2 Bakolinto 12
1 Boni, nasengeli komikumisa? Te, ezali na tina te! Kasi tika nayebisa bino makambo oyo namonaki lokola na ndoto, mpe bimoniseli oyo Nkolo alakisaki ngai.
I must boast! It is unprofitable; but I will pass to visions and revelations given by the Lord.
2 Nayebi moto moko kati na Klisto, oyo, wuta mibu zomi na minei, amemamaki kino na likolo ya misato: nayebi te soki ezalaki kati na nzoto na ye to mpe kati na nzoto na ye te, kasi Nzambe ayebi.
I know a man in union with Christ, who, fourteen years ago – whether in the body or out of the body I do not know; God knows – was caught up (this man of whom I am speaking) to the third heaven.
3 Nzokande, ezala soki ezalaki kati na nzoto na ye to mpe kati na nzoto na ye te, Nzambe ayebi yango; kasi ngai nayebi kaka ete moto yango
And I know that this man – whether in the body or separated from the body I do not know; God knows –
4 amemamaki na paradizo mpe ayokaki maloba oyo moto akoki kolimbola te, makambo oyo moto azali na ndingisa te ya koloba.
Was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable things of which no human being may tell.
5 Nakomikumisa solo na tina na moto ya ndenge wana, kasi na tina na ngai moko te, longola kaka na tina na bolembu na ngai.
About such a man I will boast, but about myself I will not boast except as regards my weaknesses.
6 Nzokande, soki nalingaki komikumisa, nalingaki kozala zoba te, pamba te nalingaki koloba kaka bosolo; kasi naboyi kosala yango, noki te bakopesa ngai lokumu koleka oyo bato bamonaka kati na ngai to koleka sango oyo bayokaka na tina na ngai.
Yet if I choose to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will be speaking no more than the truth. But I refrain, in case anyone should credit me with more than he can see in me or hear from me, and because of the marvellous character of the revelations.
7 Kutu, mpo ete namitondisa na lofundu te na tina na bimoniseli ya kokamwa oyo nazwaki, batiaki ngai nzube moko kati na nzoto, anjelu ya Satana mpo na konyokola ngai.
It was for this reason, and to prevent my thinking too highly of myself, that a thorn was sent to pierce my flesh – an instrument of Satan to discipline me – so that I should not think too highly of myself.
8 Mpo na yango, nabondelaki Nkolo mbala misato mpo ete nzube yango elongwa na nzoto na ngai.
About this I three times entreated the Lord, praying that it might leave me.
9 Kasi azongiselaki ngai: « Ngolu na Ngai ekoki mpo na yo, pamba te nguya na Ngai ekokisamaka kati na bolembu. » Mpo na yango, nakomikumisa na esengo nyonso mpo na bolembu na ngai, mpo ete nguya ya Klisto ezala kati na ngai.
But his reply has been – “My help is enough for you; for my strength attains its perfection in the midst of weakness.” Most gladly, then, will I boast all the more of my weaknesses, so that the strength of the Christ may overshadow me.
10 Yango wana, na likambo oyo etali Klisto, ezala kati na bolembu, na kofingama, na kozanga, na minyoko to mpe na pasi oyo nakutanaka na yango, nasepelaka na ngai kaka; pamba te ezali na tango oyo nazalaka na bolembu nde natondaka na makasi.
That is why I delight in weakness, ill treatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties, when borne for Christ. For, when I am weak, then it is that I am strong!
11 Tala, nazali koloba lokola moto ya liboma, pamba te bino nde botindiki ngai kosala bongo. Pamba te ata soki nazali moto pamba, kasi bantoma oyo bamimonaka minene baleki ngai ata na eloko moko te.
I have been ‘playing the fool!’ It is you who drove me to it. For it is you who ought to have been commending me! Although I am nobody, in no respect did I prove inferior to the most eminent apostles.
12 Bilembo oyo elakisaka ete nazali ntoma emonisamaki kati na bino: molende, bilembo ya kokamwa mpe bikamwa.
The marks of the true apostle were exhibited among you in constant endurance, as well as by signs, by marvels, and by miracles.
13 Eloko nini penza bino bozwaki te koleka Mangomba mosusu, longola kaka kozanga komemisa bino mokumba na ngai? Boye, bolimbisa ngai mpo na mabe yango!
In what respect, I ask, were you treated worse than the other churches, unless it was that, for my part, I refused to become a burden to you? Forgive me the wrong I did to you!
14 Sik’oyo, nasali mabongisi ya koya kotala bino mpo na mbala ya misato; mpe nakomemisa bino mokumba na ngai te, pamba te nazali koluka biloko na bino te, kasi nazali nde koluka bino moko. Kobomba biloko mpo na baboti ezali likambo ya bana na bango te, kasi ezali baboti nde basengeli kobomba biloko mpo na bana na bango.
Remember, this is the third time that I have made every preparation to come to see you, and I will refuse to be a burden to you; I want, not your money, but you. It is not the duty of children to put by for their parents, but of parents to put by for their children.
15 Mpo na ngai, nakopesa biloko na ngai nyonso na esengo, mpe nakomipesa mobimba mpo na bino. Soki nalingi bino mingi; boni, bino bokoki kolinga ngai mingi te?
For my part, I will most gladly spend, and be spent, for your welfare. Can it be that the more intensely I love you the less I am to be loved?
16 Atako nazalaki mokumba te epai na bino, kasi bato mosusu bazalaki koloba ete nazali moto ya mayele mabe, natielaki bino motambo.
You will admit that I was not a burden to you but you say that I was ‘crafty’ and caught you ‘by a trick’!
17 Boni, kati na bato oyo natindaki epai na bino, ezali na moko oyo natindaki mpo na kozwa bino biloko na mayele mabe?
Do you assert that I took advantage of you through any of those whom I have sent to you?
18 Nasengaki na Tito ete aya epai na bino, mpe natindaki elongo na ye ndeko na biso. Boni, Tito azwaki biloko na bino na mayele mabe? Tozalaki na ye likanisi moko te? Tazalaki kosala na ye ndenge moko te?
I urged Titus to go, and I sent another follower with him. Did Titus take any advantage of you? Didn’t we live in the same Spirit, and tread in the same footsteps?
19 Bokanisi ete, wuta kala, biso tolukaka komilongisa liboso na bino? Te, balingami na ngai! Ezali liboso ya Nzambe, kati na Klisto, nde tolobaka mpe tosalaka makambo nyonso mpo na kokolisa kondima na bino.
Have you all this time been fancying that it is to you that we are making our defence? No, it is in the sight of God, and in union with Christ, that we are speaking. And all this, dear friends, is to build up your characters;
20 Pamba te nazali kobanga ete nakuta bino te na lolenge oyo ngai nazali kolinga ete bozala, tango nakoya epai na bino, mpe ete bino bomona ngai te na lolenge oyo bozali kolinga ete nazala. Nazali kobanga kokuta kati na bino koswana, zuwa, kanda, kowelana, kofingana, kotongana, lofundu mpe mobulu.
for I am afraid that perhaps, when I come, I may find that you are not what I want you to be, and, on the other hand, that you may find that I am what you do not want me to be. I am afraid that I may find quarrelling, jealousy, ill feeling, rivalry, slandering, backbiting, self-assertion, and disorder.
21 Solo, nazali kobanga lisusu ete, tango nakoya lisusu epai na bino, Nzambe ayokisa ngai soni liboso na bino, mpe ete nalela mpo na bato ebele oyo basalaki masumu liboso kasi babongwani te na misala na bango ya mbindo, na kindumba mpe na ekobo oyo basalaka.
I am afraid that, on my next visit, my God may humble me in regard to you, and that I may have to mourn over many who have long been sinning, and have not repented of the impurity, immorality, and sensuality, in which they have indulged.
