Masese 4
1 Bana na ngai, boyokaka mateya ya tata, bozalaka na bokebi mpo ete bozwa mayele.
Hear, you children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.
2 Pamba te nazali kopesa bino mateya ya malamu; bobwaka mateya na ngai te.
For I give you a good gift; forsake you not my law.
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 also was a son obedient to [my] father, and loved 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,
who spoke and instructed me, [saying], Let our speech be fixed in your heart, keep [our] commandments, forget them not:
5 zwa bwanya, zwa mayele, kobosana yango te, kopesa mokongo te na maloba ya monoko na ngai,
and do not neglect the speech of my mouth.
6 kosundola bwanya te, mpe yango ekobatela yo, linga yango mpe ekobomba yo.
And forsake it not, and it shall cleave to you: love it, and it shall keep you.
7 Tala ebandeli ya bwanya: Zwa bwanya, pesa biloko nyonso oyo ozali na yango mpo ete ozwa mayele.
8 Simba yango makasi, mpe ekotombola yo; yamba yango, mpe ekopesa yo lokumu.
Secure it, and it shall exalt you: honor it, that it may embrace you;
9 Ekolatisa yo ekoti ya lokumu na moto, ekopesa yo motole ya nkembo. »
that it may give to your head a crown of graces, and may cover you with a crown of delight.
10 Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe yamba maloba na ngai, mpe mibu ya bomoi na yo ekobakisama.
Hear, [my] son, and receive my words; and the years of your life shall be increased, that the resources of your life may be many.
11 Nazali kolakisa yo nzela ya bwanya, nazali kotambolisa yo na nzela ya alima.
For I teach you the ways of wisdom; and I cause you to go in right paths.
12 Mpo ete makolo na yo ezala na mikakatano te tango okotambola; mpe soki okimi mbangu, okokweya te.
For when you go, your steps shall not be straitened; and when you run, you shall not be distressed.
13 Tingama makasi na mateya oyo bapesi yo, kobwaka yango te, batela yango malamu mpo ete ezali bomoi na yo.
Take hold of my instruction; let it not go, —but keep it for yourself for your life.
14 Kokotaka te na nzela ya bato ya mobulu mpe kotambolaka te na nzela ya bato mabe.
Go not in the ways of the ungodly, neither covet the ways of transgressors.
15 Longwa kati na bango, kolekela wana te, kosala mpe maseki kuna te, kasi kende na yo na nzela mosusu.
In whatever place they shall pitch their camp, go not there; but turn from them, and pass away.
16 Pamba te balalaka pongi te soki basali nanu moto mabe te, mpe pongi ekimaka bango soki babomi moto te;
For they can’t sleep, unless they have done evil: their sleep is taken away, and they rest not.
17 baliaka lipa na nzela ya mabe mpe bamelaka vino na nzela ya mobulu.
For these live upon the bread of ungodliness, and are drunken with wine of transgression.
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 ways of the righteous shine like light; they go on and shine, until the day be fully come.
19 Nzela ya bato ya mobulu ezali lokola molili, bayebaka te eloko nini ekokweyisa bango.
But the ways of the ungodly are dark; they know not how they stumble.
20 Mwana na ngai, zala na bokebi na maloba na ngai, pesa litoyi na yo na mateya na ngai.
[My] son, attend to my speech; and apply your ear to my words:
21 Tika ete ezala te mosika ya miso na yo! Batela yango malamu kati na motema na yo,
that your fountains may not fail you; keep them in [your] heart.
22 pamba te ezali bomoi mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango, mpe epesaka nzoto kolongono.
For they are life to those that find them, and health to 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.
Keep your heart with the utmost care; for out of these are the issues of life.
24 Longola lokuta na monoko na yo, mpe longola mabe na bibebu na yo.
Remove from you a froward mouth, and put far away from you unjust lips.
25 Tika ete miso na yo etalaka kaka liboso, mpe salaka makambo na bosembo mpe bosolo.
Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids assent [to] just [things].
26 Bongisa nzela oyo makolo na yo ekolekela, mpe tambola kaka na nzela oyo oyebi malamu.
Make straight paths for your feet, and order your ways aright.
27 Kotengama te, ezala na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali to ya mwasi, longola makolo na yo na mabe.
Turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left, but turn away your foot from an evil way.
