Masese 24
1 Kolulaka te bato oyo basalaka mabe mpe kolukaka te kozala elongo na bango,
Be not thou envious of wicked men, And desire not 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 speak mischief.
3 Ndako etongamaka na nzela ya bwanya, mpe elendisamaka na nzela ya mayele.
Through wisdom is a house builded, And by understanding is it established;
4 Bashambre ekotondisama na biloko nyonso ya talo mpe ya kitoko na nzela ya boyebi.
Yea, by knowledge are the chambers filled With all precious and goodly substance.
5 Moto ya bwanya atondi na nguya, moto oyo azalaka na boyebi alendisaka nguya na ye.
The wise man is strong; Yea, the man of understanding establisheth his strength.
6 Pamba te kolonga na etumba esengaka bwanya, mpe lobiko ezalaka kati na motango ebele ya bapesi toli.
For by wise counsel shalt thou make war, And by the multitude of counsellors cometh success.
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 the fool; He openeth not his mouth at the gate.
8 Moto oyo asalaka mabongisi ya kosala mabe akokende sango lokola moteki baninga.
He that deviseth to do evil Shall be called mischief-master.
9 Mabongisi ya bozoba ezali masumu, mpe bato bayinaka motioli.
The purpose of folly is sin; And a scoffer is an abomination to men.
10 Soki omilembisi na mokolo ya pasi, makasi na yo ekozala pamba.
If thy spirit faint in the day of adversity, Faint will be thy strength.
11 Kangola bato oyo bazali komema bango na kufa, mpe bikisa bato oyo bazali kokende na kufa lokola bato oyo balangwe masanga.
Deliver thou those who are dragged to death, And those who totter to the slaughter, —O keep them back!
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 sayst, “Behold, we knew it not!” Doth not he that weigheth the heart observe it? Yea, he that keepeth thy soul knoweth it. And he will 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.
Eat honey, my son, for it is good, And the honeycomb, which 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 learn thou wisdom for thy soul! When thou hast found it, there shall be a reward, And thy expectation 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,
Plot not, O wicked man! against the habitation 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 though the righteous fall seven times, yet shall he rise up again; But the wicked shall fall into mischief.
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, and it displease him, And he turn away his anger from him.
19 Kosilika te likolo ya bato oyo basalaka mabe, kolula te bato mabe;
Fret not thyself on account of evil men, Neither be thou 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 there shall be no posterity 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 mingle 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 up suddenly, And their ruin, coming from them both, in a moment.
23 Makambo oyo mpe ezali toli ya bato ya bwanya: Kopona bilongi, kati na kosambisa, ezali malamu te.
These also are words of the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment.
24 Moto oyo alobaka na moto mabe: « Ozali moto ya sembo, » bato bakolakela ye mabe, mpe bikolo ekotombokela ye.
He that saith to the wicked, “Thou art righteous,” Him shall the people curse; Nations shall abhor him.
25 Kasi bato oyo bapamelaka moto mabe bakozala malamu mpe lipamboli ekozala likolo na bango.
But it shall be well with them that punish him, And the blessing of prosperity shall come upon them.
26 Eyano ya solo ezali lokola beze ya bibebu.
He that giveth a right answer Kisseth the lips.
27 Bongisa libanda ya mosala na yo, bongisa bilanga na yo, bongo na sima, tonga ndako na yo.
Arrange thy work without, And prepare it in thy field: Afterwards thou mayst 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 without cause against thy neighbor, And deceive not with thy lips.
29 Kolobaka te: « Nakosala ye ndenge asali ngai, nakozongisela ye kolanda makambo oyo ye asali. »
Say not, “As he hath done to me, So will I do to him; I will render to the man according to his doings.”
30 Nalekaki pembeni ya elanga ya moto ya goyigoyi, mpe pembeni ya elanga ya vino ya moto oyo azangi mayele;
I passed 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 overgrown with thorns, And 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 saw, and considered it well; I looked upon it. 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.
So shall poverty come upon thee like a highwayman; Yea, want like an armed man.
