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.
The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed! The holy stones are scattered at the corner 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 were worth their weight in pure gold, but now they are worth no more than clay jars, the work of the potter's hands!
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 the jackals offer the breast to nurse their cubs, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the desert.
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 nursing baby sticks to the roof of his mouth by thirst; the children ask for food, but there is none 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 who used to feast on the finest food now starve in the streets. Those who were brought up wearing scarlet clothing now lie on piles of ashes.
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.
The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment and no hands were wrung for 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 leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.
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.
Their appearance now is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as 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.
Those who have been killed by the sword were happier than those killed by hunger, who wasted away, pierced by the lack of any harvest from 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 compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the time when the daughter of my people was being destroyed.
11 Yawe asilikaki makasi koleka; asopaki kanda na Ye mpe apelisaki moto kati na Siona, moto oyo ezikisaki miboko na yango.
Yahweh showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed 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 did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world believe, that enemies or opponents could enter 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.
This happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests who have shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
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, blind, through the streets. They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.
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! »
“Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they wandered about; people said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.”
16 Yawe, Ye moko, apanzi bango, azali kotala bango lisusu te. Bapesaki Banganga-Nzambe lokumu te mpe bayokelaki mibange mawa te.
Yahweh himself scattered them; he does not watch over them anymore. They do not honor the priests, and they did not show any favor to the elders.
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.
Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us.
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 followed our steps, we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near and our days were numbered, our end had 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.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the sky. They chased us to the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
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 in our nostrils—Yahweh's anointed one—he was the one who was captured in their pits; of whom it was said, “Under his shadow we will 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.
Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and strip yourself 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.
Daughter of Zion, your punishment will come to an end; he will not extend your exile. But daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins.
