Joeli 2
1 Bobeta kelelo na Siona! Bobelela na likolo ya ngomba na Ngai ya bule! Tika ete bavandi nyonso ya mokili balenga, pamba te mokolo ya Yawe ezali koya; solo, ekomi penza pene.
Blow trumpets on Zion [Hill], God’s sacred hill [in Jerusalem]! Tell the people of Judah that they should tremble, because it will soon be the time for Yahweh [to punish us further].
2 Ezali mokolo ya butu mpe ya molili makasi, mokolo ya londende mpe ya mapata ya mwindo. Ndenge pole ya tongo epanzanaka na bangomba, ndenge wana mpe mampinga moko ya basoda ebele mpe ya mpiko ezali koya. Makambo ya boye etikala nanu kosalema te na kala mpe ekotikala kosalema te na mikolo oyo ekoya.
[That will be a very] dark and gloomy day; there will be [black] clouds and it will be very dark. A huge [swarm of locusts] has covered the mountains like [SIM] a black [cloud]. Nothing like this has ever happened before, and nothing like this will ever [happen] again.
3 Liboso na bango, moto ezali kotumba; sima na bango, moto ezali kozikisa. Liboso na bango, mokili ezali lokola elanga ya Edeni, mpe sima na bango, lokola esobe. Solo, ata eloko moko te ekotikala.
[It is as though the locusts bring] flames of fire from which no one can escape. In front of them, the land was [beautiful] like [SIM] the garden of Eden, but behind them [the land is like] a desert and nothing survives.
4 Bazali lokola bampunda; bapumbwaka lokola basoda oyo batambolaka likolo ya bampunda.
[The locusts] resemble horses, and they run like [SIM] war horses.
5 Batambolaka likolo ya basonge ya bangomba na makelele makasi lokola makelele ya bashar, lokola makelele ya matiti oyo ezali kozika, lokola mampinga moko ya basoda ya mpiko oyo babongami mpo na kokende na bitumba.
Leaping over the mountaintops, they make a noise like rumbling chariots, like [SIM] a mighty army that is preparing for a battle, or like [SIM] the roar of a fire that burns up stubble [in a field].
6 Soki bamoni bango, bato ya bikolo bakomaka na somo mpe bilongi nyonso ekawukaka.
When people see them coming, they become very pale and frightened.
7 Bakimaka lokola bilombe, bapumbwaka bamir lokola basoda ya mpiko, batambolaka nzela moko, batengamaka te.
[The locusts] climb over walls like soldiers do; they march along in columns and never turn aside [from their columns].
8 Batutanaka te bango na bango, moko na moko alandaka kaka nzela na ye. Badusolaka na kati-kati ya bibundeli ya banguna, mpe eloko moko te ekangaka bango nzela.
They rush straight ahead without pushing each other. [Even though people throw] spears and javelins at them, that will not cause them to stop.
9 Bawelelaka kokota kati na engumba, bapotaka mbangu pene ya mir, bakotaka na bandako ndenge miyibi bakotaka na nzela ya maninisa.
They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses; they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.
10 Mokili eninganaka liboso na bango, Lola elengaka, moyi mpe sanza eyindaka, minzoto etikaka kongenga.
[It is as though] they cause the earth to shake and the sky to tremble. The sun and the moon become dark and the stars do not shine [because there are so many locusts in the sky].
11 Yawe azali koganga lokola kake na liboso ya mampinga na Ye. Milongo ya mampinga na Ye etonda na basoda; basoda oyo batosaka mitindo na Ye bazali na nguya. Mokolo ya Yawe ezali monene, ezali somo makasi; nani akoki kotelema na mokolo yango?
Yahweh leads this army [of countless locusts], and they obey his commands. This time when he is judging and punishing us is very terrible, [with the result that it seems that] no one [RHQ] can survive it.
12 « Ezala sik’oyo, » elobi Yawe, « bozonga epai na Ngai na mitema na bino mobimba, na kokila bilei, na mpinzoli mpe na kolela. »
But Yahweh says, “In spite of [these disasters that you have experienced], you can return to me with all your inner beings. Weep, and mourn, and (fast/abstain from eating food) [to show that you are sorry for having abandoned me].
13 Bopasola mitema na bino, kasi bilamba na bino te. Bozonga epai na Yawe, Nzambe na bino, pamba te atonda na ngolu mpe na mawa, asilikaka noki te mpe atonda na bolingo, abongolaka mokano na Ye ya kotindela bato pasi.
Do not tear your clothes [to show that you are sorry]; instead, show [MET] that you are sorry.” Yahweh is merciful and kind; he does not quickly become angry; he faithfully loves [people]. He does not quickly become angry; instead, he greatly and faithfully loves [you], and he does not like to punish you.
14 Nani ayebi soki akoki kobongola makanisi to koyoka mawa mpe kotika na sima na Ye lipamboli, mpo ete bokoka lisusu kobonzela Yawe, Nzambe na bino, makabo ya bambuma to makabo ya masanga ya vino?
No one knows [RHQ] if he will change his mind [about punishing you] and if instead he will act mercifully [toward you]. If he does that, he will bless you [by giving you plenty of grain and wine] in order that you can offer [some of] those things as sacrifices to him.
15 Bobeta kelelo na Siona! Bopanza sango ya mokolo ya bule ya kokila bilei mpe bobengisa mayangani ya bule.
Blow the trumpets on Zion [Hill]! Gather the people together! Show by fasting that you are sorry [for the sins that you have committed].
16 Bosangisa bato, bobulisa mayangani, bosangisa bakambi mpe bana, ezala oyo bazali nanu komela mabele. Tika ete elenge mobali oyo abali sika atika shambre na ye ya libala, mpe elenge mwasi oyo abali sika atika mpe shambre na ye ya libala.
Perform the rituals to cause yourselves to be acceptable to Yahweh. Gather everyone together— the old people and the children, even the babies, and summon brides and bridegrooms from their rooms.
17 Tika ete Banganga-Nzambe oyo basalelaka Yawe balela na kati-kati ya ndako moke ya kokotela mpe etumbelo. Tika ete baloba: « Oh Yawe, bikisa bato na Yo, kokomisa te libula na Yo eloko ya kotiola to eloko ya maseki kati na bikolo. Mpo na nini bato ya bikolo mosusu baloba: ‹ Wapi Nzambe na bango? › »
Tell the priests who serve Yahweh to cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple and to pray [this]: “Yahweh, rescue/save [us] your people; do not allow people from other nations to despise us; do not allow them to ridicule us and say, ‘Why has [RHQ] their God [abandoned them]?’”
18 Yawe akotonda na zuwa mpo na mokili na Ye mpe akoyokela bato na Ye mawa.
But Yahweh [showed that he] was concerned about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.
19 Yawe akoyanola mpe akoloba na bango: « Nakotindela bino ble, vino ya sika mpe mafuta; bongo bokotonda yango. Nakokomisa bino lisusu te eloko ya kotiola kati na bikolo.
When the people prayed, Yahweh answered and said, “I will give you [plenty of] grain and wine and [olive] oil, and you will be satisfied. And I will no longer allow other nations to insult you.
20 Nakotindika monguna ya nor mosika na bino, nakomema ye na mokili ekawuka mpe ezanga eloko; bongo basoda na ye, oyo bazalaka na liboso bakozinda na ebale monene ya este; mpe oyo bazalaka na sima, na ebale monene ya weste. Solo na ye ya kopola ekoyokana, kobeba na ye ekopanzana. » Solo, asali makambo minene.
Another army [of locusts will come] from the north [to attack you], but I will force them to continue [past Jerusalem] into the desert. Some will go into the Dead Sea in the east and some will go into the [Mediterranean] Sea in the west. [There] they will [all die, and their bodies] will stink.” Yahweh does great things!
21 Oh mabele, kobanga te, zala na esengo mpe sepela, pamba te Yawe asali makambo minene.
He does wonderful things! So even the ground should rejoice!
22 Banyama ya zamba, bobanga te, pamba te matiti eboti lisusu na elanga, banzete eboti lisusu bambuma; banzete ya figi mpe ya vino eboti bambuma ebele penza.
And the wild animals should not be afraid, because the meadows will soon become green again; the fig trees and [other] trees will be full of fruit, and the grapevines will be covered with grapes.
23 Bosepela, bino bato ya Siona, bosepela kati na Yawe, Nzambe na bino, pamba te apesi bino mvula mpo na kobikisa bino. Akonokisela bino bamvula minene na eleko ya mvula mpe na eleko ya elanga, ndenge ezalaki liboso.
You people of Jerusalem, rejoice about what Yahweh, your God, [will be doing for you]. He will send abundant rain at the (right time/time when it is needed)— (in the spring/early in the year) and (in the autumn/late in the year) like he did previously.
24 Etando oyo batutelaka ble ekotonda na bambuma, banzungu ekotonda na vino mpe na mafuta.
The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain, and your vats where you store grape juice and [olive] oil will be full.
25 Nakozongisela bino mibu oyo mampinga minene ya mankoko, ya makelele, ya mabanki minene mpe ya bambinzo eliaki: mampinga minene na Ngai oyo natindaki mpo na kobundisa bino.
[Yahweh said, ] “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts that I sent to attack you.
26 Bokolia bilei ebele mpe bokotonda, bongo bokokumisa Kombo ya Yawe, Nzambe na bino, oyo asaleli bino makambo ya kokamwa: bato na Ngai bakotikala koyoka lisusu soni te.
You, my people, will eat until your stomachs are full. Then you will praise me [MTY], Yahweh, your God, for the wonderful things that I have done for you. And never again will you be disgraced.
27 Boye bokoyeba solo ete Ngai, nazali kati na Isalaele, ete nazali Yawe, Nzambe na bino, mpe ete Nzambe mosusu azali te. Bato na Ngai bakotikala koyoka lisusu soni te.
When that happens, you will know that I am [always] among you, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and that there is no other [God]. Never again will you be disgraced.”
28 Sima na makambo oyo, nakosopa Molimo na Ngai kati na bato nyonso. Bana na bino ya mibali mpe ya basi bakosakola, mibange na bino bakolota bandoto, bilenge na bino bakozwa bimoniseli.
“Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many [HYP] people. Your sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me. Your old men will have dreams [that come from me], and your young men will have visions [that come from me].
29 Ata mpe kati na basali na Ngai ya mibali mpe ya basi, nakosopa Molimo na Ngai, na mikolo wana.
At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.
30 Nakolakisa bino bilembo ya kokamwa, na likolo mpe na mokili: makila, moto mpe makonzi ya milinga.
I will do unusual/amazing things on the earth and in the sky. [On the earth] [CHI], there will be much blood [shed] and [there will be very large] fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds.
31 Moyi ekobongwana molili, mpe sanza ekobongwana makila, liboso ete mokolo ya Yawe ekoma, mokolo oyo ya monene mpe ya somo.
[In the sky, ] the sun will become dark and the moon will become [as red as] [MET] blood. [Those things will happen] before that great and terrible day when [I], Yahweh, appear.
32 Bongo moto nyonso oyo akobelela Kombo ya Yawe akobikisama; pamba te na ngomba Siona mpe na Yelusalemi, ekozala na bato oyo bakobika, kolanda ndenge Yawe alobaki, mpe bato oyo Yawe akobenga bakozala kati na bato oyo bakobika.
But at that time [I] will save everyone who worships me. I promise that some people in Jerusalem [DOU] will escape [those disasters]; those whom I have chosen will survive.”
