Zephaniah 2
1 Collect yourselves and gather together, O nation without shame,
Kusanyikeni pamoja, kusanyikeni pamoja, enyi taifa lisilo na aibu,
2 before the decree bring forth, [before] the day pass away as chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you.
kabla ya wakati ulioamriwa haujafika na siku ile inayopeperusha kama makapi, kabla hasira kali ya Bwana haijaja juu yenu, kabla siku ya ghadhabu ya Bwana haijaja juu yenu.
3 Seek Jehovah, all ye meek of the land, who have performed his ordinance; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger.
Mtafuteni Bwana, enyi nyote wanyenyekevu wa nchi, ninyi ambao hufanya lile analoamuru. Tafuteni haki, tafuteni unyenyekevu; labda mtahifadhiwa siku ya hasira ya Bwana.
4 For Gazah shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon shall be a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
Gaza utaachwa na Ashkeloni utaachwa magofu. Wakati wa adhuhuri Ashdodi utaachwa mtupu na Ekroni utangʼolewa.
5 Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea-coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant;
Ole wenu ninyi ambao mnaishi kando ya bahari, enyi Wakerethi; neno la Bwana liko dhidi yenu, ee Kanaani, nchi ya Wafilisti. “Mimi nitawaangamiza, na hakuna atakayebaki.”
6 and the sea-coast shall be cave-dwellings for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
Nchi kando ya bahari, mahali ambapo wanaishi Wakerethi, patakuwa mahali pa wachungaji na mazizi ya kondoo.
7 And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for Jehovah their God shall visit them, and turn again their captivity.
Itakuwa mali ya mabaki ya nyumba ya Yuda, hapo watapata malisho. Wakati wa jioni watajilaza chini katika nyumba za Ashkeloni. Bwana Mungu wao atawatunza, naye atawarudishia wafungwa wao.
8 I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
“Nimeyasikia matukano ya Moabu nazo dhihaka za Waamoni, ambao waliwatukana watu wangu na kutoa vitisho dhidi ya nchi yao.
9 Therefore, [as] I live, saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall certainly be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the residue of my nation shall possess them.
Hakika, kama niishivyo,” asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, “hakika Moabu itakuwa kama Sodoma, Waamoni kama Gomora: mahali pa magugu na mashimo ya chumvi, nchi ya ukiwa milele. Mabaki ya watu wangu watawateka nyara; mabaki ya taifa langu watarithi nchi yao.”
10 This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of hosts.
Hiki ndicho watarudishiwa kwa ajili ya kiburi chao, kwa kutukana na kudhihaki watu wa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
11 Jehovah will be terrible unto them; for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and all the isles of the nations shall worship him, every one from his place.
Bwana atakuwa wa kuhofisha kwao atakapoangamiza miungu yote ya nchi. Mataifa katika kila pwani yatamwabudu, kila moja katika nchi yake.
12 Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be the slain of my sword.
“Ninyi pia, ee Wakushi, mtauawa kwa upanga wangu.”
13 And he will stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make Nineveh a desolation, a place of drought like the wilderness.
Mungu atanyoosha mkono wake dhidi ya kaskazini na kuangamiza Waashuru, akiiacha Ninawi ukiwa na pakame kama jangwa.
14 And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the crowd of beasts; both the pelican and the bittern shall lodge in the chapiters thereof; a voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be on the thresholds: for he hath laid bare the cedar work.
Makundi ya kondoo na ngʼombe yatajilaza pale, viumbe vya kila aina. Bundi wa jangwani na bundi waliao kwa sauti nyembamba wataishi juu ya nguzo zake. Mwangwi wa kuita kwao utapita madirishani, kifusi kitakuwa milangoni, boriti za mierezi zitaachwa wazi.
15 This is the rejoicing city that dwelt in security, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none else beside me: how is she become a desolation, a couching-place for beasts! Every one that passeth by her shall hiss, shall wave his hand.
Huu ndio mji uliotukuka na kuishi kwa furaha wakijisikia salama. Ulisema moyoni mwako, “Mimi ndimi, na wala hapana mwingine ila mimi.” Jinsi gani umekuwa gofu, mahali pa kulala wanyama pori! Wote wanaopita kando yake wanauzomea na kutikisa mkono kwa dharau.
