Masese 3
1 Mwana na Ngai, kobosana mateya na ngai te, kasi batela mibeko na ngai kati na motema na yo;
My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep,
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, Life and peace they do 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!
Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart,
4 Okozwa ngolu mpe kombo ya malamu na miso ya Nzambe mpe na miso ya bato.
And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man.
5 Ndimela Yawe na motema na yo mobimba, mpe kotia motema te na mayele na yo.
Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not.
6 Yebaka Ye na banzela na yo nyonso, mpe Ye akokomisa yango alima.
In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.
7 Tika ete omimonaka te moto ya bwanya na miso na yo moko; tosa Yawe mpe longwa na mabe.
Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil.
8 Ekozala kisi mpo na kokomisa nzoto na yo kolongono mpe kolendisa mikuwa na yo.
Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones.
9 Pesaka Yawe lokumu na nzela ya biloko na yo mpe ya bambuma ya liboso ya bozwi na yo nyonso.
Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase;
10 Bongo bibombelo na yo ekotonda na biloko, mpe bambeki na yo ekotonda na vino.
And filled are thy barns [with] plenty, And [with] new wine thy presses break forth.
11 Mwana na ngai, yamba toli ya Yawe, koboya te pamela na Ye;
Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof,
12 pamba te Yawe apamelaka moto oyo Ye alingaka, ndenge kaka tata apamelaka mwana na ye, oyo alingaka.
For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.
13 Esengo na moto oyo amoni bwanya! Esengo na moto oyo azwi mayele!
O the happiness of a man [who] hath found wisdom, And of a man [who] bringeth 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, And than gold — her increase.
15 Ezali na motuya koleka babiju, mpe eloko moko te oyo moto akoki koluka ekokani na yango.
Precious she [is] above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to 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] wealth 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 she [is] to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her [is] happy.
19 Na nzela ya bwanya, Yawe atiaki miboko ya mabele; na nzela ya mayele, alendisaki likolo.
Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding.
20 Na nzela ya mayele na Ye, mozindo ya se ya mabele ebimisaki mayi mpe mapata enokisaki mvula.
By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop 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 turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness,
22 pamba te ekozala bomoi mpo na yo mpe ngolu mpo na kingo na yo.
And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck.
23 Boye, okotambola na kimia na nzela na yo, mpe lokolo na yo ekobeta libaku te.
Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble.
24 Tango okolala, okobanga eloko moko te, pamba te pongi na yo ekozala ya kimia.
If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep.
25 Somo ya pwasa ekobangisa yo te, ezala tango bato mabe bakobimela yo na pwasa;
Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh.
26 pamba te Yawe akozala elikya na yo mpe akobatela makolo na yo mpo ete ekangama te na motambo.
For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.
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 its owners, When thy hand [is] toward God 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.
Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee.
29 Kosalaka moninga na yo mabe te soki azali kovanda na kimia epai na yo.
Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee.
30 Kolukelaka moto makambo te, oyo ezanga tina soki asali yo mabe te.
Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil.
31 Kolulaka te moto ya mobulu mpe koponaka ata nzela moko te, kati na banzela na ye.
Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on 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 Jehovah [is] the perverted, And with the upright [is] His secret counsel.
33 Yawe alakelaka mabe ndako ya moto mabe, kasi apambolaka ndako ya moto ya sembo;
The curse of Jehovah [is] in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth.
34 asambwisaka batioli, kasi atalisaka ngolu na Ye epai ya bato oyo bamikitisaka.
If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace.
35 Bato ya bwanya bakozwa nkembo, kasi bazoba bakozala na soni.
Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!
