Ezayi 44
1 Kasi sik’oyo yoka, oh Jakobi, mowumbu na Ngai, Isalaele oyo naponaki!
Now listen, Jacob my servant, and Israel, whom I have 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 Yahweh says, he who made you and formed you in the womb and who will help you: “Do not fear, Jacob my servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have 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 will pour water on the thirsty ground, and flowing streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your children.
4 Bakokola malamu kati na matiti ya mobesu lokola banzete ya pepiliye pene ya ebale.
They will spring up among the grass, like willows by the streams of water.
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 will say, 'I belong to Yahweh,' and another will call out the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand 'Belonging to Yahweh,' and name himself by the name of 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 Yahweh says—the King of Israel and his Redeemer, Yahweh of hosts: “I am the first, and I am the last; and there is no God but 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 him announce it and explain to me the events that occurred since I established my ancient people, and let them declare the events to come.
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. »
Do not fear or be afraid. Have I not declared to you long ago, and announced it? You are my witnesses: Is there any God besides me? There is no other Rock; I know of none.”
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 who fashion idols are nothing; the things they delight in are worthless; their witnesses cannot see or know anything, and they will be put to shame.
10 Nani asala nzambe to ekeko ya ebende mpo ete ezala ata na litomba moko te mpo na ye?
Who would form a god or cast an idol that is worthless?
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.
Look, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are only men. Let them take their stand together; they will cower and be put to 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 smith works with his tools, forming it, working over the coals. He shapes it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He is hungry, and his strength wanes; he drinks no water and becomes faint.
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 carpenter measures the wood with a line, and marks it with a stylus. He shapes it with his tools and marks it out with a compass. He shapes it after the figure of a man, like an attractive human, so it may stay in a house.
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 cuts down cedars, or chooses a cypress tree or an oak tree. He picks for himself trees 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.
Then a man uses it for a fire and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes from it a god and bows down to it; he makes an idol and bows down to it.
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! »
He burns part of the wood for the fire, roasting his meat over it. He eats and is satisfied. He warms himself and says, “Ah, I am warm, I have seen the fire.”
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! »
With the rest of the wood he makes a god, his carved image; he bows down to it and reverences it, and prays to it saying, “Rescue 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.
They do not know, nor do they understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see, and their hearts cannot perceive.
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? »
No one thinks, nor do they comprehend and say, “I have burned part of the wood in the fire; yes, I have also baked bread upon its coals. I have roasted meat over its coals and eaten. Now should I make the other part of the wood into something disgusting to worship? Should I bow down 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? »
It is as if he were eating ashes; his deceived heart misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say, “This thing in my right hand is a false god.”
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.
Think about these things, Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant: I have formed you; you are my servant: Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
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 blotted out, like a thick cloud, your rebellious deeds, and like a cloud, your sins; return to me, for I have redeemed you.
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, you heavens, for Yahweh has done this; shout, you depths of the earth. Break out into singing, you mountains, you forest with every tree in it; for Yahweh has redeemed Jacob, and will show his glory 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 Yahweh says, your Redeemer, he who formed you from the womb: “I am Yahweh, who made everything, who alone stretched out the heavens, who alone fashioned 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 who frustrate the omens of the empty talkers and who disgrace those who read omens; I who overturn the wisdom of the wise and make their advice foolish.
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. ›
I, Yahweh, who confirmed the words of his servant and brings to pass the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'She will be inhabited,' and of the towns of Judah, 'They will be built again, and I will raise up their ruins';
27 Nalobi na ebale monene: ‹ Kawuka, mpe nakokawusa bibale na yo! ›
who says to the deep sea, 'Be dry, and I will dry up your currents.'
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.’ › »
Yahweh is the one who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd, he will do my every wish; he will decree about Jerusalem, 'She will be rebuilt,' and about the temple, 'Let its foundations be laid.'”
