Masese 30
1 Tala maloba ya Aguri, mwana mobali ya Yake. Ezali ye nde alobaki yango epai ya Itieli, epai ya Itieli mpe Ukali:
The words of Agur son of Jakeh—the utterance: This man declared to Ithiel, to Ithiel and Ucal:
2 Solo, nazali zoba koleka bato nyonso, nazali ata na mayele ya bomoto te;
Surely I am more like an animal than any human and I do not have the understanding of a human being.
3 nayekolaki bwanya te, mpe nazali na boyebi ya Mosantu te.
I have not learned wisdom, nor do I have knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Nani amata na Lola to mpe akita wuta kuna? Nani asangisa mopepe kati na maboko na ye? Nani akanga mayi na kazaka na ye? Nani akata bandelo nyonso ya mabele? Kombo na ye nani? Mpe kombo ya mwana na ye ezali nani? Yebisa ngai soki oyebi!
Who has gone up to heaven and come down? Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands? Who has gathered up the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is the name of his son? Surely you know!
5 Liloba nyonso ya Nzambe ezalaka na libunga te, ezali nguba mpo na bato oyo bazwaka yango lokola ebombamelo na bango.
Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
6 Kobakisa eloko moko te na maloba na Ye, noki te apamela yo mpe abimisa yo mokosi.
Do not add to his words, or he will discipline you, and you will be proved to be a liar.
7 Oh Yawe, nasengi Yo biloko mibale, kopimela ngai yango te liboso ete nakufa:
Two things I ask of you, do not withhold them from me before I die:
8 longola mosika na ngai makambo ya pamba mpe ya lokuta, kopesa ngai te bobola to bozwi, kasi pesa ngai kaka, mokolo na mokolo, lipa oyo ekoki na ngai,
Put vanity and lies far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches, just give me the food I need.
9 pamba te soki natondi makasi, nakoki kowangana Yo mpe koloba: « Yawe nde nani? » To soki nazali na bobola, nakoki koyiba mpe koyokisa Kombo ya Nzambe na ngai soni.
For if I have too much, I might deny you and say, “Who is Yahweh?” Or if I become poor, I might steal and profane the name of my God.
10 Kotonga mowumbu te liboso ya nkolo na ye, noki te alakela yo mabe, mpe omona pasi.
Do not slander a slave before his master, or he will curse you and you will be held guilty.
11 Ezali na bato oyo balakelaka batata na bango mabe mpe bapambolaka te bamama na bango.
There is a generation that curses their father and does not bless their mother.
12 Ezali na bato oyo bamimonaka peto na miso na bango moko, nzokande bamipetoli na mbindo na bango te.
There is a generation that is pure in their own eyes, and yet they are not washed of their filth.
13 Ezali na bato oyo batonda na lolendo mpe bamonaka bato mosusu pamba.
There is a generation whose eyes are raised up, and how high are their eyelids lifted up!
14 Ezali na bato oyo minu na bango ezali lokola mipanga, lokola mbeli mpo na koboma babola kati na mokili mpe bato bakelela kati na bato.
There is a generation whose teeth are swords, and their jawbones are like knives, so they may devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
15 Sonzo ezalaka na bana basi mibale, egangaka kaka: « Pesa! Pesa! » Ezali na biloko misato oyo etondaka te, minei oyo elobaka te: « Ekoki! »
The leech has two daughters: “Give and give” they cry. There are three things that are never satisfied, four that never say, “Enough”:
16 Mboka ya bakufi, libumu ya mwasi oyo abotaka te, mabele oyo etondaka mayi te, mpe moto oyo elobaka te: « Ekoki! » (Sheol h7585)
Sheol; the barren womb; land that is never satisfied with water; and the fire that never says, “Enough!” (Sheol h7585)
17 Liso oyo etiolaka tata mpe ezanga botosi epai ya mama, ekotobolama na bayanganga ya lubwaku, mpe bana ya mpongo ekolia yango.
The eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, his eyes will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley, and he will be eaten by the vultures.
18 Ezali na biloko misato oyo nasosolaka te, ata kutu minei oyo nayebaka te:
There are three things that are too wonderful for me, four that I do not understand:
19 Nzela ya mpongo na likolo, nzela ya nyoka na likolo ya libanga, nzela ya masuwa kati na ebale, mpe nzela ya elenge mobali epai ya elenge mwasi.
the way of an eagle in the sky; the way of a snake on a rock; the way of a ship in the heart of the sea; and the way of a man with a young woman.
20 Tala ndenge mwasi ya ndumba asalaka: Soki alie, apangusaka monoko; mpe na sima, akoloba: « Nasali na ngai mabe te! »
This is the way of an adulteress: she eats and she wipes her mouth and says, “I have done nothing wrong.”
21 Ezali na makambo misato oyo eningisaka mokili, ata kutu minei oyo mokili ekokaka kondima te:
Under three things the earth trembles, and under four it cannot bear up:
22 Mowumbu oyo akomi mokonzi, zoba oyo atondi na bomengo,
a slave when he becomes king; a fool when he is filled with food;
23 mwasi oyo balingaka te, kasi abali; mpe mwasi mosali oyo azwi bomengo ya nkolo na ye ya mwasi.
a hated woman when she marries; and a maid when she takes the place of her mistress.
24 Ezali na banyama mike minei na mokili, oyo, nzokande, ezalaka na bwanya mingi:
Four things on earth are small and yet they are very wise:
25 Bafurmi: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga makasi, kasi ebongisaka bilei na yango na tango ya elanga;
the ants are creatures that are not strong, but they prepare their food in the summer;
26 bampanya ya zamba: ezali bikelamu oyo ezanga nguya, kasi etongaka bandako na yango kati na mabanga;
the rock badgers are not mighty creatures, but they make their homes in the rocks.
27 mabanki: ezalaka na mokonzi te, kasi nyonso etambolaka nzela moko na molongo;
Locusts have no king, but all of them march in rank.
28 moselekete: loboko ekoki kokanga yango, kasi ezalaka kati na bandako ya bakonzi.
As for the lizard, you can hold it in your two hands, yet they are found in kings' palaces.
29 Ezali na banyama misato oyo etambolaka malamu, ata kutu minei oyo edendaka soki ezali kotambola:
There are three things that are stately in their stride and four that are stately in how they walk:
30 Nkosi: nyama ya makasi kati na banyama, ezongaka sima te ata liboso ya nani;
a lion, strongest among wild animals— it does not turn away from anything;
31 soso ya mobali, ntaba mobali, mpe mokonzi oyo azali kotambola liboso ya mampinga na ye.
a strutting rooster; a goat; and a king whose soldiers are beside him.
32 Soki osali bozoba mpo na komikumisa, mpe soki ozali na makanisi mabe, tia loboko na monoko na yo,
If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil— put your hand over your mouth.
33 pamba te kobeta-beta mabele ebimisaka manteka, kobeta zolo ebimisaka makila, mpe kotumbola kanda eyeisaka koswana.
As churning milk makes butter and as one's nose will produce blood if it is twisted, so deeds done in anger produce conflict.
