< 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. »
Go down and sit in the dust, virgin daughter of Babylon. Sit on the ground without a throne, daughter of Babylonia! No longer will people call you gentle 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!
Go to work grinding flour with millstones. Remove your veil. Strip off your skirt, bare your legs, wade through rivers.
3 Bolumbu na yo ekomonana, mpe soni na yo ekobombama te. Nakozongisa mabe na mabe, mpe moto moko te akopekisa Ngai.
You will be seen naked; what should be kept private will be shamefully exposed. I will take vengeance—I won't spare anyone.
4 Mosikoli na biso, Kombo na Ye: Yawe, Mokonzi ya mampinga, Mosantu ya Isalaele.
Our Redeemer—his name is the Lord Almighty—is 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 quietly, and go into the darkness, daughter of Babylonia. Never again will you be called queen of all 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, and I abandoned those who belonged to me. I handed them over to you. But you didn't show them mercy—you even mistreated old people.
7 Olobaki: « Nakozala mwasi mokonzi mpo na libela! » Kasi motema na yo ekanisaki te tina ya makambo oyo mpe ndenge nini ekosukela.
You said, “I will reign forever as the eternal queen.” But you didn't think about what was coming; you didn't remember what would happen to you in the 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! »
Now listen to this, you sensual woman, sitting there so sure of yourself, saying to yourself, “I am supreme—there's nobody besides me. I shall never be a widow or experience the loss of my children.”
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 both these things will happen to you in quick succession! In just one day you will lose your children and become a widow. You will have this experience in its totality, in spite of all your witchcraft, in spite of all your magic spells.
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! »
You put your trust in your evil actions, saying “No one can see what I'm doing.” Your wisdom and knowledge seduced you, and you told yourself, “I am supreme—there's nobody besides me.”
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 is going to strike you, and you won't be able to magic it away. Disaster will fall on you that you can't stop by paying a ransom. Destruction will suddenly hit you that you weren't expecting.
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.
So keep going with your magic spells and all your witchcraft, which you have worked at since you were young. Maybe you'll be successful, maybe you'll terrify people!
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!
All the advice you've received has worn you out! Where are your astrologers, those who look to the stars for guidance, who give you their predictions every month? Let them stand up and save you from what's coming down 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.
But look at them! They're like stubble that fire burns up completely—they can't even save their own lives from the flames. This is no fire to sit beside and grow warm!
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!
All those people you've worked with, all those you've traded with from when you were young—they will all go their own way, nobody will come and save you.

< Ezayi 47 >