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 the Gatherer, the son of the Vomiter. The vision that the man spoke. God is with him, and he, being strengthened by God and abiding with him, said:
2 Solo, nazali zoba koleka bato nyonso, nazali ata na mayele ya bomoto te;
“I am the most foolish among men, and the wisdom of men is not with me.
3 nayekolaki bwanya te, mpe nazali na boyebi ya Mosantu te.
I have not learned wisdom, and I have not known the knowledge of sanctity.
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 ascended to heaven and also descended? Who has grasped the wind in his hands? Who has tied the waters together, as with a garment? Who has raised all the limits of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son, if you know?
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 fire-tested. He is a bronze shield to those who hope in him.
6 Kobakisa eloko moko te na maloba na Ye, noki te apamela yo mpe abimisa yo mokosi.
Do not add anything to his words, lest you be reproved and be discovered to be a liar.
7 Oh Yawe, nasengi Yo biloko mibale, kopimela ngai yango te liboso ete nakufa:
Two things I have asked of you; do not deny them to 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 lying words. Give me neither begging, nor wealth. Apportion to me only the necessities of my life,
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 perhaps, being filled, I might be enticed into denial, and say: ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or, being compelled by destitution, I might steal, and then perjure myself in the name of my God.
10 Kotonga mowumbu te liboso ya nkolo na ye, noki te alakela yo mabe, mpe omona pasi.
Do not accuse a servant to his lord, lest he curse you, and you fall.
11 Ezali na bato oyo balakelaka batata na bango mabe mpe bapambolaka te bamama na bango.
There is a generation which curses their father, and which does not bless 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 which seems pure to themselves, and yet they are not even washed from their filthiness.
13 Ezali na bato oyo batonda na lolendo mpe bamonaka bato mosusu pamba.
There is a generation, whose eyes have been elevated, and their eyelids are lifted on high.
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 which has swords in place of teeth, and which commands their molars to devour the indigent from the earth and the poor 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 leech has two daughters, who say, ‘Bring, bring.’ Three things are insatiable, and a fourth never says ‘Enough’:
16 Mboka ya bakufi, libumu ya mwasi oyo abotaka te, mabele oyo etondaka mayi te, mpe moto oyo elobaka te: « Ekoki! » (Sheol h7585)
Hell, and the mouth of the womb, and a land that is not filled with water. And truly, fire 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 of one who mocks his father and who despises the childbearing of his mother, let the ravens of the torrent tear it out, and let the sons of the eagles consume it.
18 Ezali na biloko misato oyo nasosolaka te, ata kutu minei oyo nayebaka te:
Three things are difficult for me, and about a fourth, I am nearly ignorant:
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 sky, the way of a serpent on a rock, the way of a ship in the middle of the sea, and the way of a man in adolescence.
20 Tala ndenge mwasi ya ndumba asalaka: Soki alie, apangusaka monoko; mpe na sima, akoloba: « Nasali na ngai mabe te! »
Such is the way also of an adulterous woman, who eats, and wiping her mouth, says: “I have done no evil.”
21 Ezali na makambo misato oyo eningisaka mokili, ata kutu minei oyo mokili ekokaka kondima te:
By three things, the earth is moved, and a fourth it is not able to sustain:
22 Mowumbu oyo akomi mokonzi, zoba oyo atondi na bomengo,
by a slave when he reigns, by the foolish when he has been filled with food,
23 mwasi oyo balingaka te, kasi abali; mpe mwasi mosali oyo azwi bomengo ya nkolo na ye ya mwasi.
by a hateful woman when she has been taken in matrimony, and by a handmaid when she has been heir to her mistress.
24 Ezali na banyama mike minei na mokili, oyo, nzokande, ezalaka na bwanya mingi:
Four things are least upon the earth, and they are wiser than the wise:
25 Bafurmi: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga makasi, kasi ebongisaka bilei na yango na tango ya elanga;
the ants, an infirm people who provide food for themselves at the harvest,
26 bampanya ya zamba: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga nguya, kasi etongaka bandako na yango kati na mabanga;
the rabbit, a sickened people who make their bed upon the rock.
27 mabanki: ezalaka na mokonzi te, kasi nyonso etambolaka nzela moko na molongo;
The locust has no king, but they all depart by their troops.
28 moselekete: loboko ekoki kokanga yango, kasi ezalaka kati na bandako ya bakonzi.
The lizard supports itself on hands and dwells in the buildings of kings.
29 Ezali na banyama misato oyo etambolaka malamu, ata kutu minei oyo edendaka soki ezali kotambola:
There are three things that advance well, and a fourth that marches happily on:
30 Nkosi: nyama ya makasi kati na banyama, ezongaka sima te ata liboso ya nani;
a lion, the strongest of beasts, who fears nothing that he meets,
31 soso ya mobali, ntaba mobali, mpe mokonzi oyo azali kotambola liboso ya mampinga na ye.
a rooster prepared at the loins, likewise a ram, and a king, whom none can resist.
32 Soki osali bozoba mpo na komikumisa, mpe soki ozali na makanisi mabe, tia loboko na monoko na yo,
There is one who has appeared foolish, after he was lifted up on high; for if he had understood, he would have placed his hand over his mouth.
33 pamba te kobeta-beta mabele ebimisaka manteka, kobeta zolo ebimisaka makila, mpe kotumbola kanda eyeisaka koswana.
But whoever strongly squeezes the udder to bring out the milk, presses out butter. And whoever violently blows his nose, brings out blood. And whoever provokes wrath, brings forth discord.”
