Masese 8
1 Boni, Bwanya azali kobelela te? Mayele azali koyokisa mongongo na ye te?
Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?
2 Atelemi na songe ya bangomba, na pembeni ya nzela, na bisika oyo banzela ekutana,
Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths.
3 azali koganga pene ya bikuke, na ekotelo ya engumba:
Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:
4 « Bato, nazali koganga makasi epai na bino, nazali nde koloba na bino bato!
O ye men, to you I call, 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 subtilty, and ye unwise, take notice.
6 Boyoka, pamba te nazali na makambo ya motuya ya koyebisa bino, nafungoli monoko na ngai mpo na koloba makambo ya sembo.
Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.
7 Pamba te monoko na ngai ebimisaka maloba ya solo, mpe bibebu na ngai eyinaka mabe.
My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.
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 nothing wicked nor perverse in them.
9 nyonso ezali pole mpo na moto ya mayele, mpe sembo mpo na bato oyo bazali na bososoli.
They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.
10 Boluka mateya na ngai kasi palata te, boyebi kasi wolo te oyo eleki peto,
Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather 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 the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.
12 Ngai, Bwanya, navandaka elongo na kokanisa, boye nayebi kokundola mayele mpe bososoli.
I wisdom dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.
13 Kotosa Yawe ezali koyina mabe. Nayinaka lolendo, lofundu, nzela ya masumu mpe monoko ya lokuta.
The fear of the Lord hateth evil: I hate 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 and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.
15 Ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakonzi batambolisaka mokili, mpe bakambi basalaka mibeko ya sembo;
By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things,
16 ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakambi, bankumu mpe basambisi nyonso ya mokili bayangelaka.
By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.
17 Nalingaka bato oyo balingaka ngai, mpe bato oyo balukaka ngai bamonaka ngai.
I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.
18 Bozwi mpe lokumu, bomengo oyo ewumelaka mpe bosembo etambolaka elongo na ngai.
With me are riches and glory, glorious 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 the precious stone, and my blossoms 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.
That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill 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 any thing 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 set up from eternity, and of old before the earth was made.
24 Nabotamaki tango mayi ya bozindo ezalaki nanu te, tango miluka ebimisaki nanu mayi na yango te,
The depths were not as yet, and I was already conceived. neither had the fountains of waters as yet sprung out:
25 liboso ete bangomba ya milayi mpe bangomba ya mikuse ezala na bisika na yango,
The mountains with their huge bulk had not as yet been established: before the hills I was brought forth:
26 tango amisalelaki nanu te, ezala mabele to bilanga to mpe putulu ya mokili.
He had not yet made the earth, nor the rivers, nor the poles 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 heavens, I was present: when with a certain law and compass he enclosed the depths:
28 tango atiaki mapata na likolo mpe abimisaki mayi wuta na bitima,
When he established the sky above, and poised 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 compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when be balanced 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 forming all things: and was delighted every day, playing before him at all times;
31 nazalaki kosepela kati na mokili na Ye mpe nazalaki na esengo kati na bato.
Playing in the world: and my delights were to be with the children of men.
32 Sik’oyo, mwana na ngai, yoka ngai: Esengo na bato oyo babatelaka banzela na ngai!
Now therefore, ye children, hear me: Blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Boyoka mateya na ngai mpe bokokoma bato ya bwanya, bomeka kobwaka yango te!
Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not.
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 that heareth me, and that watcheth daily at my gates, and waiteth at the posts of my doors.
35 Pamba te moto oyo amoni ngai amoni bomoi mpe azwi ngolu na miso ya Yawe.
He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord:
36 Kasi moto oyo atosaka ngai te amisalaka mabe ye moko: moto nyonso oyo ayinaka ngai alingaka kufa. »
But he that shall sin against me, shall hurt his own soul. All that hate me love death.
