Masese 8
1 Boni, Bwanya azali kobelela te? Mayele azali koyokisa mongongo na ye te?
You shall proclaim wisdom, that understanding may be obedient to you.
2 Atelemi na songe ya bangomba, na pembeni ya nzela, na bisika oyo banzela ekutana,
For she is on lofty eminences, and stands in the midst of the ways.
3 azali koganga pene ya bikuke, na ekotelo ya engumba:
For she sits by the gates of princes, and sings in the entrances, [saying],
4 « Bato, nazali koganga makasi epai na bino, nazali nde koloba na bino bato!
You, O men, I exhort; and utter my voice to the sons of men.
5 Bino bato oyo bozanga mayele, bokoma na bososoli! Bino bazoba, bokoma mayele!
O you simple, understand subtlety, and you that are untaught, imbibe knowledge.
6 Boyoka, pamba te nazali na makambo ya motuya ya koyebisa bino, nafungoli monoko na ngai mpo na koloba makambo ya sembo.
Listen to me; for I will speak solemn [truths]; and will produce right [sayings] from my lips.
7 Pamba te monoko na ngai ebimisaka maloba ya solo, mpe bibebu na ngai eyinaka mabe.
For my throat shall meditate truth; and false lips are an abomination before me.
8 Maloba nyonso oyo ebimaka na monoko na ngai ezali sembo, ezalaka na likambo moko te ya lokuta to ya mabe;
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing in them wrong or perverse.
9 nyonso ezali pole mpo na moto ya mayele, mpe sembo mpo na bato oyo bazali na bososoli.
They are all evident to those that understand, and right to those that find knowledge.
10 Boluka mateya na ngai kasi palata te, boyebi kasi wolo te oyo eleki peto,
Receive instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than tried gold.
11 pamba te bwanya ezali na motuya koleka mayaka ya kitoko, bongo eloko moko te ya motuya ekokani na yango.
For wisdom is better than precious stones; and no valuable substance is of equal worth with it.
12 Ngai, Bwanya, navandaka elongo na kokanisa, boye nayebi kokundola mayele mpe bososoli.
I wisdom have lived [with] counsel and knowledge, and I have called upon understanding.
13 Kotosa Yawe ezali koyina mabe. Nayinaka lolendo, lofundu, nzela ya masumu mpe monoko ya lokuta.
The fear of the Lord hates unrighteousness, and insolence, and pride, and the ways of wicked men; and I hate the perverse ways of bad men.
14 Toli mpe bososoli ezali ya ngai, ngai nde mayele mpe makasi.
Counsel and safety are mine; prudence is mine, and strength is mine.
15 Ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakonzi batambolisaka mokili, mpe bakambi basalaka mibeko ya sembo;
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakambi, bankumu mpe basambisi nyonso ya mokili bayangelaka.
By me nobles become great, and monarchs by me rule over the earth.
17 Nalingaka bato oyo balingaka ngai, mpe bato oyo balukaka ngai bamonaka ngai.
I love those that love me; and they that seek me shall find [me].
18 Bozwi mpe lokumu, bomengo oyo ewumelaka mpe bosembo etambolaka elongo na ngai.
Wealth and glory belong to me; yes, abundant possessions and righteousness.
19 Mbuma na ngai ezali kitoko koleka wolo, ezala wolo ya peto, mpe mbuma oyo nabotaka eleki palata ya kitoko.
[It is] better to have my fruit than [to have] gold and precious stones; and my produce is better than choice silver.
20 Natambolaka na nzela ya bosembo, mpe nasalelaka banzela oyo ememaka na boyengebene,
I walk in ways of righteousness, and [am] conversant with the paths of judgement;
21 mpo na kopesa libula epai ya bato oyo balingaka ngai mpe mpo na kotondisa bibombelo na bango.
that I may divide substance to them that love me, and may fill their treasures with good things. If I declare to you the things that daily happen, I will remember [also] to recount the things of old.
22 Yawe asalaki ngai liboso ete asala nyonso, liboso ya misala na Ye nyonso ya kala;
The Lord made me the beginning of his ways for his works.
23 aponaki ngai liboso ete mokili ezala, wuta na ebandeli penza, wuta na tango oyo biloko nyonso ya mokili ezalaki nanu te.
He established me before time [was] in the beginning, before he made the earth:
24 Nabotamaki tango mayi ya bozindo ezalaki nanu te, tango miluka ebimisaki nanu mayi na yango te,
even before he made the depths; before the fountains of water came forth:
25 liboso ete bangomba ya milayi mpe bangomba ya mikuse ezala na bisika na yango,
before the mountains were settled, and before all hills, he begets me.
26 tango amisalelaki nanu te, ezala mabele to bilanga to mpe putulu ya mokili.
The Lord made countries and uninhabited [tracks], and the highest inhabited parts of the world.
27 Nazalaki wana tango atandaki likolo na esika na yango, mpe tango akataki mondelo ya etando monene ya mayi ya bozindo,
When he prepared the heaven, I was present with him; and when he prepared his throne upon the winds:
28 tango atiaki mapata na likolo mpe abimisaki mayi wuta na bitima,
and when he strengthened the clouds above; and when he secured the fountains of the earth:
29 tango akatelaki ebale monene mondelo mpo ete mayi ezindisa mokili na Ye te, tango atiaki miboko ya mabele;
decree. and when he strengthened the foundations of the earth:
30 nazalaki pembeni na Ye lokola mosungi, nazalaki kosepelisa ye tango nyonso, mpe nazalaki tango nyonso na esengo liboso na Ye;
I was by him, suiting [myself to him], I was that wherein he took delight; and daily I rejoiced in his presence continually.
31 nazalaki kosepela kati na mokili na Ye mpe nazalaki na esengo kati na bato.
For he rejoiced when he had completed the world, and rejoiced amongst the children of men.
32 Sik’oyo, mwana na ngai, yoka ngai: Esengo na bato oyo babatelaka banzela na ngai!
Now then, [my] son, hear me: blessed is the man who shall listen to me, and the mortal who shall keep my ways;
33 Boyoka mateya na ngai mpe bokokoma bato ya bwanya, bomeka kobwaka yango te!
[Hear wisdom and be wise, and be not strangers to it. ]
34 Esengo na moto oyo ayokelaka ngai, oyo asenzelaka na ekuke na ngai mokolo na mokolo, mpe akengelaka na ekotelo na ngai!
watching daily at my doors, waiting at the posts of my entrances.
35 Pamba te moto oyo amoni ngai amoni bomoi mpe azwi ngolu na miso ya Yawe.
For my outgoings are the outgoings of life, and [in them] is prepared favour from the Lord.
36 Kasi moto oyo atosaka ngai te amisalaka mabe ye moko: moto nyonso oyo ayinaka ngai alingaka kufa. »
But they that sin against me act wickedly against their own souls: and they that hate me love death.
