Zephaniah 3
1 Terrible things will [also] happen [to Jerusalem], that city whose people have rebelled [against Yahweh] and who have become unacceptable to him [because of the sins that they have committed]. [They act violently toward others] and they (oppress/treat cruelly) [other people].
Mawa na engumba ya batomboki, engumba ya makambo ya mbindo, mpe engumba oyo enyokolaka bato!
2 [The people there] do not pay attention to people who tell them [the wrong things that they are doing] and [try to] (correct them/cause them to quit doing those things). [The people in Jerusalem] do not trust in Yahweh or draw near to ask help from their God.
Etosaka moto te, endimaka pamela te, etiaka elikya na Yawe te, epusanaka pene ya Nzambe na yango te.
3 Their leaders are [like] [MET] roaring lions; they are [like] [MET] wolves that [attack other animals] during the evening, [and eat everything that they kill], with the result that the next morning there is nothing left [of those animals to eat].
Bakalaka na yango bazali lokola bankosi oyo ezali koganga; bakambi na yango bazali lokola bambwa ya zamba oyo esalaka bokila na pokwa, bongo etikaka ata eloko moko te na tongo.
4 The prophets in Jerusalem are proud, [and they give messages that are] not to be trusted. Their priests cause the temple to be unholy by doing things that are opposed to the laws [of Moses].
Basakoli na yango bazali bato ya lolendo mpe ya lokuta. Banganga-Nzambe na yango babebisaka Esika ya bule mpe batosaka mibeko te.
5 But Yahweh is [also] in the city; and he never does what is wrong. He treats people justly/fairly; he does that every day, but wicked people are never ashamed [about their doing what is wrong].
Kati na engumba yango, Yawe azali sembo, asalaka mabe te; mokolo na mokolo, alakisaka bosembo na Ye mpe azangaka te kokokisa yango tongo na tongo. Nzokande, moto oyo atambolaka na bosembo te amonaka likambo ya soni te.
6 [Yahweh says this]: “I have destroyed [many] nations; I have destroyed their strong/high city walls and towers. [Now] I have caused the streets in those cities to be completely deserted [DOU]; the cities are ruined. There are no people [still alive] in the cities; they are all dead [LIT].
Nabomi bato ya bikolo mosusu, bandako na bango ya makasi ebebisami. Nasali ete babalabala na bango etikala lisusu na bato te mpo ete moto moko te alekela lisusu wana. Bingumba na bango ebebisami, ata moto moko te atikali lisusu kuna.
7 [So] I thought [to myself], ‘[Because of what I have done to those other nations], surely the people [of Jerusalem] will revere me [now], and they will accept (my correcting them/my telling them to quit doing what is wrong). [If they do that, I] will not destroy their houses; I will not punish them like I said that I would do.’ But [in spite of knowing how I punished those other nations], they were still eager to get up early each morning and continue to do evil things.
Namilobelaki boye na tina na engumba oyo: « Solo, okobanga Ngai mpe okondima pamela na Ngai! » Boye bandako na yango ekobukana lisusu te, mpe nakotindela yango lisusu etumbu moko te. Kasi atako bongo, bakobaki kaka kosala misala na bango ya mabe.
8 Therefore I, Yahweh, say, ‘Wait for the day in which I will testify [in court about your evil things].’ I have decided to gather the people of the kingdoms [of the earth] [DOU] and cause them to know that I am very angry with them. All [over] the earth I will punish and destroy people; my being angry with them because I (am jealous/want people to worship no other god) is [like] [MET] a (raging/very hot) fire.
Yango wana, « bozela Ngai, » elobi Yawe, « bozela Ngai na mokolo oyo nakoya mpo na kosamba elongo na bino; nazwaki mokano ya kosangisa bato ya bikolo nyonso mpe ya mikili nyonso mpo na kosopela bango kanda na Ngai, makasi nyonso penza ya kanda na Ngai: mokili mobimba ekozika na moto ya nguya ya kanda na Ngai.
9 When that happens, I will cause [all] people [MTY] to be changed and enable them to speak [only] what is (pure/pleasing to me), in order that everyone can worship me [MTY] and unitedly/together serve me [MTY].
Boye nakopetola bibebu ya bato ya bikolo mpo ete bango nyonso bazala ya kokoka mpo na kobelela Kombo ya Yawe mpe kosalela Ye na motema mobimba.
10 [Then] my people who [were forced to go to other countries], those who live along the upper part of the [Nile] River in Ethiopia will come to me and bring offerings to me.
Longwa na likolo ya bibale ya Kushi, bato na Ngai, oyo bagumbamelaka Ngai; bato na Ngai, oyo bapalangana bipai na bipai, bakomemela Ngai makabo.
11 At that time, you [people in Jerusalem] will no [longer] be ashamed [about what has happened to you], because you no longer will be rebelling against me. I will get rid of all the people among you who are very proud [DOU]. No one on [Zion], my holy hill, will [strut around] proudly.
Na mokolo wana, oh bato na Ngai, bokoyokisama lisusu soni te mpo na mabe nyonso oyo bosalaki Ngai, pamba te nakolongola bato oyo bamimatisaka na lolendo kati na bino. Boye bokomitombola lisusu te na lolendo na ngomba na Ngai ya bule.
12 Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
Kasi kati na bino, nakotika bato oyo bakelela, bato oyo batambolaka na komikitisa, bato oyo bakozwa ebombamelo kati na Kombo na Yawe.
13 Those people who are still alive [there] in Israel will not do [things that are] wrong; they will not tell lies or deceive [MTY] people. They will eat and sleep [safely], [because] no one will cause them to be afraid.”
Batikali ya Isalaele bakosala lisusu mabe te, bakokosa lisusu te to lokuta ekozala lisusu te kati na minoko na bango. Bakolia mpe bakolala na kimia, mpe moto moko te akobangisa bango lisusu.
14 You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
Siona, mboka kitoko, yemba nzembo! Isalaele, ganga makasi! Yelusalemi, mboka kitoko, sepela; mpe tika ete motema na yo etonda na esengo!
15 [because] Yahweh will stop punishing [MTY] you, and he will send away from you [the armies of] your enemies! And Yahweh [himself], the king of [us] Israeli people, will live among us, and never again will we be afraid that [others will] harm us.
Yawe alongoli etumbu na yo mpe akimisi banguna na yo. Yawe, Mokonzi ya Isalaele, azali elongo na yo; kobanga lisusu pasi moko te.
16 At that time, [other people] will say to us people of Jerusalem, “[You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, do not be afraid; do not become afraid or discouraged,
Na mokolo wana, bakoloba na Yelusalemi: ‹ Oh Siona, kobanga te! Tika ete maboko na yo elemba te!
17 [because] Yahweh your God is [living] among you. He is mighty, and he will rescue/save you. He will be very happy with you; because he loves you, he will cause you to not be afraid; he will sing loudly to rejoice over you.”
Yawe, Nzambe na yo, azali elongo na yo, azali Elombe Mobikisi. Akosepela na yo makasi mpe akopemisa yo, na bolingo na Ye; akoyemba banzembo ya esengo na tina na yo. ›
18 [Yahweh says, ] “You people were sad and ashamed because [you were unable to attend] your religious festivals; but I will cause you to no longer be disgraced.
Lokola na mikolo ya bafeti oyo ekatama, nakolongola pasi kati na yo mpo ete ozala lisusu na soni te.
19 Truly, I will [severely] punish all those who (oppressed you/caused you to suffer). I will rescue those who are helpless and those who were forced to go to other countries. I will enable them to be praised and honored in every country to which they were (exiled/forced to go), places where they were disgraced.
Na tango wana, nakobeta bato nyonso oyo banyokolaki yo, nakosunga moto oyo atambolaka tengu-tengu mpe nakosangisa bato oyo bapanzana bipai na bipai. Nakopesa bango lokumu mpe nakosala ete sango na bango epanzana na mikili nyonso epai wapi basambwisaki bango.
20 At that time, I will gather you together and bring you [back] home [to Israel]. I will cause you to (have a good reputation/be honored) and be [greatly] praised among all the nations of the earth. You [MTY] will see me causing you to prosper again. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
Na tango wana, nakosangisa bino, nakozongisa bino na mokili na bino. Nakopesa bino lokumu mpe nakosala ete sango na bino epanzana kati na bato ya bikolo nyonso ya mokili tango, na miso na bino, nakozongisa bato na bino, oyo bakendeki na bowumbu, » elobi Yawe.
