Masese 8
1 Boni, Bwanya azali kobelela te? Mayele azali koyokisa mongongo na ye te?
It is as if wisdom, with great understanding [of many things], is calling [PRS] out [to people].
2 Atelemi na songe ya bangomba, na pembeni ya nzela, na bisika oyo banzela ekutana,
Wisdom stands on hilltops and at crossroads.
3 azali koganga pene ya bikuke, na ekotelo ya engumba:
[Wisdom also stands] at the city gates and shouts loudly,
4 « Bato, nazali koganga makasi epai na bino, nazali nde koloba na bino bato!
“I am calling to everyone! I am shouting loudly to all people!
5 Bino bato oyo bozanga mayele, bokoma na bososoli! Bino bazoba, bokoma mayele!
You people who do not know how to do things that are smart to do, get sound judgment; you foolish people, get good understanding!
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, because I have some excellent/important things to say. What I say is what is fair/right.
7 Pamba te monoko na ngai ebimisaka maloba ya solo, mpe bibebu na ngai eyinaka mabe.
I speak what is true; I detest speaking [MTY] what is false/deceptive.
8 Maloba nyonso oyo ebimaka na monoko na ngai ezali sembo, ezalaka na likambo moko te ya lokuta to ya mabe;
Everything that I say is honest; there is nothing that I say that deceives [people].
9 nyonso ezali pole mpo na moto ya mayele, mpe sembo mpo na bato oyo bazali na bososoli.
My words are clear to those who have good sense; those who are wise know that what I say is right.
10 Boluka mateya na ngai kasi palata te, boyebi kasi wolo te oyo eleki peto,
[If someone offers you the kind of teaching I give] or offers you silver, choose my teaching. [If he offers to show you how to be wise] or offers you gold, choose to know how to be wise,
11 pamba te bwanya ezali na motuya koleka mayaka ya kitoko, bongo eloko moko te ya motuya ekokani na yango.
because wisdom is more valuable than jewels. Nothing that you desire [is as valuable] as being wise.
12 Ngai, Bwanya, navandaka elongo na kokanisa, boye nayebi kokundola mayele mpe bososoli.
I, wisdom, and understanding of what is smart to do, cannot be separated. We are like two people who live in the same house. I know how to be wise and how to make smart decisions.
13 Kotosa Yawe ezali koyina mabe. Nayinaka lolendo, lofundu, nzela ya masumu mpe monoko ya lokuta.
[All the people] who revere Yahweh hate evil. I, wisdom, hate [people who are] proud and [people] who think they are more important [than others]. I hate [people who] behave in an evil way and those who say things to deceive [others].
14 Toli mpe bososoli ezali ya ngai, ngai nde mayele mpe makasi.
I give [people] good advice and I enable them to do things that are wise. I understand how things really are, and I am strong.
15 Ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakonzi batambolisaka mokili, mpe bakambi basalaka mibeko ya sembo;
When kings are wise, they rule [well]; and when rulers are wise, they make laws that are just/fair.
16 ezali na nzela na ngai nde bakambi, bankumu mpe basambisi nyonso ya mokili bayangelaka.
Rulers govern their people with the help of me, wisdom, and those who have authority decide things fairly/just with my help.
17 Nalingaka bato oyo balingaka ngai, mpe bato oyo balukaka ngai bamonaka ngai.
I, [wisdom], love [all] those who love me, and [all] those who truly seek me [will] find me.
18 Bozwi mpe lokumu, bomengo oyo ewumelaka mpe bosembo etambolaka elongo na ngai.
I enable [people] to become rich and to be honored; [I enable them to have] wealth that will last and to be successful.
19 Mbuma na ngai ezali kitoko koleka wolo, ezala wolo ya peto, mpe mbuma oyo nabotaka eleki palata ya kitoko.
What I can give people is more valuable than fine/pure gold and the best silver.
20 Natambolaka na nzela ya bosembo, mpe nasalelaka banzela oyo ememaka na boyengebene,
I always do what is righteous and just/fair.
21 mpo na kopesa libula epai ya bato oyo balingaka ngai mpe mpo na kotondisa bibombelo na bango.
I give wealth to those who love me; I fill their houses with valuable things.
22 Yawe asalaki ngai liboso ete asala nyonso, liboso ya misala na Ye nyonso ya kala;
Yahweh created me, [wisdom], when he began [to create the world]; he created me [to do my work] before he created anything else.
23 aponaki ngai liboso ete mokili ezala, wuta na ebandeli penza, wuta na tango oyo biloko nyonso ya mokili ezalaki nanu te.
He appointed me long ago, before he created the earth.
24 Nabotamaki tango mayi ya bozindo ezalaki nanu te, tango miluka ebimisaki nanu mayi na yango te,
I was born before the oceans were [created], when there were no springs from which water flowed.
25 liboso ete bangomba ya milayi mpe bangomba ya mikuse ezala na bisika na yango,
I was born before the hills and mountains were formed;
26 tango amisalelaki nanu te, ezala mabele to bilanga to mpe putulu ya mokili.
[I, wisdom], was born before Yahweh made the earth, before he made the fields and the soil on 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 there when Yahweh put the sky in place, when he marked the place [in the distance] where the sky and the oceans [seem to] come together.
28 tango atiaki mapata na likolo mpe abimisaki mayi wuta na bitima,
I was there when Yahweh put the clouds above [the earth] and when he caused the water that is inside the earth to be secure.
29 tango akatelaki ebale monene mondelo mpo ete mayi ezindisa mokili na Ye te, tango atiaki miboko ya mabele;
I was there when he fixed a boundary for the seas, so that the water in the seas would not go past those boundaries, and when he put down the foundations which support 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 at the side of Yahweh, the master worker (OR, as though I was his child). I caused him to be happy every day, and I was always rejoicing when I was with him.
31 nazalaki kosepela kati na mokili na Ye mpe nazalaki na esengo kati na bato.
I was delighted with the world that he created; I was happy with the people whom he created, too.
32 Sik’oyo, mwana na ngai, yoka ngai: Esengo na bato oyo babatelaka banzela na ngai!
So, [you people who are like] my sons, listen to me. [I am] pleased with [all] those who obey my teachings.
33 Boyoka mateya na ngai mpe bokokoma bato ya bwanya, bomeka kobwaka yango te!
Listen [carefully] to what I teach you and become wise. Do not reject my teaching!
34 Esengo na moto oyo ayokelaka ngai, oyo asenzelaka na ekuke na ngai mokolo na mokolo, mpe akengelaka na ekotelo na ngai!
[I am] pleased with those who listen to me, those who are outside my house every day, waiting [for me to come out].
35 Pamba te moto oyo amoni ngai amoni bomoi mpe azwi ngolu na miso ya Yawe.
Those who find me will have [a long] life, and Yahweh [will] be pleased with them.
36 Kasi moto oyo atosaka ngai te amisalaka mabe ye moko: moto nyonso oyo ayinaka ngai alingaka kufa. »
But those who stray away from me [just] harm themselves. All those who hate me, [it is as though] [IRO] they are loving death.”
