< Ezayi 47 >

1 Kita mpe vanda na putulu, Babiloni, mboka kitoko! Vanda na mabele, kiti ya bokonzi ezali te, Babiloni, mboka kitoko! Moto moko te akobenga yo lisusu « mwasi bonzenga » to « mwasi kitoko. »
Come and take your seat in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; come down from your seat of power, and take your place on the earth, O daughter of the Chaldaeans: for you will never again seem soft and delicate.
2 Kamata mabanga oyo banikelaka ble mpe sala farine, longola kitambala na yo, tombola nzambala na yo, mpe mipende na yo emonana, bongo katisa bibale!
Take the crushing-stones and get the meal crushed: take off your veil, put away your robe, let your legs be uncovered, go through the rivers.
3 Bolumbu na yo ekomonana, mpe soni na yo ekobombama te. Nakozongisa mabe na mabe, mpe moto moko te akopekisa Ngai.
The shame of your unclothed condition will be seen by all: I will give punishment without mercy,
4 Mosikoli na biso, Kombo na Ye: Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, Mosantu ya Isalaele.
Says the Lord who takes up our cause; the Lord of armies is his name, the Holy One of Israel.
5 Vanda kimia, kende na molili, Babiloni, mboka kitoko, pamba te bakobenga yo lisusu te « mwasi mokonzi ya bikolo. »
Be seated in the dark without a word, O daughter of the Chaldaeans: for you will no longer be named, The Queen of Kingdoms.
6 Nasilikelaki bato na Ngai, nasambwisaki libula na Ngai; nakabaki bango na maboko na yo, mpe oyokelaki bango mawa te; bongo omemisaki ata mibange ekangiseli ya kilo makasi.
I was angry with my people, I put shame on my heritage, and gave them into your hands: you had no mercy on them; you put a cruel yoke on those who were old;
7 Olobaki: « Nakozala mwasi mokonzi mpo na libela! » Kasi motema na yo ekanisaki te tina ya makambo oyo mpe ndenge nini ekosukela.
And you said, I will be a queen for ever: you did not give attention to these things, and did not keep in mind what would come after.
8 Yoka sik’oyo, yo mwasi ya biyenga, oyo omesana kovanda na kimia mpe omilobelaka: « Ngai nde nazali, mosusu azali te. Nakotikala kokoma te mwasi akufisa mobali mpe nakotikala kokufisa bana te! »
So now take note of this, you who are given up to pleasure, living without fear of evil, saying in your heart, I am, and there is no one like me; I will never be a widow, or have my children taken from me.
9 Makambo mibale oyo ekokomela yo mbala moko mpe kaka na mokolo moko: kozanga bana mpe kokufisa mobali. Makambo oyo eleka ndelo nde ekokomela yo, ata kindoki na yo ezali makasi mpe bakisi na yo ezali na nguya.
But these two things will come on you suddenly in one day, the loss of children and of husband: in full measure they will come on you, for all your secret arts, and all your wonders.
10 Otiaki elikya na makambo na yo ya mabe, olobaki: « Moto moko te azali komona ngai! » Bwanya mpe mayele na yo epengwisaki yo tango ozalaki komilobela: « Ngai nde nazali, mosusu azali te! »
For you had faith in your evil-doing; you said, No one sees me; by your wisdom and knowledge you have been turned out of the way: and you have said in your heart, I am, and there is no other.
11 Pasi ekokomela yo, mpe okoyeba te ndenge ya kolongola yango; mikakatano ekokomela yo mpe okokoka komibatela te; libebi oyo oyebaki te ekokomela yo na pwasa.
Because of this evil will come on you, which may not be turned away for any price: and trouble will overtake you, from which no money will give salvation: destruction will come on you suddenly, without your knowledge.
12 Kangama kaka na bonganga mpe na kindoki na yo, oyo omonelaka pasi wuta bolenge na yo! Tango mosusu okozwela yango litomba, tango mosusu okokoka kobangisa bato.
Go on now with your secret arts, and all your wonder-working, to which you have given yourself up from your earliest days; it may be that they will be of profit to you, or by them you may put fear into your attackers.
13 Batoli nyonso oyo osili kozwa epai na bango elembisi yo nzoto! Tika ete bato ya soloka oyo bayekolaka bikelamu nyonso ya likolo: moyi, sanza, minzoto mpe biloko mosusu, mpe bayebisaka na ebandeli nyonso ya sanza makambo oyo ekoya, batelema wana mpe babikisa yo!
But your mind is troubled by the number of your guides: let them now come forward for your salvation: the measurers of the heavens, the watchers of the stars, and those who are able to say from month to month what things are coming on you.
14 Tala, bakozala solo lokola matiti ya kokawuka, matiti oyo moto ekotumba; bakokoka kobikisa ata milimo na bango moko te na nguya ya moto: Ekozala lisusu te lokola makala ya moto mpo na koyetola to moto mpo na kovanda zingazinga na yango.
Truly, they have become like dry stems, they have been burned in the fire; they are not able to keep themselves safe from the power of the flame: it is not a coal for warming them, or a fire by which a man may be seated.
15 Ezali bongo nde bakokoma liboso na yo, bato nyonso oyo ozalaki komonela pasi, mpe bato oyo ozalaki kosala elongo na bango wuta bolenge na yo. Moko na moko na bango akoyengayenga na ngambo na ye, moko te akobikisa yo!
Small profit have you had from those who, from your earliest days, got great profit out of you; they have gone in flight, every one straight before him, and you have no saviour.

< Ezayi 47 >