Yobo 22
1 Elifazi, moto ya Temani, azwaki maloba mpe alobaki:
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, 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 unto God? Surely he that is wise is profitable unto 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 art righteous? Or is it gain [to him], that thou makest 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 reproveth thee, That he entereth 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 hast taken pledges of thy brother for nought, 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 hast not given water to the weary to drink, And thou hast withholden 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 earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.
9 ozalaki kozongisa basi bakufisa mibali maboko pamba, mpe ozalaki kosilisa makasi ya bana bitike.
Thou hast 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 troubleth thee,
11 molili makasi ezwi yo mpe ozali kokoka komona te, mpe mpela ezipi yo.
Or darkness, so that thou canst not 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 sayest, What doth 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 seeth not; And he walketh on the vault of heaven.
15 Olingi solo kotikala kaka na nzela ya kala, nzela oyo bato mabe balekelaki?
Wilt 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 unto 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 they that did rise up against us are cut off, And the remnant of them the fire hath 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: Thereby good shall come unto 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 shalt be built up, If 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;
And lay thou [thy] treasure in the dust, And [the gold of] Ophir among the stones of the brooks;
25 bongo Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akozala wolo na yo, mpe palata oyo eleki kitoko mpo na yo.
And the Almighty will be thy treasure, And precious silver unto thee.
26 Solo, okozwa esengo epai ya Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso mpe okotombola elongi na yo epai ya Nzambe.
For then shalt thou delight thyself in the Almighty, And shalt lift up thy face unto God.
27 Okosambela Ye, Ye akoyoka yo, mpe okokokisa ndayi na yo.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he will hear thee; And thou shalt pay thy vows.
28 Makambo oyo okokana, ekosalema, mpe pole ekongenga na nzela na yo.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto 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 shalt say, [There is] lifting up; And the humble person he will save.
30 akokangola ata moto oyo asali mabe, akokangola ye penza mpo na bopeto ya maboko na yo. »
He will deliver [even] him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands.
