< Hosea 10 >

1 Israel was a luxuriant vine, yielding fruit for himself. The more his fruit increased, the more he increased the altars. The better his land produced, the better he made the sacred pillars.
Israeli alikuwa mzabibu uliostawi sana, alijizalia matunda mwenyewe. Kadiri matunda yake yalivyoongezeka, alijenga madhabahu zaidi; kadiri nchi yake ilivyostawi, alipamba mawe yake ya ibada.
2 Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.
Moyo wao ni mdanganyifu, nao sasa lazima wachukue hatia yao. Bwana atabomoa madhabahu zao na kuharibu mawe yao ya ibada.
3 Surely now they will say, “We have no king, for we do not revere the LORD. What can a king do for us?”
Kisha watasema, “Hatuna mfalme kwa sababu hatukumheshimu Bwana. Lakini hata kama tungelikuwa na mfalme, angeweza kutufanyia nini?”
4 They speak mere words; with false oaths they make covenants. So judgment springs up like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
Wanaweka ahadi nyingi, huapa viapo vya uongo wanapofanya mapatano; kwa hiyo mashtaka huchipuka kama magugu ya sumu katika shamba lililolimwa.
5 The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn with its idolatrous priests— those who rejoiced in its glory— for it has been taken from them into exile.
Watu wanaoishi Samaria huogopa kwa ajili ya sanamu ya ndama ya Beth-Aveni. Watu wake wataiombolezea, vivyo hivyo kuhani wake wa kuabudu sanamu, wale waliokuwa wamefurahia fahari yake, kwa sababu itaondolewa kutoka kwao kwenda uhamishoni.
6 Yes, it will be carried to Assyria as tribute to the great king. Ephraim will be seized with shame; Israel will be ashamed of its wooden idols.
Itachukuliwa kwenda Ashuru kama ushuru kwa mfalme mkuu. Efraimu atafedheheshwa; Israeli ataaibika kwa ajili ya sanamu zake za mti.
7 Samaria will be carried off with her king like a twig on the surface of the water.
Samaria na mfalme wake wataelea kama kijiti juu ya uso wa maji.
8 The high places of Aven will be destroyed— it is the sin of Israel; thorns and thistles will overgrow their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
Mahali pa kuabudia sanamu pa uovu pataharibiwa: ndiyo dhambi ya Israeli. Miiba na mibaruti itaota na kufunika madhabahu zao. Kisha wataiambia milima, “Tufunikeni!” na vilima, “Tuangukieni!”
9 Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel, and there you have remained. Did not the battle in Gibeah overtake the sons of iniquity?
“Tangu siku za Gibea, mmetenda dhambi, ee Israeli, huko ndiko mlikobaki. Je, vita havikuwapata watenda mabaya huko Gibea?
10 I will chasten them when I please; nations will be gathered against them to put them in bondage for their double transgression.
Wakati nitakapopenda, nitawaadhibu; mataifa yatakusanywa dhidi yao ili kuwaweka katika vifungo kwa ajili ya dhambi zao mbili.
11 Ephraim is a well-trained heifer that loves to thresh; but I will place a yoke on her fair neck. I will harness Ephraim, Judah will plow, and Jacob will break the hard ground.
Efraimu ni mtamba wa ngʼombe aliyefundishwa ambaye hupenda kupura, hivyo nitamfunga nira juu ya shingo yake nzuri. Nitamwendesha Efraimu, Yuda lazima alime, naye Yakobo lazima avunjavunje mabonge ya udongo.
12 Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.
Jipandieni wenyewe haki, vuneni matunda ya upendo usio na kikomo, vunjeni ardhi yenu isiyolimwa; kwa kuwa ni wakati wa kumtafuta Bwana, mpaka atakapokuja na kuwanyeshea juu yenu haki.
13 You have plowed wickedness and reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your mighty men,
Lakini mmepanda uovu, mkavuna ubaya, mmekula tunda la udanganyifu. Kwa sababu mmetegemea nguvu zenu wenyewe na wingi wa mashujaa wenu,
14 the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be demolished as Shalman devastated Beth-arbel in the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to pieces along with their children.
mngurumo wa vita utainuka dhidi ya watu wako, ili kwamba ngome zako zote zitaharibiwa: kama Shalmani alivyoharibu Beth-Arbeli katika siku ile ya vita, wakati mama pamoja na watoto wao walipotupwa kwa nguvu ardhini.
15 Thus it will be done to you, O Bethel, because of your great wickedness. When the day dawns, the king of Israel will be utterly cut off.
Ndivyo itakavyotokea kwako, ee Betheli, kwa sababu uovu wako ni mkuu. Siku ile itakapopambazuka, mfalme wa Israeli ataharibiwa kabisa.

< Hosea 10 >