Yobo 41
1 Boni, okoki koloba ngando na ndobo? Okoki kokanga lolemo na yango na singa?
“[Think also about] (crocodiles/great sea dragons). Can you catch them with a fishhook or fasten their jaws with a rope?
2 Okoki kokanga yango singa ya kekele na zolo? Okoki kotobola mbanga na yango na ndobo?
Can you put ropes through their noses [to control them] or thrust hooks through their jaws?
3 Boni, ekobondela yo mingi? Ekoloba na yo maloba ya boboto?
Will they plead with you to act mercifully toward them or (use sweet talk/speak to you nicely) [in order that you will not harm them]?
4 Ekoki kosala boyokani elongo na yo mpo ete ekoma mowumbu na yo mpo na libela?
Will they make an agreement with you to work for you, to be your slaves as long as they live?
5 Okoki kosakana na yango lokola ndeke? Okoki kokanga yango na singa mpo na kosepelisa bana na yo ya basi?
Can you cause them to become pets like you cause birds to become your pets? Can you put a leash/rope around their [necks] so that your servant girls [can play with them]?
6 Boni, lisanga ya balobi mbisi bakoki kosala na yango mombongo? Bakoki kokabola yango epai ya bateki?
Will merchants try to buy them [in the market]? Will they cut them up into pieces and sell the meat?
7 Okoki kotobola mokongo na yango na makonga? Okoki kotobola moto na yango na ndobo oyo bakangelaka bambisi?
Can you pierce their skins by throwing fishing spears at them? Can you pierce their heads with a harpoon?
8 Tia loboko na yo na likolo na yango: soki okanisi etumba oyo okutani na yango, okozongela lisusu te kotia loboko na yo na likolo na yango.
If you grab one of them with your hands, it will fight you in a way that you will never forget, and you will never try to do it again!
9 Liboso ya ngando yango, elikya nyonso ya kolonga ekomaka pamba; soki kaka omoni yango, okweyi na somo.
It is useless to try to subdue them. Anyone who tries to subdue one of them will lose his courage.
10 Moto moko te ya tembe akoki kotungisa yango; boye nani akoki kotelemela ngai?
No one dares/tries to (arouse them/cause them to be angry). So, [since I am much more powerful than they are, ] (who would dare to cause me to be angry?/no one would dare to cause me to be angry!) [RHQ]
11 Nani adefisaki ngai eloko mpo ete nafuta niongo na ye? Nyonso oyo ezali na se ya Lola ezali ya ngai.
Also, everything on the earth is mine. Therefore, no one [RHQ] is able to give anything to me and require me to pay [money] for it!
12 Nakoki kokanga monoko te mpo na kozanga kolobela biteni na yango ya nzoto, makasi na yango mpe kitoko ya nzoto na yango.
I will tell you about [how strong] crocodiles' legs [are] and how strong their well-formed bodies are.
13 Nani asila kolongola ngando poso na yango ya nzoto? Nani asila kokatisa kati-kati ya milongo mibale ya minu na yango?
(Can anyone strip off their hides?/No one is able to strip off their hides.) [RHQ] (Can anyone try to put bridles on them?/No one can try to put bridles on them.) [RHQ] (OR, Can anyone pierce their very thick hides?)
14 Nani asila kofungola bibebu ya monoko na yango? Minu na yango etonda na somo.
(Can anyone pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them?/No one can pry open their jaws, which have terrible teeth in them!) [RHQ]
15 Mokongo na yango esalema na milongo mibale ya nguba, ekangama elongo na ezipelo ya mabanga.
They have rows of scales on their back which are as hard as a rock (OR, tightly fastened together).
16 Ekangama moko na mosusu, mpe mopepe ekoki koleka kati na yango te.
The scales are very close together, with the result that not even air can get between them.
17 Ekangama moko na mosusu, esimbama elongo mpe ekoki kokabwana te.
The scales are joined very closely to each other, and they cannot be separated.
18 Soki ekosoli, zolo na yango ekobimisa pole; mbuma ya miso na yango ezali lokola moyi ya tongo.
When crocodiles sneeze, [the tiny drops of water that come out of their noses] sparkle in the sunlight. Their eyes are red like the rising sun.
19 Moto makasi mpe moto mike-mike ebimaka na monoko na yango.
[It is as though] sparks of fire pour out of their mouths [DOU].
20 Milinga ebimaka na zolo na yango lokola na mbeki oyo ezali kotoka to lokola nzungu ya ebende ya moto.
Smoke pours out of their nostrils/noses like steam comes out of a pot that is put over a fire made from dry reeds.
21 Pema na yango epelisaka makala ya moto, lolemo ya moto ebimaka na monoko na yango.
Their breath can cause coals to blaze, and flames shoot out from their mouths.
22 Makasi na yango evandi na kingo na yango, mpe somo ebimaka liboso na yango.
Their necks are very strong; wherever they go, they cause people to be very afraid.
23 Masusa ya poso ya nzoto na yango ekangama elongo, elendisama makasi mpe eninganaka te.
The folds in their flesh are very close together and are very hard/firm.
24 Motema na yango ezali makasi lokola libanga, makasi lokola libanga oyo banikelaka bambuma.
[They are fearless, because] the inner parts of their bodies are as hard as a rock, as hard as the lower millstone [on which grain is ground].
25 Soki etelemi, bato ya makasi babangaka, mpe somo ekimisaka bango.
When they rise up, they cause [even] very strong people to be terrified. As a result, people (fall back/run away) when crocodiles thrash around.
26 Soki obeti yango ezala mopanga, likonga to mbeli, ekosala yango eloko te.
[People] [PRS] cannot injure them with swords, and spears or darts or javelins cannot injure them, either.
27 Emonaka ebende lokola lititi, bronze lokola nzete epola.
They [certainly are not afraid of weapons made of] straw or rotten wood, but [they are not even afraid of weapons made of] iron or bronze!
28 Mbanzi ekimisaka yango te, mpe mabanga oyo babwakaka na nzela ya ebambelo mabanga ezali lokola poso ya loso mpo na yango.
[Shooting] arrows [at them] does not cause them to run away. [Hurling] stones at them from a sling is like [hurling] bits of chaff at them.
29 Makonga ezali lokola matiti mpo na yango, mpe esekaka makelele ya makonga mike-mike.
They are not afraid of clubs [any more than they would be afraid of men throwing] bits of straw [at them], and they laugh when they hear the whirl/sound of javelins [being thrown at them].
30 Se ya libumu na yango etonda na banzube, etambolaka lokola ebende oyo ebalolaka mabele.
Their bellies are covered with scales that are as sharp as broken pieces of pottery. When they drag themselves through the mud, their bellies tear up the ground like a plow.
31 Eningisaka mayi ya mozindo lokola mayi oyo ezali kotoka na nzungu, ekomisaka ebale monene lokola nzungu oyo batokiselaka malasi.
They stir up the water and cause it to foam [as they churn/swim through it].
32 Engengisaka nzela na sima na yango lokola suki ya pembe likolo ya mayi.
As they go through the water, the (wakes/trails in the water behind them) glisten. People [who see it] would think that the foam in those wakes had become white hair.
33 Na mokili, nyama moko te ekokani na yango; mpe ebangaka te.
There are no creatures on earth that are as fearless as crocodiles.
34 Ebangaka te kobundisa banyama minene, ezali mokonzi ya banyama nyonso ya lolendo. »
They are the proudest of all the creatures; [it is as though] they [rule like] kings over all the other wild animals.”
