< Hosea 10 >
1 Israel is like a spreading vine that produces fruit for itself. The more fruit they produced, the more altars they built. The more productive the land, the more beautiful they made the sacred pillars.
Israeli ni mzabibu mzuri ambao huzaa matunda yake. kwa kadiri matunda yake yanavyoongezeka vivyo hivyo anajenga madhabahu nyingi. Kwa kuwa nchi yake ilizalishwa zaidi, aliboresha nguzo zake.
2 The people have minds that are deceptive, and now they must take responsibility for their guilt. The Lord will break apart their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.
Moyo wao ni udanganyifu; sasa wanapaswa kubeba hatia yao. Bwana ataharibu madhabahu zao; ataharibu nguzo zao.
3 Then they will say, “We have no king, for we do not fear the Lord, and yet what would a king do for us?”
Kwa maana watasema, “Hatuna mfalme, kwa maana hatukumcha Bwana. Na mfalme-angeweza kutufanyia nini?”
4 They speak empty words, swearing false promises to make a covenant. Their “justice” flourishes like poisonous weeds in the furrows of a field.
Wanasema maneno tupu na kufanya maagano kwa kuapa uongo. Kwa hivyo haki inakuja kama magugu yenye sumu katika mito ya shamba.
5 Those who live in Samaria tremble in awe at the calf of Beth-aven. Its people mourn for it in their pagan rituals, while its idolatrous priests celebrate its glory. But it will certainly be taken away from them. It will be brought to Assyria as tribute for the great king.
Wakazi wa Samaria wataogopa kwa sababu ya ndama za Beth Aveni. Watu wake waliomboleza juu yao, kama walivyofanya wale makuhani wa sanamu ambao walikuwa wamefurahi juu yao na utukufu wao, lakini hawako tena.
6 Ephraim will be disgraced, and Israel will be ashamed at its own decisions.
Wao watachukuliwa kwenda Ashuru kama sadaka kwa mfalme mkuu. Efraimu atakuwa na aibu, na Israeli atakuwa na aibu kwa sanamu yake.
7 Samaria and its king will be destroyed, swept away like a twig on the surface of the water.
Mfalme wa Samaria ataangamizwa, kama chipu cha kuni juu ya uso wa maji.
8 The high places of Aven, where Israel sinned, will be demolished, and thorns and thistles will grow over their altars. Then they will call to the mountains, “Bury us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”
Sehemu za juu za uovu zitaharibiwa. Hii ndiyo dhambi ya Israeli! Miti na vichaka vitakua juu ya madhabahu zao. Watu wataiambia milima, “Tufunike sisi!” na kwa vilima, “Tuangukieni!”
9 Since the days of Gibeah you have been sinning, Israel, and you haven't changed. Do the people of Gibeah think that war will not come to them?
Ee Israeli, umetenda dhambi tangu siku za Gibea; huko umebaki. Je, vita vitawapata wana wa uovu huko Gibea?
10 When I choose I will punish the wicked. The nations will be gathered together against them when they are punished for their double crime.
Nitakapotaka, nitawaadhibu. Mataifa wataungana pamoja nao na kuwaweka katika vifungo kwa uovu wao mara mbili.
11 Ephraim is like a trained heifer that loved to thresh the grain, but now I will place a yoke on her strong neck. I will harness Ephraim; Judah will have to pull the plough; and Jacob must break up the ground for himself.
Efraimu ni ndama mwenye mafunzo ambayo anapenda kupura nafaka, hivyo nitaweka jozi juu ya shingo yake nzuri. Efraimu nitauweka jozi; Yuda ataimea; Yakobo atauvuta pigo kwa nafsi yake.
12 Sow for yourselves what is right and you will reap unfailing love. Break up the unploughed ground. It's time to go to the Lord until he comes and rains down goodness on you.
Jifanyieni haki, vuneni matunda ya uaminifu wa agano. Chimbueni ardhi yenu isiyopandwa, kwa maana ni wakati wa kumtafuta Bwana, mpaka atakapokuja na kuinua haki juu yenu.
13 But instead you have planted wickedness and reaped an evil harvest. You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own strength and in your many warriors.
Mmelima uovu; mmevuna udhalimu. Mmekula matunda ya udanganyifu kwa sababu uliamini katika mipango yako na katika askari wako wengi.
14 The terrifying noise of battle will rise against your people, and all your fortresses will be destroyed, just as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel in the time of war. Even mothers and children were dashed to pieces.
Kwa hiyo mlipuko wa vita utafufuka kati ya watu wako, na miji yako yote yenye ngome itaharibiwa. Itakuwa kama Shalmani aliharibu Beth Arbeli siku ya vita, wakati mama alivunjika vipande vipande na watoto wake.
15 This is what will happen to you, Bethel, because of your great wickedness. At dawn, the king of Israel will be utterly destroyed.
Kwa hiyo itakuwa kwako, Betheli, kwa sababu ya uovu wako mkubwa. Wakati wa mchana mfalme wa Israeli atakatwa kabisa.