< Amos 5 >
1 Hear ye this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel:
Sikilizeni hili neno ambalo nisemalo kama maombelezo juu yenu, nyumba ya Israeli.
2 The virgin of Israel is fallen, she shall no more rise; she is cast down upon her land, there is none to raise her up.
Bikira wa Israeli ameanguka; hatoinuka tena; ametoroka kwenye nchi yake, hakuna mtu wa kumwinua.
3 For thus saith the Lord GOD: The city that went forth a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went forth a hundred shall have ten left, of the house of Israel.
Kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo: “Mji ambao umetoka nje kwa elfu watabaki mia, na walioenda nje mia watabaki kumi wa mali ya nyumba ya Israeli.”
4 For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel: Seek ye Me, and live;
Kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo kwa nyumba ya Israeli: “Nitafuteni na mtaishi!
5 But seek not Beth-el, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Beth-el shall come to nought.
Msimtafute Betheli; wala kuingia Gilgali; msisafiri kwenda Bersheba. Kwa kuwa Gilgali watakwenda utumwani hakika, na Betheli haitakuwa kitu.
6 Seek the LORD, and live — lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and it devour, and there be none to quench it in Bethel —
Mtafuteni Yahwe mtaishi, au atawaka kama moto kwenye nyumba ya Yusufu. Utateketeza, na hakutakuwa na mtu hata mmoja kuuzima katika Betheli.
7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and cast righteousness to the ground;
Wale watu wageuzao haki kuwa jambo chungu na kuiangusha haki chini!”
8 Him that maketh the Pleiades and Orion, and bringeth on the shadow of death in the morning, and darkeneth the day into night; that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth; the LORD is His name;
Mungu aliiumba Pleidezi na Orioni; amebadilisha giza kuwa asubuhu; hufanya siku kuwa giza na usiku na kuita maji ya bahari; yeye huyamwaga juu ya uso wa dunia. Yahwe ndilo jina lake!
9 That causeth destruction to flash upon the strong, so that destruction cometh upon the fortress.
Yeye huleta uharibifu wa ghafla juu ya waliohodari ili kwamba uharibifu uje juu ya ngome.
10 They hate him that reproveth in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
Wanamchukia kila awasahihishaye katika lango la mji, nao humchukia sana yeyote asemaye ukweli.
11 Therefore, because ye trample upon the poor, and take from him exactions of wheat; ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them, ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine thereof.
Kwa sababu mnamkanyaga chini maskini na kuchukua sehemu ya ngano kutoka kwake- ingawa mmejenga nyumba za mawe yaliyochongwa, hamtaishi kwenye nyumba hizo. Mmependezwa na mashamba ya mizabibu, lakini hamtakunywa mvinyo wake.
12 For I know how manifold are your transgressions, and how mighty are your sins; ye that afflict the just, that take a ransom, and that turn aside the needy in the gate.
Kwa kuwa najua ni jinsi gani mlivyo na makosa mengi na jinsi dhambi zenu zilivyo kubwa- ninyi mnaowaonea wenye haki, chukueni rushwa, na kuwageuza wahitaji kwenye lango la mji.
13 Therefore the prudent doth keep silence in such a time; for it is an evil time.
Kwa hiyo kila mtu mwenye busara atanyamaza kimya kwenye wakati kama huo, kwa kuwa ni wakati wa uovu.
14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you, as ye say.
Tafuteni mazuri na sio mabaya, ili kwamba mpate kuishi. Hivyo Yahwe, Mungu wa majeshi, atakuwa na ninyi tayari, kama msemavyo yeye ndiye.
15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
Chukieni uovu, imarisheni haki katika lango la mji. Huenda Yahwe, Mungu wa majeshi, atawafadhili mabaki ya Yusufu.
16 Therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord: Lamentation shall be in all the broad places, and they shall say in all the streets: 'Alas! alas!' and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and proclaim lamentation to such as are skilful of wailing.
Kwa hiyo, hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo, Mungu wa majeshi, Bwana, “Kutakuwa na maombolezo kwenye miraba yote, na watasema kwenye mitaa yote, 'Ole! Ole!' Watawaita wakulima kuomboleza na walio hodari wa kulia na kuomboleza.
17 And in all vineyards shall be lamentation; for I will pass through the midst of thee, saith the LORD.
Katika mashamba yote ya mizabibu kutakuwa na kilio, kwa kuwa nitapita katikati yako,” asema Yahwe.
18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! Wherefore would ye have the day of the LORD? It is darkness, and not light.
Ole wenu ninyi mnaoitamani siku ya Yahwe! Kwa nini mnaitamani? Itakuwa giza na sio nuru,
19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; and went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
kama wakati mtu anamkimbia simba na kukutana na dubu, au aliingia katika nyumba na kuweka mkono wake kwenye ukuta na kung'atwa na nyoka.
20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? Even very dark, and no brightness in it?
Je siku ya Yahwe itakuwa giza na sio nuru? Huzuni na sio furaha?
21 I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies.
“Nachukia, nazidharau sikukuu zenu, naichukia mikutano yenu ya dini.
22 Yea, though ye offer me burnt-offerings and your meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.
Hata kama mnanitolea sadaka ya kuteketeza na sadaka za unga, sintozipokea, wala kuzitazama kwenye sadaka za ushirika wa wanyama walionona.
23 Take thou away from Me the noise of thy songs; and let Me not hear the melody of thy psalteries.
Niondoleeni kelele za nyimbo zenu; sintosikiliza sauti za vinubi vyenu.
24 But let justice well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.
Badala yake, acheni haki itiririke kama maji, na haki kama mkondo utiririkao siku zote.
25 Did ye bring unto Me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?
Je mmeniletea dhambihu na sadaka za kuteketeza jangwani kwa mda wa miaka arobaini?
26 So shall ye take up Siccuth your king and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.
Mtamwinua Sikuthi kama mfalme wenu, na Kiuni, nyota yenu ya miungu-ambayo mmeifanya kwa ajili yenu wenyewe.
27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith He, whose name is the LORD God of hosts.
Kwa hiyo nitawahamisha upande wa pili wa Damaskasi,” asema Yahwe, ambaye jina lake ni Mungu wa majeshi.