Yobo 22
1 Elifazi, moto ya Temani, azwaki maloba mpe alobaki:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,
2 « Boni, litomba nini Nzambe akoki kozwa epai ya moto? Ezala ata moto ya bwanya, azalaka na litomba kaka mpo na ye moko.
Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Ezala soki ozali moyengebene, litomba nini Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akoki kozwa, ata ozali kobongisa nzela na yo ya bosembo?
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou are righteous? Or is it gain to him that thou make thy ways perfect?
4 Boni, okanisi ete ezali mpo na boyengebene na yo nde azali kopamela yo mpe kosambisa yo?
Is it for thy fear of him that he reproves thee, that he enters with thee into judgment?
5 Mabe na yo ezali monene te? Masumu na yo eleki ndelo te?
Is not thy wickedness great? Neither is there any end to thine iniquities.
6 Ozalaki koluka na pamba ndanga epai ya bandeko na yo ya mibali, ozalaki kolongola bato bilamba mpe kotika bango bolumbu,
For thou have taken pledges from thy brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 ozalaki kopesa mayi te na moto oyo azalaki na posa ya mayi, mpe ozalaki kopimela moto oyo azalaki na nzala bilei,
Thou have not given water to the weary to drink, and thou have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 atako ozalaki moto monene, nkolo mabele, mpe ozalaki kovanda na mabele yango lokola moto ya lokumu;
But as for the mighty man, he had the land. And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 ozalaki kozongisa basi bakufisa mibali maboko pamba, mpe ozalaki kosilisa makasi ya bana bitike.
Thou have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
10 Yango wana, mitambo ezingeli yo, kobebisama ya mbalakata ekomi kopesa yo somo,
Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubles thee,
11 molili makasi ezwi yo mpe ozali kokoka komona te, mpe mpela ezipi yo.
or darkness, so that thou cannot see, and abundance of waters cover thee.
12 Boni, Nzambe azali te kuna na likolo, kati na Lola? Tala ndenge nini etando ya minzoto ezali likolo koleka!
Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 Nzokande, ozali koloba: ‹ Nzambe ayebi nini? Akoki kosambisa kati na mapata ya molili ya boye? ›
And thou say, What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 Mapata minene ezipi Ye, yango wana azali komona biso te, wana azali kotambola-tambola na etando ya Lola?
Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he does not see, and he walks on the vault of heaven.
15 Olingi solo kotikala kaka na nzela ya kala, nzela oyo bato mabe balekelaki?
Will thou keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Kufa ememaki bango na mbalakata, mpe miboko na bango etiolaki na mpela.
Who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,
17 Bazalaki koloba na Nzambe: ‹ Tika biso, biso moko! Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akosala biso nini? ›
who said to God, Depart from us, and, What can the Almighty do for us?
18 Nzokande, Ye nde atondisaki bandako na bango na biloko ya kitoko. Yango wana, ngai, naboyaka toli ya bato mabe.
Yet he filled their houses with good things. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 Bato ya sembo bazali komona kobebisama na bango mpe bazali kosepela, bayengebene bazali koseka bango mpe bazali koloba:
The righteous see it, and are glad. And the innocent laugh them to scorn,
20 ‹ Solo, banguna na biso babebi, moto ezikisi bomengo na bango. ›
Saying, Surely those who rose up against us are cut off, and the remnant of them, the fire has consumed.
21 Zongisa boyokani na yo elongo na Ye mpe luka kimia. Na nzela wana, bomengo ekoya lisusu epai na yo.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. By this good shall come to thee.
22 Ndima malako oyo ekowuta na monoko na Ye, mpe batela maloba na Ye kati na motema na yo.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thy heart.
23 Soki ozongi epai na Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso, soki obengani mabe mosika ya ndako na yo, bomengo na yo ekozongela yo.
If thou return to the Almighty, thou shall be built up, thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.
24 Bwaka wolo na yo kati na putulu, wolo na yo ya Ofiri kati na mabanga ya lubwaku;
Then thou shall lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 bongo Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akozala wolo na yo, mpe palata oyo eleki kitoko mpo na yo.
Yea, the Almighty will be thy treasure, and precious silver to thee.
26 Solo, okozwa esengo epai ya Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso mpe okotombola elongi na yo epai ya Nzambe.
For then shall thou delight thyself in the Almighty, and shall lift up thy face to God.
27 Okosambela Ye, Ye akoyoka yo, mpe okokokisa ndayi na yo.
Thou shall make thy prayer to him, and he will hear thee, and thou shall pay thy vows.
28 Makambo oyo okokana, ekosalema, mpe pole ekongenga na nzela na yo.
Thou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established to thee. And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 Soki bato balembi, mpe yo olobi: ‹ Telema! › Nzambe akobikisa bango,
When they cast thee down, thou shall say, There is lifting up, and he will save the humble man.
30 akokangola ata moto oyo asali mabe, akokangola ye penza mpo na bopeto ya maboko na yo. »
He will deliver even him who is not innocent. Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
