Banzembo 114

1 Tango Isalaele abimaki wuta na Ejipito, tango libota ya Jakobi elongwaki na ekolo ya bapaya,

When the Israeli [people] left Egypt, when they who were descendants of Jacob left people who spoke a foreign/different language,

2 Yuda ekomaki Esika ya bule ya Yawe, mpe Isalaele ekomaki mabele na Ye.

[the land of] Judah became the place where people worshiped God; and Israel became the land (OR, the [Israeli people] became the people) that he ruled over.

3 Ebale monene emonaki yango mpe ekimaki, mayi ya Yordani ezongaki na sima,

[When they came to] the [Red] Sea, [it was as though the water] saw [them] and ran away! When they came to the Jordan [River], that [water in the] river stopped flowing [so that the Israelis could cross it].

4 bangomba epumbwaki lokola bameme, bangomba mike epumbwaki lokola bana ya ntaba.

[When they came to Sinai Mountain and there was a big earthquake], [it was as though] the mountains skipped/jumped like goats do and the hills jumped around like lambs do.

5 Ebale monene, nini ezalaki kati na yo mpo ete okima? Yordani, mpo na nini ozongaki na sima?

[If someone asks], “What happened at the [Red] Sea that caused the water to run away? What happened that caused [the water in] the Jordan [River] to stop flowing?

6 Bino bangomba, mpo nini bopumbwaki lokola bameme? Bongo bino bangomba mike, mpo na nini bopumbwaki lokola bana ya ntaba?

What happened that caused the mountains to skip like goats and caused the hills to jump around like lambs?”

7 Mokili, lenga liboso ya Yawe, liboso ya Nzambe ya Jakobi,

[I would reply that] it was the presence of the Lord that caused those things to happen! [Everyone/Everything on] the earth should tremble in the presence of God, whom (Jacob [worshiped]/the Israeli people [worship])!

8 oyo abongolaka libanga monene liziba, mpe libanga etima.

He is the one who caused pools of water [for the Israeli people to drink to flow] from a rock; he caused a spring [to flow] from a solid rock cliff!