< Yobo 29 >
Moreover Job continued his discourse, and said:
2 « Ah! Soki nakokaki kozala lisusu ndenge nazalaki na basanza oyo eleki, ndenge nazalaki na mikolo oyo Nzambe azalaki kobatela ngai,
O that I were as in months past, In the days when God was my guardian;
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 shined over my head, And when by his light I walked through 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,
As I was in the autumn of my days, When the friendship of God was over my tent;
5 tango Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso azalaki nanu elongo na ngai bana mibali na ngai bazingelaki ngai,
When the Almighty was yet 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 I bathed my steps in milk, And the rock poured me out rivers 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 forth to the gate by the city, And took my seat in the market-place,
8 bilenge bazalaki komona ngai mpe bazalaki kobombama, mibange bazalaki kotelema,
The young men saw me and hid themselves, And the aged arose and stood.
9 bakambi bazalaki kozanga maloba mpe kozipa minoko na bango na maboko,
The princes refrained from speaking, And laid their hand upon their mouth.
10 bato ya lokumu bazalaki kokitisa mingongo na bango mpe lolemo na bango ezalaki kokangama na minoko na bango.
The nobles held their peace, And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
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;
When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.
12 pamba te nazalaki kosunga babola oyo bazalaki kosenga lisungi, mpe mwana etike oyo azangi moto oyo akosunga ye.
For I delivered the poor, when they cried; And the fatherless, who had none to help him.
13 Moto oyo akomaki pene ya kokufa azalaki kopambola ngai, mpe nazalaki kopesa esengo na motema ya mwasi oyo akufisa mobali.
The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me, And I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy.
14 Nazalaki kolata bosembo lokola elamba; bosembo ezalaki elamba na ngai mpe kitendi na ngai ya kokanga na moto.
I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself with me; And justice was my robe and diadem.
15 Nazalaki miso ya mokufi miso mpe makolo ya mokakatani;
I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame;
16 nazalaki tata ya moto oyo akelela, nazalaki kobundela moto oyo nayebi te;
I was a father to the poor, And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;
17 nabukaki mbanga ya moto mabe mpe nabotolaki bato oyo akangaki na minu na ye.
And I broke the teeth of the wicked, And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
18 Nazalaki kokanisa: ‹ Nakokufa kati na ndako na ngai moko sima na mikolo ebele lokola zelo.
Then said I, “I shall die in my nest; I shall 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 root is spread abroad to the waters, And the dew abideth on my branches.
20 Lokumu na ngai ekozongisela ngai esengo, ata tolotolo ekokoma ya sika na loboko na ngai. ›
My glory is fresh with me, And my bow gathereth strength in my hand.”
21 Bato bazalaki koyoka ngai na bokebi, bazalaki na kimia mpo na koyoka toli na ngai.
To me men gave ear, and waited, And kept silence 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.
To my words they made no reply, When my speech dropped down upon them.
23 Bazalaki kozela ngai ndenge bazelaka mvula, mpe bazalaki komela maloba na ngai lokola mvula ya suka.
Yea, they waited for me as for the rain; They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
24 Soki nasekisi bango, bazalaki kondima te; kongenga ya elongi na ngai ezalaki na motuya mpo na bango.
If I smiled upon them, they believed it not; Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
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. »
When I came among them, I sat as chief; I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, As a comforter among mourners.