Yobo 31
1 « Nasalaki boyokani elongo na miso na ngai ete nalula elenge mwasi te.
A covenant had I made with my eyes: how then should I fix my look 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?
And what then would have been my portion of God from above? and what lot of the Almighty from on high?
3 Boni, pasi ezali mpo na bato mabe te? Kobebisama ezali mpo na bato oyo basalaka masumu te?
Is not calamity [ready] for the unjust? and misfortune for the wrong-doers?
4 Amoni banzela na ngai te? Atangi matambe na ngai nyonso te?
Behold, he truly seeth my ways, and numbereth all my steps;
5 Soki natambolaki na lokuta to litambe na ngai elandaki nzela mabe,
[And knoweth] whether I have walked with vain desires, or if my foot hath hastened after deceit.
6 tika ete Nzambe ameka ngai na emekelo ya sembo, mpe akomona ete ngai nasali mabe te.
Let him weigh me then in a righteous balance, and let God acknowledge my integrity,
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 step have turned aside from the [proper] way, and my heart have walked after my eyes, and if any blemish have cleaved to 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 another eat; and let what I have growing be rooted out.
9 Soki motema na ngai ekosamaki na mwasi to soki natalaki na makanisi mabe ekuke ya mozalani na ngai,
If my heart have been beguiled toward a woman, or if I have lain in wait at my neighbor's door:
10 tika ete mwasi na ngai atutela moto mosusu ble mpe tika ete mibali mosusu basangisa na ye nzoto.
Then may my wife labor at the mill for another, and may strangers ill-use her;
11 Pamba te elingaki kozala likambo ya soni, mpe lisumu ya boye ebongi na esambiselo ya basambisi.
For this would be incest; yea, it would be an iniquity [to be punished by] the judges;
12 Ezali moto oyo ezali kozikisa kino na kobebisama mpe ekoki kobebisa bomengo na ngai nyonso.
For it would be a fire that consumeth down to the place of corruption, and would root out all my products.
13 Soki nasalelaki na bosembo te bawumbu na ngai ya mibali mpe ya basi tango bazwaki ngai mabe,
If ever I cast aside the justice due to my man-servant and my maid-servant, when they contended with me:
14 nakosala nini soki Nzambe asambisi ngai? Nakopesa eyano nini tango akotuna ngai ndenge nini nabandaki kosala?
What then could I do when God should rise up? and when he should investigate, what could I answer him?
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 he that made me make him born or a woman? and did not the same one fashion us in the womb?
16 Soki nakokisaki te posa ya mobola to soki nalembisaki miso ya mwasi oyo akufisa mobali,
If ever I denied the wish of the indigent, or ever allowed the eyes of the widow to fall [in vain hopes];
17 soki nabombaki lipa na ngai mpo na ngai moko to nakabolaki yango te na bana bitike,
Or if ever I ate my bread by myself alone, and the fatherless did not eat thereof;
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 from my youth he was brought up with me, as though we were of one father, and I have guided her [as though she was sprung] from my mother's womb; )
19 soki namonaki mobola kokufa na kozanga bilamba to moto akelela kozanga bilamba,
If ever I saw any one perishing for want of clothing, or the needy without covering:
20 bongo motema na ye epambolaki ngai te na ndenge nazipaki ye na bilamba oyo ewutaki na bibwele na ngai,
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he have not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 soki natombolaki loboko na ngai mpo na kosala mwana etike mabe, wana nayebaki ete nazali na nguya liboso ya basambisi,
If I have swung my hand against the fatherless, because I saw in the gate those that would help me:
22 tika ete loboko na ngai elongwa na lipeka na ngai to ebukana!
Then may my shoulder fall from my shoulder-blade, and my arm be broken from the channel-bone;
23 Pamba te nazalaki kobanga etumbu ya Nzambe, mpe nakokaki te kosala eloko liboso ya lokumu na Ye.
For dreaded by me was the calamitous punishment of God, and against his highness I can accomplish nothing.
24 Soki natiaki elikya na ngai na wolo to nalobaki na wolo ya kitoko: ‹ Ozali ekimelo na ngai, ›
If I have made gold my confidence, or have said to the fine gold, Thou art my trust:
25 soki nasepelaki na ebele ya bozwi na ngai, bomengo oyo maboko na ngai esalaki,
If ever I rejoiced because my wealth was abundant, and because my hand had gotten much;
26 soki natalaki moyi na kongenga na yango to sanza kotambola na nkembo,
If ever I looked at the light [of the sun] when he shone brightly and on the moon walking in splendor:
27 soki motema na ngai ekosamaki na nkuku, mpe maboko na ngai epesaki yango beze ya lokumu,
And my heart became misled in secret, and my hand kissed my mouth:
28 wana elingaki lisusu kozala mbeba oyo ebongi na esambiselo ya basambisi, pamba te nalingaki kowangana Nzambe oyo azali na Likolo.
This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge; for thus would I have denied the God that is above.
29 Soki nasepelaki na pasi ya monguna na ngai to nagangaki na esengo na likama oyo ekomelaki ye,
If ever I rejoiced at the downfall of him that hated me, or was elated when evil befell 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;
But I suffered not my mouth to sin by denouncing with a curse his soul: —
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 said not, Oh is there one that is not satisfied of his flesh; —
32 Soki mopaya moko te alalaki libanda, pamba te ekuke na ngai ezalaki ya kofungwama tango nyonso mpo na moleki nzela,
In the street a stranger had not to lodge; my doors I held open to the roadside;
33 soki nabombaki lisumu na ngai ndenge Adamu asalaki to nabombaki yango na motema na ngai,
If I covered up my transgressions like a common man, by hiding in my bosom my iniquity;
34 pamba te nabangaki bato mpe nabangaki ete mabota etiola ngai, yango wana nakangaki monoko mpe nakokaki kobima libanda te!
Because I dreaded the great multitude, or because the contempt of families did terrify me, so that I kept silence, and dared not to go out of the 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!
Oh who will bring me one that would hear me! behold, here is my plea; may the Almighty answer me; and any record which my opponent may have written, —
36 Solo, nalingaki komema yango na lipeka na ngai, nalingaki kolata yango lokola motole,
Surely upon my shoulder would I carry it: I would bind it as a crown unto me.
37 nalingaki kotalisa Ye makambo nyonso oyo nasalaki, nalingaki kopusana pene na Ye lokola mokambi.—
The number of my steps would I tell him: as [to] a prince would I go near unto him.—
38 Soki mabele na ngai eboyi ngai, soki mikala na yango elelaki,
If my land ever cried out because of me, or if its furrows wept together;
39 soki naliaki bambuma na yango na ofele to soki natungisaki bankolo na yango,
If I ever consumed its strength without payment, or caused the soul of its owners to grieve:
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 may instead of wheat, thorns come forth, and instead of barley, cockle. (Here end the words of Job.)
