Masese 1
1 Masese ya Salomo, mwana mobali ya Davidi, mokonzi ya Isalaele:
The proverbs of Solomon son of David, the king of Israel.
2 mpo na koyeba bwanya, kozwa mateya mpe kososola maloba ya mayele;
These proverbs are to teach wisdom and instruction, to teach words of insight,
3 mpo na kozwa mateya ya bwanya oyo epesaka bizaleli ya sembo, ya boyengebene mpe makambo ya alima;
that you may receive instruction in order to live by doing what is right, just, and fair.
4 mpo na kopesa mayele epai ya bazoba, mpe boyebi epai ya bilenge.
These proverbs are also to give wisdom to the naive, and to give knowledge and discretion to young people.
5 Tika ete moto ya bwanya ayoka yango, mpe akobakisa bwanya na ye, bongo moto ya mayele akoyeba mayele ya kotambolisa bato;
Let wise people listen and increase their learning, and let discerning people get guidance,
6 mpo na kososola masese mpe sambole, maloba ya bwanya mpe kolimbola makambo.
to understand proverbs, sayings, and words of wise people and their riddles.
7 Kotosa Yawe ezali mosisa ya mayele; bato oyo bazangi mayele batiolaka bwanya mpe toli.
The fear of Yahweh 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;
My son, hear the instruction of your father and do not lay aside the rules of your mother;
9 Pamba te ekozala lokola ekoti ya ngolu na moto na yo, mpe lokola mayaka ya kitoko na kingo na yo.
they will be a graceful wreath for your head and pendants hanging from your neck.
10 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, soki bato ya masumu balingi kokweyisa yo, komitika te.
My son, if sinners try to entice you into their sin, refuse to follow 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 with us, let us lie in wait for blood, let us hide and attack innocent people for no reason.
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 Sheol takes away those who are healthy, and make them like those who fall 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 valuable things; we will fill our houses with what we steal from others.
14 okozwa ndambo na yo epai na biso, pamba te biso nyonso tokosangisa biloko na biso esika moko; »
Throw in your lot with us; we will all have one purse together.”
15 mwana na ngai ya mobali, kokende elongo na bango te, longola makolo na yo na nzela na bango;
My son, do not walk down that road with them; do not let your foot touch where they walk;
16 pamba te makolo na bango ekimaka mbangu mpo na kolanda mabe, mpe bapotaka mbangu mpo na kosopa makila.
their feet run to evil and they hurry to shed blood.
17 Solo, ezali pamba kotia monyama liboso ya miso ya bikelamu nyonso oyo ezali na mapapu.
For it is useless to spread the net in the sight of any bird.
18 Kasi bango, batiaka mitambo mpo na kosopa makila na bango moko, bamilukelaka pasi na bomoi na bango.
These men lie in wait for their own blood— they set an ambush for their own lives.
19 Moto oyo alukaka kozwa bomengo na nzela ya lokuta asukaka kaka bongo, mpe bomengo yango ebomaka kaka ye moko.
So are the ways of everyone who gains riches by injustice; unjust gain takes away the lives of those who hold on to it.
20 Bwanya azali koganga na libanda, atomboli mongongo na ye na bisika oyo bato ebele bakutanaka;
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the open places;
21 azali koganga na bisika ya loyenge mpe azali koloba liboso ya ekuke ya engumba:
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, at the entrance of the city gates she speaks,
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, you naive people, will you love being naive? How long, you mockers, will you delight in mockery, and how long, you fools, will you hate knowledge?
23 Soki boyoki makebisi na Ngai, nakosopela bino Molimo na Ngai mpe nakososolisa bino maloba na Ngai.
Pay attention to my correction; I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make my words known to you.
24 Kasi lokola bosundolaki Ngai tango nazalaki kobelela mpe moto moko te asalaki keba tango natandaki loboko,
I have called, and you have refused to listen; I reached out with my hand, but there was no one who paid attention.
25 lokola bobwakaki toli na Ngai mpe boboyaki kondima pamela na Ngai,
But you have ignored all my instruction and paid no attention to my correction.
26 Ngai mpe nakoseka bino tango pasi ekoyela bino, nakotiola bino tango minyoko ekokomela bino,
I will laugh at your calamity, I will mock you when the terror comes—
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 fearful dread comes like a storm and disaster sweeps over 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 they will call upon me, and I will not answer; they will desperately call for me, but they will not find me.
29 Lokola bayinaki boyebi mpe baponaki te nzela ya kotosa Yawe,
Because they hate knowledge and did not choose the fear of Yahweh,
30 lokola baboyaki kondima toli na Ngai mpe batiolaki pamela na Ngai,
they would not follow my instruction, and they despised all my correction.
31 bakolia mbuma ya etamboli na bango mpe bakotonda na mabongisi ya mitema na bango moko.
They will eat the fruit of their ways, and with the fruit of their schemes they will be filled.
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 naive are killed when they turn away, and the indifference 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 live in safety and will rest secure with no fear of disaster.”
