< Yobo 29 >
And Job continued his discourse:
2 « Ah! Soki nakokaki kozala lisusu ndenge nazalaki na basanza oyo eleki, ndenge nazalaki na mikolo oyo Nzambe azalaki kobatela ngai,
“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me,
3 tango mwinda na Ye ezalaki kongenga na moto na ngai, mpe tango, na pole na Ye, nazalaki kotambola kati na molili.
when His lamp shone above my head, and by His light I walked through the darkness,
4 Ah! Soki nakokaki kozala lisusu ndenge nazalaki na mikolo oyo nazalaki nanu na makasi, tango bolingo ya Nzambe ezalaki kopambola ndako na ngai,
when I was in my prime, when the friendship of God rested on my tent,
5 tango Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso azalaki nanu elongo na ngai bana mibali na ngai bazingelaki ngai,
when the Almighty was still with me and my children were around me,
6 tango nzela na ngai etondisamaki na miliki mpe libanga ezalaki kosopa mafuta ya olive mpo na ngai!
when my steps were bathed in cream and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!
7 Tango nazalaki kokende na ekuke ya mboka mpe nazalaki kotia kiti na ngai na esika oyo bato ebele bakutanaka,
When I went out to the city gate and took my seat in the public square,
8 bilenge bazalaki komona ngai mpe bazalaki kobombama, mibange bazalaki kotelema,
the young men saw me and withdrew, and the old men rose to their feet.
9 bakambi bazalaki kozanga maloba mpe kozipa minoko na bango na maboko,
The princes refrained from speaking and covered their mouths with their hands.
10 bato ya lokumu bazalaki kokitisa mingongo na bango mpe lolemo na bango ezalaki kokangama na minoko na bango.
The voices of the nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roofs of their mouths.
11 Moto nyonso oyo azalaki koyoka ngai azalaki koloba ete nazali moto ya esengo, mpe bato nyonso oyo bazalaki komona ngai bazalaki kotatola mpo na ngai;
For those who heard me called me blessed, and those who saw me commended me,
12 pamba te nazalaki kosunga babola oyo bazalaki kosenga lisungi, mpe mwana etike oyo azangi moto oyo akosunga ye.
because I rescued the poor who cried out and the fatherless who had no helper.
13 Moto oyo akomaki pene ya kokufa azalaki kopambola ngai, mpe nazalaki kopesa esengo na motema ya mwasi oyo akufisa mobali.
The dying man blessed me, and I made the widow’s heart sing for joy.
14 Nazalaki kolata bosembo lokola elamba; bosembo ezalaki elamba na ngai mpe kitendi na ngai ya kokanga na moto.
I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; justice was my robe and my turban.
15 Nazalaki miso ya mokufi miso mpe makolo ya mokakatani;
I served as eyes to the blind and as feet to the lame.
16 nazalaki tata ya moto oyo akelela, nazalaki kobundela moto oyo nayebi te;
I was a father to the needy, and I took up the case of the stranger.
17 nabukaki mbanga ya moto mabe mpe nabotolaki bato oyo akangaki na minu na ye.
I shattered the fangs of the unjust and snatched the prey from his teeth.
18 Nazalaki kokanisa: ‹ Nakokufa kati na ndako na ngai moko sima na mikolo ebele lokola zelo.
So I thought: ‘I will die in my nest and multiply my days as the sand.
19 Misisa na ngai ekoluka mayi, mpe mayi oyo ezalaka na matiti ekovanda butu mobimba na bitape na ngai.
My roots will spread out to the waters, and the dew will rest nightly on my branches.
20 Lokumu na ngai ekozongisela ngai esengo, ata tolotolo ekokoma ya sika na loboko na ngai. ›
My glory is ever new within me, and my bow is renewed in my hand.’
21 Bato bazalaki koyoka ngai na bokebi, bazalaki na kimia mpo na koyoka toli na ngai.
Men listened to me with expectation, waiting silently for my counsel.
22 Sima na ngai koloba, bazalaki na liloba ya kozongisa te; maloba na ngai ezalaki kokota na esengo na matoyi na bango.
After my words, they spoke no more; my speech settled on them like dew.
23 Bazalaki kozela ngai ndenge bazelaka mvula, mpe bazalaki komela maloba na ngai lokola mvula ya suka.
They waited for me as for rain and drank in my words like spring showers.
24 Soki nasekisi bango, bazalaki kondima te; kongenga ya elongi na ngai ezalaki na motuya mpo na bango.
If I smiled at them, they did not believe it; the light of my countenance was precious.
25 Naponaki nzela mpo na bango mpe navandaki lokola mokonzi na bango; nazalaki kokonza bango lokola mokonzi kati na mampinga na ye, nazalaki lokola moto oyo azalaki kolendisa bato ya mawa. »
I chose their course and presided as chief. So I dwelt as a king among his troops, as a comforter of the mourners.