Hosea 4
1 Hear the word of Yhwh, ye children of Israel: for Yhwh hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
Sikilizeni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wa Israeli. Bwana ana mashtaka dhidi ya wenyeji wa nchi, kwa sababu hakuna ukweli au uaminifu wa agano, hakuna ujuzi wa Mungu katika nchi.
2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
Kuna laana, uongo, mauaji, wizi na uzinzi. Watu wamevunja mipaka yote, na damu inakuja baada ya damu.
3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
Kwa hiyo nchi inakauka, na kila mtu aliyeishi ndani yake anaangamia; wanyama katika mashamba na ndege angani, hata samaki katika bahari, wanaondolewa.
4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
Lakini usiruhusu mtu yeyote kuleta mashtaka; msiruhusu mtu yeyote ahukumu mtu mwingine. Kwa maana ninyi ndio makuhani, ninaowashtaki.
5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
Ninyi makuhani mtajikwaa wakati wa mchana; manabii pia watajikwaa pamoja nanyi usiku, nami nitamwangamiza mama yako.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Watu wangu wanaharibiwa kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa maarifa. Kwa sababu makuhani wamekataa maarifa, nami nitawakataa msiwe makuhani kwangu. Kwa sababu umesahau sheria yangu, ingawa mimi ni Mungu wako, nami pia nitasahau watoto wako.
7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
Makuhani wengi waliongezeka, zaidi walifanya dhambi dhidi yangu. Walibadilisha heshima zao kwa aibu.
8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
Wanajilisha dhambi ya watu wangu; wao ni wenye tamaa zaidi ya uovu wao.
9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
Itakuwa sawa kwa watu kama kwa makuhani: nitawaadhibu wote kwa matendo yao; Nitawalipa kwa matendo yao.
10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to Yhwh.
Watakula lakini hawatashiba; watafanya uzinzi lakini hawataongezeka, kwa sababu wamekwenda mbali na Bwana.
11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
Wanapenda uasherati, divai, na divai mpya, ambayo imechukua uelewa wao.
12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
Watu wangu hutaka shauri kwa sanamu zao za mbao, na fimbo zao za kutembelea huwapa unabii. Kwa maana mawazo ya uasherati yamewadanganya, na wamefanya kama makahaba badala ya kuwa mwaminifu kwa Mungu wao.
13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
Wanatoa sadaka juu ya milima na kuteketeza uvumba kwenye milima, chini ya mialoni, milibua na miela, kwa sababu kivuli ni nzuri. Basi binti zenu hufanya uasherati, na binti zenu wanazini.
14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.
Mimi siwaadhibu binti zako wakati wanachagua kutenda uasherati, wala binti zako wakati wazini. Kwa maana wanaume pia wanajitoa kwa makahaba, na hutoa dhabihu ili waweze kufanya vitendo vya uasherati na makahaba. Hivyo watu wasiofahamu wataangamizwa.
15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth–aven, nor swear, Yhwh liveth.
Ingawa wewe, Israeli, umefanya uzinzi, lakini Yuda asiwe na hatia. Ninyi msiende Gilgali; msiende hadi Beth Aven. Wala msiape, “Aishivyo Bwana.”
16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: Now Yhwh will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
Kwa maana Israeli amefanya ukaidi, kama ndama mkaidi. Je! Bwana anaweza kuwaleta kwenye malisho kama kondoo mahali penye nafasi?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
Efraimu alijiunga na sanamu; mwache peke yake.
18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
Hata wakati kileo chao kimeondoka wakaendelea kufanya uzinzi; watawala wake hupenda sana aibu yao.
19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Upepo utamfunga kwa mabawa yake; nao wataona aibu kwa sababu ya dhabihu zao.
