Masese 8
1 Boni, Bwanya azali kobelela te? Mayele azali koyokisa mongongo na ye te?
Does not wisdom call out, and prudence bestow her voice?
2 Atelemi na songe ya bangomba, na pembeni ya nzela, na bisika oyo banzela ekutana,
At the summits and the tops of exalted places, standing above the ways, in the midst of the paths,
3 azali koganga pene ya bikuke, na ekotelo ya engumba:
beside the gates of the city, at the very doors, she speaks, saying:
4 « Bato, nazali koganga makasi epai na bino, nazali nde koloba na bino bato!
“O men, to you I call out, and my voice is to the sons of men.
5 Bino bato oyo bozanga mayele, bokoma na bososoli! Bino bazoba, bokoma mayele!
O little ones, understand discernment. And you who are unwise, turn your souls.
6 Boyoka, pamba te nazali na makambo ya motuya ya koyebisa bino, nafungoli monoko na ngai mpo na koloba makambo ya sembo.
Listen, for I will speak about great things, and my lips will be opened, so as to foretell what is right.
7 Pamba te monoko na ngai ebimisaka maloba ya solo, mpe bibebu na ngai eyinaka mabe.
My throat shall practice truth, and my lips shall detest the impious.
8 Maloba nyonso oyo ebimaka na monoko na ngai ezali sembo, ezalaka na likambo moko te ya lokuta to ya mabe;
All my words are just. There is no depravity in them, and no perversity.
9 nyonso ezali pole mpo na moto ya mayele, mpe sembo mpo na bato oyo bazali na bososoli.
They are upright to those who understand, and equitable to those who discover knowledge.
10 Boluka mateya na ngai kasi palata te, boyebi kasi wolo te oyo eleki peto,
Accept my discipline, and not money. Choose the doctrine that is greater than 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 all that is most precious, and everything that is desirable cannot compare to her.
12 Ngai, Bwanya, navandaka elongo na kokanisa, boye nayebi kokundola mayele mpe bososoli.
I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and I am inside learned thoughts.
13 Kotosa Yawe ezali koyina mabe. Nayinaka lolendo, lofundu, nzela ya masumu mpe monoko ya lokuta.
The fear of the Lord hates evil. I detest arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.
14 Toli mpe bososoli ezali ya ngai, ngai nde mayele mpe makasi.
Counsel is mine, and equity. Prudence is mine. Strength is mine.
15 Ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakonzi batambolisaka mokili, mpe bakambi basalaka mibeko ya sembo;
Through me, kings reign and legislators decree just conditions.
16 ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakambi, bankumu mpe basambisi nyonso ya mokili bayangelaka.
Through me, princes rule and the powerful decree justice.
17 Nalingaka bato oyo balingaka ngai, mpe bato oyo balukaka ngai bamonaka ngai.
I love those who love me. And those who stand watch for me until morning shall discover me.
18 Bozwi mpe lokumu, bomengo oyo ewumelaka mpe bosembo etambolaka elongo na ngai.
With me, are wealth and glory, superb riches and justice.
19 Mbuma na ngai ezali kitoko koleka wolo, ezala wolo ya peto, mpe mbuma oyo nabotaka eleki palata ya kitoko.
For my fruit is better than gold and precious stones, and my progeny better than choice silver.
20 Natambolaka na nzela ya bosembo, mpe nasalelaka banzela oyo ememaka na boyengebene,
I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,
21 mpo na kopesa libula epai ya bato oyo balingaka ngai mpe mpo na kotondisa bibombelo na bango.
so that I may enrich those who love me, and thus complete their treasures.
22 Yawe asalaki ngai liboso ete asala nyonso, liboso ya misala na Ye nyonso ya kala;
The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made anything, from the beginning.
23 aponaki ngai liboso ete mokili ezala, wuta na ebandeli penza, wuta na tango oyo biloko nyonso ya mokili ezalaki nanu te.
I was ordained from eternity, and out of antiquity, before the earth was formed.
24 Nabotamaki tango mayi ya bozindo ezalaki nanu te, tango miluka ebimisaki nanu mayi na yango te,
The abyss did not yet exist, and I was already conceived; neither had the fountains of waters yet erupted.
25 liboso ete bangomba ya milayi mpe bangomba ya mikuse ezala na bisika na yango,
The mountains, with their great mass, had not yet been established. Before the hills, I was brought forth.
26 tango amisalelaki nanu te, ezala mabele to bilanga to mpe putulu ya mokili.
Still he had not made the earth, and the rivers, and the poles of the globe of the earth.
27 Nazalaki wana tango atandaki likolo na esika na yango, mpe tango akataki mondelo ya etando monene ya mayi ya bozindo,
I was already present: when he prepared the heavens; when, with a certain law and a circuit, he fortified the abyss;
28 tango atiaki mapata na likolo mpe abimisaki mayi wuta na bitima,
when he made firm the sky above, and set free the fountains of waters;
29 tango akatelaki ebale monene mondelo mpo ete mayi ezindisa mokili na Ye te, tango atiaki miboko ya mabele;
when he encompassed the sea within its limits, and laid down a law for the waters, lest they transgress their limits; when he weighed 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 with him in composing all things. And I was delighted, throughout every day, by playing in his sight at all times,
31 nazalaki kosepela kati na mokili na Ye mpe nazalaki na esengo kati na bato.
playing in globe of the earth. And my delight was to be with the sons of men.
32 Sik’oyo, mwana na ngai, yoka ngai: Esengo na bato oyo babatelaka banzela na ngai!
Therefore, sons, hear me now. Blessed are those who preserve my ways.
33 Boyoka mateya na ngai mpe bokokoma bato ya bwanya, bomeka kobwaka yango te!
Listen to discipline, and become wise, and do not be willing to cast it aside.
34 Esengo na moto oyo ayokelaka ngai, oyo asenzelaka na ekuke na ngai mokolo na mokolo, mpe akengelaka na ekotelo na ngai!
Blessed is the man who listens to me, and who stands watch at my gates every day, and who observes at the posts of my doors.
35 Pamba te moto oyo amoni ngai amoni bomoi mpe azwi ngolu na miso ya Yawe.
He who finds me, finds life, and he will draw salvation from the Lord.
36 Kasi moto oyo atosaka ngai te amisalaka mabe ye moko: moto nyonso oyo ayinaka ngai alingaka kufa. »
But he who sins against me will wound his own soul. All who hate me love death.”
