Banzembo 44
1 Nzembo ya bana ya Kore. Wuta na buku ya mokambi ya bayembi. Nzambe, toyokaki na matoyi na biso; bakoko na biso babetelaki biso lisolo ya makambo oyo osalaki na tango na bango, na tango ya kala.
For the leader. Of the Korahites. A maskil. O God, we have heard with our ears, all our ancestors have told us of the work that you wrought in their day, your wonders in days of old,
2 Na nguya na Yo, obenganaki bikolo mpe otiaki bakoko na biso; obetaki bikolo ya bapaya mpe ofulukisaki bakoko na biso.
uprooting and crushing the nations, then planting and settling them. For it wasn’t their own sword that won them the land,
3 Pamba te ezalaki na mopanga na bango te nde babotolaki mokili, ezalaki mpe maboko na bango te nde ebikisaki bango; kasi ezalaki nde loboko na Yo ya mobali, nguya na Yo mpe pole ya elongi na Yo, pamba te ozalaki kolinga bango.
it was not their own arm that brought them the victory. Yours was the hand and the arm, yours was the face that shone on them with favour.
4 Oh Nzambe, Yo oyo ozali Mokonzi na ngai, pesa mitindo mpo na elonga ya Jakobi.
It was you, my king and my God, that ordained the victories of Jacob.
5 Na lisungi na Yo, tolongaka banguna na biso, mpe na Kombo na Yo, tonyataka bayini na biso.
Through you we can thrust back our foes, and by your name tread down our assailants:
6 Pamba te natiaka elikya te na tolotolo na ngai, mpe mopanga na ngai ebikisaka ngai te.
for not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword win me the victory.
7 Kasi ezali Yo nde obikisaka biso wuta na maboko ya bayini na biso, mpe oyokisaka bayini na biso soni.
Our victory comes from you, and confusion to those who hate us.
8 Tomikumisaka mikolo nyonso kati na Nzambe mpe tokokumisa Kombo na Yo mpo na libela.
In God we boast all the day long, and your name will we praise forever. (Selah)
9 Kasi obwaki biso, oyokisi biso soni mpe ozali lisusu kotambola te elongo na mampinga na biso.
Yet you have spurned and disgraced us, in not going forth with our armies,
10 Otiki biso kokima liboso ya banguna na biso; mpe bayini na biso bazwi biloko na biso na makasi.
and in making us flee from the foe, so that those who hated us plundered us.
11 Osundoli biso na maboko na bango lokola bameme ya koboma mpe opanzi biso kati na bikolo.
You have let us be eaten like sheep, you have scattered us over the world,
12 Oteki bato na Yo na pamba mpe ozwi ata litomba te kowuta na boteki yango.
sold your people for a pittance, and getting no gain from their price.
13 Okomisi biso eloko ya lisuma na miso ya bato oyo bazali pembeni na biso, eloko ya litio mpe ya liseki na miso ya bato oyo bazali zingazinga na biso.
You have made us the butt of our neighbours, the derision and scorn of all round us.
14 Okomisi biso lisapo kati na bikolo, mpe bato bakomi koningisa mito na bango mpo na biso.
O’er the world you have made us a byword, the nations at us shake their heads.
15 Kosambwa ekomi tango nyonso liboso na ngai mpe soni ezipi elongi na ngai,
My disgrace is forever before me, my face is covered with shame,
16 mpo na litio ya bato oyo bazali kofinga mpe kopamela ngai, mpe ya monguna oyo akangela ngai kanda.
at the words of blasphemer and scoffer, at the sight of the foe and the vengeful.
17 Makambo wana nyonso ekweyeli biso atako tobosanaki Yo te mpe tobebisaki Boyokani na Yo te,
All this has come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you nor falsely dealt with your covenant.
18 atako mitema na biso epengwaki te mpe totamboli libanda ya nzela na Yo te.
Our heart has not turned back, nor our steps declined from your way,
19 Pamba te onyokolaki biso kati na etando ya bambwa ya zamba mpe ozipaki biso na molili makasi.
that you thus should have crushed us down, and covered us over with gloom, in the place where the jackals roam.
20 Soki tobosanaki Kombo ya Nzambe na biso to totombolaki maboko na biso epai ya nzambe ya mopaya,
Had we forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a god that was strange,
21 boni, Nzambe na biso alingaki koyeba yango te, lokola asosolaka mozindo ya mitema?
would God not have searched this out? For he knows the heart and its secrets.
22 Pamba te, likolo na Yo, babomaka biso mikolo nyonso mpe bazwaka biso lokola bameme ya koboma.
But in your cause it is we are killed all the day, and counted as sheep for the slaughter.
23 Nkolo, lamuka! Mpo na nini ozali kolala? Lamuka, kobwaka biso te mpo na libela.
Rouse yourself, why do you sleep Lord? Awake, cast us not off forever.
24 Yawe, mpo na nini ozali kobomba elongi na Yo? Mpo na nini ozali kobosana pasi mpe minyoko na biso?
Why do you hide your face, forgetting our stress and our misery?
25 Pamba te tokweyi na putulu, mpe nzoto na biso ekangami na mabele.
For we have sunk down to the dust, our bodies cling to the ground.
26 Telema, yaka kosunga biso, kangola biso mpo na bolingo na Yo!
Arise, come to our help: for your love’s sake, ransom us.
