Yobo 24
1 Mpo na nini Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akataka tango te mpo na esambiselo? Mpo na nini bato oyo bayebi Ye basengeli koluka na pamba mikolo ya boye?
Why are not times treasured up with the Almighty? why do not they that know him see his days?
2 Bato bapusaka bandelo, bakendaka koleisa bibwele oyo bayibaki,
They remove the landmarks; they violently take away the flocks and pasture them;
3 babotolaka ane ya mwana etike mpe bazwaka lokola ndanga ngombe ya mobali ya mwasi oyo akufisi mobali;
They drive away the ass of the fatherless, they take the widow's ox for a pledge;
4 balongolaka babola na nzela, mpe batindaka na makasi babola nyonso ya mokili ete babombama.
They turn the needy out of the way: the afflicted of the land all hide themselves.
5 Lokola ba-ane ya zamba, babola bakendaka tongo-tongo na mosala mpo na koluka biloko ya kolia, kasi kaka esobe nde epesaka bana na bango bilei;
Lo, [as] wild asses in the desert, they go forth to their work, seeking early for the prey: the wilderness [yieldeth] them food for [their] children.
6 bakataka matiti na bilanga mpo na bibwele mpe balokotaka bambuma oyo etikalaka na bilanga ya vino ya moto mabe.
They reap in the field the fodder thereof, and they gather the vintage of the wicked;
7 Na butu, balalaka bolumbu mpo na kozanga bilamba, bazangi bulangeti mpo na komifinika na tango ya malili;
They pass the night naked without clothing, and have no covering in the cold;
8 bapoli na mvula ya ngomba, bakangami na mabanga mpo na kozanga esika ya kobombama.
They are wet with the showers of the mountains, and for want of a shelter embrace the rock...
9 Bazali kobotola mwana etike na mabele ya mama na ye, bazali kokanga mwana ya mobola mpo na niongo.
They pluck the fatherless from the breast, and take a pledge of the poor:
10 Soki bazangi bilamba, batambolaka bolumbu; bamemaka maboke ya nzete ya ble, kasi bazongaka kaka na nzala.
These go naked without clothing, and, hungry, they bear the sheaf;
11 Bakamolaka bambuma ya olive kati na mapango ya bato mosusu, bakamolaka bambuma ya vino, kasi bazongaka kaka na posa ya komela.
They press out oil within their walls, they tread their winepresses, and suffer thirst.
12 Bileli ya kufa ezali koyokana wuta na mboka, mpe milimo ya bato oyo bazoki ezali koganga mpo na koluka lisungi, kasi Nzambe azali kopesa etumbu ata na moto moko te.
Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out; and God imputeth not the impiety.
13 Bato oyo bazali kosala bongo, bazali kotombokela pole, bayebi nzela na Ye te mpe batambolaka ata kati na yango te.
There are those that rebel against the light; they know not the ways thereof, nor abide in the paths thereof.
14 Mobomi azali kotelema na moyi mpe koboma mobola elongo na moto akelela; na butu, azali lokola moyibi.
The murderer riseth with the light, killeth the afflicted and needy, and in the night is as a thief.
15 Liso ya moto ya ekobo ezelaka ete molili ekota; amilobelaka: ‹ Moto moko te akomona ngai, › mpe abombaka elongi na ye.
And the eye of the adulterer waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me; and he putteth a covering on [his] face.
16 Kati na molili, bato balukaka kobuka bandako ya bato; kasi na moyi, bamikangelaka na ndako, bazali koboya pole.
In the dark they dig through houses; by day they shut themselves in; they know not the light:
17 Mpo na bango, molili makasi ezali nde tongo, somo ya molili ekomaka moninga na bango.
For the morning is to them all [as] the shadow of death; for they are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 Nzokande bazali lokola fulufulu likolo ya etando ya mayi, eteni ya mabele na bango elakelami mabe epai ya bato ya mboka, yango wana moko te azali kokende na bilanga ya vino.
He is swift on the face of the waters; their portion is cursed on the earth: he turneth not unto the way of the vineyards.
19 Ndenge kokawuka mpe moyi makasi emelaka mayi ya mvula pembe, ndenge wana mpe mboka ya bakufi emelaka bato oyo basalaka masumu. (Sheol h7585)
Drought and heat consume snow waters; so doth Sheol those that have sinned. (Sheol h7585)
20 Libumu ya mama ebosanaka bango mpe bankusu esepelaka kolia bango. Bakanisaka bango lisusu te, pamba te mabe na bango esili kobukana lokola nzete.
The womb forgetteth him; the worm feedeth sweetly on him: he shall be no more remembered; and unrighteousness is broken as a tree, —
21 Bato mabe basepelisaka basi bazangi bana mpe bato oyo babotaka te, kasi basalaka bolamu te epai ya mwasi oyo akufisa mobali.
He that despoileth the barren that beareth not, and doeth not good to the widow:
22 Kasi Nzambe, na nguya na Ye, abakisaka mikolo ya banyokoli na bango; ata batombolami, bazalaka na elikya te mpo na bomoi na bango.
He draweth also the mighty with his power; he riseth up, and no [man] is sure of life.
23 Nzambe apesaka bango kimia, kasi miso na Ye etalaka nzela na bango.
[God] setteth him in safety, and he resteth thereon; but his eyes are upon their ways.
24 Mpe atako sik’oyo bazali bato minene, na tango moke bakozala lisusu te, bakokweya mpe bakokufa lokola moto nyonso, bakokatama lokola mito ya ble.
They are exalted for a little, and are no more; they are laid low; like all [other] are they gathered, and are cut off as the tops of the ears of corn.
25 Soki ezali bongo te, nani akoki kolakisa ngai ete nazali koloba lokuta? Nani akoloba ete maloba na ngai ezali ya pamba? »
If it be not so now, who will make me a liar, and make my speech nothing worth?
