Joeli 1
1 Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobaki na nzela ya Joeli, mwana mobali ya Petueli:
The word of the Lord which came to Joel the son of Bathuel.
2 — Bino bakambi ya bato, boyoka liloba oyo; bino nyonso, bavandi ya mokili, botia matoyi mpe boyoka! Boni, likambo ya boye esila kosalema na tango na bino to mpe na tango ya bakoko na bino?
Hear these [words], ye elders, and hearken all ye that inhabit the land. Have such things happen in your days, or in the days of your fathers?
3 Boyebisa yango epai ya bana na bino, mpe tika ete bana na bino bayebisa yango epai ya bana na bango; mpe bana na bango, na milongo ya bato oyo bakoya na sima.
Tell your children concerning them, and [let] your children [tell] their children, and their children another generation.
4 Matiti oyo mampinga ya mabanki etiki, mabanki minene elie yango; oyo mabanki minene etiki, mabanki mike elie yango; oyo mabanki mike etiki, mabanki mosusu elie yango.
The leavings of the caterpillar has the locust eaten, and the leavings of the locust has the palmerworm eaten, and the leavings of the palmerworm has the cankerworm eaten.
5 Bino balangwi masanga, bolamuka mpe bolela; bolela, bino nyonso bameli vino. Pamba te babotoli bino vino ya sika na bibebu.
Awake, ye drunkards, from your wine, and weep: mourn, all ye that drink wine to drunkenness: for joy and gladness and removed are from your mouth.
6 Ekolo moko ya bapaya ebundisi mokili na Ngai, ezali na nguya makasi mpe bakokoka te kotanga motango ya bato na yango. Minu na yango ezali lokola minu ya nkosi ya mobali, mpe mbanga na yango, lokola mbanga ya nkosi ya mwasi.
For a strong and innumerable nation is come up against my land, their teeth are lion's teeth, and their back teeth those of a [lion's] whelp.
7 Ekolo yango ekomisi elanga na Ngai ya vino lokola esobe mpe ekati-kati banzete na Ngai ya figi, elongoli banzete na Ngai nyonso baposo, ebwaki yango mpe etiki bitape na yango pembe.
He has ruined my vine, and utterly broken my fig-trees: he has utterly searched [my vine], and cast it down; he has peeled its branches.
8 Bosala matanga lokola elenge mwasi oyo alati pili mpo na kolela mobandami na ye.
Lament to me more than a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.
9 Makabo ya bambuma mpe ya masanga ezali kopesama lisusu te na Tempelo ya Yawe. Banganga-Nzambe, basali ya Nkolo, bazali na matanga.
The meat-offering and drink-offering are removed from the house of the Lord: mourn, ye priests that serve at the altar of the Lord.
10 Bilanga ebebisami, mabele ekawuki, mbuma ya ble ezali lisusu te, vino esili mpe mafuta ezali lisusu te.
For the plains languish: let the land mourn, for the corn languishes; the wine is dried up, the oil becomes scarce;
11 Bino basali bilanga, bozala na soni; bino baloni vino, bolela mpo na mbuma ya ble mpe ya orje, pamba te milona ebebisami.
the husbandmen are consumed: mourn your property on account of the wheat and barley; for the harvest has perished from off the field.
12 Bilanga ya vino ekawuki, banzete ya figi elembi-lembi, banzete ya grenade, ya mbila mpe ya pome, banzete nyonso ya bilanga esili kokawuka. Solo, esengo ya bato esili.
The vine is dried up, and the fig-trees are become few; the pomegranate, and palm-tree, and apple, and all trees of the field are dried up: for the sons of men have have abolished joy.
13 Oh bino Banganga-Nzambe, bolata basaki mpe bolela. Bino bato oyo bosalaka na etumbelo, bolela. Bino basali ya Nzambe na ngai, boya, bolata basaki butu mobimba. Pamba te makabo ya bambuma mpe ya masanga ezali kopesama lisusu te na Ndako ya Nzambe na bino.
Gird yourselves [with sackcloth], and lament, ye priests: mourn, ye that serve at the altar: go in, sleep in sackcloths, ye that minister to God: for the meat-offering and drink-offering are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Bopanza sango ya kokila bilei, bobengisa bato na mayangani ya bule, bobengisa bakambi mpe bavandi nyonso ya mokili ete baya na Ndako ya Nzambe na bino mpe bolela epai na Yawe.
Sanctify a fast, proclaim a [solemn] service, gather the elders [and] all the inhabitants of the land into the house of your God, and cry earnestly to the Lord,
15 Mawa na mokolo wana! Pamba te mokolo ya Yawe ekomi pene; ekoya lokola libebi oyo ewuti epai na Nkolo-Na-Nguya-Nyonso.
Alas, Alas, Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is nigh, and it will come as trouble upon trouble.
16 Boni, wuta na Ndako ya Nzambe mpe na miso na biso, balongoli te bilei, esengo mpe kosepela?
[Your] meat has been destroyed before your eyes, joy and gladness from out of the house of your God.
17 Bankona ekawuki na se ya mabele, bibombelo etikali lisusu na eloko te, bibombelo ya bambuma ebukani mpo ete ble ezali lisusu te.
The heifers have started at their mangers, the treasures are abolished, the wine-presses are broken down; for the corn is withered.
18 Tika ete ngombe elela! Bibwele ekomi kotelengana, pamba te matiti ya kolia etikali lisusu te; ezala bameme to bantaba ekomi na pasi.
What shall we store up for ourselves? the herds of cattle have mourned, because they had no pasture; and the flocks of sheep have been utterly destroyed.
19 Oh Yawe, Yo nde nazali kobelela, pamba te moto ezikisi matiti mpe banzete nyonso ya bilanga.
To thee, O Lord, will I cry: for fire has devoured the fair places of the wilderness, and a flame has burnt up all the trees of the field.
20 Ezala banyama ya zamba ezali kotalela Yo, pamba te miluka ekawuki mpe moto ezikisi bilanga.
And the cattle of the field have looked up to thee: for the fountains of waters have been dried up, and fire has devoured the fair places of the wilderness.
