Masese 3
1 Mwana na Ngai, kobosana mateya na ngai te, kasi batela mibeko na ngai kati na motema na yo;
[My] son, forget not my laws; but let your heart keep my words:
2 pamba te ekoyeisa mikolo ya bomoi na yo milayi, ekobakisa mibu ebele na bomoi na yo mpe ekomemela yo kimia.
for length of existence, and years of life, and peace, shall they add to you.
3 Tika ete bolamu mpe bosolo ekabwana na yo te, linga yango zingazinga na kingo na yo, mpe koma yango na etando ya motema na yo!
Let not mercy and truth forsake you; but bind them about your neck:
4 Okozwa ngolu mpe kombo ya malamu na miso ya Nzambe mpe na miso ya bato.
so shall you find favor: and do you provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men.
5 Ndimela Yawe na motema na yo mobimba, mpe kotia motema te na mayele na yo.
Trust in God with all your heart; and be not exalted in your own wisdom.
6 Yebaka Ye na banzela na yo nyonso, mpe Ye akokomisa yango alima.
In all your ways acquaint yourself with her, that she may rightly direct your paths.
7 Tika ete omimonaka te moto ya bwanya na miso na yo moko; tosa Yawe mpe longwa na mabe.
Be not wise in your own conceit; but fear God, and depart from all evil.
8 Ekozala kisi mpo na kokomisa nzoto na yo kolongono mpe kolendisa mikuwa na yo.
Then shall there be health to your body, and good keeping to your bones.
9 Pesaka Yawe lokumu na nzela ya biloko na yo mpe ya bambuma ya liboso ya bozwi na yo nyonso.
Honor the Lord with your just labors, and give him the first of your fruits of righteousness:
10 Bongo bibombelo na yo ekotonda na biloko, mpe bambeki na yo ekotonda na vino.
that your storehouses may be completely filled with corn, and that your presses may burst forth with wine.
11 Mwana na ngai, yamba toli ya Yawe, koboya te pamela na Ye;
[My] son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; nor faint when you are rebuked of him:
12 pamba te Yawe apamelaka moto oyo Ye alingaka, ndenge kaka tata apamelaka mwana na ye, oyo alingaka.
for whom the Lord loves, he rebukes, and scourges every son whom he receives.
13 Esengo na moto oyo amoni bwanya! Esengo na moto oyo azwi mayele!
Blessed is the man who has found wisdom, and the mortal who knows prudence.
14 Pamba te kozala na yango eleki kozala na palata na motuya, mpe lifuti na yango eleki wolo oyo balekisi na moto na motuya.
For it is better to traffic for her, than for treasures of gold and silver.
15 Ezali na motuya koleka babiju, mpe eloko moko te oyo moto akoki koluka ekokani na yango.
And she is more valuable than precious stones: no evil thing shall resist her: she is well known to all that approach her, and no precious thing is equal to her in value.
16 Kati na loboko na Ye ya mobali, ezali na bomoi ya molayi; mpe kati na loboko na Ye ya mwasi, ezali na lokumu mpe bomengo.
For length of existence and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are wealth and glory: out of her mouth proceeds righteousness, and she carries law and mercy upon her tongue.
17 Nzela na Ye ezali ya esengo, mpe banzela na Ye nyonso ya mike ezali ya kimia.
Her ways are good ways, and all her paths are peaceful.
18 Bwanya ezali nzete ya bomoi mpo na bato oyo basimbaka yango; bato oyo bakokanga yango makasi bakozala na esengo.
She is a tree of life to all that lay hold upon her; and she is [a] secure [help] to all that stay themselves on her, as on the Lord.
19 Na nzela ya bwanya, Yawe atiaki miboko ya mabele; na nzela ya mayele, alendisaki likolo.
God by wisdom founded the earth, and by prudence he prepared the heavens.
20 Na nzela ya mayele na Ye, mozindo ya se ya mabele ebimisaki mayi mpe mapata enokisaki mvula.
By understanding were the depths broken up, and the clouds dropped water.
21 Mwana na ngai, tika ete bwanya mpe bososoli ezala mosika ya miso na yo te; batela yango malamu,
[My] son, let [them] not pass from [you], but keep my counsel and understanding:
22 pamba te ekozala bomoi mpo na yo mpe ngolu mpo na kingo na yo.
that your soul may live, and that there may be grace round your neck; and it shall be health to your flesh, and safety to your bones:
23 Boye, okotambola na kimia na nzela na yo, mpe lokolo na yo ekobeta libaku te.
that you may go confidently in peace in all your ways, and that your foot may not stumble.
24 Tango okolala, okobanga eloko moko te, pamba te pongi na yo ekozala ya kimia.
For if you rest, you shall be undismayed; and if you sleep, you shall slumber sweetly.
25 Somo ya pwasa ekobangisa yo te, ezala tango bato mabe bakobimela yo na pwasa;
And you shall not be afraid of alarm coming upon you, neither of approaching attacks of ungodly men.
26 pamba te Yawe akozala elikya na yo mpe akobatela makolo na yo mpo ete ekangama te na motambo.
For the Lord shall be over all your ways, and shall establish your foot that you be not moved.
27 Koboyaka te kosala bolamu epai ya moto oyo azali na bosenga, tango maboko na yo ezali na makoki ya kosala yango.
Forbear not to do good to the poor, whenever your hand may have [power] to help [him].
28 Kolobaka na moninga na yo te: « Kende, bongo oya sima; nakopesa yo yango lobi; » soki ozali na makoki ya kosala likambo yango.
Say not, Come back another time, to-morrow I will give; while you are able to do [him] good: for you know not what the next day will bring forth.
29 Kosalaka moninga na yo mabe te soki azali kovanda na kimia epai na yo.
Devise not evil against your friend, living near you and trusting in you.
30 Kolukelaka moto makambo te, oyo ezanga tina soki asali yo mabe te.
Be not ready to quarrel with a man without a cause, lest he do you some harm.
31 Kolulaka te moto ya mobulu mpe koponaka ata nzela moko te, kati na banzela na ye.
Procure not the reproaches of bad men, neither do you covet their ways.
32 Pamba te Yawe ayinaka bato mabe, kasi ayebisaka basekele na Ye epai ya bato ya sembo.
For every transgressor is unclean before the Lord; neither does he sit among the righteous.
33 Yawe alakelaka mabe ndako ya moto mabe, kasi apambolaka ndako ya moto ya sembo;
The curse of God is in the houses of the ungodly; but the habitations of the just are blessed.
34 asambwisaka batioli, kasi atalisaka ngolu na Ye epai ya bato oyo bamikitisaka.
The Lord resists the proud; but he gives grace to the humble.
35 Bato ya bwanya bakozwa nkembo, kasi bazoba bakozala na soni.
The wise shall inherit glory; but the ungodly have exalted [their own] dishonor.
