1 Bakolinto 13
1 Soki nalobi nkota ya bato to ya ba-anjelu, kasi nazangi bolingo, nazali kaka lokola ngonga oyo ezali kobeta to lokola manzanza oyo ezali kotia makelele.
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 Soki nazali na likabo ya kosakola, ya kososola mabombami nyonso mpe ya koyeba makambo nyonso; mpe soki nazali na kondima oyo ekoki kolongola bangomba, kasi nazangi bolingo, nazali pamba.
If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.
3 Soki napesi biloko na ngai nyonso epai ya babola, mpe nakabi nzoto na ngai mpo ete batumba yango, kasi nazangi bolingo, nakozwa ata litomba moko te.
If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Bolingo ekangaka motema, bolingo etondi na boboto. Bolingo elulaka te, emikumisaka te, emitondisaka na lolendo te,
Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
5 ebebisaka lokumu ya bato mosusu te, elukaka bolamu na yango moko te, esilikaka te, ebosanaka mabe.
doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6 Bolingo eyokaka mawa liboso ya bozangi bosembo, kasi esepelaka na bosolo.
doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 Tango nyonso mpe na makambo nyonso, bolingo elimbisaka, endimaka, ezalaka na elikya, eyikaka mpiko.
bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
8 Bolingo ekotikala kokufa te. Kasi masakoli ekokatana, nkota ekosila, boyebi ekolimwa.
Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
9 Pamba te toyebaka kaka moke, mpe tosakolaka kaka moke.
For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10 Kasi tango kokokisama ekokoma, oyo ezali moke ekolimwa.
but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
11 Tango nazalaki mwana moke, nazalaki koloba lokola mwana moke, nazalaki kokanisa lokola mwana moke, mpe nazalaki na mayele lokola ya mwana moke; kasi tango nakomaki mokolo, natikaki oyo ekoki na mwana moke.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things.
12 Solo, sik’oyo, tozali komona kaka elilingi, lokola kati na talatala; kasi mokolo ezali, mokolo oyo tokomona penza ndenge esengeli. Sik’oyo nayebi kaka moke; kasi mokolo ezali, mokolo oyo nakoyeba penza nyonso, ndenge Nzambe ayebi ngai.
For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known.
13 Boye sik’oyo, makambo oyo misato ezali kowumela: kondima, elikya mpe bolingo; kasi kati na yango, likambo oyo eleki monene ezali nde bolingo.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.
