Yobo 31
1 « Nasalaki boyokani elongo na miso na ngai ete nalula elenge mwasi te.
I made an agreement with my eyes; how then might my eyes be looking on a virgin?
2 Pamba te, libula nini Nzambe akoki kobongisela ngai wuta na likolo? Libonza nini Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso akoki kotindela ngai wuta na likolo?
For what is God's reward from on high, or the heritage given by the Ruler of all from heaven?
3 Boni, pasi ezali mpo na bato mabe te? Kobebisama ezali mpo na bato oyo basalaka masumu te?
Is it not trouble for the sinner, and destruction for the evil-doers?
4 Amoni banzela na ngai te? Atangi matambe na ngai nyonso te?
Does he not see my ways, and are not my steps all numbered?
5 Soki natambolaki na lokuta to litambe na ngai elandaki nzela mabe,
If I have gone in false ways, or my foot has been quick in working deceit;
6 tika ete Nzambe ameka ngai na emekelo ya sembo, mpe akomona ete ngai nasali mabe te.
(Let me be measured in upright scales, and let God see my righteousness: )
7 Soki matambe na ngai ebimaki na nzela na Ye, soki motema na ngai etambolisamaki kolanda miso na ngai, soki maboko na ngai ekomaki mbindo,
If my steps have been turned out of the way, or if my heart went after my eyes, or if the property of another is in my hands;
8 tika ete bato mosusu balia biloko oyo ngai naloni, mpe tika ete nkona na ngai epikolama!
Let me put seed in the earth for another to have the fruit of it, and let my produce be uprooted.
9 Soki motema na ngai ekosamaki na mwasi to soki natalaki na makanisi mabe ekuke ya mozalani na ngai,
If my heart went after another man's wife, or if I was waiting secretly at my neighbour's door;
10 tika ete mwasi na ngai atutela moto mosusu ble mpe tika ete mibali mosusu basangisa na ye nzoto.
Then let my wife give pleasure to another man and let others make use of her body.
11 Pamba te elingaki kozala likambo ya soni, mpe lisumu ya boye ebongi na esambiselo ya basambisi.
For that would be a crime; it would be an act for which punishment would be measured out by the judges:
12 Ezali moto oyo ezali kozikisa kino na kobebisama mpe ekoki kobebisa bomengo na ngai nyonso.
It would be a fire burning even to destruction, and taking away all my produce.
13 Soki nasalelaki na bosembo te bawumbu na ngai ya mibali mpe ya basi tango bazwaki ngai mabe,
If I did wrong in the cause of my man-servant, or my woman-servant, when they went to law with me;
14 nakosala nini soki Nzambe asambisi ngai? Nakopesa eyano nini tango akotuna ngai ndenge nini nabandaki kosala?
What then will I do when God comes as my judge? and what answer may I give to his questions?
15 Ezalaki Ye te oyo asalaki ngai kati na libumu ya mama na ngai nde asalaki bango? Ngai na bango, tozalaki lolenge moko te kati na mabumu ya bamama na biso?
Did not God make him as well as me? did he not give us life in our mothers' bodies?
16 Soki nakokisaki te posa ya mobola to soki nalembisaki miso ya mwasi oyo akufisa mobali,
If I kept back the desire of the poor; if the widow's eye was looking for help to no purpose;
17 soki nabombaki lipa na ngai mpo na ngai moko to nakabolaki yango te na bana bitike,
If I kept my food for myself, and did not give some of it to the child with no father;
18 —nzokande wuta bolenge na ngai, nazalaki kobokola bana bitike lokola tata na bango; mpe wuta mbotama na ngai, nazalaki kolakisa nzela na mwasi oyo akufisa mobali—
(For I was cared for by God as by a father from my earliest days; he was my guide from the body of my mother; )
19 soki namonaki mobola kokufa na kozanga bilamba to moto akelela kozanga bilamba,
If I saw one near to death for need of clothing, and that the poor had nothing covering him;
20 bongo motema na ye epambolaki ngai te na ndenge nazipaki ye na bilamba oyo ewutaki na bibwele na ngai,
If his back did not give me a blessing, and the wool of my sheep did not make him warm;
21 soki natombolaki loboko na ngai mpo na kosala mwana etike mabe, wana nayebaki ete nazali na nguya liboso ya basambisi,
If my hand had been lifted up against him who had done no wrong, when I saw that I was supported by the judges;
22 tika ete loboko na ngai elongwa na lipeka na ngai to ebukana!
May my arm be pulled from my body, and be broken from its base.
23 Pamba te nazalaki kobanga etumbu ya Nzambe, mpe nakokaki te kosala eloko liboso ya lokumu na Ye.
For the fear of God kept me back, and because of his power I might not do such things.
24 Soki natiaki elikya na ngai na wolo to nalobaki na wolo ya kitoko: ‹ Ozali ekimelo na ngai, ›
If I made gold my hope, or if I ever said to the best gold, I have put my faith in you;
25 soki nasepelaki na ebele ya bozwi na ngai, bomengo oyo maboko na ngai esalaki,
If I was glad because my wealth was great, and because my hand had got together a great store;
26 soki natalaki moyi na kongenga na yango to sanza kotambola na nkembo,
If, when I saw the sun shining, and the moon moving on its bright way,
27 soki motema na ngai ekosamaki na nkuku, mpe maboko na ngai epesaki yango beze ya lokumu,
A secret feeling of worship came into my heart, and my hand gave kisses from my mouth;
28 wana elingaki lisusu kozala mbeba oyo ebongi na esambiselo ya basambisi, pamba te nalingaki kowangana Nzambe oyo azali na Likolo.
That would have been another sin to be rewarded with punishment by the judges; for I would have been false to God on high.
29 Soki nasepelaki na pasi ya monguna na ngai to nagangaki na esengo na likama oyo ekomelaki ye,
If I was glad at the trouble of my hater, and gave cries of joy when evil overtook him;
30 soki napesaki nzela na monoko na ngai ete esala lisumu na kosenga kufa ya monguna na ngai na nzela ya maloba ya kolakela mabe;
(For I did not let my mouth give way to sin, in putting a curse on his life; )
31 soki bato ya libota na ngai balobaka te: ‹ Nani oyo atondaki te na misuni ya banyama ya Yobo? ›
If the men of my tent did not say, Who has not had full measure of his meat?
32 Soki mopaya moko te alalaki libanda, pamba te ekuke na ngai ezalaki ya kofungwama tango nyonso mpo na moleki nzela,
The traveller did not take his night's rest in the street, and my doors were open to anyone on a journey;
33 soki nabombaki lisumu na ngai ndenge Adamu asalaki to nabombaki yango na motema na ngai,
If I kept my evil doings covered, and my sin in the secret of my breast,
34 pamba te nabangaki bato mpe nabangaki ete mabota etiola ngai, yango wana nakangaki monoko mpe nakokaki kobima libanda te!
For fear of the great body of people, or for fear that families might make sport of me, so that I kept quiet, and did not go out of my door;
35 Ah, soki nazalaki ata na moto oyo akokaki koyoka ngai! Yango nde sik’oyo liloba na ngai ya suka. Tika ete Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso ayanola ngai! Tika ete moto oyo afundi ngai akoma na mokanda makambo oyo afundeli ngai!
If only God would give ear to me, and the Ruler of all would give me an answer! or if what he has against me had been put in writing!
36 Solo, nalingaki komema yango na lipeka na ngai, nalingaki kolata yango lokola motole,
Truly I would take up the book in my hands; it would be to me as a crown;
37 nalingaki kotalisa Ye makambo nyonso oyo nasalaki, nalingaki kopusana pene na Ye lokola mokambi.—
I would make clear the number of my steps, I would put it before him like a prince! The words of Job are ended.
38 Soki mabele na ngai eboyi ngai, soki mikala na yango elelaki,
If my land has made an outcry against me, or the ploughed earth has been in sorrow;
39 soki naliaki bambuma na yango na ofele to soki natungisaki bankolo na yango,
If I have taken its produce without payment, causing the death of its owners;
40 tika ete banzube ebima na esika ya ble, mpe matiti mabe ebima na esika ya orje. » Oyo nde suka ya maloba ya Yobo.
Then in place of grain let thorns come up, and in place of barley evil-smelling plants.
