< Hosea 8 >
1 Set the trumpet to thy mouth. As an eagle he comes against the house of Jehovah, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law.
“Wekeni tarumbeta midomoni mwenu! Tai yuko juu ya nyumba ya Bwana kwa sababu watu wamevunja Agano langu, wameasi dhidi ya sheria yangu.
2 They shall cry to me, My God, we, Israel know thee.
Israeli ananililia, ‘Ee Mungu wetu, tunakukubali!’
3 Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy shall pursue him.
Lakini Israeli amekataa lile lililo jema, adui atamfuatia.
4 They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made rulers, and I knew it not. They have made themselves idols of their silver and their gold, that they may be cut off.
Wanaweka wafalme bila idhini yangu, wamechagua wakuu bila kibali changu. Kwa fedha zao na dhahabu wamejitengenezea sanamu kwa ajili ya maangamizi yao wenyewe.
5 He has cast off thy calf, O Samaria. My anger is kindled against them. How long will it be ere they attain to innocence?
Ee Samaria, tupilieni mbali sanamu yenu ya ndama! Hasira yangu inawaka dhidi yao. Watakuwa najisi mpaka lini?
6 For even this is from Israel: the workman made it, and it is no God. Yea, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
Zimetoka katika Israeli! Ndama huyu: ametengenezwa na fundi, si Mungu. Atavunjwa vipande vipande, yule ndama wa Samaria.
7 For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The blade shall yield no meal. If so be it yields, strangers shall swallow it up.
“Wanapanda upepo na kuvuna upepo wa kisulisuli. Bua halina suke, halitatoa unga. Kama lingetoa nafaka, wageni wangeila yote.
8 Israel is swallowed up. They are now among the nations as a vessel in which no man delights.
Israeli amemezwa; sasa yupo miongoni mwa mataifa kama kitu kisicho na thamani.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey alone by himself. Ephraim has hired lovers.
Kwa kuwa wamepanda kwenda Ashuru kama punda-mwitu anayetangatanga peke yake. Efraimu amejiuza mwenyewe kwa wapenzi.
10 Yea, though they hire among the nations, I will now gather them, and they shall begin to be diminished because of the burden of the king of rulers.
Ingawa wamejiuza wenyewe miongoni mwa mataifa, sasa nitawakusanya pamoja. Wataanza kudhoofika chini ya uonevu wa mfalme mwenye nguvu.
11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, altars have been to him for sinning.
“Ingawa Efraimu alijenga madhabahu nyingi kwa ajili ya sadaka za dhambi, hizi zimekuwa madhabahu za kufanyia dhambi.
12 I wrote for him the multitude of my law, but they are counted as a strange thing.
Nimeandika kwa ajili yao mambo mengi kuhusu sheria yangu, lakini wameziangalia kama kitu cha kigeni.
13 As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but Jehovah does not accept them. He will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. They shall return to Egypt.
Wanatoa dhabihu nilizopewa mimi nao wanakula hiyo nyama, lakini Bwana hapendezwi nao. Sasa ataukumbuka uovu wao na kuadhibu dhambi zao: Watarudi Misri.
14 For Israel has forgotten his maker, and built palaces. And Judah has multiplied fortified cities. But I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour the castles thereof.
Israeli amemsahau Muumba wake na kujenga majumba ya kifalme, Yuda amejengea miji mingi ngome. Lakini nitatuma moto kwenye miji yao utakaoteketeza ngome zao.”