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;
to know wisdom and instruction; to discern the words of understanding;
3 mpo na kozwa mateya ya bwanya oyo epesaka bizaleli ya sembo, ya boyengebene mpe makambo ya alima;
to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 mpo na kopesa mayele epai ya bazoba, mpe boyebi epai ya bilenge.
to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young man—
5 Tika ete moto ya bwanya ayoka yango, mpe akobakisa bwanya na ye, bongo moto ya mayele akoyeba mayele ya kotambolisa bato;
that the wise man may hear, and increase in learning; that the man of understanding may attain to sound counsel;
6 mpo na kososola masese mpe sambole, maloba ya bwanya mpe kolimbola makambo.
to understand a proverb and parables, the words and riddles of the wise.
7 Kotosa Yawe ezali mosisa ya mayele; bato oyo bazangi mayele batiolaka bwanya mpe toli.
The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but the foolish 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, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching;
9 Pamba te ekozala lokola ekoti ya ngolu na moto na yo, mpe lokola mayaka ya kitoko na kingo na yo.
for they will be a garland to grace your head, and chains around your neck.
10 Mwana na ngai ya mobali, soki bato ya masumu balingi kokweyisa yo, komitika te.
My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
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’s lie in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for 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’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who 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’ll find all valuable wealth. We’ll fill our houses with plunder.
14 okozwa ndambo na yo epai na biso, pamba te biso nyonso tokosangisa biloko na biso esika moko; »
You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll 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, don’t walk on the path with them. Keep your 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. They hurry to shed blood.
17 Solo, ezali pamba kotia monyama liboso ya miso ya bikelamu nyonso oyo ezali na mapapu.
For the net is spread in vain in the sight of any bird;
18 Kasi bango, batiaka mitambo mpo na kosopa makila na bango moko, bamilukelaka pasi na bomoi na bango.
but these lay 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.
So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain. It takes away the life of its owners.
20 Bwanya azali koganga na libanda, atomboli mongongo na ye na bisika oyo bato ebele bakutanaka;
Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
21 azali koganga na bisika ya loyenge mpe azali koloba liboso ya ekuke ya engumba:
She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
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 simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
23 Soki boyoki makebisi na Ngai, nakosopela bino Molimo na Ngai mpe nakososolisa bino maloba na Ngai.
Turn at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on 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 you have refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
25 lokola bobwakaki toli na Ngai mpe boboyaki kondima pamela na Ngai,
but you have ignored all my counsel, and wanted none of my reproof;
26 Ngai mpe nakoseka bino tango pasi ekoyela bino, nakotiola bino tango minyoko ekokomela bino,
I also will laugh at your disaster. I will mock when calamity overtakes 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 calamity overtakes you like a storm, when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come on 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 seek me diligently, but they will not find me,
29 Lokola bayinaki boyebi mpe baponaki te nzela ya kotosa Yawe,
because they hated knowledge, and didn’t choose the fear of Yahweh.
30 lokola baboyaki kondima toli na Ngai mpe batiolaki pamela na Ngai,
They wanted 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.
Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own schemes.
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 backsliding of the simple will kill them. The careless ease 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 securely, and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”
