< Yobo 22 >

1 Elifazi, moto ya Temani, azwaki maloba mpe alobaki:
Then responded 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.
Unto GOD, can a man act as friend? Surely a discreet man befriendeth himself!
3 Ezala soki ozali moyengebene, litomba nini Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akoki kozwa, ata ozali kobongisa nzela na yo ya bosembo?
Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou shouldst be righteous? or any profit, that thou shouldst be blameless in thy ways?
4 Boni, okanisi ete ezali mpo na boyengebene na yo nde azali kopamela yo mpe kosambisa yo?
Is it, for thy reverence, that he will accuse thee? will enter with thee into judgment?
5 Mabe na yo ezali monene te? Masumu na yo eleki ndelo te?
Is not, thy wickedness, great? and, without end, [are not] thine iniquities?
6 Ozalaki koluka na pamba ndanga epai ya bandeko na yo ya mibali, ozalaki kolongola bato bilamba mpe kotika bango bolumbu,
Surely then hast been wont to put thy brother in pledge, for nothing, and, the garments of the ill-clad, hast thou stripped off:
7 ozalaki kopesa mayi te na moto oyo azalaki na posa ya mayi, mpe ozalaki kopimela moto oyo azalaki na nzala bilei,
No water—to the weary, hast thou given to drink, and, from the hungry, thou hast withheld bread:
8 atako ozalaki moto monene, nkolo mabele, mpe ozalaki kovanda na mabele yango lokola moto ya lokumu;
A man of might, to him, pertaineth the land, and, the favorite, dwelleth therein:
9 ozalaki kozongisa basi bakufisa mibali maboko pamba, mpe ozalaki kosilisa makasi ya bana bitike.
Widows, thou hast sent away empty, and, the arms of the fatherless, thou dost crush.
10 Yango wana, mitambo ezingeli yo, kobebisama ya mbalakata ekomi kopesa yo somo,
For this cause, round about thee, are snares, and a dread startleth thee suddenly;
11 molili makasi ezwi yo mpe ozali kokoka komona te, mpe mpela ezipi yo.
Or darkness—thou canst not see, and, a flood of waters, covereth 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 the heavens? Behold, then, the head of the stars, that they are high.
13 Nzokande, ozali koloba: ‹ Nzambe ayebi nini? Akoki kosambisa kati na mapata ya molili ya boye? ›
Wilt thou say then, What doth GOD know? Out through a thick cloud, can he judge?
14 Mapata minene ezipi Ye, yango wana azali komona biso te, wana azali kotambola-tambola na etando ya Lola?
Dark clouds, are a veil to him, and he cannot see, or, the vault of the heavens, doth he walk?
15 Olingi solo kotikala kaka na nzela ya kala, nzela oyo bato mabe balekelaki?
The path of the ancient time, wilt thou mark, which the men of iniquity trod?
16 Kufa ememaki bango na mbalakata, mpe miboko na bango etiolaki na mpela.
Who were snatched away before the time, and, a stream, washed away their foundation?
17 Bazalaki koloba na Nzambe: ‹ Tika biso, biso moko! Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akosala biso nini? ›
Who had been saying unto GOD, Depart from us! and—What can the Almighty do for himself?
18 Nzokande, Ye nde atondisaki bandako na bango na biloko ya kitoko. Yango wana, ngai, naboyaka toli ya bato mabe.
Yet, he, had filled their houses with good! The counsel of the lawless, then, 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 shall see and rejoice, and, the innocent, shall laugh them to scorn:
20 ‹ Solo, banguna na biso babebi, moto ezikisi bomengo na bango. ›
If our assailants do not vanish, then, their abundance, a fire consumeth!
21 Zongisa boyokani na yo elongo na Ye mpe luka kimia. Na nzela wana, bomengo ekoya lisusu epai na yo.
Shew thyself to be one with him—I pray thee—and prosper, thereby, shall there come on thee blessing.
22 Ndima malako oyo ekowuta na monoko na Ye, mpe batela maloba na Ye kati na motema na yo.
Accept, I beseech thee, from his mouth—instruction, —and lay up his sayings 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 unto the Almighty and submit thyself, if thou far remove perversity from thy tent,
24 Bwaka wolo na yo kati na putulu, wolo na yo ya Ofiri kati na mabanga ya lubwaku;
Then lay up, in the dust, precious ore, and, among the stones of the torrent-beds, fine gold:
25 bongo Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akozala wolo na yo, mpe palata oyo eleki kitoko mpo na yo.
So shall, the Almighty, become, thy precious ores, yea glittering silver unto thee!
26 Solo, okozwa esengo epai ya Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso mpe okotombola elongi na yo epai ya Nzambe.
For, then, in the Almighty, shalt thou take exquisite delight, and shalt lift up—unto GOD—thy face;
27 Okosambela Ye, Ye akoyoka yo, mpe okokokisa ndayi na yo.
Thou shalt make entreaty unto him, and he will hear thee, and, thy vows, shalt thou pay;
28 Makambo oyo okokana, ekosalema, mpe pole ekongenga na nzela na yo.
And thou shalt decree a purpose, and it shall be fulfilled unto thee, and, upon thy ways, shall have shone a light;
29 Soki bato balembi, mpe yo olobi: ‹ Telema! › Nzambe akobikisa bango,
When men cast themselves down, then thou shalt say: Up! And, him that is of downcast eyes, shall he save;
30 akokangola ata moto oyo asali mabe, akokangola ye penza mpo na bopeto ya maboko na yo. »
He shall deliver the innocent, and thou shalt escape by the pureness of thy hands.

< Yobo 22 >