Mosakoli 7
1 Kokende sango ya malamu eleki malasi ya solo kitoko na motuya, mpe mokolo ya kufa eleki mokolo ya mbotama na malamu.
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
2 Kokende na ndako ya matanga ezali malamu koleka kokende na ndako oyo ezali na feti, pamba te kufa ezali suka ya moto nyonso; yango wana, bato nyonso oyo bazali na bomoi basengeli kokanisaka na tina na yango.
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Mawa eleki koseka na malamu, pamba te elongi ya mawa eyeisaka motema esengo.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 Motema ya moto ya bwanya ezalaka kati na ndako ya matanga, kasi motema ya zoba ezalaka kati na ndako ya bisengo.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of delight.
5 Koyoka pamela ya moto ya bwanya ezali malamu koleka koyoka banzembo ya zoba.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Koseka ya bazoba ezalaka lokola makelele ya basende oyo ezali kozika na se ya nzungu; wana mpe ezali pamba.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Minyoko ekomisaka moto ya bwanya zoba, mpe bakado epengwisaka motema.
Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
8 Suka ya likambo ezali malamu koleka ebandeli ya likambo; kokanga motema ezali malamu koleka lolendo.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Kotombokaka noki te, pamba te kanda evandaka kati na bazoba.
Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
10 Kolobaka te: « Mpo na nini mikolo eleki ezali malamu koleka mikolo ya lelo? » Pamba te bwanya etindaka te bato kotuna mituna ya boye.
Say not you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 Bwanya ezali lokola libula, ezalaka malamu mpe epesaka litomba na bato oyo bamonaka moyi.
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
12 Bwanya ezali lokola nguba, ndenge mpe mosolo ezalaka nguba; kasi litomba ya boyebi ezali ete ebatelaka bomoi ya bato oyo bazali na yango.
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have it.
13 Tala malamu misala ya Nzambe: Nani akoki kosembola eloko oyo Ye asili kogumba?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
14 Na mokolo ya malamu, sepela; na mokolo ya mabe, kanisa; pamba te Nzambe nde asala nyonso mibale mpo ete moto ayeba te makambo oyo ekoya sima na ye.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one opposite to the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 Na mikolo ya pamba ya bomoi na ngai, namonaki makambo oyo nyonso: Moto ya sembo akufi mpo na bosembo na ye, mpe moto mabe awumeli na bomoi mpo na mabe na ye.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life in his wickedness.
16 Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto ya sembo to ya kozala moto ya bwanya; mpo na nini komibebisa?
Be not righteous over much; neither make yourself over wise: why should you destroy yourself?
17 Kolekisa ndelo te ya kozala moto mabe to ya kozala zoba; mpo na nini kokufa liboso ete mikolo ya bomoi na yo ekoka?
Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your time?
18 Ezali malamu kokangama na toli ya liboso mpe kosimba toli ya mibale, pamba te moto oyo atosaka Nzambe akosalela toli nyonso mibale.
It is good that you should take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not your hand: for he that fears God shall come out of them all.
19 Bwanya ekomisaka moto oyo azali na yango makasi koleka bakambi zomi kati na engumba.
Wisdom strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 Kati na mokili, ezali na moto moko te ya sembo oyo asalaka kaka malamu, bongo azanga kosala masumu.
For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.
21 Kotiaka matoyi na bilobaloba ya bato te, noki te okoyoka mosali na yo kotiola yo;
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
22 pamba te, oyebi malamu, kati na motema na yo, ete yo mpe otiolaka bato mosusu mbala mingi.
For oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
23 Namekaki kososola makambo wana nyonso na nzela ya bwanya, namilobelaki: « Nakosala nyonso mpo ete nakoma moto ya bwanya, » kasi bwanya ezalaki kaka mosika na ngai.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Nyonso oyo ezalisami ezali mosika, mozindo mpe mozindo makasi; nani akoki komona yango?
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 Boye, na motema na ngai mobimba, namipesaki mpo na kososola, koyeba, koluka bwanya mpe boyebi; mpe mpo na kososola bozoba ya mabe elongo na liboma ya bozoba.
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
26 Namoni likambo oyo: mwasi oyo motema na ye ezali lokola motambo to monyama, oyo maboko na ye ezali lokola minyololo, azali mabe koleka kufa; mobali oyo asepelisaka Nzambe akotikala kokangama te na motambo na ye, kaka mobali oyo asalaka masumu nde akokangama na motambo na ye.
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Mosakoli alobi: « Tala makambo oyo nasosoli sima na koyekola mwasi moko na moko mpo na kozwa mayele:
Behold, this have I found, says the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28 Nazali koluka, kasi nanu namoni te. Namoni mobali moko ya sembo kati na mibali nkoto moko, kasi namoni ata mwasi moko te ya sembo kati na basi nyonso!
Which yet my soul seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Tala makambo oyo nasosoli: Nzambe asala bato mpo ete bazala malamu, kasi bato bamilukelaka mindondo bango moko. »
Lo, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
