Masese 3
1 Mwana na Ngai, kobosana mateya na ngai te, kasi batela mibeko na ngai kati na motema na yo;
My son, mine instruction, do not thou forget, and, my commandment, let thy heart observe;
2 pamba te ekoyeisa mikolo ya bomoi na yo milayi, ekobakisa mibu ebele na bomoi na yo mpe ekomemela yo kimia.
For, length of days and years of life, and blessedness, shall they add to thee.
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!
Lovingkindness and faithfulness, let them not forsake thee, —bind them, upon thy neck, write them upon the tablet of thy heart:
4 Okozwa ngolu mpe kombo ya malamu na miso ya Nzambe mpe na miso ya bato.
So find thou favour and good repute, in the eyes of God and man.
5 Ndimela Yawe na motema na yo mobimba, mpe kotia motema te na mayele na yo.
Trust thou in Yahweh, with all thy heart, and, unto thine own understanding, do not lean:
6 Yebaka Ye na banzela na yo nyonso, mpe Ye akokomisa yango alima.
In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and, he, will make straight thy paths.
7 Tika ete omimonaka te moto ya bwanya na miso na yo moko; tosa Yawe mpe longwa na mabe.
Do not become wise in thine own eyes, revere Yahweh, and avoid evil:
8 Ekozala kisi mpo na kokomisa nzoto na yo kolongono mpe kolendisa mikuwa na yo.
Healing, shall it be to thy body, and refreshing, to thy bones.
9 Pesaka Yawe lokumu na nzela ya biloko na yo mpe ya bambuma ya liboso ya bozwi na yo nyonso.
Honour thou Yahweh, with thy substance, and with the firstfruit of all thine increase;
10 Bongo bibombelo na yo ekotonda na biloko, mpe bambeki na yo ekotonda na vino.
So shall thy storehouses be filled with plenty, and, with new wine, shall thy vats overflow.
11 Mwana na ngai, yamba toli ya Yawe, koboya te pamela na Ye;
The, chastening of Yahweh, my son, do not reject, nor loathe his rebuke;
12 pamba te Yawe apamelaka moto oyo Ye alingaka, ndenge kaka tata apamelaka mwana na ye, oyo alingaka.
For, whom Yahweh loveth, he correcteth, he causeth pain to the son in whom he delighteth.
13 Esengo na moto oyo amoni bwanya! Esengo na moto oyo azwi mayele!
How happy the man who hath found wisdom, and the man who draweth forth understanding,
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 better is her merchandise, than the merchandise of silver, yea, than gold, her increase;
15 Ezali na motuya koleka babiju, mpe eloko moko te oyo moto akoki koluka ekokani na yango.
More precious, is she, than corals, yea, none of thy delightful things, doth equal her:
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.
Length of days, is in her right hand, in her left, are riches and honour;
17 Nzela na Ye ezali ya esengo, mpe banzela na Ye nyonso ya mike ezali ya kimia.
Her ways, are ways of pleasantness, and, all her paths, are peace;
18 Bwanya ezali nzete ya bomoi mpo na bato oyo basimbaka yango; bato oyo bakokanga yango makasi bakozala na esengo.
A tree of life, is she, to them who secure her, —and, they who hold her fast, are every one to be pronounced happy.
19 Na nzela ya bwanya, Yawe atiaki miboko ya mabele; na nzela ya mayele, alendisaki likolo.
Yahweh, in wisdom, founded the earth, establishing the heavens with understanding;
20 Na nzela ya mayele na Ye, mozindo ya se ya mabele ebimisaki mayi mpe mapata enokisaki mvula.
By his knowledge, the resounding deeps were burst open, and, the skies, drop down dew.
21 Mwana na ngai, tika ete bwanya mpe bososoli ezala mosika ya miso na yo te; batela yango malamu,
My son, let them not depart from thine eyes, guard thou counsel, and purpose:
22 pamba te ekozala bomoi mpo na yo mpe ngolu mpo na kingo na yo.
So shall they become life to thy soul, and an adorning to thy neck;
23 Boye, okotambola na kimia na nzela na yo, mpe lokolo na yo ekobeta libaku te.
Then, shalt thou walk securely in thy way, and, thy foot, shall not stumble;
24 Tango okolala, okobanga eloko moko te, pamba te pongi na yo ekozala ya kimia.
When thou sittest down, thou shalt have no dread, yea thou shalt lie down, and sweet shall be thy sleep.
25 Somo ya pwasa ekobangisa yo te, ezala tango bato mabe bakobimela yo na pwasa;
Be not thou afraid of sudden dread, nor of the desolation of the lawless, when it cometh.
26 pamba te Yawe akozala elikya na yo mpe akobatela makolo na yo mpo ete ekangama te na motambo.
For, Yahweh, will be in all thy ways, and will keep thy foot from the snare.
27 Koboyaka te kosala bolamu epai ya moto oyo azali na bosenga, tango maboko na yo ezali na makoki ya kosala yango.
Withhold not good from them who ask it, when it is in power of thy hand to do it:
28 Kolobaka na moninga na yo te: « Kende, bongo oya sima; nakopesa yo yango lobi; » soki ozali na makoki ya kosala likambo yango.
Do not say to thy neighbour, Go and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee.
29 Kosalaka moninga na yo mabe te soki azali kovanda na kimia epai na yo.
Devise not against thy neighbour an injury, seeing that, he, dwelleth securely by thee.
30 Kolukelaka moto makambo te, oyo ezanga tina soki asali yo mabe te.
Contend not with a man without cause, if he hath dealt thee no wrong.
31 Kolulaka te moto ya mobulu mpe koponaka ata nzela moko te, kati na banzela na ye.
Do not thou envy the man of violence, neither choose thou any of his ways;
32 Pamba te Yawe ayinaka bato mabe, kasi ayebisaka basekele na Ye epai ya bato ya sembo.
For, an abomination to Yahweh, is the tortuous man, but, with the upright, he is intimate.
33 Yawe alakelaka mabe ndako ya moto mabe, kasi apambolaka ndako ya moto ya sembo;
The curse of Yahweh, is in the house of the lawless one, but, the home of the righteous, he blesseth.
34 asambwisaka batioli, kasi atalisaka ngolu na Ye epai ya bato oyo bamikitisaka.
Though at scoffers he scoffeth, yet, to the humbled, he granteth favour.
35 Bato ya bwanya bakozwa nkembo, kasi bazoba bakozala na soni.
Honour, shall the wise inherit, —but, as for dullards, shame shall carry them away.
