Mitango 8
1 Yawe alobaki na Moyize:
Yahweh said to Moses/me,
2 « Loba na Aron mpe yebisa ye: ‹ Tango okotia minda, minda sambo esengeli kongengisa liboso ya etelemiselo ya minda. › »
“Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand and place them in such a way that they shine toward the front of the lampstand.”
3 Aron asalaki kaka bongo: atiaki minda na liboso ya etelemiselo ya minda ndenge Yawe atindaki na nzela ya Moyize.
So [Moses/I told him what Yahweh said], and he did that.
4 Tala ndenge basalaki etelemiselo ya minda: basalaki yango na wolo batuta wuta na likonzi kino na bafololo na yango; basalaki yango ndenge kaka Yawe alakisaki Moyize.
The lampstand had been made from gold that had been hammered [from one large lump of gold], from its base to the decorations at the top [that resembled] flowers. The lampstand was made exactly like Yahweh had told Moses/me that it should be made.
5 Yawe alobaki na Moyize:
Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
6 « Kamata Balevi kati na bana ya Isalaele mpe petola bango.
“You must cause the descendants of Levi to be acceptable to me by setting them apart from the other Israeli people.
7 Tala ndenge okosala mpo na kopetola bango: okobwakela bango mayi ya bopetoli; bongo bakolekisa jileti na nzoto na bango mobimba mpo na komikokola suki ya nzoto mobimba mpe bakosukola bilamba na bango. Ezali na nzela wana nde bakokoma peto.
Do that by sprinkling them with water [which will symbolize] their being freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins. Then they must shave [off all the hair on] their bodies and wash their clothes.
8 Bakokamata mwana ngombe ya mobali elongo na likabo na yango ya farine oyo basangisa na mafuta; mpe okokamata mwana ngombe mosusu ya mobali mpo na mbeka ya masumu.
Then they must bring to the Sacred Tent one bull and some grain mixed with [olive] oil. [Those things will be burned] as sacrifices. They must also bring another bull [that will enable me to forgive them] for the sins they have committed.
9 Yeisa Balevi liboso ya Ndako ya kapo ya Bokutani mpe sangisa lisanga mobimba ya Isalaele.
Then you must summon all the Israeli people to come together in front of the Sacred Tent, to [gather around] the descendants of Levi.
10 Okopusa Balevi liboso ya Yawe mpe bana ya Isalaele bakotia bango maboko.
Then the Israeli people must lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
11 Sima na yango, Aron akobonza Balevi lokola likabo oyo bana ya Isalaele babonzeli Yawe mpo ete bazwa makoki ya kosala mosala ya Yawe.
Aaron must then present them to me to be a gift from the Israeli people, in order that they can work for me [at the Sacred Tent].
12 Mpe na sima, Balevi bakotia maboko na bango likolo ya mito ya bangombe ya mibali. Bonza ngombe moko lokola mbeka ya masumu epai na Yawe mpe mosusu lokola mbeka ya kotumba, mpo na kosala mosala ya bolimbisi masumu mpo na Balevi.
“After that, the descendants of Levi must place their hands on the heads of the two bulls. Then the bulls will be [killed and] burned on the altar. One will be an offering to enable me [to forgive them for] sins they have committed, and the other will be completely burned [to please me].
13 Tika ete Balevi batelema liboso ya Aron mpe ya bana na ye ya mibali; bongo bonza bango lokola likabo epai na Yawe.
The descendants of Levi must stand [at the altar] in front of Aaron and his sons, and you must then dedicate to me the descendants of Levi.
14 Ezali na nzela wana nde okotia pembeni Balevi kati na bana ya Isalaele, mpe bakozala ya Ngai.
This ritual will show that the descendants of Levi are set apart from the other Israelis and that they belong to me.
15 Sima na yo kopetola Balevi mpe kobonza bango lokola likabo, bakozwa ndingisa ya kosala mosala na bango na Ndako ya kapo ya Bokutani. Boye, okopetola bango mpe okobonza bango lokola likabo epai na Yawe,
“After the descendants of Levi have been made acceptable to me, and presented to me like a special offering, they may start to work at the Sacred Tent.
16 pamba te bango nde bazali bato oyo bapesameli Ngai kati na bana ya Isalaele. Ngai moko nde nazwaki bango na esika ya bana nyonso ya liboso ya bana ya Isalaele.
They will belong to me. They will work for me as substitutes for the firstborn males of all the Israelis, [who also belong to me].
17 Pamba te, bana nyonso ya liboso ya bana ya Isalaele bazali ya Ngai, ezala bana ya liboso ya bana ya bato to ya banyama. Tango nabomaki bana nyonso ya liboso na mokili ya Ejipito, natiaki bango pembeni mpo na Ngai moko.
All the firstborn males in Israel, both the people and the animals, are mine. When I caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die, [I (spared/did not kill) the firstborn males of the Israelis]. I set them apart to belong to me. I said that the firstborn males of all their domestic animals would also belong to me.
18 Mpe nazwaki Balevi na esika ya bana nyonso ya liboso ya bana ya Isalaele.
But now I have chosen the descendants of Levi to take the places of the firstborn males of other Israelis.
19 Kati na bato nyonso ya Isalaele, napesi Balevi lokola likabo epai ya Aron mpe ya bana na ye ya mibali, mpo ete basala mosala kati na Ndako ya kapo ya Bokutani mpo na bolamu ya bana ya Isalaele mpe basala mosala ya bolimbisi masumu mpo na bango, mpo ete likama moko te ekomela bana ya Isalaele tango bakopusana pene ya Esika ya bule. »
I have appointed the descendants of Levi to help Aaron and his sons at the Sacred Tent, as Aaron and his sons offer the sacrifices so that the Israeli people’s sins will be forgiven, and to prevent the Israelis from coming close to the tent with the result that a plague would cause many of them to become sick and die.”
20 Moyize, Aron mpe lisanga mobimba ya bana ya Isalaele basalaki mpo na Balevi, makambo nyonso oyo Yawe atindaki Moyize.
Aaron and Moses/I and the other Israelis helped the descendants of Levi to do everything that Yahweh had commanded.
21 Balevi bamipetolaki mpe basukolaki bilamba na bango. Aron abonzaki bango lokola likabo epai na Yawe mpe asalaki mpo na bango mosala ya bolimbisi masumu mpo na kopetola bango.
The descendants of Levi [sprinkled themselves with water to symbolize that] they had been freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins, and they washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to [the altar to] present them to Yahweh, and he offered sacrifices to cleanse them from [the guilt of] their sins and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh.
22 Sima na yango, Balevi bazwaki ndingisa ya kosala mosala na bango na Ndako ya kapo ya Bokutani, na se ya bokonzi ya Aron mpe ya bana na ye ya mibali. Basalaki mpo na Balevi, makambo oyo Yawe atindaki na nzela ya Moyize.
After that, the descendants of Levi started to work at the Sacred Tent to assist Aaron and his sons. They did that just as Yahweh had commanded Moses/me.
23 Yawe alobaki na Moyize:
Yahweh also said this to Moses/me:
24 « Tala bikateli oyo etali Balevi: mobali nyonso oyo azali na mibu ya mbotama kobanda tuku mibale na mitano mpe koleka asengeli koya kosala mosala kati na Ndako ya kapo ya Bokutani.
“The descendants of Levi who are between 25 and 50 years old will work at the Sacred Tent.
25 Kasi soki akokisi mibu tuku mitano, akotika mosala oyo azalaki kosala, akosala lisusu mosala te.
But after they become 50 years old, they must (retire/not do that work any more).
26 Akokoma nde kosunga bandeko na ye mpo na kokokisa misala na bango kati na Ndako ya kapo ya Bokutani. Nzokande ye moko akosala lisusu mosala te. Yango nde ekozala bikateli oyo okolanda mpo na mosala ya Balevi. »
They may help the other descendants of Levi to do their work at the Sacred Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. That is what you must tell them about the work they will do.”
