Bileli 4
1 Ndenge nini wolo ebungisi kongenga na yango, wolo ya peto enzuluki! Mabanga ya talo oyo ya bule epanzani na basonge ya babalabala nyonso.
Oh how is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! how are the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the corners of every street.
2 Ndenge nini bana mibali ya motuya ya Siona, oyo, na kala, bazalaki kozwa bango lokola wolo ya peto, kasi bakomi lelo komona bango lokola mbeki ya mabele, oyo mosali mbeki basili kosala!
The precious sons of Zion, valued equal to pure gold, how are they now esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Ata mbwa ya zamba ezalaka na posa ya komelisa bana na yango mabele; kasi bato na ngai bakomi mitema makasi lokola maligbanga kati na esobe.
Even wild beasts offer the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 Likolo ya nzala, lolemo ya mwana ekangami na likolo ya kati ya monoko na ye; bana mike bazali kosenga bilei kasi moto moko te azali kopesa bango yango.
The tongue of the suckling cleaveth to its palate by reason of thirst: babes ask for bread, there is not one to break it for them.
5 Bato oyo na kala bazalaki kolia bilei ya kitoko bakomi kokufakufa na babalabala; ba-oyo bakolaki na molato ya motane bakomi sik’oyo kolalela matiti ya kopola.
Those that used to eat dainty food are desolate in the streets: they that were reared up on scarlet now embrace dunghills.
6 Lisumu oyo bato na ngai basali ezali monene koleka lisumu ya Sodome, engumba oyo ebebisamaki na mbala moko wana moto moko te asembolaki loboko na ye mpo na kotelemela yango.
For greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as it were in a moment, and no human hands were laid on her.
7 Bana ya bakonzi na bango bazalaki kongala koleka mvula ya pembe, pembe koleka miliki; banzoto na bango ezalaki motane koleka langi ya motane penza, mpe lolenge na bango ezalaki lokola libanga na safiri.
Her crowned princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more brilliant in body than pearls, more than the sapphire, their countenance:
8 Bilongi na bango ekomi mwindo koleka makala, bazali koyeba bango lisusu te na babalabala; poso na bango ya nzoto ekangami na mikuwa, ekawuki lokola koni.
Darker than black is now their visage; they are not to be recognized in the streets: their skin is shriveled fast upon their bones; it is dry, it is become like wood.
9 Bato oyo bakufi na mopanga bazali malamu koleka ba-oyo bakufi na nzala: banzulukaka mpe bakondaka makasi mpo na nzala, mpo na kozanga bilei kowuta na bilanga.
Happier are those slain by the sword than those slain by hunger; for those poured forth their blood, being pierced through, —[these perished] without the fruits of the field.
10 Basi ya mitema malamu balambi, na maboko na bango, bana na bango moko; bana na bango bakomi bilei na bango kati na pasi oyo ekomeli bato na ngai.
The hands of merciful women cooked their own children: they became food unto them in the downfall of the daughter of my people.
11 Yawe asilikaki makasi koleka; asopaki kanda na Ye mpe apelisaki moto kati na Siona, moto oyo ezikisaki miboko na yango.
The Lord hath let loose all his fury: he hath poured out the fierceness of his anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured her foundations.
12 Bakonzi ya mabele mpe bikolo mosusu ya mokili bandimaki te ete banguna mpe bayini bakokaki kokota na bikuke ya Yelusalemi.
The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not believe that an adversary or an enemy could ever enter within the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Kasi makambo wana esalemaki mpo na masumu ya basakoli ya Yelusalemi mpe mabe ya Banganga-Nzambe na yango, oyo basopaki kati na yango makila ya bato ya sembo.
[But it hath happened] because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, that had shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
14 Bakomaki sik’oyo koyengayenga na babalabala lokola bakufi miso, bakomaki mbindo na makila mpe moto moko te akokaki kosimba bilamba na bango.
They wandered about blindly in the streets, they became defiled with blood; so that men were not able to touch their garments.
15 Bato bazali koganga mpe koloba na bango: « Bolongwa awa, bato ya mbindo! Bolongwa awa, bolongwa awa, bosimba biso te! » Wana bazalaki kokima mpe kotelengana, bato ya bikolo mosusu bazalaki koloba: « Bavanda na esika oyo te! »
Depart, ye unclean, they called out unto them: depart, depart, touch not. So they flee away and also wander about: men say among the nations, They shall no more sojourn there.
16 Yawe, Ye moko, apanzi bango, azali kotala bango lisusu te. Bapesaki Banganga-Nzambe lokumu te mpe bayokelaki mibange mawa te.
The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more look at them: the faces of the priests they respected not, and the elders they spared not.
17 Miso na biso elembaki lisusu mpo na kozela na pamba lisungi; wuta na bandako milayi na biso ya kotalela na mosika, tozalaki kotala wana tozalaki kozela lisungi kowuta na ekolo songolo mpe pakala, kasi ebikisaki biso te.
Even now our eyes anxiously wait for our valueless help: in our waiting have we waited for a nation that cannot help.
18 Banguna na biso bazalaki kolanda matambe na biso; boye tokokaki lisusu te kotambola na babalabala na biso. Suka na biso ekomaki pene, mikolo na biso ekomaki ya kotanga, mpo ete tokomaki na suka.
They hunt our steps, that we cannot walk in our streets: our end is near, our days are full: for our end is come.
19 Bato oyo bazalaki kolanda biso bazalaki mbangu koleka mpongo, na likolo; bazalaki kolanda biso na likolo ya bangomba mpe kotiela biso mitambo kati na esobe.
Swifter were our pursuers than the eagles of heaven: upon the mountains did they hotly follow us: in the wilderness did they lie in wait for us.
20 Mopakolami na Yawe, oyo totielaki motema akangami na mitambo na bango; nzokande tozalaki kokanisa boye na tina na ye: « Tokobika bomoi malamu na se ya bobatelami na ye kati na bikolo. »
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was caught in their pits, he, of whom we said, Under his shadow shall we live among the nations.
21 Edomi, mboka kitoko, movandi ya mokili ya Utsi, sepela, zala na esengo! Kasi yo mpe, bakopesa yo kopo; okomela, okolangwa mpe okotikala bolumbu.
Be glad and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of 'Uz: also unto thee shall the cup pass; thou wilt be drunken, and make thyself naked.
22 Siona, mboka kitoko, etumbu na yo ekosila; Nzambe akomema yo lisusu na bowumbu te. Kasi yo Edomi, mboka kitoko, Nzambe akopesa yo etumbu mpo na mabe na yo, mpe akobimisa masumu na yo na polele.
Brought to an end is thy iniquity, O daughter of Zion; He will no more carry thee away into exile: He visiteth thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He layeth open thy sins.
