Masese 4
1 Bana na ngai, boyokaka mateya ya tata, bozalaka na bokebi mpo ete bozwa mayele.
Heare, O ye children, the instruction of a father, and giue eare to learne vnderstanding.
2 Pamba te nazali kopesa bino mateya ya malamu; bobwaka mateya na ngai te.
For I doe giue you a good doctrine: therefore forsake yee not my lawe.
3 Ngai mpe nazalaki mwana malamu na miso ya tata na ngai, boye mama na ngai alingaki ngai makasi lokola mwana oyo abotama kaka ye moko.
For I was my fathers sonne, tender and deare in the sight of my mother,
4 Tata na ngai azalaki koteya mpe koloba na ngai boye: « Tika ete motema na yo ebatela maloba na ngai, bomba mibeko na ngai mpe okozala na bomoi,
When he taught me, and sayde vnto me, Let thine heart holde fast my woordes: keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue.
5 zwa bwanya, zwa mayele, kobosana yango te, kopesa mokongo te na maloba ya monoko na ngai,
Get wisedom: get vnderstading: forget not, neither decline from the woordes of my mouth.
6 kosundola bwanya te, mpe yango ekobatela yo, linga yango mpe ekobomba yo.
Forsake her not, and shee shall keepe thee: loue her and shee shall preserue thee.
7 Tala ebandeli ya bwanya: Zwa bwanya, pesa biloko nyonso oyo ozali na yango mpo ete ozwa mayele.
Wisedome is the beginning: get wisedome therefore: and aboue all thy possession get vnderstanding.
8 Simba yango makasi, mpe ekotombola yo; yamba yango, mpe ekopesa yo lokumu.
Exalt her, and she shall exalt thee: she shall bring thee to honour, if thou embrace her.
9 Ekolatisa yo ekoti ya lokumu na moto, ekopesa yo motole ya nkembo. »
She shall giue a comely ornamet vnto thine head, yea, she shall giue thee a crowne of glorie.
10 Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe yamba maloba na ngai, mpe mibu ya bomoi na yo ekobakisama.
Heare, my sonne, and receiue my wordes, and the yeeres of thy life shalbe many.
11 Nazali kolakisa yo nzela ya bwanya, nazali kotambolisa yo na nzela ya alima.
I haue taught thee in ye way of wisedom, and led thee in the pathes of righteousnesse.
12 Mpo ete makolo na yo ezala na mikakatano te tango okotambola; mpe soki okimi mbangu, okokweya te.
Whe thou goest, thy gate shall not be strait, and when thou runnest, thou shalt not fall.
13 Tingama makasi na mateya oyo bapesi yo, kobwaka yango te, batela yango malamu mpo ete ezali bomoi na yo.
Take holde of instruction, and leaue not: keepe her, for shee is thy life.
14 Kokotaka te na nzela ya bato ya mobulu mpe kotambolaka te na nzela ya bato mabe.
Enter not into the way of the wicked, and walke not in the way of euill men.
15 Longwa kati na bango, kolekela wana te, kosala mpe maseki kuna te, kasi kende na yo na nzela mosusu.
Auoide it, and goe not by it: turne from it, and passe by.
16 Pamba te balalaka pongi te soki basali nanu moto mabe te, mpe pongi ekimaka bango soki babomi moto te;
For they can not sleepe, except they haue done euill, and their sleepe departeth except they cause some to fall.
17 baliaka lipa na nzela ya mabe mpe bamelaka vino na nzela ya mobulu.
For they eate the breade of wickednesse, and drinke the wine of violence.
18 Nzokande, nzela ya bato ya sembo ezali lokola pole ya tongo makasi, oyo kongenga na yango eyaka malembe-malembe kino tango moyi ekobima makasi.
But the way of the righteous shineth as the light, that shineth more and more vnto the perfite day.
19 Nzela ya bato ya mobulu ezali lokola molili, bayebaka te eloko nini ekokweyisa bango.
The way of the wicked is as the darkenes: they knowe not wherein they shall fall.
20 Mwana na ngai, zala na bokebi na maloba na ngai, pesa litoyi na yo na mateya na ngai.
My sonne, hearken vnto my wordes, incline thine eare vnto my sayings.
21 Tika ete ezala te mosika ya miso na yo! Batela yango malamu kati na motema na yo,
Let them not depart from thine eyes, but keepe them in the middes of thine heart.
22 pamba te ezali bomoi mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango, mpe epesaka nzoto kolongono.
For they are life vnto those that find them, and health vnto all their flesh.
23 Batela malamu motema na yo koleka biloko nyonso, pamba te makambo nyonso oyo tosalaka, wana tozali na bomoi, ewutaka na motema.
Keepe thine heart with all diligence: for thereout commeth life.
24 Longola lokuta na monoko na yo, mpe longola mabe na bibebu na yo.
Put away from thee a froward mouth, and put wicked lippes farre from thee.
25 Tika ete miso na yo etalaka kaka liboso, mpe salaka makambo na bosembo mpe bosolo.
Let thine eyes beholde the right, and let thine eyelids direct thy way before thee.
26 Bongisa nzela oyo makolo na yo ekolekela, mpe tambola kaka na nzela oyo oyebi malamu.
Ponder the path of thy feete, and let all thy waies be ordred aright.
27 Kotengama te, ezala na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali to ya mwasi, longola makolo na yo na mabe.
Turne not to the right hande, nor to the left, but remooue thy foote from euill.
