Ezayi 44
1 Kasi sik’oyo yoka, oh Jakobi, mowumbu na Ngai, Isalaele oyo naponaki!
But now listen, Jacob, my servant, Israel, the one I've chosen.
2 Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi, Ye oyo asalaki yo, abongisaki yo wuta na libumu ya mama na yo mpe asungaka yo: Oh Jakobi, mowumbu na Ngai, kobanga te; yo, Yeshuruni, oyo naponaki.
This is what the Lord says, the one who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Don't be afraid, Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, the one I've chosen.
3 Pamba te nakosopa mayi na mokili ya kokawuka, mpe bibale, na mabele ya kokawuka; nakosopa Molimo na Ngai na likolo ya bana na yo mpe mapamboli na Ngai na likolo ya bakitani na yo.
For I'm going to pour out water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I'm going to pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children.
4 Bakokola malamu kati na matiti ya mobesu lokola banzete ya pepiliye pene ya ebale.
They will grow up among the grass, like willows beside streams.
5 Moto moko akoloba: ‹ Nazali ya Yawe, › mpe moto mosusu akomibenga na kombo ya Jakobi, kino mosusu akokoma na loboko na ye: ‹ Nazali ya Yawe, › mpe akozwa kombo ya Isalaele.
One of them will say, “I belong to the Lord,” while another will call himself by the name Jacob, and yet another will write on his hand, “Belonging to the Lord,” and will name himself Israel.
6 Tala liloba oyo Yawe, Mokonzi mpe Mosikoli ya Isalaele, Mokonzi ya mampinga, alobi: Nazali ebandeli mpe nazali suka; Nzambe mosusu azali te, soki Ngai te.
This is what the Lord says, the King and Redeemer of Israel, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last, and there is no God besides me.
7 Nani azali lokola Ngai? Tika ete atatola yango; tika ete aloba mpe abimisa liboso na Ngai makambo oyo esalema wuta kala, wuta tango nasala bato oyo, mpe makambo oyo ekoya! Solo, tika ete basakola makambo oyo ekoya!
Who is like me? Let them announce it, make a declaration, and demonstrate it before me. For I was the one who long ago established a people and predicted its future. Let them predict what's going to happen.
8 Bolenga te, bobanga mpe te. Boni, natatolaki yango te? Nasakolaki yango te wuta kala? Bozali batatoli na Ngai. Boni, ezali na nzambe mosusu pembeni na Ngai? Te, ezali na Libanga mosusu te, nayebi ata moko te. »
Don't tremble, don't be afraid! Didn't I tell you long ago what I was going to do? Didn't I explain it? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock—I don't know any!
9 Basali bikeko, bango nyonso, bazali pamba, mpe biloko oyo bango balingaka ezali ata na litomba te; esengelaki kotatola mpo na bango, kasi emonaka te mpe eyebaka ata eloko moko te; boye, bayokisama soni.
All those who make idols are stupid; these things they love so much don't bring them any benefit. Those people who believe in idols can't see this, and they don't know anything, making them look foolish.
10 Nani asala nzambe to ekeko ya ebende mpo ete ezala ata na litomba moko te mpo na ye?
Who makes a god, who molds an idol that's no use to them?
11 Tala, ye elongo na baninga na ye bakozala na soni; basali bikeko bazali na bango kaka bato lokola bato nyonso! Tika ete bango nyonso baya elongo mpe batelema wana; bakokweya na somo mpe na soni.
Everyone who makes idols should be ashamed of themselves. Idol-makers are just human beings! Bring them all together and have them stand up, trembling in shame.
12 Monyangwisi bibende na moto azwaka sizo, asalelaka yango mpe asalaka na makala ya moto; asalaka ekeko na marto mpe abongisaka yango na makasi ya loboko na ye; nzokande soki akomi na nzala, makasi esili ye; soki mpe ameli mayi te, nzoto elembi ye!
The blacksmith makes an iron tool for woodcarving. Working over hot coals, he hammers it into shape as hard as he can. He gets hungry and loses his strength, and because he doesn't drink he grows weak.
13 Mosali bikeko afungolaka singa oyo bamekelaka molayi, akomaka elilingi na ekomeli ya motane, asalaka yango na nzela ya mbeli ya minu makasi, abongisaka mondelo na yango na lime mpe apesaka yango lolenge ya moto, ndenge kaka moto azalaka kitoko, mpo ete ekoka kowumela na Esika ya bule.
The woodworker measures out a piece of wood, and draws an image on it. He carves it with a chisel and uses a compass to make an outline. He creates an idol that looks like a person, someone beautiful, to be put in a shrine.
14 Akataka banzete ya sedele; mpe tango mosusu, banzete ya sipele to ya sheni; atikaka yango ekola kati na banzete ya zamba mpe alonaka nzete ya pen oyo mvula ekokolisa.
He chops down cedars, or takes a cypress or an oak. He lets them grow strong in the forest. He plants a fir tree, and the rain makes it grow.
15 Moto azwaka yango mpo na kopelisa moto, akataka yango mpo na koyetola moto to mpo na kobelisa mapa; kasi asalaka na yango lisusu nzambe oyo afukamelaka; asalaka na yango nzambe ya ekeko oyo agumbamelaka.
Some wood he burns, to keep him warm and to bake his bread. Then he uses some of the same wood to make a god to worship, an idol he bows down to!
16 Akotia ndambo ya nzete yango na moto, bongo akolamba na yango mosuni, akotumba mosuni na ye mpe akolia yango kino akotonda; akokoma lisusu koyoka molunge mpe akoloba: « Ah, nayoki molunge, namoni moto epeli makasi! »
So he burns part of the wood to roast his meat to eat, and to warm him up, and says, “Ah! Look at that fire that keeps me warm!”
17 Mpe na ndambo oyo etikali, oyo asalaki na yango nzambe, nzambe na ye ya ekeko, akofukamela yango mpe akosambela yango; akosambela yango mpe akoloba: « Bikisa ngai, ozali nzambe na ngai! »
Then he uses the rest of the wood to make himself a god, an idol he bows down to in worship and prays to, saying, “Save me, for you are my god!”
18 Bayebi eloko moko te, bazali na bososoli te; miso na bango ekangama, emonaka te; mitema na bango ezali makasi, esosolaka te.
How ignorant they are, how dumb! Their eyes have been plastered over so they can't see, their minds closed so they don't have insight.
19 Moko te akanisaka, moko mpe te azalaka na boyebi mpe na mayele mpo na koloba: « Na nzela ya ndambo na yango, napelisaki moto, nabelisaki mapa na makala na yango ya moto, natumbaki mosuni mpe naliaki yango. Bongo mpo na oyo etikali, nasala na yango penza likambo ya nkele boye? Nafukamela penza mwa eteni ya nzete? »
They can't think things over, they don't have the wisdom or the understanding to say, “Some of the wood I burned in the fire—I used it to bake my bread and roast my meat to eat. The rest of it I used to make a disgusting idol, and I bow down in worship to a block of wood.”
20 Makanisi na ye ekangama na putulu, motema na ye ya lokuta ezali kokosa ye; akokoka te komikangola mpe koloba: « Boni, eloko oyo ezali na loboko na ngai ya mobali ezali lokuta te? »
He is feeding on ashes, seduced by the deceptive thinking of his mind. He can't save himself, and he doesn't even ask, “Isn't this idol I'm holding just a lie?”
21 « Oh Jakobi, kanisa nanu makambo oyo, pamba te, oh Isalaele, ozali mosali na Ngai. Nabongisaki yo mpo ete ozala mosali na Ngai; oh Isalaele, nakobosana yo te.
“Remember all this, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I made you, Israel, you are my servant. I won't forget you.
22 Nalongoli mabe na yo lokola lipata, masumu na yo lokola lipata ya tongo. Zonga epai na Ngai, pamba te nasili kosikola yo. »
I have wiped away your acts of rebellion as if they were like a cloud, your sins as if they were like the mist. Come back to me, for I have set you free.”
23 Oh Lola, yemba banzembo ya esengo, pamba te Yawe nde asali bongo! Oh mozindo ya mokili, tombola mongongo! Oh bino bangomba, bazamba mpe banzete nyonso kati na yango, boyemba banzembo ya elonga! Pamba te Yawe asikolaki Jakobi, amonisi nkembo na Ye kati na Isalaele.
Sing in celebration, you heavens, for the Lord has done this; cry out loud, you depths of the earth. Shout with joy, you mountains, you forests and every tree. For the Lord has set Jacob free, and his glory is shown in Israel!
24 « Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi, Ye oyo azali Mosikoli na yo, oyo abongisaki yo wuta na libumu ya mama na yo: Nazali Yawe oyo asalaki biloko nyonso, Ngai moko nde natandaki likolo lokola liputa, Ngai moko nde natandaki mabele.
This is what the Lord says, your Redeemer, who shaped you in the womb: “I am the Lord, the Creator of everything. I alone made the heavens, and I myself formed the earth.
25 Sik’oyo, nakomisi bilembo ya basakoli ya lokuta eloko pamba; natie mobulu kati na molimo ya bato oyo balobaka makambo ekoya, nakweyisi boyebi ya bato ya bwanya mpe nakomisi mayele na bango liboma.
I am the one who proves the signs of false prophets are wrong. I am the one who makes fools of fortune-tellers. I turn the wisdom of the wise upside-down, and make their knowledge ridiculous.
26 Nakokisi maloba ya mosali na Ngai mpe nalongisi mabongisi ya bamemi sango na Ngai. Natatoli na tina na Yelusalemi: ‹ Bato bakovanda kati na yo; › na tina na bingumba ya Yuda: ‹ Ekotongama lisusu, › mpe na tina na mabanga na yango oyo ebukana: ‹ Nakobongisa yango lisusu. ›
But I confirm the messages given by my servants, and fulfill what my messengers say. They state, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited again, the towns of Judah will be rebuilt, your ruins will be repaired.’
27 Nalobi na ebale monene: ‹ Kawuka, mpe nakokawusa bibale na yo! ›
When I order deep waters, ‘Dry up!’ I will make sure the rivers dry up!
28 Nalobi na tina na Sirisi: ‹ Azali mobateli oyo naponi, akokokisa makambo nyonso oyo esepelisaka Ngai. Akoloba na tina na Yelusalemi: ‘Tika ete etongama lisusu,’ mpe na tina na Tempelo: ‘Tika ete batonga miboko na yango.’ › »
When I say to Cyrus, ‘You are my shepherd,’ he will carry out everything I wish. He will give the order, ‘Jerusalem shall be rebuilt,’ and he will say, ‘the Temple shall be restored.’”
