Banzembo 58
1 Wuta na buku ya mokambi ya bayembi. Eyembamaki ndenge moko na « Kobebisa te. » Nzembo ya Davidi. Ezali solo ete bolobaka te tango bokataka makambo? Boni, bana na moto, bosambisaka na bosembo?
[For the Chief Musician. To the tune of "Do Not Destroy." A poem by David.] Do you rulers indeed speak righteousness? Do you judge blamelessly, you descendants of Adam?
2 Te, ezala kati na mitema na bino, bosalaka mabongisi ezanga bosembo; botandaka kanza ya maboko na bino kati na mokili.
No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.
3 Bato mabe babebaka wuta na mbotama na bango, bapengwaka mpe balobaka lokuta wuta na mabumu ya bamama na bango.
The wicked go astray from the womb. They are wayward as soon as they are born, speaking lies.
4 Bazalaka na ngenge lokola ngenge ya nyoka, lokola ngenge ya etupa oyo eyokaka te, oyo ekangaka litoyi na yango,
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; like a deaf viper that stops its ear,
5 oyo eyokaka te ata mingongo ya bato na soloka mpe ya moto ya maji oyo aleki na mayele.
which doesn't listen to the voice of charmers, no matter how skillful the charmer may be.
6 Nzambe, buka minu na bango kati na minoko na bango; Yawe, buka bambanga ya bana ya bankosi.
Break their teeth, God, in their mouth. Break out the great teeth of the young lions, Jehovah.
7 Tika ete balimwa lokola mayi oyo ezali kotiola; Tika ete bambanzi na bango ebukana tango babetaka batolotolo.
Let them vanish as water that flows away. When they draw the bow, let their arrows be made blunt.
8 Tika ete balimwa lokola soyi ya mbembe, lokola mwana oyo akomona moyi te mpo ete abimi na zemi oyo esopani.
Let them be like a snail which melts and passes away, like the stillborn child, who has not seen the sun.
9 Liboso ete banzungu na bino ekutana na moto ya basende, ezala ya mayi to ya kokawuka, bato mabe akolimwa.
Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns, he will sweep away the green and the burning alike.
10 Moto ya sembo akosepela, pamba te akomona Nzambe kozongisela bato mabe, mabe na mabe, mpe akotambola kati na makila na bango.
The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance. He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked;
11 Mpe bato bakoloba: « Solo, ezali na lifuti mpo na moto ya sembo; solo, ezali na Nzambe oyo asambisaka mokili. »
so that men shall say, "Most certainly there is a reward for the righteous. Most certainly there is a God who judges the earth."
