Masese 6
1 Mwana na ngai, soki ondimi niongo ya moninga na yo, soki obeti tolo mpo na kondima niongo ya mopaya,
[My] son, if thou become surety for thy friend, thou shalt deliver thine hand to an enemy.
2 omikangi nde singa na maloba na yo, omikangi nde na motambo ya maloba ya monoko na yo.
For a man's own lips become a strong snare to him, and he is caught with the lips of his own mouth.
3 Boye, mwana na ngai, sala makambo oyo mpo ete omikangola, pamba te omikabaki na maboko ya moninga na yo; kende komikitisa liboso na ye mpe tingama na ye,
[My] son, do what I command thee, and deliver thyself; for on thy friend's account thou art come into the power of evil [men]: faint not, but stir up even thy friend for whom thou art become surety.
4 kotika te ete miso na yo elala pongi to enimba;
Give not sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber with thine eyelids;
5 mikangola na motambo lokola mboloko na maboko ya mobomi banyama ya zamba, mpe lokola ndeke na motambo ya mokangi bandeke.
that thou mayest deliver thyself as a doe out of the toils, and as a bird out of a snare.
6 Yo moto ya goyigoyi, kende epai ya furmi, tala malamu ezaleli na yango mpe okozwa bwanya!
Go to the ant, O sluggard; and see, and emulate his ways, and become wiser than he.
7 Yango ezalaka na mokambi te, mokengeli te to mokonzi te;
For whereas he has no husbandry, nor any one to compel him, and is under no master,
8 ebongisaka bilei na yango na tango ya moyi makasi, ebombaka yango na tango ya kobuka mbuma.
he prepares food for himself in the summer, and lays by abundant store in harvest. Or go to the bee, and learn how diligent she is, and how earnestly she is engaged in her work; whose labours kings and private men use for health, and she is desired and respected by all: though weak in body, she is advanced by honouring wisdom.
9 Yo moto ya goyigoyi, okolala pongi kino tango nini? Kino tango nini okolamuka na pongi na yo?
How long wilt thou lie, O sluggard? and when wilt thou awake out of sleep?
10 Mwa pongi moke, mwa kopema moke, mwa kokanga maboko moke mpo na kolala
Thou sleepest a little, and thou restest a little, and thou slumberest a short [time], and thou foldest thine arms over thy breast a little.
11 mpe bobola ekoyela yo na pwasa lokola moleki nzela, mpe pasi ekoyela yo lokola moyibi.
Then poverty comes upon thee as an evil traveller, and want as a swift courier: but if thou be diligent, thine harvest shall arrive as a fountain, and poverty shall flee away as a bad courier.
12 Moto oyo atambolaka na lokuta na monoko azali moto ya Beliali, moto mabe:
A foolish man and a transgressor goes in ways that are not good.
13 Abetaka-betaka miso, apesaka bilembo na makolo na ye mpe alobaka na nzela ya bilembo ya misapi;
And the same winks with the eye, and makes a sign with his foot, and teaches with the beckonings of his fingers.
14 azalaka na makanisi mabe kati na motema na ye, asalaka tango nyonso mabongisi ya mabe mpe alukaka kaka tango nyonso makelele.
[His] perverse heart devises evils: at all times such a one causes troubles to a city.
15 Yango wana, pasi ekoyela ye na pwasa, akobukana mbala moko, mpe kisi ya kobikisa ye ekozala te.
Therefore his destruction shall come suddenly; overthrow and irretrievable ruin.
16 Yawe ayinaka makambo wana motoba; mpe makambo oyo sambo ezali mabe penza na miso na Ye:
For he rejoices in all things which God hates, and he is ruined by reason of impurity of soul.
17 Kodongola, lolemo ya lokuta, maboko oyo ebomaka moto oyo asali mabe te,
The eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just;
18 motema oyo ekanisaka mabongisi ya mabe, makolo oyo epotaka mbangu na mabe,
and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet hastening to do evil, —[are hateful to God].
19 motatoli mabe oyo alobaka lokuta mpe moto oyo alukaka makelele kati na bandeko.
An unjust witness kindles falsehoods, and brings on quarrels between brethren.
20 Mwana na ngai, batela mibeko ya tata na yo mpe kosundola te mateya ya mama na yo.
[My] son, keep the laws of thy father, and reject not the ordinances of thy mother:
21 Kanga yango tango nyonso na motema na yo, lata yango na kingo na yo.
but bind them upon thy soul continually, and hang them as a chain about thy neck.
22 Pamba te ekolakisa yo nzela tango okokende na mobembo, ekobatela yo tango okolala pongi mpe ekosolola na yo tango okolamuka.
Whensoever thou walkest, lead this along and let it be with thee; that it may talk with thee when thou wakest.
23 Mibeko ezali mwinda, mateya ezali pole, makebisi mpe pamela ezali nzela ya bomoi,
For the commandment of the law is a lamp and a light; a way of life; reproof also and correction:
24 mpo na kobatela yo mosika ya mwasi ya ndumba, mosika ya lokuta ya lolemo ya mwasi ya mopaya.
to keep thee continually from a married woman, and from the calumny of a strange tongue.
25 Kotika te ete motema na yo elula kitoko na ye, mpe miso na ye ekweyisa yo.
Let not the desire of beauty overcome thee, neither be thou caught by thine eyes, neither be captivated with her eyelids.
26 Pamba te likolo ya mwasi ya ndumba, okoki kobungisa ezala eteni na yo ya lipa, mpe mwasi ya libala akoki kobebisa bomoi ya motuya.
For the value of a harlot is as much as of one loaf; and a woman hunts for the precious souls of men.
27 Boni, moto akoki solo kozika moto, bongo bilamba na ye ezika te?
Shall any one bind fire in his bosom, and not burn his garments?
28 Moto akoki solo kotambola na likolo ya makala ya moto, bongo makolo na ye ezika te?
or will any one walk on coals of fire, and not burn his feet?
29 Boye, moto nyonso oyo akosangisa nzoto na mwasi ya ndeko na ye akozanga te kozwa etumbu.
So is he that goes in to a married woman; he shall not be held guiltless, neither any one that touches her.
30 Kotiola moyibi te soki ayibi mpo ete azali na nzala mpe azangi eloko ya kolia.
It is not to be wondered at if one should be taken stealing, for he steals that when hungry he may satisfy his soul:
31 Kasi soki bakangi ye, akozongisa mbala sambo, akopesa biloko nyonso ya ndako na ye.
but if he should be taken, he shall repay sevenfold, and shall deliver himself by giving all his goods.
32 Mobali oyo asalaka ekobo na mwasi ya moninga azali lokola moto oyo azangi mayele; kosala ekobo ya boye ezali nde komiboma;
But the adulterer through want of sense procures destruction to his soul.
33 akobuka lokola mbuma: minyoko mpe kosambwa; bongo soni na ye ekosila te.
He endures both pain and disgrace, and his reproach shall never be wiped off.
34 Pamba te zuwa epelisaka kanda makasi kati na mobali, mpe akozala na mawa te na mokolo oyo akozongisa mabe na mabe;
For the soul of her husband is full of jealousy: he will not spare in the day of vengeance.
35 akotikala kondima ata lifuti moko te mpo ete akoka kolimbisa, mpe akoboya yango ata soki babakisi bakado.
He will not forego [his] enmity for any ransom: neither will he be reconciled for many gifts.
