons in judgment is not good.
24 Moto oyo alobaka na moto mabe: « Ozali moto ya sembo, » bato bakolakela ye mabe, mpe bikolo ekotombokela ye.
He that saith unto the wicked: 'Thou art righteous', peoples shall curse him, nations shall execrate him;
25 Kasi bato oyo bapamelaka moto mabe bakozala malamu mpe lipamboli ekozala likolo na bango.
But to them that decide justly shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them.
26 Eyano ya solo ezali lokola beze ya bibebu.
He kisseth the lips that giveth a right answer.
27 Bongisa libanda ya mosala na yo, bongisa bilanga na yo, bongo na sima, tonga ndako na yo.
Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thy house.
28 Kotatola na pamba te mpo na kosala moninga na yo mabe; mpo na nini olingi kosalela bibebu na yo na lokuta?
Be not a witness against thy neighbour without cause; and deceive not with thy lips.
29 Kolobaka te: « Nakosala ye ndenge asali ngai, nakozongisela ye kolanda makambo oyo ye asali. »
Say not: 'I will do so to him as he hath done to me; I will render to 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 by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
31 bongo, tala ndenge etondi na banzube, tala ndenge matiti mabe ezipi yango, mpe mir na yango ya mabanga ebukani.
And, lo, it was all grown over with thistles, the face thereof was covered with nettles, and the stone wall thereof was broken down.
32 Tango natiaki makanisi na ngai kati na makambo oyo namonaki, nazwaki mayele oyo:
Then I beheld, and considered well; I saw, and received instruction.
33 mwa pongi moke, mwa kopema moke, mwa kokanga maboko moke mpo na kolala,
'Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep' —
34 bobola ekoyela yo na pwasa lokola moleki nzela, mpe pasi ekoyela yo lokola moyibi.
So shall thy poverty come as a runner, and thy want as an armed man.
