< Ezayi 38 >
1 Na tango wana, Ezekiasi abelaki bokono moko ya makasi, pene akufa. Mosakoli Ezayi, mwana mobali ya Amotsi, akendeki epai na ye mpe alobaki: « Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi: Bongisa makambo ya ndako na yo, pamba te okokufa, okobika te. »
About that time, Hezekiah became [very] ill and was close to dying. [So] I went to see him. And I gave him this message: “This is what Yahweh says: ‘You should tell the people in your palace what you want them to do after you die, because you will not recover from this illness. You are going to die’”
2 Ezekiasi abalolaki elongi na ye na mir mpe abondelaki Yawe:
Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed this:
3 « Oh Yawe, kanisa ndenge nini natambolaki liboso na Yo na boyengebene, ndenge nini namipesaki epai na Yo na motema na ngai mobimba mpe ndenge nini nasalaki makambo ya malamu na miso na Yo. » Mpe Ezekiasi alelaki mingi.
“Yahweh, do not forget that I have always served you very faithfully, and I have done things that pleased you!” Then Hezekiah [started to] cry loudly.
4 Bongo, Yawe alobaki na Ezayi:
[I left his room, but] Yahweh gave me this message:
5 « Kende koloba na Ezekiasi: ‹ Yawe, Nzambe ya tata na yo, Davidi, alobi: ‘Nayoki libondeli na yo mpe namoni mpinzoli na yo. Nakobakisa mibu zomi na mitano na mikolo ya bomoi na yo.
“Go [back] to Hezekiah and tell him that this is what I, the God to whom your ancestor King David belonged, say: ‘I have heard what you prayed, and I have seen you crying. So listen: I will enable you to live 15 years more.
6 Nakokangola yo elongo na engumba oyo, na maboko ya mokonzi ya Asiri, mpe nakobatela yango.’
And, I will rescue you and this city from the power [MTY] of the King of Assyria. I will defend this city.
7 Bongo, tala elembo ya Yawe, elembo oyo ekolakisa mpo na yo ete Yawe akokokisa makambo oyo asili kolaka:
And this is what I will do to prove that I will do what I have just now promised. I will cause the shadow of the sun to move ten steps backward on the sundial that was built by King Ahaz.’”
8 Nakozongisa sima, na badegre zomi, elili ya moyi oyo ekitaki na tango ya Akazi. › » Boye, moyi ezongaki sima, mpe ekitaki na badegre zomi.
So the shadow of the sun on the sundial moved backward ten steps.
9 Tala loyembo oyo Ezekiasi, mokonzi ya Yuda, akomaki na mokanda tango abikaki na bokono.
When King Hezekiah was almost well again, he wrote this:
10 Nazalaki komilobela: « Tango nazali nanu na makasi na nzoto, naleka solo na nzela ya ekuke ya kufa mpe nazangela mibu oyo etikali na bomoi na ngai? » (Sheol )
I thought to myself, “Is it necessary for me to die and go to the place where the dead people are during this time of my life when I am still strong? Is Yahweh going to rob me of the remaining years that I [should live]?” (Sheol )
11 Namilobelaki: « Nakomona lisusu Yawe te, Yawe, na mokili ya bato ya bomoi; nakomona lisusu ata moto moko te to kowumela elongo na bato oyo bavandi na mokili ya lelo!
I said, “I will not see Yahweh [again] in this world where people are alive. I will not see my friends again, or be with others who [now] are alive in this world.
12 Mikolo ya bomoi esili, elongwe na bomoi na ngai ndenge balongolaka ndako ya kapo ya mobateli bibwele. Akati bomoi ngai ndenge motongi bilamba akataka basinga soki asilisi kotonga elamba. Longwa na moyi kino na butu, akomisi bomoi na ngai na suka.
[It is as if] my life has been taken away like [SIM] a tent [whose pegs] have been pulled up by a shepherd and taken away. My time to live has been cut short, like a piece of cloth that a weaver [cuts and] rolls up [after he has finished weaving a cloth].” Suddenly, [it seemed that] my life was ending.
13 Nakangaki motema kino na tongo; kasi lokola nkosi, abuki-buki mikuwa na ngai nyonso. Longwa na moyi kino na butu, akomisi bomoi na ngai na suka.
I waited patiently all during the night, but [my pain was as though] [MET] I was being torn apart by lions. [It seemed that] my life was finished.
14 Nazalaki koganga lokola mbilambila to ndeke ya mayi, nazalaki kolela lokola ebenga. Miso na ngai elembaki kotala likolo. Oh Yawe, natungisami, batela ngai! »
[I was delirious, and] I chirped like a swift or a swallow, and moaned like a dove. My eyes became tired looking up [toward heaven] for help. I cried out, Lord, help me, [because] I am distressed!’
15 Kasi naloba nini mpo ete ayanola ngai, pamba te Ye moko nde asali yango! Mibu nyonso ya bomoi na ngai, nakotambola na komikitisa likolo ya pasi ya motema na ngai.
But there was really nothing [RHQ] that I could say and ask him to reply to me, because it was Yahweh who sent this illness. [So now] I will live humbly during my [remaining] years because I am very anguished.
16 Nkolo, bato babikaka mpo na bolamu na Yo; ezali mpe na nzela na yango nde ngai nazwi bomoi. Ozongiselaki ngai nzoto kolongono mpe opesi ngai bomoi.
Yahweh, the sufferings (OR, the promises) that you give are good, [because] what you do and what you say bring [new] life and health to us. And you restore/heal me and allow me [to continue] to live!
17 Solo, pasi na ngai ebongwani esengo; na bolingo na Yo, obateli ngai longwa na libulu na kufa; obwaki masumu na ngai nyonso sima na mokongo na yo.
Truly, my suffering was good for me; you loved me, and as a result you have rescued me from dying and have also forgiven all my sins.
18 Pamba te mboka ya bakufi ekoki te kokumisa Yo, kufa ekoki kosanzola Yo te; bato oyo bakitaka na mboka ya bakufi bazalaka na elikya na boyengebene na Yo te. (Sheol )
Dead people [MTY] cannot praise you; they cannot sing to praise you. Those who have descended to their graves cannot confidently expect you to faithfully [do things for them]. (Sheol )
19 Bato na bomoi, bato ya bomoi kaka nde basanzolaka Yo ndenge ngai nazali kosanzola Yo lelo. Batata bakoteya bana na bango boyengebene na Yo.
Only people who are still alive, like I am, can praise you. Fathers tell their children how you are faithful, [and if I remain alive, I will do the same thing].
20 Yawe, lokola obikisi ngai, tokobeta mindule na biso mikolo nyonso ya bomoi na biso na Tempelo ya Yawe.
[I know that] Yahweh will fully heal me, [so] I will sing to praise him while others praise him playing musical instruments; I will do that every day of my life, in the temple of Yahweh.”
21 Ezayi alobaki: — Bozwa liboke ya figi, botia yango na pota; mpe mokonzi akobika.
I had [previously] said to Hezekiah’s servants, “Prepare an ointment from [mashed] figs, and spread it on his boil, and then he will recover.” [So they did that, and Hezekiah recovered].
22 Ezekiasi alobaki: — Elembo nini ekolakisa ngai ete nakokende na Tempelo ya Yawe?
And Hezekiah had [previously] asked, “What will Yahweh do to prove that I will [recover and be able to] go to his temple?”