Banzembo 121

1 Nzembo ya mobembo tango bazalaki kokende na Tempelo ya Yawe. Natomboli miso na ngai na ngambo ya bangomba: lisungi na ngai ekowuta wapi?

[When we travel toward Jerusalem], I look up toward the hills [and I ask myself], “Who will help me?”

2 Lisungi na ngai ewutaka na Yawe oyo akela likolo mpe mabele.

[And my answer is] that Yahweh is the one who helps me; he is the one who made heaven and the earth.

3 Akotika te ete lokolo na yo eselumuka; Ye oyo abatelaka yo animbaka te.

He will not allow us to fall/stumble; God, who protects us, will not fall asleep.

4 Te, Ye oyo abatelaka Isalaele animbaka te mpe alalaka pongi te!

The one who protects us Israeli people never gets sleepy, nor does he sleep [LIT].

5 Yawe azali mobateli na yo; Yawe azali, na ngambo ya loboko na yo ya mobali, lokola elili oyo ebatelaka yo.

Yahweh watches over us; he is like the shade [MET] [that protects us from the sun].

6 Ezala na moyi to na butu, moyi mpe sanza ekosala yo mabe ata moke te!

[He will not allow] the sun to harm us during the day, and [he will not allow] the moon to harm us during the night.

7 Yawe akobatela yo na mabe nyonso, akobatela bomoi na yo;

Yahweh will protect us from being harmed in any manner; he will keep us safe.

8 Yawe akobatela kokende mpe kozonga na yo, sik’oyo mpe libela na libela.

He will protect us from the time that we leave [our houses in the morning] until we return [in the evening]; he will protect us now, and he will protect us forever.