Masese 1
1 Masese ya Salomo, mwana mobali ya Davidi, mokonzi ya Isalaele:
These are the proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel,
2 mpo na koyeba bwanya, kozwa mateya mpe kososola maloba ya mayele;
for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
3 mpo na kozwa mateya ya bwanya oyo epesaka bizaleli ya sembo, ya boyengebene mpe makambo ya alima;
and for receiving instruction in wise living and in righteousness, justice, and equity.
4 mpo na kopesa mayele epai ya bazoba, mpe boyebi epai ya bilenge.
To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,
5 Tika ete moto ya bwanya ayoka yango, mpe akobakisa bwanya na ye, bongo moto ya mayele akoyeba mayele ya kotambolisa bato;
let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
6 mpo na kososola masese mpe sambole, maloba ya bwanya mpe kolimbola makambo.
by understanding the proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 Kotosa Yawe ezali mosisa ya mayele; bato oyo bazangi mayele batiolaka bwanya mpe toli.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.
8 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, yoka toli ya tata na yo, mpe kobwaka te mateya ya mama na yo;
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother.
9 Pamba te ekozala lokola ekoti ya ngolu na moto na yo, mpe lokola mayaka ya kitoko na kingo na yo.
For they are a garland of grace on your head and a pendant around your neck.
10 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, soki bato ya masumu balingi kokweyisa yo, komitika te.
My son, if sinners entice you, do not yield to them.
11 Soki balobi na yo: « Yaka elongo na biso, tika ete tosala motambo mpo na koboma bato, tokosepela mpo na kokanga moto oyo ayebi likambo te!
If they say, “Come along, let us lie in wait for blood, let us ambush the innocent without cause,
12 Ndenge mokili ya bakufi esalaka, tokomela ye ya bomoi, tokomela ye mobimba lokola bato oyo bakitaka na libulu ya kufa; (Sheol h7585)
let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole like those descending into the Pit. (Sheol h7585)
13 tokozwa biloko ya talo ya ndenge na ndenge, mpe tokotondisa bandako na biso na bomengo ya bitumba;
We will find all manner of precious goods; we will fill our houses with plunder.
14 okozwa ndambo na yo epai na biso, pamba te biso nyonso tokosangisa biloko na biso esika moko; »
Throw in your lot with us; let us all share one purse”—
15 mwana na ngai ya mobali, kokende elongo na bango te, longola makolo na yo na nzela na bango;
my son, do not walk the road with them or set foot upon their path.
16 pamba te makolo na bango ekimaka mbangu mpo na kolanda mabe, mpe bapotaka mbangu mpo na kosopa makila.
For their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed blood.
17 Solo, ezali pamba kotia monyama liboso ya miso ya bikelamu nyonso oyo ezali na mapapu.
How futile it is to spread the net where any bird can see it!
18 Kasi bango, batiaka mitambo mpo na kosopa makila na bango moko, bamilukelaka pasi na bomoi na bango.
But they lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush their own lives.
19 Moto oyo alukaka kozwa bomengo na nzela ya lokuta asukaka kaka bongo, mpe bomengo yango ebomaka kaka ye moko.
Such is the fate of all who are greedy, whose unjust gain takes the lives of its possessors.
20 Bwanya azali koganga na libanda, atomboli mongongo na ye na bisika oyo bato ebele bakutanaka;
Wisdom calls out in the street, she lifts her voice in the square;
21 azali koganga na bisika ya loyenge mpe azali koloba liboso ya ekuke ya engumba:
in the main concourse she cries aloud, at the city gates she makes her speech:
22 « Yo moto oyo ozangi mayele, kino tango nini okolinga bozoba na yo? Kino tango nini batioli bakokoba kosepela kotiola? Mpe bino bazoba, kino tango nini bokokoba koyina mayele?
“How long, O simple ones, will you love your simple ways? How long will scoffers delight in their scorn and fools hate knowledge?
23 Soki boyoki makebisi na Ngai, nakosopela bino Molimo na Ngai mpe nakososolisa bino maloba na Ngai.
If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you.
24 Kasi lokola bosundolaki Ngai tango nazalaki kobelela mpe moto moko te asalaki keba tango natandaki loboko,
Because you refused my call, and no one took my outstretched hand,
25 lokola bobwakaki toli na Ngai mpe boboyaki kondima pamela na Ngai,
because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
26 Ngai mpe nakoseka bino tango pasi ekoyela bino, nakotiola bino tango minyoko ekokomela bino,
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
27 tango minyoko ekokomela bino na pwasa lokola mvula ya kake makasi, tango somo ekoyela bino lokola ekumbaki, tango mawa mpe somo ekokomela bino.
when your dread comes like a storm, and your destruction like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish overwhelm you.
28 Bakoganga epai na Ngai, kasi nakoyanola bango te; bakoluka Ngai na ngonga ya malamu, kasi bakomona Ngai te.
Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; they will earnestly seek me, but will not find me.
29 Lokola bayinaki boyebi mpe baponaki te nzela ya kotosa Yawe,
For they hated knowledge and chose not to fear the LORD.
30 lokola baboyaki kondima toli na Ngai mpe batiolaki pamela na Ngai,
They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
31 bakolia mbuma ya etamboli na bango mpe bakotonda na mabongisi ya mitema na bango moko.
So they will eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
32 Pamba te kotomboka ya bato oyo bazangi mayele ekoboma bango, mpe bozangi bokebi ya bato oyo bazangi mayele ekoboma kaka bango moko;
For the waywardness of the simple will slay them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
33 kasi moto oyo ayokaka Ngai akovanda na kimia mpe akobanga mabe moko te. »
But whoever listens to me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.”
