Masese 1
1 Masese ya Salomo, mwana mobali ya Davidi, mokonzi ya Isalaele:
The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel:
2 mpo na koyeba bwanya, kozwa mateya mpe kososola maloba ya mayele;
That one may learn wisdom and instruction, And receive words of understanding;
3 mpo na kozwa mateya ya bwanya oyo epesaka bizaleli ya sembo, ya boyengebene mpe makambo ya alima;
That one may gain the instruction of prudence, Justice, equity, and uprightness;
4 mpo na kopesa mayele epai ya bazoba, mpe boyebi epai ya bilenge.
Which will give caution to the simple, To the young man wisdom and discretion;
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 man hear, and he will increase his knowledge, And the man of understanding will gain wise counsels;
6 mpo na kososola masese mpe sambole, maloba ya bwanya mpe kolimbola makambo.
So as to understand a proverb and a deep maxim, The words of the wise and their dark sayings.
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; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
8 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, yoka toli ya tata na yo, mpe kobwaka te mateya ya mama na yo;
Hear, O my son! the instruction of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother!
9 Pamba te ekozala lokola ekoti ya ngolu na moto na yo, mpe lokola mayaka ya kitoko na kingo na yo.
For they shall be a graceful wreath for thy head, And a chain around thy neck.
10 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, soki bato ya masumu balingi kokweyisa yo, komitika te.
My son, if sinners entice thee, Consent thou not!
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 with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us lurk secretly for him who is innocent in vain;
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 up alive, like the underworld, Yea, in full health, as those that go down into the pit; (Sheol h7585)
13 tokozwa biloko ya talo ya ndenge na ndenge, mpe tokotondisa bandako na biso na bomengo ya bitumba;
We shall find all kinds of precious substance, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
14 okozwa ndambo na yo epai na biso, pamba te biso nyonso tokosangisa biloko na biso esika moko; »
Thou shalt cast thy lot among us; We will all have one purse;”—
15 mwana na ngai ya mobali, kokende elongo na bango te, longola makolo na yo na nzela na bango;
My son, walk thou not in their way, Refrain thy foot from 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 make haste to shed blood.
17 Solo, ezali pamba kotia monyama liboso ya miso ya bikelamu nyonso oyo ezali na mapapu.
For as the net is spread in vain Before the eyes of any bird,
18 Kasi bango, batiaka mitambo mpo na kosopa makila na bango moko, bamilukelaka pasi na bomoi na bango.
So they lie in wait for their own blood; They lurk secretly for their own lives.
19 Moto oyo alukaka kozwa bomengo na nzela ya lokuta asukaka kaka bongo, mpe bomengo yango ebomaka kaka ye moko.
Such are the ways of every one greedy of unjust gain; It taketh away the life of the possessor thereof.
20 Bwanya azali koganga na libanda, atomboli mongongo na ye na bisika oyo bato ebele bakutanaka;
Wisdom crieth out in the highway; In the market-place she uttereth her voice;
21 azali koganga na bisika ya loyenge mpe azali koloba liboso ya ekuke ya engumba:
At the head of the noisy streets she crieth aloud; At the entrances of the gates, throughout the city, she proclaimeth her words [[saying]]:
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, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? How long will scoffers delight themselves in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?
23 Soki boyoki makebisi na Ngai, nakosopela bino Molimo na Ngai mpe nakososolisa bino maloba na Ngai.
Turn ye at my reproof! Behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make known my words to you!
24 Kasi lokola bosundolaki Ngai tango nazalaki kobelela mpe moto moko te asalaki keba tango natandaki loboko,
“Because I have called, and ye have refused, —Because I have stretched out my hand, and no one hath regarded.
25 lokola bobwakaki toli na Ngai mpe boboyaki kondima pamela na Ngai,
Because ye have rejected all my counsel, And have slighted my rebuke, —
26 Ngai mpe nakoseka bino tango pasi ekoyela bino, nakotiola bino tango minyoko ekokomela bino,
I also will laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh;
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 fear cometh upon you like a storm. And destruction overtaketh you like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Bakoganga epai na Ngai, kasi nakoyanola bango te; bakoluka Ngai na ngonga ya malamu, kasi bakomona Ngai te.
Then will they call upon me, but I will not answer! They will seek me early, But they shall not find me!
29 Lokola bayinaki boyebi mpe baponaki te nzela ya kotosa Yawe,
Because they have hated knowledge, And have not chosen the fear of the LORD, —
30 lokola baboyaki kondima toli na Ngai mpe batiolaki pamela na Ngai,
Because they would not attend to my counsel, And have despised all my reproof, —
31 bakolia mbuma ya etamboli na bango mpe bakotonda na mabongisi ya mitema na bango moko.
Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full 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;
Yea, the turning away of the simple shall slay them, And the carelessness of fools shall destroy them.
33 kasi moto oyo ayokaka Ngai akovanda na kimia mpe akobanga mabe moko te. »
But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell securely, And shall not be disquieted with the fear of evil.”
