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 by the Almighty? And why do not they who know him see his days?
2 Bato bapusaka bandelo, bakendaka koleisa bibwele oyo bayibaki,
They remove landmarks; They take away flocks by violence, 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, And take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 balongolaka babola na nzela, mpe batindaka na makasi babola nyonso ya mokili ete babombama.
They push the needy from the way; All the poor of the land are forced to 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;
Behold, like wild asses of the desert, they go forth to their work; They search for prey; The wilderness supplieth 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.
In the fields they reap the harvest, And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
7 Na butu, balalaka bolumbu mpo na kozanga bilamba, bazangi bulangeti mpo na komifinika na tango ya malili;
They lodge naked, without clothing, And without covering from the cold.
8 bapoli na mvula ya ngomba, bakangami na mabanga mpo na kozanga esika ya kobombama.
They are drenched with the mountain showers, And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
9 Bazali kobotola mwana etike na mabele ya mama na ye, bazali kokanga mwana ya mobola mpo na niongo.
The fatherless are torn from the breast, And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
10 Soki bazangi bilamba, batambolaka bolumbu; bamemaka maboke ya nzete ya ble, kasi bazongaka kaka na nzala.
They go naked, without clothing, And carry the sheaf hungry.
11 Bakamolaka bambuma ya olive kati na mapango ya bato mosusu, bakamolaka bambuma ya vino, kasi bazongaka kaka na posa ya komela.
They make oil within their walls, And tread the wine-vat, yet 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.
From anguish the dying groan, And the wounded cry aloud; And God regardeth not their prayer!
13 Bato oyo bazali kosala bongo, bazali kotombokela pole, bayebi nzela na Ye te mpe batambolaka ata kati na yango te.
Others hate the light; They know not its ways, And abide not in its paths.
14 Mobomi azali kotelema na moyi mpe koboma mobola elongo na moto akelela; na butu, azali lokola moyibi.
With the light ariseth the murderer; He killeth the poor and needy; In the night he 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.
The eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight; He saith, “No eye will see me,” And putteth a mask upon 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 break into houses; In the daytime they shut themselves up; They are strangers to the light.
17 Mpo na bango, molili makasi ezali nde tongo, somo ya molili ekomaka moninga na bango.
The morning is to them the very shadow of death; 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.
Light are they on the face of the waters; They have an accursed portion in the earth; They come not near 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)
As drought and heat consume the snow waters, So doth the grave the wicked. (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.
His own mother forgetteth him; The worm feedeth sweetly on him; He is no more remembered, And iniquity is broken like 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 oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne, 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 taketh away the mighty by his power; He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.
23 Nzambe apesaka bango kimia, kasi miso na Ye etalaka nzela na bango.
God giveth them security, so that they are confident; 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; —in a little while they are gone! They are brought low, and die, like all others; And like the topmost ears of corn are they cut off.
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, who will confute me, And show my discourse to be worthless?
