Yobo 22
1 Elifazi, moto ya Temani, azwaki maloba mpe alobaki:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
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 you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
4 Boni, okanisi ete ezali mpo na boyengebene na yo nde azali kopamela yo mpe kosambisa yo?
Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?
5 Mabe na yo ezali monene te? Masumu na yo eleki ndelo te?
Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.
6 Ozalaki koluka na pamba ndanga epai ya bandeko na yo ya mibali, ozalaki kolongola bato bilamba mpe kotika bango bolumbu,
For you have taken pledges from your 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,
You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you 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 earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.
9 ozalaki kozongisa basi bakufisa mibali maboko pamba, mpe ozalaki kosilisa makasi ya bana bitike.
You 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 around you. Sudden fear troubles you,
11 molili makasi ezwi yo mpe ozali kokoka komona te, mpe mpela ezipi yo.
or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.
12 Boni, Nzambe azali te kuna na likolo, kati na Lola? Tala ndenge nini etando ya minzoto ezali likolo koleka!
“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See 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? ›
You 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 doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’
15 Olingi solo kotikala kaka na nzela ya kala, nzela oyo bato mabe balekelaki?
Will you 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. The innocent ridicule them,
20 ‹ Solo, banguna na biso babebi, moto ezikisi bomengo na bango. ›
saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’
21 Zongisa boyokani na yo elongo na Ye mpe luka kimia. Na nzela wana, bomengo ekoya lisusu epai na yo.
“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.
22 Ndima malako oyo ekowuta na monoko na Ye, mpe batela maloba na Ye kati na motema na yo.
Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.
23 Soki ozongi epai na Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso, soki obengani mabe mosika ya ndako na yo, bomengo na yo ekozongela yo.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.
24 Bwaka wolo na yo kati na putulu, wolo na yo ya Ofiri kati na mabanga ya lubwaku;
Lay your treasure in the dust, 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.
The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.
26 Solo, okozwa esengo epai ya Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso mpe okotombola elongi na yo epai ya Nzambe.
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.
27 Okosambela Ye, Ye akoyoka yo, mpe okokokisa ndayi na yo.
You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.
28 Makambo oyo okokana, ekosalema, mpe pole ekongenga na nzela na yo.
You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.
29 Soki bato balembi, mpe yo olobi: ‹ Telema! › Nzambe akobikisa bango,
When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.
30 akokangola ata moto oyo asali mabe, akokangola ye penza mpo na bopeto ya maboko na yo. »
He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
