Yobo 31
1 « Nasalaki boyokani elongo na miso na ngai ete nalula elenge mwasi te.
I made a covenant with mine eyes, and I will not think upon 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?
Now what portion has God given from above? and is there an inheritance [given] of the Mighty One from the highest?
3 Boni, pasi ezali mpo na bato mabe te? Kobebisama ezali mpo na bato oyo basalaka masumu te?
Alas! destruction to the unrighteous, and rejection to them that do iniquity.
4 Amoni banzela na ngai te? Atangi matambe na ngai nyonso te?
Will he not see my way, and number all my steps?
5 Soki natambolaki na lokuta to litambe na ngai elandaki nzela mabe,
But if I had gone with scorners, and if too my foot has hasted to deceit:
6 tika ete Nzambe ameka ngai na emekelo ya sembo, mpe akomona ete ngai nasali mabe te.
(for I am weighed in a just balance, and the Lord knows my innocence: )
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 foot has turned aside out of the way, or if mine heart has followed mine eye, and if too I have touched gifts with my hands;
8 tika ete bato mosusu balia biloko oyo ngai naloni, mpe tika ete nkona na ngai epikolama!
then let me sow, and let others eat; and let me be uprooted on the earth.
9 Soki motema na ngai ekosamaki na mwasi to soki natalaki na makanisi mabe ekuke ya mozalani na ngai,
If my heart has gone forth after another man's wife, and if I laid wait at her doors;
10 tika ete mwasi na ngai atutela moto mosusu ble mpe tika ete mibali mosusu basangisa na ye nzoto.
then let my wife also please another, and let my children be brought low.
11 Pamba te elingaki kozala likambo ya soni, mpe lisumu ya boye ebongi na esambiselo ya basambisi.
For the rage of anger is not to be controlled, [in the case] of defiling [another] man's wife.
12 Ezali moto oyo ezali kozikisa kino na kobebisama mpe ekoki kobebisa bomengo na ngai nyonso.
For it is a fire burning on every side, and whoever it attacks, it utterly destroys.
13 Soki nasalelaki na bosembo te bawumbu na ngai ya mibali mpe ya basi tango bazwaki ngai mabe,
And if too I despised the judgment of my servant or [my] handmaid, when they pleaded with me;
14 nakosala nini soki Nzambe asambisi ngai? Nakopesa eyano nini tango akotuna ngai ndenge nini nabandaki kosala?
what then shall I do if the Lord should try me? and if also he should at all visit me, can I make an answer?
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?
Were not they too formed as I also was formed in the womb? yes, we were formed in the same womb.
16 Soki nakokisaki te posa ya mobola to soki nalembisaki miso ya mwasi oyo akufisa mobali,
But the helpless missed not whatever need they had, and I did not cause the eye of the widow to fail.
17 soki nabombaki lipa na ngai mpo na ngai moko to nakabolaki yango te na bana bitike,
And if too I ate my morsel alone, and did not impart [of it] to the orphan;
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 nourished [them] as a father from my youth and guided [them] from my mother's womb.)
19 soki namonaki mobola kokufa na kozanga bilamba to moto akelela kozanga bilamba,
And if too I overlooked the naked as he was perishing, and did not clothe him;
20 bongo motema na ye epambolaki ngai te na ndenge nazipaki ye na bilamba oyo ewutaki na bibwele na ngai,
and if the poor did not bless me, and their shoulders were [not] warmed with the fleece of my lambs;
21 soki natombolaki loboko na ngai mpo na kosala mwana etike mabe, wana nayebaki ete nazali na nguya liboso ya basambisi,
if I lifted my hand against an orphan, trusting that my strength was far superior [to his]:
22 tika ete loboko na ngai elongwa na lipeka na ngai to ebukana!
let them my shoulder start from the blade-bone, and my arm be crushed off from the elbow.
23 Pamba te nazalaki kobanga etumbu ya Nzambe, mpe nakokaki te kosala eloko liboso ya lokumu na Ye.
For the fear of the Lord constrained me, and I can’t bear up by reason of his burden.
24 Soki natiaki elikya na ngai na wolo to nalobaki na wolo ya kitoko: ‹ Ozali ekimelo na ngai, ›
If I made gold my treasure, and if too I trusted the precious stone;
25 soki nasepelaki na ebele ya bozwi na ngai, bomengo oyo maboko na ngai esalaki,
and if too I rejoiced when my wealth was abundant, and if too I laid my hand on innumerable [treasures]:
26 soki natalaki moyi na kongenga na yango to sanza kotambola na nkembo,
(do we not see the shining sun eclipsed, and the moon waning? for they have not [power to continue]: )
27 soki motema na ngai ekosamaki na nkuku, mpe maboko na ngai epesaki yango beze ya lokumu,
and if my heart was secretly deceived, and if I have laid my hand upon my mouth and kissed it:
28 wana elingaki lisusu kozala mbeba oyo ebongi na esambiselo ya basambisi, pamba te nalingaki kowangana Nzambe oyo azali na Likolo.
let this also then be reckoned to me as the greatest iniquity: for I [should] have lied against the Lord Most High.
29 Soki nasepelaki na pasi ya monguna na ngai to nagangaki na esengo na likama oyo ekomelaki ye,
And if too I was glad at the fall of mine enemies, and mine heart said, Aha!
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;
let then mine ear hear my curse, and let me be a byword among my people in my affliction.
31 soki bato ya libota na ngai balobaka te: ‹ Nani oyo atondaki te na misuni ya banyama ya Yobo? ›
And if too my handmaids have often said, Oh that we might be satisfied with his flesh; (whereas I was very kind:
32 Soki mopaya moko te alalaki libanda, pamba te ekuke na ngai ezalaki ya kofungwama tango nyonso mpo na moleki nzela,
for the stranger did not lodge without, and my door was opened to every one that came: )
33 soki nabombaki lisumu na ngai ndenge Adamu asalaki to nabombaki yango na motema na ngai,
or if too having sinned unintentionally, I hid my sin;
34 pamba te nabangaki bato mpe nabangaki ete mabota etiola ngai, yango wana nakangaki monoko mpe nakokaki kobima libanda te!
(for I did not stand in awe of a great multitude, so as not to declare boldly before them: ) and if too I permitted a poor man to go out of my door with an empty bosom:
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!
(Oh that I had a hearer, ) and if I had not feared the hand of the Lord; and [as to] the written charge which I had against any one,
36 Solo, nalingaki komema yango na lipeka na ngai, nalingaki kolata yango lokola motole,
I would place [it] as a chaplet on my shoulders, and read it.
37 nalingaki kotalisa Ye makambo nyonso oyo nasalaki, nalingaki kopusana pene na Ye lokola mokambi.—
And if I did not read it and return it, having taken nothing from the debtor:
38 Soki mabele na ngai eboyi ngai, soki mikala na yango elelaki,
If at any time the land groaned against me, and if its furrows mourned together;
39 soki naliaki bambuma na yango na ofele to soki natungisaki bankolo na yango,
and if I ate its strength alone without price, and if I too grieved the heart of the owner of the soil, by taking [anything] from [him]:
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 let the nettle come up to me instead of wheat, and a bramble instead of barley. And Job ceased speaking.
