Ebandeli 43
1 Nzala makasi ekotaki kati na mokili.
The famine was severe in the land.
2 Tango libota ya Jakobi baliaki biloko nyonso oyo bamemaki wuta na Ejipito, Jakobi alobaki na bana na ye: — Bozonga kuna kosomba ndambo ya biloko.
When they had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of Egypt, their father said to them, “Go again, buy us a little more food.”
3 Yuda azongisaki: — Moto wana alobaki na biso ete tozonga kuna te soki ndeko na biso azali elongo na biso te.
Judah spoke to him, saying, “The man solemnly warned us, saying, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’
4 Soki otiki ndeko na biso kokende elongo na biso, wana tokokende na Ejipito mpe tokosombela yo biloko.
If you’ll send our brother with us, we’ll go down and buy you food;
5 Kasi soki otiki ye te, biso mpe tokokende te; pamba te moto wana ayebisaki biso malamu: « Bokotelema liboso na ngai te soki ndeko na bino azali te. »
but if you don’t send him, we won’t go down, for the man said to us, ‘You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.’”
6 Isalaele azongisaki: — Mpo na nini bosali ngai mabe boye? Mpo na nini boyebisaki moto wana ete bozali na ndeko mosusu?
Israel said, “Why did you treat me so badly, telling the man that you had another brother?”
7 Bazongisaki: — Moto yango atunaki biso malamu makambo oyo etali biso moko mpe libota na biso. Atunaki biso: « Tata na bino azali nanu na bomoi? Bozali na ndeko mosusu ya mobali? » Mpe biso topesaki eyano na mituna na ye. Tokokaki te koyeba ete akoloba na biso: « Boya na ndeko na bino ya mobali awa. »
They said, “The man asked directly concerning ourselves, and concerning our relatives, saying, ‘Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?’ We just answered his questions. Is there any way we could know that he would say, ‘Bring your brother down’?”
8 Yuda ayebisaki tata na ye Isalaele: — Tata, tika Benjame akende elongo na ngai. Tokotelema mpe tokokende mpo ete biso elongo na yo mpe bana na biso, tozala na bomoi, kasi tokufa te na nzala.
Judah said to Israel, his father, “Send the boy with me, and we’ll get up and go, so that we may live, and not die, both we, and you, and also our little ones.
9 Nandimi kobatela ye; boye okotuna ye na maboko na ngai. Soki nazongiseli yo ye te mpe namemi ye liboso na yo te, tika ete nazala na ngambo epai na yo bomoi na ngai mobimba.
I’ll be collateral for him. From my hand will you require him. If I don’t bring him to you, and set him before you, then let me bear the blame forever;
10 Soki towumelaki te, tokokaki kozonga mbala ya mibale.
for if we hadn’t delayed, surely we would have returned a second time by now.”
11 Tata na bango Isalaele alobaki na bango: — Soki esengeli kozala bongo, wana bosala boye: botia na basaki na bino biloko oyo eleki kitoko kati na mokili mpe bopesa yango lokola kado epai ya moto wana: ndambo ya mafuta ya solo kitoko, ndambo ya mafuta ya nzoyi, biloko ya mike-mike ya solo kitoko, lodanumi, pisitashi mpe bambuma ya amande.
Their father, Israel, said to them, “If it must be so, then do this: Take from the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry down a present for the man, a little balm, a little honey, spices and myrrh, nuts, and almonds;
12 Bozwa mbala mibale motuya ya mbongo oyo ezalaki kati na basaki na bino mpe bozongisa mbongo oyo bokutaki na basaki na bino; tango mosusu ezalaki libunga.
and take double money in your hand, and take back the money that was returned in the mouth of your sacks. Perhaps it was an oversight.
13 Bozwa ndeko na bino ya mobali, botelema mpe bozonga epai ya moto wana.
Take your brother also, get up, and return to the man.
14 Tika ete Nzambe-Na-Nguya-Nyonso ayokela bino mawa tango bokotelema liboso ya moto wana, mpo ete bokoka kozwa ndeko na bino mosusu, mpe Benjame azonga elongo na bino. Kasi mpo na ngai, soki nakozanga bana, malamu nazanga bango!
May God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may release to you your other brother and Benjamin. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.”
15 Boye bato yango bazwaki bakado; bazwaki lisusu mbala mibale motuya ya mbongo oyo ezalaki na basaki na bango mpe Benjame. Bakendeki na Ejipito mpe bamilakisaki na miso ya Jozefi.
The men took that present, and they took double money in their hand, and Benjamin; and got up, went down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.
16 Tango Jozefi amonaki Benjame elongo na bango, alobaki na moto oyo azalaki na mokumba ya kobatela bozwi na ye: « Mema bato oyo na ndako na ngai; boboma nyama moko mpe bolamba yango mpo ete bato oyo bakolia elongo na ngai na midi. »
When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, and butcher an animal, and prepare; for the men will dine with me at noon.”
17 Moto yango asalaki ndenge kaka Jozefi alobaki na ye mpe amemaki bango na ndako ya Jozefi.
The man did as Joseph commanded, and the man brought the men to Joseph’s house.
18 Bato yango babangaki makasi tango bamemaki bango na ndako ya Jozefi mpe bazalaki kolobana bango na bango: — Bamemi biso awa likolo ya mbongo oyo batiaki na basaki na biso, na mbala ya liboso. Bakokweya likolo na biso, bakolonga biso, bakokanga biso lokola bawumbu mpe bakozwa ba-ane na biso.
The men were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s house; and they said, “Because of the money that was returned in our sacks the first time, we’re brought in; that he may seek occasion against us, attack us, and seize us as slaves, along with our donkeys.”
19 Bapusanaki pembeni ya moto oyo azalaki na mokumba ya kobatela bozwi ya ndako ya Jozefi mpe balobaki na ye na ekuke ya ndako:
They came near to the steward of Joseph’s house, and they spoke to him at the door of the house,
20 — Limbisa biso, nkolo na ngai! Toyaki mbala ya liboso mpo na kosomba biloko ya kolia;
and said, “Oh, my lord, we indeed came down the first time to buy food.
21 kasi tango totelemaki na esika ya kolekisa butu, tofungolaki basaki na biso; mpe moko na moko kati na biso amonaki mbongo na ye kati na saki na ye ndenge kaka ezalaki, yango wana tozongi na yango.
When we came to the lodging place, we opened our sacks, and behold, each man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money in full weight. We have brought it back in our hand.
22 Tomemi mbongo mosusu mpo na kosomba biloko ya kolia, toyebi te nani azongisaki mbongo na biso na basaki na biso.
We have brought down other money in our hand to buy food. We don’t know who put our money in our sacks.”
23 Alobaki na bango: — Malamu! Bobanga te. Ezali Nzambe na bino, Nzambe ya tata na bino, nde atiaki bomengo kati na basaki na bino. Kasi mpo na mbongo na bino, ngai nazwaki yango. Sima, amemelaki bango Simeoni.
He said, “Peace be to you. Don’t be afraid. Your God, and the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks. I received your money.” He brought Simeon out to them.
24 Moto yango akotisaki bango na ndako ya Jozefi, apesaki bango mayi ya kosukola makolo mpe abongisaki bilei mpo na ba-ane na bango.
The man brought the men into Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed their feet. He gave their donkeys fodder.
25 Babongisaki bakado na bango mpo na boyei ya Jozefi na midi, pamba te bayokaki ete bakolia kuna.
They prepared the present for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they heard that they should eat bread there.
26 Tango Jozefi ayaki na ndako, bapesaki ye bakado oyo bamemaki na ndako mpe bagumbamaki liboso na ye mito na se.
When Joseph came home, they brought him the present which was in their hand into the house, and bowed themselves down to the earth before him.
27 Atunaki bango: — Boni, bozali malamu? Abakisaki: — Boni tata na bino ya mobange oyo boyebisaki ngai, azali malamu?
He asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he yet alive?”
28 Bazongisaki: — Mosali na yo, tata na biso, azali nanu na bomoi mpe azali malamu. Bakitisaki mito mpe bagumbamaki liboso na ye.
They said, “Your servant, our father, is well. He is still alive.” They bowed down humbly.
29 Tango Jozefi atombolaki miso, amonaki Benjame, ndeko na ye ya mobali, mwana ya mama na ye. Atunaki: — Ye wana nde ndeko na bino ya suka oyo boyebisaki ngai? Abakisaki: — Tika ete Nzambe atalisa yo ngolu na Ye.
He lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin, his brother, his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me?” He said, “God be gracious to you, my son.”
30 Jozefi ayokaki pasi makasi na motema tango amonaki ndeko na ye, akimaki mbangu na libanda mpe alukaki esika mpo na kolela. Akotaki na shambre na ye mpe alelaki kuna.
Joseph hurried, for his heart yearned over his brother; and he sought a place to weep. He entered into his room, and wept there.
31 Tango asilisaki kosukola elongi na ye, abimaki libanda, akangaki motema mpe alobaki: — Botia biloko ya kolia na mesa.
He washed his face, and came out. He controlled himself, and said, “Serve the meal.”
32 Batielaki Jozefi bilei na mesa na ye moko, bandeko na ye mpe na mesa na bango; bongo bato ya Ejipito oyo bazalaki kolia na ye esika moko, bango mpe na mesa na bango, pamba te bato ya Ejipito bakokaki te kolia esika moko na Ba-Ebre, pamba te ezalaki ekila mpo na bato ya Ejipito.
They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians don’t eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.
33 Bavandisaki bango, kobanda na mwana ya liboso kino na oyo ya suka, bazalaki kotalana bango na bango na kokamwa.
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
34 Jozefi apesaki bango biloko oyo ewutaki na mesa na ye; mpe Benjame azwaki mbala mitano koleka bango nyonso. Na bongo, bamelaki elongo na ye mpe balangwaki.
He sent portions to them from before him, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. They drank, and were merry with him.
