Masese 30
1 Tala maloba ya Aguri, mwana mobali ya Yake. Ezali ye nde alobaki yango epai ya Itieli, epai ya Itieli mpe Ukali:
These things says the man to them that trust in God; and I cease.
2 Solo, nazali zoba koleka bato nyonso, nazali ata na mayele ya bomoto te;
For I am the most simple of all men, and there is not in me the wisdom of men.
3 nayekolaki bwanya te, mpe nazali na boyebi ya Mosantu te.
God has taught me wisdom, and I know the knowledge of the holy.
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 gathered the winds in his bosom? who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? who has dominion of all the ends of the earth? what is his name? or what is the name of his children?
5 Liloba nyonso ya Nzambe ezalaka na libunga te, ezali nguba mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango lokola ebombamelo na bango.
For all the words of God are tried in the fire, and he defends those that reverence him.
6 Kobakisa eloko moko te na maloba na Ye, noki te apamela yo mpe abimisa yo mokosi.
Add not to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be made a liar.
7 Oh Yawe, nasengi Yo biloko mibale, kopimela ngai yango te liboso ete nakufa:
Two things I ask of you; take not favour from me before I die.
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,
Remove far from me vanity and falsehood: and give me not wealth [or] poverty; but appoint me what is needful and sufficient:
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.
lest I be filled and become false, and say, Who sees me? or be poor and steal, and swear [vainly] by the name of God.
10 Kotonga mowumbu te liboso ya nkolo na ye, noki te alakela yo mabe, mpe omona pasi.
Deliver not a servant into the hands of his master, lest he curse you, and you be utterly destroyed.
11 Ezali na bato oyo balakelaka batata na bango mabe mpe bapambolaka te bamama na bango.
A wicked generation curse their father, and do not bless their mother.
12 Ezali na bato oyo bamimonaka peto na miso na bango moko, nzokande bamipetoli na mbindo na bango te.
A wicked generation judge themselves to be just, but do not cleanse their way.
13 Ezali na bato oyo batonda na lolendo mpe bamonaka bato mosusu pamba.
A wicked generation have lofty eyes, and exalt themselves with their eyelids.
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.
A wicked generation have swords [for] teeth and jaw teeth [as] knives, so as to destroy and devour the lowly from the earth, and the poor of them from amongst 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 horse-leech had three dearly beloved daughters: and these three did not satisfy her; and the fourth was not contented so as to 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 grave, and the love of a woman, and the earth not filled with water; water also and fire will not say, It is 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 that laughs to scorn a father, and dishonours the old age of a mother, let the ravens of the valleys pick it out, and let the young eagles devour it.
18 Ezali na biloko misato oyo nasosolaka te, ata kutu minei oyo nayebaka te:
Moreover there are three things impossible for me to comprehend, and the fourth I know not:
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 track of a flying eagle; and the ways of a serpent on a rock; and the paths of a ship passing through the sea; and the ways of a man in youth.
20 Tala ndenge mwasi ya ndumba asalaka: Soki alie, apangusaka monoko; mpe na sima, akoloba: « Nasali na ngai mabe te! »
Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who having washed herself from what she has done, says she has done nothing amiss.
21 Ezali na makambo misato oyo eningisaka mokili, ata kutu minei oyo mokili ekokaka kondima te:
By three thing the earth is troubled, and the fourth it can’t bear:
22 Mowumbu oyo akomi mokonzi, zoba oyo atondi na bomengo,
if a servant reign; or a fool be filled with food;
23 mwasi oyo balingaka te, kasi abali; mpe mwasi mosali oyo azwi bomengo ya nkolo na ye ya mwasi.
or if a maidservant should cast out her own mistress; and if a hateful woman should marry a good man.
24 Ezali na banyama mike minei na mokili, oyo, nzokande, ezalaka na bwanya mingi:
And [there are] four very little things upon the earth, but these are wiser than the wise:
25 Bafurmi: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga makasi, kasi ebongisaka bilei na yango na tango ya elanga;
the ants which are weak, and [yet] prepare [their] food in summer;
26 bampanya ya zamba: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga nguya, kasi etongaka bandako na yango kati na mabanga;
the rabbits also [are] a feeble race, who make their houses in the rocks.
27 mabanki: ezalaka na mokonzi te, kasi nyonso etambolaka nzela moko na molongo;
The locusts have no king, and [yet] march orderly at one command.
28 moselekete: loboko ekoki kokanga yango, kasi ezalaka kati na bandako ya bakonzi.
And the eft, which supports itself by [its] hands, and is easily taken, dwells in the fortresses of kings.
29 Ezali na banyama misato oyo etambolaka malamu, ata kutu minei oyo edendaka soki ezali kotambola:
And there are three things which go well, and a fourth which passes along finely.
30 Nkosi: nyama ya makasi kati na banyama, ezongaka sima te ata liboso ya nani;
A lion's whelp, stronger than [all other] beasts, which turns not away, nor fears [any] beast;
31 soso ya mobali, ntaba mobali, mpe mokonzi oyo azali kotambola liboso ya mampinga na ye.
and a cock walking in boldly amongst the hens, and the goat leading the herd; and a king publicly speaking before a nation.
32 Soki osali bozoba mpo na komikumisa, mpe soki ozali na makanisi mabe, tia loboko na monoko na yo,
If you abandon yourself to mirth, and stretch forth your hand in a quarrel, you shall be disgraced.
33 pamba te kobeta-beta mabele ebimisaka manteka, kobeta zolo ebimisaka makila, mpe kotumbola kanda eyeisaka koswana.
Milk out milk, and there shall be butter, and if you wing [one's] nostrils there shall come out blood: so if you extort words, there will come forth quarrels and strifes.
