Masese 30
1 Tala maloba ya Aguri, mwana mobali ya Yake. Ezali ye nde alobaki yango epai ya Itieli, epai ya Itieli mpe Ukali:
The words of Agur, the son of Jakeh, from Massa. The man says: I am full of weariness, O God, I am full of weariness; O God, I have come to an end:
2 Solo, nazali zoba koleka bato nyonso, nazali ata na mayele ya bomoto te;
For I am more like a beast than any man, I have no power of reasoning like a man:
3 nayekolaki bwanya te, mpe nazali na boyebi ya Mosantu te.
I have not got wisdom by teaching, so that I might have the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Nani amata na Lola to mpe akita wuta kuna? Nani asangisa mopepe kati na maboko na ye? Nani akanga mayi na kazaka na ye? Nani akata bandelo nyonso ya mabele? Kombo na ye nani? Mpe kombo ya mwana na ye ezali nani? Yebisa ngai soki oyebi!
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? who has taken the winds in his hands, prisoning the waters in his robe? by whom have all the ends of the earth been fixed? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if you are able to say?
5 Liloba nyonso ya Nzambe ezalaka na libunga te, ezali nguba mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango lokola ebombamelo na bango.
Every word of God is tested: he is a breastplate to those who put their faith in him.
6 Kobakisa eloko moko te na maloba na Ye, noki te apamela yo mpe abimisa yo mokosi.
Make no addition to his words, or he will make clear your error, and you will be seen to be false.
7 Oh Yawe, nasengi Yo biloko mibale, kopimela ngai yango te liboso ete nakufa:
I have made request to you for two things; do not keep them from me before my death:
8 longola mosika na ngai makambo ya pamba mpe ya lokuta, kopesa ngai te bobola to bozwi, kasi pesa ngai kaka, mokolo na mokolo, lipa oyo ekoki na ngai,
Put far from me all false and foolish things: do not give me great wealth or let me be in need, but give me only enough food:
9 pamba te soki natondi makasi, nakoki kowangana Yo mpe koloba: « Yawe nde nani? » To soki nazali na bobola, nakoki koyiba mpe koyokisa Kombo ya Nzambe na ngai soni.
For fear that if I am full, I may be false to you and say, Who is the Lord? or if I am poor, I may become a thief, using the name of my God wrongly.
10 Kotonga mowumbu te liboso ya nkolo na ye, noki te alakela yo mabe, mpe omona pasi.
Do not say evil of a servant to his master, or he will put a curse on you, and you will get into trouble.
11 Ezali na bato oyo balakelaka batata na bango mabe mpe bapambolaka te bamama na bango.
There is a generation who put a curse on their father, and do not give a blessing to their mother.
12 Ezali na bato oyo bamimonaka peto na miso na bango moko, nzokande bamipetoli na mbindo na bango te.
There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin, but are not washed from their unclean ways.
13 Ezali na bato oyo batonda na lolendo mpe bamonaka bato mosusu pamba.
There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up!
14 Ezali na bato oyo minu na bango ezali lokola mipanga, lokola mbeli mpo na koboma babola kati na mokili mpe bato bakelela kati na bato.
There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
15 Sonzo ezalaka na bana basi mibale, egangaka kaka: « Pesa! Pesa! » Ezali na biloko misato oyo etondaka te, minei oyo elobaka te: « Ekoki! »
The night-spirit has two daughters, Give, give. There are three things which are never full, even four which never say, Enough:
16 Mboka ya bakufi, libumu ya mwasi oyo abotaka te, mabele oyo etondaka mayi te, mpe moto oyo elobaka te: « Ekoki! » (Sheol h7585)
The underworld, and the woman without a child; the earth which never has enough water, and the fire which never says, Enough. (Sheol h7585)
17 Liso oyo etiolaka tata mpe ezanga botosi epai ya mama, ekotobolama na bayanganga ya lubwaku, mpe bana ya mpongo ekolia yango.
The eye which makes sport of a father, and sees no value in a mother when she is old will be rooted out by the ravens of the valley, and be food for the young eagles.
18 Ezali na biloko misato oyo nasosolaka te, ata kutu minei oyo nayebaka te:
There are three things, the wonder of which overcomes me, even four things outside my knowledge:
19 Nzela ya mpongo na likolo, nzela ya nyoka na likolo ya libanga, nzela ya masuwa kati na ebale, mpe nzela ya elenge mobali epai ya elenge mwasi.
The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a girl.
20 Tala ndenge mwasi ya ndumba asalaka: Soki alie, apangusaka monoko; mpe na sima, akoloba: « Nasali na ngai mabe te! »
This is the way of a false wife; she takes food, and, cleaning her mouth, says, I have done no wrong.
21 Ezali na makambo misato oyo eningisaka mokili, ata kutu minei oyo mokili ekokaka kondima te:
For three things the earth is moved, and there are four which it will not put up with:
22 Mowumbu oyo akomi mokonzi, zoba oyo atondi na bomengo,
A servant when he becomes a king; a man without sense when his wealth is increased;
23 mwasi oyo balingaka te, kasi abali; mpe mwasi mosali oyo azwi bomengo ya nkolo na ye ya mwasi.
A hated woman when she is married; and a servant-girl who takes the place of her master's wife.
24 Ezali na banyama mike minei na mokili, oyo, nzokande, ezalaka na bwanya mingi:
There are four things which are little on the earth, but they are very wise:
25 Bafurmi: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga makasi, kasi ebongisaka bilei na yango na tango ya elanga;
The ants are a people not strong, but they put by a store of food in the summer;
26 bampanya ya zamba: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga nguya, kasi etongaka bandako na yango kati na mabanga;
The conies are only a feeble people, but they make their houses in the rocks;
27 mabanki: ezalaka na mokonzi te, kasi nyonso etambolaka nzela moko na molongo;
The locusts have no king, but they all go out in bands;
28 moselekete: loboko ekoki kokanga yango, kasi ezalaka kati na bandako ya bakonzi.
You may take the lizard in your hands, but it is in kings' houses.
29 Ezali na banyama misato oyo etambolaka malamu, ata kutu minei oyo edendaka soki ezali kotambola:
There are three things whose steps are good to see, even four whose goings are fair:
30 Nkosi: nyama ya makasi kati na banyama, ezongaka sima te ata liboso ya nani;
The lion, which is strongest among beasts, not turning from his way for any;
31 soso ya mobali, ntaba mobali, mpe mokonzi oyo azali kotambola liboso ya mampinga na ye.
The war-horse, and the he-goat, and the king when his army is with him.
32 Soki osali bozoba mpo na komikumisa, mpe soki ozali na makanisi mabe, tia loboko na monoko na yo,
If you have done foolishly in lifting yourself up, or if you have had evil designs, put your hand over your mouth.
33 pamba te kobeta-beta mabele ebimisaka manteka, kobeta zolo ebimisaka makila, mpe kotumbola kanda eyeisaka koswana.
The shaking of milk makes butter, and the twisting of the nose makes blood come: so the forcing of wrath is a cause of fighting.
