Yobo 17
1 Pema na ngai ekomi pene ya kosila, mikolo na ngai etikali ya kotanga, kunda ezali kozela ngai.
“My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have no strength left; my grave is waiting for me.
2 Solo, batioli bazingeli ngai, miso na ngai ezali komona kotiola na bango.
Those who are around me are making fun of me; I [SYN] watch them while they (taunt/make fun of) me.”
3 Oh Nzambe, mipesa ata Yo moko lokola ndanga, na esika na ngai, epai na Yo; soki te, nani mosusu akoki komipesa lokola ndanga mpo na ngai!
“God, [it is as though I am in prison; ] please pay the money in order that I may be released, because there is certainly no one else who will help me.
4 Okangi boyebi na bango mpo ete basosola te; yango wana, okolongisa bango te.
You have prevented my friends from understanding [what is true about me]; do not allow them to triumph over me, [saying that I have done things that are wrong].
5 Moto oyo akofunda balingami na ye mpo ete babotola bomengo na bango na makasi, bana na ye bakokufa miso.
[Our ancestors often said, ‘It often happens that] when someone betrays his friends in order to get some of their property, it is that person’s children who will be punished for it;’ [so I desire/hope that will be true of these friends of mine who are lying about me].
6 Nzambe akomisi ngai lokola lisapo kati na minoko ya bato, lokola moto oyo babwakelaka soyi na elongi.
“But now people use that saying of our ancestors when they talk about me; they spit in my face [to insult me].
7 Miso na ngai ekomi molili likolo ya pasi, mpe nzoto na ngai nyonso ekomi lokola elilingi.
(My sight has become dim/I cannot see well) because I am extremely sad, and my arms and legs are [very thin, with the result that they almost do not cast] [MET] a shadow.
8 Bato ya sembo bazali kokamwa likambo yango, mpe moto oyo ayebi na ye likambo te atelemeli moto mabe.
Those who [say that they] are good/righteous are shocked [when they see what has happened to me], and people who [say that they] (are innocent/have not done anything that is wrong) say that I am wicked/godless and should be punished.
9 Nzokande, bato ya sembo bakangamaka na nzela na bango, mpe bato ya maboko peto bakomaka lisusu makasi koleka.
Those who [claim that they] are righteous will continue to do what [they think] is right, and those [who say] they have not sinned will continue to become stronger.
10 Bino nyonso, boya mpe bomeka lisusu! Nakomona ata moto moko te ya bwanya kati na bino.
“But even if all of those people came [and stood in front of me], I would not find anyone among them who is wise.
11 Mikolo na ngai ekomi pene ya kosila; mabongisi na ngai mpe baposa ya motema na ngai, nyonso, esili kobeba.
My (life/time to live) is almost ended; I have not been able to do the things that I confidently expected to do; [I have not been able to accomplish] anything that I [SYN] desired.
12 Bato oyo bazali komona butu lokola moyi bazali koloba kati na molili: ‹ Pole ekomi pene, › nzokande molili ezali makasi.
My friends do not know when it is night and when it is day; when it is night, they claim that it is daylight; when it is becoming dark, they claim it is becoming light.
13 Soki ezali na ndako moko kaka oyo nazali kotiela elikya, ezali nde kunda; soki mpe nakotandaka mbeto na ngai, ezali nde kati na mboka ya bakufi. (Sheol h7585)
If my home will be the place where dead people are, where will I sleep in the darkness? (Sheol h7585)
14 Soki nalobi na kunda: ‹ Ozali tata na ngai, › mpe na mutsopi: ‹ Ozali mama na ngai to ndeko na ngai ya mwasi, ›
I may say to the grave, ‘You will be [like] a father to me,’ and say to the maggots [that will eat my body], ‘You will be [like] a mother or younger sisters to me [because you will be where I will always be].’
15 wana elikya na ngai ezali penza wapi, mpe nani penza azali komona elikya na ngai?
But if I say those things, (will there be anything good that I can confidently expect to happen to me?/there will be nothing good that I can confidently expect to happen to me.) [RHQ] (Is there anyone who knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave?/No one knows anything good that I can expect when I am in the grave.) [RHQ]
After I descend to the place where the dead are, (will I be able to confidently expect anything good there?/I certainly will not be able to confidently expect anything good there.) [RHQ] [It will be as though] [RHQ] I and the things I hope for will descend with me into the dust [where the dead are].” (Sheol h7585)
