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, [even] the prophecy: the man spoke to Ithiel, even to Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Solo, nazali zoba koleka bato nyonso, nazali ata na mayele ya bomoto te;
Surely I [am] more brutish than [any] man, and have not the understanding of a man.
3 nayekolaki bwanya te, mpe nazali na boyebi ya Mosantu te.
I neither learned wisdom, nor have 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 hath ascended into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what [is] his name, and what [is] his son's name, if thou canst tell?
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] pure: he [is] a shield to them that put their trust in him.
6 Kobakisa eloko moko te na maloba na Ye, noki te apamela yo mpe abimisa yo mokosi.
Add thou not to his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.
7 Oh Yawe, nasengi Yo biloko mibale, kopimela ngai yango te liboso ete nakufa:
Two [things] have I required of thee; deny [them] not 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 lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:
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 full, and deny [thee], and say, Who [is] the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God [in vain].
10 Kotonga mowumbu te liboso ya nkolo na ye, noki te alakela yo mabe, mpe omona pasi.
Accuse not a servant to his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.
11 Ezali na bato oyo balakelaka batata na bango mabe mpe bapambolaka te bamama na bango.
[There is] a generation [that] curseth their father, and doth 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 [that are] pure in their own eyes, and [yet] are not washed from their filthiness.
13 Ezali na bato oyo batonda na lolendo mpe bamonaka bato mosusu pamba.
[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids 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 as] swords, and their jaw-teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy 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 horse-leech hath two daughters, [crying], Give, give. There are three [things that] are never satisfied, [yes], four [things] say not, [It is] 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 barren womb; the earth [that] is not filled with water; and the fire [that] saith not, [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] mocketh at [its] father, and despiseth to obey [its] mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.
18 Ezali na biloko misato oyo nasosolaka te, ata kutu minei oyo nayebaka te:
There are three [things which] are too wonderful for me, yes, four which 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 way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid.
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; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.
21 Ezali na makambo misato oyo eningisaka mokili, ata kutu minei oyo mokili ekokaka kondima te:
For three [things] the earth is disquieted, and for four [which] it cannot bear:
22 Mowumbu oyo akomi mokonzi, zoba oyo atondi na bomengo,
For a servant when he reigneth; and a fool when he is filled with food.
23 mwasi oyo balingaka te, kasi abali; mpe mwasi mosali oyo azwi bomengo ya nkolo na ye ya mwasi.
For an odious [woman] when she is married; and a handmaid that is heir to her mistress.
24 Ezali na banyama mike minei na mokili, oyo, nzokande, ezalaka na bwanya mingi:
There are four [things which are] little upon 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, yet they prepare their food in the summer;
26 bampanya ya zamba: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga nguya, kasi etongaka bandako na yango kati na mabanga;
The conies [are but] a feeble people, yet 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, yet go they forth all of them by bands;
28 moselekete: loboko ekoki kokanga yango, kasi ezalaka kati na bandako ya bakonzi.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in king's palaces.
29 Ezali na banyama misato oyo etambolaka malamu, ata kutu minei oyo edendaka soki ezali kotambola:
There are three [things] which go well, yes, four are comely in going:
30 Nkosi: nyama ya makasi kati na banyama, ezongaka sima te ata liboso ya nani;
A lion, [which is] strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
31 soso ya mobali, ntaba mobali, mpe mokonzi oyo azali kotambola liboso ya mampinga na ye.
A greyhound; a he-goat also; and a king, against whom [there is] no rising up.
32 Soki osali bozoba mpo na komikumisa, mpe soki ozali na makanisi mabe, tia loboko na monoko na yo,
If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, [lay] thy hand upon thy mouth.
33 pamba te kobeta-beta mabele ebimisaka manteka, kobeta zolo ebimisaka makila, mpe kotumbola kanda eyeisaka koswana.
Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood: so the forcing of wrath bringeth forth strife.
