Banzembo 74
1 Nzembo ya Azafi. Oh Nzambe, mpo na nini kosundola biso mpo na tango nyonso? Mpo na nini kongalisa kanda na Yo likolo ya etonga oyo oleisaka?
God, why have you abandoned/rejected us? Will you keep rejecting us forever [RHQ]? Why are you angry with us, since we are like sheep in your pasture [and you are like our shepherd]? [MET, RHQ]
2 Kanisa lisusu lisanga ya bato na Yo, oyo osikola wuta kala, libota oyo okomisa libula na Yo. Kanisa ngomba Siona epai wapi ovandaka.
Do not forget your people whom you chose long ago, the people whom you freed [from being slaves in Egypt] and caused to become your tribe. Do not forget Jerusalem, which was (your home/where you dwelt) [on this earth].
3 Tika ete matambe na Yo ekoma kino na bisika oyo ebebi nye! Kati na Esika na Yo ya bule, monguna abebisi nyonso;
Walk along [and see] where everything has been totally ruined; our enemies have destroyed everything in the sacred temple.
4 bayini na Yo bagangi lokola nkosi, ata kati na esika oyo okutanaka na biso, batelemisi bendele na bango lokola elembo.
Your enemies shouted triumphantly in this sacred place; they erected their banners [to show they had defeated us].
5 Bazali lokola bato oyo basimbi bipasola mpe bazali kokata banzete kati na zamba.
They cut down all the [engraved objects in the temple] like woodsmen cut down trees.
6 Babuki-buki bililingi nyonso oyo batobola na mabaya, na nzela ya bipasola mpe bamarto na bango;
Then they smashed all the carved wood with their axes and hammers.
7 batumbi Esika na Yo ya bule, bakweyisi mpe bakomisi mbindo esika oyo Kombo na Yo evandaka.
[Then] they burned your temple to the ground; they caused that place where you were worshiped to be unfit for people to worship in.
8 Bazalaki komilobela: « Tokopanza yango nyonso! » Kati na mokili, bazikisi esika nyonso epai wapi bagumbamelaka Nzambe.
They said to themselves, “We will destroy the Israelis completely,” and they [also] burned down all the other places where we gathered to worship God.
9 Tozali lisusu komona te bilembo na biso, basakoli bazali lisusu te; mpe moko te kati na biso ayebi tango boni makambo oyo ekowumela.
All our sacred symbols (OR, miracles) are gone; there are no prophets now/any more, and no one knows how long [this situation will continue].
10 Oh Nzambe, kino tango nini monguna akofinga Yo? Boni, akokoba tango nyonso kotiola Kombo na Yo?
God, how long will our enemies make fun of you [RHQ]? Will they insult you [MTY] forever [RHQ]?
11 Mpo na nini ozongisi loboko na Yo na sima, loboko na Yo ya mobali? Mpo na nini okangi maboko na Yo?
Why do you refuse to help [MTY, RHQ] us? Why do you keep your hand inside your cloak [instead of using it to destroy our enemies] [RHQ]?
12 Nzokande, Yo Nzambe, ozali Mokonzi na ngai wuta kala; Yo nde omemaka lobiko kati na mokili.
God, you have been our king [all the time] since we came out of Egypt [HYP], and you have enabled us to defeat [our enemies] in the land [of Israel].
13 Yo nde opasolaki ebale na nguya na Yo, opanzaki mito ya bilima ya mayi;
By your power you caused the [Red] Sea to divide; [it was as though] you smashed the heads of the [rulers of Egypt who were like] huge sea dragons [MET].
14 Yo nde opanzaki mito ya Leviatani mpe opesaki yango lokola bilei epai ya banyama ya esobe;
[It was as though] you crushed the head of the king of Egypt [MET] and gave his body to the animals in the desert to eat.
15 Yo nde osalaki ete bitima ya mayi mpe miluka etiola, mpe okawusaki bibale mpo na libela.
You caused springs and streams to flow, and you [also] dried up rivers that had never dried up previously.
16 Moyi ezali ya Yo, butu mpe ezali ya Yo; Yo nde osalaki sanza mpe moyi.
You created the days and the nights, and you put the sun and the moon in their places.
17 Ezali Yo nde otiaki bandelo nyonso ya mokili, Yo nde osalaki tango ya malili mpe tango ya moyi.
You determined where the oceans end and the land begins, and you created the summer/hot season and the winter/cold season.
18 Yawe, kobosana te ete monguna afingi Yo, ete bato bazanga tina batioli Kombo na Yo!
Yahweh, do not forget that your enemies laugh at you, and that it is foolish people who despise you [MTY].
19 Kokaba te bomoi ya ebenga na Yo na monoko ya nyama oyo ezali na nzala, kobosana te mpo na libela bomoi ya babola oyo bazali bato na Yo!
Do not let your helpless people [MET] fall into the hands of their cruel enemies; do not forget your suffering/persecuted people.
20 Tala lisusu Boyokani na Yo! Pamba te, kati na mokili, bisika ya molili ekomi ebele, etondi na makambo na kanza.
Do not forget the agreement that you made with us; remember that there are violent people in every dark place on the earth.
21 Sala ete moto oyo bazali konyokola azwa lisusu lokumu! Sala ete mobola mpe moto akelela bakumisa Kombo na Yo.
Do not allow your oppressed people to be disgraced; help those poor and needy people in order that they will [again] praise you [MTY].
22 Oh Nzambe, telema mpe lobela Kombo na Yo! Kanisa lisusu ndenge nini bazoba bafingaka Yo mikolo nyonso!
God, arise and defend yourself [by defending your people]! Do not forget that foolish people laugh at you (all day long/continually)!
23 Kobosana te makelele ya bayini na Yo, mangungu ya banguna na Yo, oyo ezali kaka komata se komata!
Do not forget that your enemies shout angrily [at you]; the uproar that they make [while they oppose you] never stops.
