< 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. »
Descend, sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon! Sit on the ground. There is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans. For you shall no longer be called delicate and tender.
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 a millstone and grind meal. Uncover your shame, bare your shoulder, reveal your legs, cross the streams.
3 Bolumbu na yo ekomonana, mpe soni na yo ekobombama te. Nakozongisa mabe na mabe, mpe moto moko te akopekisa Ngai.
Your disgrace will be revealed, and your shame will be seen. I will seize vengeance, and no man will withstand me.
4 Mosikoli na biso, Kombo na Ye: Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, Mosantu ya Isalaele.
Our Redeemer, the Lord of hosts 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. »
Sit in silence, and enter into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no longer be called the noblewoman 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 have polluted my inheritance, and I have given them into your hand. You have not shown mercy to them. You have greatly increased the burden of your yoke upon the elders.
7 Olobaki: « Nakozala mwasi mokonzi mpo na libela! » Kasi motema na yo ekanisaki te tina ya makambo oyo mpe ndenge nini ekosukela.
And you have said: “I will be a noblewoman forever.” You have not set these things upon your heart, and you have not remembered your end.
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! »
And now, hear these things, you who are delicate and have confidence, who say in your heart: “I am, and there is no one greater than me. I will not sit as a widow, and I will not know barrenness.”
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.
These two things will suddenly overwhelm you in one day: barrenness and widowhood. All things shall overwhelm you, because of the multitude of your sorceries and because of the great cruelty of your enchantments.
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! »
And you have trusted in your malice, and you have said: “There is no one who sees me.” Your wisdom and your knowledge, these have deceived you. And you have said in your heart: “I am, and beside me 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.
Evil will overwhelm you, and you will not notice its rising. And calamity will fall violently over you, and you will not be able to avert it. You will suddenly be overwhelmed by a misery such as you have never known.
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.
Stand with your incantations, and with the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth, as if somehow it might benefit you, or as if it were able to make you stronger.
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!
You have failed in the multitude of your plans! Let the seers stand and save you, those who were contemplating the stars, and figuring the months, so that from these they might announce to you the things to come.
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.
Behold, they have become like stubble. Fire has consumed them. They will not free themselves from the power of the flames. These are not coals by which they may be warmed, nor is this a fire which they may sit beside.
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!
So have all these things, in which you have labored, become to you. Your merchants from your youth, each one has erred in his own way. There is no one who can save you.

< Ezayi 47 >