Misala ya Bantoma 22
1 — Bandeko mpe batata, boyoka sik’oyo ndenge nini nalingi komilongisa.
MEN, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my apology which I now offer unto you.
2 Tango bayokaki Polo koloba na lokota ya Arami, bavandaki lisusu kimia koleka. Bongo, Polo alobaki:
Then when they heard that he spoke unto them in the Hebrew tongue, they kept the more silence: and he said,
3 — Nazali Moyuda, nabotama na Tarse kati na Silisi, kasi nakoli kaka awa, na engumba oyo ya Yelusalemi. Gamalieli nde azalaki molakisi na ngai; ye nde ateyaki ngai na bosolo nyonso Mobeko ya bakoko na biso. Nazalaki na bolingo makasi mpo na Nzambe, ndenge bino nyonso bozali na yango lelo.
I am indeed a Jewish man, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but educated in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, instructed accurately in the law of our fathers, being zealous for God, as ye all are this day:
4 Nanyokolaki bato oyo bazalaki kolanda Nzela oyo kino koboma bango, nazalaki kokanga mibali mpe basi, mpe kobwaka bango na boloko.
so much so that I persecuted this way unto death, binding and delivering up to prisons both men and women.
5 Mokonzi ya Banganga-Nzambe mpe lisanga mobimba ya bakambi bakoki kotatola bosolo ya makambo oyo nazali koloba. Bango nde kutu bapesaki ngai mikanda mpo ete nakende kopesa na bandeko na bango ya Damasi. Boye, nakendeki kuna mpo na kokanga bato mpe komema bango na Yelusalemi, mpo ete bapesa bango etumbu.
As also the high-priest will bear me witness, and all the body of elders: from whom also having received letters unto the brethren, I went unto Damascus, to bring those who were there in chains unto Jerusalem, that they might be punished.
6 Wana nazalaki na nzela mpe nakomaki pene ya Damasi, na ngonga pene ya midi, namonaki mbala moko pole makasi kowuta na Likolo mpe kongengela ngai.
But as I went and drew nigh to Damascus, at noon-day, suddenly there shone a great light from heaven around me.
7 Nakweyaki na mabele mpe nayokaki mongongo moko koloba na ngai: « Saulo, Saulo, mpo na nini ozali konyokola Ngai? »
And I fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
8 Natunaki: « Nkolo, yo nani? » Alobaki na ngai: « Nazali Yesu ya Nazareti, oyo yo ozali konyokola. »
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus the Nazarean, whom thou persecutest.
9 Bato oyo bazalaki na ngai elongo bamonaki pole yango, kasi bayokaki te mongongo ya moto oyo azalaki koloba na ngai.
Now they who were with me saw the light indeed, and were terrified; but the voice of him that spake to me heard they not.
10 Natunaki: « Nkolo, nasala nini? » Nkolo alobaki na ngai: « Telema, kende na Damasi; kuna, bakoyebisa yo makambo nyonso oyo osengeli kosala. »
Then I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord said to me, Arise, go into Damascus; and there information shall be given thee of all things which are ordained for thee to do.
11 Baninga na ngai basimbaki ngai na loboko mpe bamemaki ngai kino na Damasi, pamba te kongenga ya pole wana ebomaki ngai miso.
Then as I could no longer see through the dazzling brightness of that light, led by the hand of those who were with me, I came to Damascus.
12 Ezalaki na moto moko kuna, kombo na ye ezalaki « Ananiasi. » Azalaki kotosa makambo ya Nzambe ndenge Mobeko ezalaki kotinda, mpe azalaki na lokumu mingi na miso ya Bayuda nyonso ya engumba wana.
And one Ananias, a religious man according to the law, and in high repute with all the Jews dwelling there,
13 Ayaki kokutana na ngai mpe alobaki: « Ndeko na ngai, Saulo, mona lisusu. » Mpe kaka na tango yango, nazwaki lisusu makoki ya komona mpe namonaki ye.
came to me, and standing by me, said, Brother Saul, recover sight. And the same hour I looked up at him.
14 Bongo alobaki na ngai: « Nzambe ya bakoko na biso apona yo wuta kala mpo ete oyeba mokano na Ye, omona Moto na sembo mpe oyoka mongongo na Ye.
And he said, The God of our fathers hath predestinated thee to know his will, and to see the Just One, and to hear a voice from his mouth.
15 Okozala motatoli na Ye liboso ya bato nyonso, mpo na koyebisa bango makambo nyonso oyo osili komona mpe koyoka.
For thou shalt be a witness for him to all men, of the things which thou hast seen and heard.
16 Mpo na nini ozali kolekisa tango? Telema, zwa libatisi mpe belela Kombo ya Nkolo mpo ete opetolama na masumu na yo. »
And now why delay? arise, to be baptised, and wash away thy sins, calling upon the name of the Lord.
17 Sima na ngai kozonga na Yelusalemi, wana nazalaki kosambela na Tempelo, nakweyaki na Molimo
Now it came to pass, that, when I had returned to Jerusalem, and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance;
18 mpe nayokaki Nkolo koloba na ngai: « Sala noki, bima na Yelusalemi, pamba te bato na yango bakondima te litatoli oyo okoloba na tina na Ngai. »
and beheld him saying to me, Make haste, and depart quickly from Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony of me.
19 Nazongisaki: « Nkolo, bato wana bayebi malamu ete nazalaki kotambola na bandako ya mayangani mpo na kobwaka na boloko mpe kobetisa fimbu, bato oyo bazalaki kondimela Yo.
And I said, Lord, they know that I was imprisoning and scourging from synagogue to synagogue those who believe on thee:
20 Tango basopaki makila ya Etieni, motatoli na Yo, ngai mpe nazalaki wana, nandimaki makambo oyo esalemaki mpe nazalaki kokengela bilamba ya bato oyo babomaki ye. »
and when the blood of Stephen thy martyr was shed, I myself even stood by, and took delight in his execution, and guarded the garments of those who slew him.
21 Kasi Nkolo azongiselaki ngai: « Kende, nakotinda yo mosika, epai ya bato ya bikolo ya bapaya. »
And he said to me, Go: for I will send thee forth to the Gentiles afar off.
22 Bato bayokaki Polo kino tango alobaki maloba wana. Boye, batombolaki mingongo na bango mpe bagangaki: — Bolongola ye na mokili! Asengeli te kozala na bomoi!
And they gave him audience to this sentence, and lifted up their voice, saying, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that he should live.
23 Lokola bazalaki koganga makasi mpe kobwaka bilamba na bango mpe putulu na likolo,
So when they began raising a vast clamour, and stripping off their garments, and casting dust into the air,
24 mokonzi ya basoda apesaki mitindo ete bakotisa Polo kati na lopango ya basoda mpe babeta ye fimbu, mpo ete aloba polele tina nini Bayuda bazali koganga bongo mpo na ye.
the military tribune commanded him to be brought into the fortress, ordering that he should be put to the question by scourging; that he might know for what cause they clamoured so loudly against him.
25 Wana bazalaki kokanga Polo basinga, Polo atunaki mokonzi oyo azalaki wana: — Boni, mibeko epesi penza ndingisa ya kobeta moto ya Rome fimbu, wana bosambisi ye nanu te?
So as they were tying him up for the thongs, Paul said to the centurion standing by him, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man who is a Roman citizen, and uncondemned?
26 Tango mokonzi ayokaki bongo, akendeki koyebisa mokonzi ya basoda: — Okosala nini? Tata oyo azali moto ya Rome.
And when the centurion heard this, he came and told the military tribune, saying, Consider what you are going to do: for this man is a Roman citizen.
27 Mbala moko, mokonzi ya basoda akendeki epai ya Polo mpe atunaki ye: — Yebisa ngai solo, ozali penza moto ya Rome? Azongisaki: — Iyo, ezali bongo!
Then the tribune came, and said to him, Tell me, art thou a Roman citizen? And he said, Yes.
28 Mokonzi ya basoda alobaki: — Nafutaki mbongo mingi mpo na kozwa makoki ya kokoma moto ya Rome. Polo azongisaki: — Kasi ngai, nazali moto ya Rome ya kobotama.
And the tribune replied, With a large sum of money I purchased this citizenship. And Paul said, But I enjoy it as my birthright.
29 Mbala moko, bato oyo balingaki kobeta ye fimbu batikaki ye. Mokonzi ya basoda akomaki kobanga tango asosolaki ete tata oyo ye akangaki minyololo azali penza moto ya Rome.
Immediately then they who were about to put him to the question, withdrew from him: and indeed the tribune dreaded the consequences, when he knew that he was a Roman citizen, that he had even gone so far as to bind him.
30 Mokolo oyo elandaki, lokola mokonzi ya basoda azalaki na posa ya koyeba malamu tina oyo Bayuda bafundelaki Polo, apesaki mitindo ete bafungola Polo minyololo; mpe abengisaki bakonzi ya Banganga-Nzambe mpe bato ya Likita-Monene mpo ete basala mayangani. Bongo amemaki Polo mpe atiaki ye liboso na bango.
So on the morrow, desirous to know of a certainty what it was of which he was accused by the Jews, he loosed him from the bonds, and commanded the high-priest and all the sanhedrim to appear, and bringing Paul down, set him before them.
