Masese 25
1 Tala masese mosusu ya Salomo oyo bato ya Ezekiasi, mokonzi ya Yuda, bakomaki.
These are also proverbs of Solomon, that men of Hezekiah king of Judah transcribed:
2 Nzambe azwaka nkembo mpo ete asalaka makambo oyo bato bayebaka te, mpe bakonzi bazwaka nkembo mpo ete balukaka kososola tina ya makambo.
The glory of God [is] to hide a thing, And the glory of kings [is] to search out a matter.
3 Ndenge bakokaka te komeka bosanda ya Lola to bozindo ya mabele, ndenge wana mpe bakoki te kososola mitema ya bakonzi.
The heavens for height, and the earth for depth, And the heart of kings—[are] unsearchable.
4 Soki olongoli mbindo na palata, ekobimisa mbeki mpo na monyangwisi bibende na moto.
Take away dross from silver, And a vessel goes forth for the refiner,
5 Soki olongoli moto mabe liboso ya mokonzi, kiti na ye ya bokonzi ekolendisama na bosembo.
Take away the wicked before a king, And his throne is established in righteousness.
6 Komikumisaka te liboso ya mokonzi, mpe komivandisaka te na esika ya bato minene;
Do not honor yourself before a king, And do not stand in the place of the great.
7 pamba te eleki malamu ete baloba na yo: « Yaka kovanda na esika oyo ya lokumu, » na esika ete bayokisa yo soni na miso ya mokonzi.
For better [that] he has said to you, “Come up here,” Than [that] he humbles you before a noble, Whom your eyes have seen.
8 Kowelaka te kokende kofunda epai ya basambisi makambo oyo osili komona na miso, pamba te okosala nini na suka soki moninga na yo asukisi yo?
Do not go forth to strive, hurry, turn, What do you do in its latter end, When your neighbor causes you to blush?
9 Soki ozali kowelana na moninga na yo, kobimisa sekele ya moto mosusu te,
Plead your cause with your neighbor, And do not reveal the secret counsel of another,
10 noki te ayoka yango mpe ayokisa yo soni, boye okosambwa mpo na libela.
Lest the hearer put you to shame, And your evil report not turn back.
11 Liloba oyo elobami na tango oyo ekoki ezali lokola wolo oyo basangisi na palata.
Apples of gold in imagery of silver, [Is] the word spoken at its fit times.
12 Pamela ya moto ya bwanya epai ya moto oyo ayokaka ezali lokola wolo ya peto mpe sheneti ya wolo.
A ring of gold, and an ornament of pure gold, [Is] the wise reprover to an attentive ear.
13 Motindami ya sembo azalaka lokola mopepe ya malili ya mvula ya pembe na tango ya kobuka bambuma, asalaka esengo ya mokonzi na ye.
As a vessel of snow in a day of harvest, [So is] a faithful ambassador to those sending him, And he refreshes the soul of his masters.
14 Moto oyo amikumisaka ete akabaka, nzokande apesaka na ye eloko te, azali lokola mapata mpe mopepe oyo ezangi mvula.
Clouds and wind without rain, [Is] a man boasting himself in a false gift.
15 Moto oyo akangaka motema akoki kobongola makanisi ya mokonzi, mpe maloba ya malamu ebukaka mikuwa.
A ruler is persuaded by long-suffering, And a soft tongue breaks a bone.
16 Soki omoni mafuta ya nzoyi, lia oyo ekoki na yo, pamba te soki olie yango na lokoso, okosanza yango.
You have found honey—eat your sufficiency, Lest you are satiated [with] it, and have vomited it.
17 Kokendaka pamba-pamba te na ndako ya moninga na yo, noki te akotonda yo mpe akolemba yo.
Withdraw your foot from your neighbor’s house, Lest he is satiated [with] you, and has hated you.
18 Moto oyo apesaka matatoli ya lokuta mpo na kosala moninga na ye mabe azali lokola marto, mopanga mpe mbanzi ya songe.
A maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow, [Is] the man testifying a false testimony against his neighbor.
19 Kotia elikya na zoba na tango na pasi ezali lokola lino ebukani mpe lokolo elembi.
A bad tooth, and a tottering foot, [Is] the confidence of the treacherous in a day of adversity.
20 Koyembela moto oyo azali na mawa banzembo ya esengo ezali lokola kolongola ye kazaka na tango ya malili to kotia masanga ya ngayi na pota.
Whoever is taking away a garment in a cold day, [Is as] vinegar on natron, And a singer of songs on a sad heart.
21 Soki monguna na yo azali na nzala, pesa ye bilei; soki azali na posa ya mayi, pesa ye mayi ya komela.
If he who is hating you hungers, cause him to eat bread, And if he thirsts, cause him to drink water.
22 Pamba te, soki osali bongo, okotondisa makala ya moto na likolo ya moto na ye, mpe Yawe akofuta yo.
For you are putting coals on his head, And YHWH gives repayment to you.
23 Mopepe oyo ewutaka na ngambo ya nor, ebetisaka mvula, mpe lolemo oyo etongaka ekomisaka bilongi kanda-kanda.
A north wind brings forth rain, And a secret tongue—indignant faces.
24 Kovanda na songe ya ndako ezali malamu koleka kovanda elongo na mwasi oyo aswanaka-swanaka.
Better to sit on a corner of a roof, Than [with] a woman of contentions, and a house of company.
25 Basango ya malamu oyo ewuti na mokili ya mosika ezali lokola mayi ya pio kati na motema ya moto oyo azali na posa ya mayi.
[As] cold waters for a weary soul, So [is] a good report from a far country.
26 Moto ya sembo oyo asopanaka liboso ya moto mabe azali lokola liziba ya potopoto mpe etima oyo ebimisaka mayi ya mabe.
A spring troubled, and a fountain corrupt, [Is] the righteous falling before the wicked.
27 Ezali malamu te kolia mafuta ya nzoyi ebele, mpe ezali malamu te koluka lokumu na yo moko.
The eating of much honey is not good, Nor a searching out of one’s own honor—honor.
28 Moto oyo akokaka te kokonza molimo na ye azali lokola engumba oyo ebukana mpe ezanga bamir.
A city broken down without walls, [Is] a man without restraint over his spirit!
