Barome 13
1 Tika ete moto nyonso atosa bakonzi ya leta, pamba te bokonzi nyonso ewutaka na Nzambe, mpe ezali Nzambe nde atia bakonzi oyo bazali.
Everyone should obey government authorities, because no one has the power to rule unless God gives permission. These authorities have been put there by God.
2 Boye, moto oyo aboyi kotosa bakonzi ya leta azali nde kotombokela mabongisi oyo Nzambe asila kotia, mpe bato oyo basalaka bongo bamibendelaka nde etumbu mpo na bango moko.
Whoever resists the authorities opposes what God has put in place, and those who do so shall find themselves judged accordingly.
3 Bato oyo batambolaka malamu babangaka basambisi te, kaka bato oyo basalaka mabe nde babangaka basambisi. Oboyi kobanga mokonzi? Sala makambo oyo ezali sembo, mpe mokonzi akondima yo.
For rulers don't frighten those who do right, but those who do wrong. If you don't want to live in fear of the authorities, then do what is right, and you'll have their approval.
4 Pamba te mokonzi azali mosali na Nzambe mpo na bolamu na yo. Kasi soki ozali kosala makambo ya mabe, banga mokonzi, pamba te asimbaka mopanga na pamba te. Azali mosali na Nzambe mpo na kokokisa kanda ya Nzambe mpe kopesa etumbu epai ya bato oyo basalaka mabe.
Those in power are God's servants, put there for your own good. If you do wrong, you should be frightened—it's not without reason that authorities have the power to punish! They are God's servants, punishing offenders.
5 Yango wana ezali na tina mingi kotosa mokonzi, kaka te mpo na kobanga kozwa etumbu, kasi mingi-mingi mpo na kosala makambo oyo mitema na biso ezali kosenga biso.
So it's important to do as you're told, not just because of the threat of punishment, but because of what your conscience tells you.
6 Yango wana mpe bofutaka bampako, pamba te bakonzi bazali basali ya Nzambe, oyo bapesaka tango na bango nyonso mpo na kokamba.
That's why you have to pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants taking care of such things.
7 Bopesa oyo ekoki na mokonzi nyonso: mpako epai na ye oyo bosengeli kofuta yango, motuya ya biloko epai na ye oyo bosengeli kofuta yango, botosi epai na ye oyo asengeli kotosama, mpe lokumu epai na ye oyo asengeli kozwa yango.
Pay whatever you owe: taxes to the tax authorities, fees to the fee-collectors; give respect to those who should be respected, honor those who should be honored.
8 Bozala na niongo ya moto te, longola kaka niongo ya kolingana bino na bino, pamba te moto oyo alingaka bato mosusu akokisi makambo nyonso oyo Mobeko esengaka.
Don't owe anybody anything, except love for one another—for those who love their neighbor have kept the law.
9 Mibeko lokola: « Okosalaka ekobo te, » « okobomaka te, » « okoyibaka te, » « okolulaka te, » mpe nyonso oyo etikali, elobami na mokuse kati na mobeko oyo moko: « Linga moninga na yo ndenge yo moko omilingaka. »
“You must not commit adultery, you must not kill, you must not steal, you must not jealously want things for yourself”—these and the other commandments are summed up in the statement, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
10 Moto oyo azali na bolingo asalaka moninga na ye mabe te. Boye, kolinga moninga, yango nde kokokisa Mobeko nyonso.
Love doesn't do wrong to anyone, so love fulfils the law.
11 Bosalaka bongo awa bozali kososola tango nini tozali kobika. Tango ya kolamuka na pongi na bino ekoki, pamba te lobiko ekomi sik’oyo pene na biso, koleka tango tozwaki kondima sika.
You should do this because you realize how urgent the time is—that it's high time for you to wake up from your sleep. For salvation is closer to us now than when we first put our trust in God.
12 Butu ekomi pene ya kosila mpe tongo elingi kotana. Yango wana, tobwaka misala ya molili mpe tolata bibundeli ya pole.
The night is nearly over, the day is almost here! So let's get rid of our dark deeds and put on the armor of light.
13 Totambola malamu, na lolenge oyo ebongi mpo na moyi: na lokoso te, na milangwa te, na pite te, na mobulu te, na koswana te mpe na zuwa te.
Let's behave properly, showing that we're people who are living in the light. We shouldn't spend our time going to wild parties and getting drunk, or having affairs and acting immorally, or getting into fights and being jealous.
14 Kasi bolata Nkolo Yesu-Klisto mpe bomitungisa te na baposa ya nzoto oyo ezali kobundisa bino.
Instead put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and forget about following your sinful desires.
