Yobo 35

1 Bongo Eliwu alobaki:

And Elihu made answer and said,

2 « Boni, okanisi ete yango ezali sembo? Olobi: ‹ Nazali sembo liboso ya Nzambe. ›

Does it seem to you to be right, and righteousness before God, to say,

3 Nzokande, ozali koloba: ‹ Nakozwa nini, litomba nini nakozwa soki nasali masumu te? ›

What profit is it to me, and how am I better off than if I had done wrong?

4 Nalingi kopesa yo eyano, yo elongo na baninga na yo.

I will make answer to you and to your friends:

5 Tombola miso na likolo mpe tala; mona ndenge mapata ezali likolo na yo.

Let your eyes be turned to the heavens, and lifted up to see the skies; they are higher than you.

6 Soki osali masumu, ekosala Nzambe nini? Soki masumu na yo ezali ebele, ekosala Ye nini?

If you have done wrong, is he any the worse for it? and if your sins are great in number, what is it to him?

7 Soki ozali sembo, okopesa Ye nini to akozwa nini na loboko na yo?

If you are upright, what do you give to him? or what does he take from your hand?

8 Mabe na yo ekokomela kaka bazalani na yo, bosembo na yo ezali na litomba kaka epai ya bana na bato.

Your evil-doing may have an effect on a man like yourself, or your righteousness on a son of man.

9 Bato bazali kolela na se ya mokumba ya minyoko, bazali koganga na se ya motema makasi ya bato minene.

Because the hand of the cruel is hard on them, men are making sounds of grief; they are crying out for help because of the arm of the strong.

10 Kasi moto moko te azali koloba: ‹ Nzambe Mokeli na ngai, Ye oyo apesaka banzembo ya esengo na butu,

But no one has said, Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night;

11 Ye oyo ateyaka biso koleka banyama ya mokili mpe akomisaka biso mayele koleka bandeke ya likolo, azali wapi? ›

Who gives us more knowledge than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the heaven?

12 Ata bagangi, Nzambe akoyanola te, mpo na lolendo ya bato mabe.

There they are crying out because of the pride of the evil-doers, but he gives them no answer.

13 Pamba te, Nzambe ayokaka te maloba na bango ya pamba, Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso azalaka ata na bokebi na yango te.

But God will not give ear to what is false, or the Ruler of all take note of it;

14 Nzokande, yo ozali komeka koloba ete ozali komona Ye te, ete ozwi nanu eyano te na kolela na yo epai na Ye.

How much less when you say that you do not see him; that the cause is before him, and you are waiting for him.

15 Mpe sik’oyo, soki kanda ya Nzambe eyei nanu likolo na yo te mpe soki Ye azali nanu kobosana maloba na yo ya soni,

And now ...;

16 elingi koloba ete yo, Yobo, ofungoli monoko na yo kaka na pamba mpe otondisi yango na maloba ya bozoba. »

And Job's mouth is open wide to give out what is of no profit, increasing words without knowledge.