Masese 4
1 Bana na ngai, boyokaka mateya ya tata, bozalaka na bokebi mpo ete bozwa mayele.
Hear, ye sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention to know understanding.
2 Pamba te nazali kopesa bino mateya ya malamu; bobwaka mateya na ngai te.
For good learning I have given to you, My law forsake not.
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, a son I have been to my father — tender, And an only one before 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,
And he directeth me, and he saith to me: 'Let thy heart retain my words, Keep my commands, and live.
5 zwa bwanya, zwa mayele, kobosana yango te, kopesa mokongo te na maloba ya monoko na ngai,
Get wisdom, get understanding, Do not forget, nor turn away From the sayings of my mouth.
6 kosundola bwanya te, mpe yango ekobatela yo, linga yango mpe ekobomba yo.
Forsake her not, and she doth preserve thee, Love her, and she doth keep thee.
7 Tala ebandeli ya bwanya: Zwa bwanya, pesa biloko nyonso oyo ozali na yango mpo ete ozwa mayele.
The first thing [is] wisdom — get wisdom, And with all thy getting get understanding.
8 Simba yango makasi, mpe ekotombola yo; yamba yango, mpe ekopesa yo lokumu.
Exalt her, and she doth lift thee up, She honoureth thee, when thou dost embrace her.
9 Ekolatisa yo ekoti ya lokumu na moto, ekopesa yo motole ya nkembo. »
She giveth to thy head a wreath of grace, A crown of beauty she doth give thee freely.
10 Mwana na ngai, yoka mpe yamba maloba na ngai, mpe mibu ya bomoi na yo ekobakisama.
Hear, my son, and receive my sayings, And years of life [are] multiplied to thee.
11 Nazali kolakisa yo nzela ya bwanya, nazali kotambolisa yo na nzela ya alima.
In a way of wisdom I have directed thee, I have caused thee to tread in paths of uprightness.
12 Mpo ete makolo na yo ezala na mikakatano te tango okotambola; mpe soki okimi mbangu, okokweya te.
In thy walking thy step is not straitened, And if thou runnest, thou stumblest not.
13 Tingama makasi na mateya oyo bapesi yo, kobwaka yango te, batela yango malamu mpo ete ezali bomoi na yo.
Lay hold on instruction, do not desist, Keep her, for she [is] thy life.
14 Kokotaka te na nzela ya bato ya mobulu mpe kotambolaka te na nzela ya bato mabe.
Into the path of the wicked enter not, And be not happy in a way of evil doers.
15 Longwa kati na bango, kolekela wana te, kosala mpe maseki kuna te, kasi kende na yo na nzela mosusu.
Avoid it, pass not over into it, Turn aside from it, and pass on.
16 Pamba te balalaka pongi te soki basali nanu moto mabe te, mpe pongi ekimaka bango soki babomi moto te;
For they sleep not if they do not evil, And their sleep hath been taken violently away, If they cause not [some] to stumble.
17 baliaka lipa na nzela ya mabe mpe bamelaka vino na nzela ya mobulu.
For they have eaten bread of wickedness, And wine of violence they drink.
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.
And the path of the righteous [is] as a shining light, Going and brightening till the day is established,
19 Nzela ya bato ya mobulu ezali lokola molili, bayebaka te eloko nini ekokweyisa bango.
The way of the wicked [is] as darkness, They have not known at what they stumble.
20 Mwana na ngai, zala na bokebi na maloba na ngai, pesa litoyi na yo na mateya na ngai.
My son, to my words give attention, To my sayings incline thine ear,
21 Tika ete ezala te mosika ya miso na yo! Batela yango malamu kati na motema na yo,
Let them not turn aside from thine eyes, Preserve them in the midst of thy heart.
22 pamba te ezali bomoi mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango, mpe epesaka nzoto kolongono.
For life they [are] to those finding them, And to all their flesh healing.
23 Batela malamu motema na yo koleka biloko nyonso, pamba te makambo nyonso oyo tosalaka, wana tozali na bomoi, ewutaka na motema.
Above every charge keep thy heart, For out of it [are] the outgoings of life.
24 Longola lokuta na monoko na yo, mpe longola mabe na bibebu na yo.
Turn aside from thee a froward mouth, And perverse lips put far from thee,
25 Tika ete miso na yo etalaka kaka liboso, mpe salaka makambo na bosembo mpe bosolo.
Thine eyes do look straightforward, And thine eyelids look straight before thee.
26 Bongisa nzela oyo makolo na yo ekolekela, mpe tambola kaka na nzela oyo oyebi malamu.
Ponder thou the path of thy feet, And all thy ways [are] established.
27 Kotengama te, ezala na ngambo ya loboko ya mobali to ya mwasi, longola makolo na yo na mabe.
Incline not [to] the right or to the left, Turn aside thy foot from evil!
