Banzembo 39
1 Wuta na buku ya mokambi ya bayembi mpe ya Yedutuni. Nzembo ya Davidi. Namilobelaki: « Nakosala keba na etamboli na ngai mpo ete monoko na ngai esala masumu te; nakobatela penza monoko na ngai tango nyonso moto mabe akozala liboso na ngai. »
I said [to myself], “I will be careful not to sin by the things that I say [MTY]. I will not say anything [to complain] while wicked people are near to me [and can hear me].”
2 Boye nakangaki monoko na ngai mpe navandaki nye, natikalaki koloba ata likambo moko te; pasi na ngai ebakisamaki makasi.
[So] I was completely silent [DOU], and I did not [even] talk about things that were good, but it was useless, because I began to suffer even more.
3 Motema na ngai eswaki, moto ezalaki kopela kati na ngai, mpe nalobaki na nzela ya monoko na ngai.
I became very anxious/worried [IDM]. As I thought [about my troubles], I became more worried. Then [finally] I said [MTY],
4 Yawe, yebisa ngai tango nini bomoi na ngai ekosuka mpe motango ya mikolo ya bomoi na ngai mpo ete nasosola ete bomoi na ngai ezali kaka mpo na mwa tango moke.
“Yahweh, show/tell me how long I will live. Tell me when I will die. Tell me how many years I will live!
5 Solo mikolo ya bomoi na ngai ekatama, ezali pamba na miso na Yo. Bomoi ya moto nyonso ezali kaka mopepe.
[It seems that] you have caused me to live only a short time; (my lifetime/all the time that I have lived) seems like nothing to you. The time that all we humans live is [as short as] [MET] a puff of wind.
6 Moto akendaka mpe azongaka, azali kaka lokola elili; amitungisaka kaka pamba, andukaka bomengo, kasi ayebaka te soki nani akotikala na yango.
Then we disappear like a shadow does. It seems that all that we do is for nothing/useless. We [sometimes] get a lot of money, but we do not know who will get it [after we die].
7 Sik’oyo, oh Nkolo, nazela lisusu nini? Natiaka elikya na ngai kati na Yo.
So now, Yahweh, if I expect [RHQ] [to receive blessings from other people], I will be disappointed. You are the [only] one from whom I confidently expect [to receive blessings].
8 Bikisa ngai na mabe na ngai nyonso, kopesa nzela te na bazoba ete bafinga ngai.
Save me from [being punished for] all the sins that I have committed. And do not allow foolish people to make fun of me.
9 Nakangi monoko, nakoloba lisusu te, pamba te Yo nde osali.
I did not say anything [when you punished me], because [I knew that] you were the one who caused [me to suffer].
10 Kobeta ngai lisusu te, nazali kokoka lisusu te.
But now, please stop punishing me! [If you do not do that], I am about to die because of the ways that you [SYN] have struck/afflicted me.
11 Opesaka bato etumbu mpo na masumu na bango mpo na kozongisa bango na nzela; obebisaka biloko na bango ya motuya lokola nselele. Solo, moto nyonso azali kaka mopepe.
When you rebuke someone and punish him for the sin that he has committed, you destroy the things that (he loves/are precious to him), like moths’ [larva] destroy clothing. Our lives [disappear like] a puff of wind.
12 Yawe, yoka libondeli na ngai; yoka na bokebi, wana nazali koganga mpo na kosenga lisungi, kovanda nye te liboso ya mpinzoli na ngai, pamba te epai na Yo, nazali mopaya mpe moleki nzela lokola bakoko na ngai.
Yahweh, listen to me while I pray; pay attention to me while I cry out to you. Help me while I am crying. I am here on the earth for only a short time, like all my ancestors.
13 Kotala ngai te mpo ete nasepela lisusu, liboso ete nakende na ngai mpe nazala lisusu te.
[Now] please leave me alone, [and do not punish me any more] in order that I may smile and be happy for a while before I die. [EUP, DOU]”
