Habakkuk 1
1 The prophecy which Habakkuk the prophet foresaw.
Neno alilopokea nabii Habakuki.
2 How long, O Lord, have I entreated [thee], and thou wouldst not hear? [how long] shall I cry out unto thee [because of] violence, and thou wilt not save?
Ee Bwana, hata lini nitakuomba msaada, lakini wewe husikilizi? Au kukulilia, “Udhalimu!” Lakini hutaki kuokoa?
3 Why wilt thou let me see wickedness, and wilt look on trouble, and the robbery and violence [that are] before me: while there is strife, and contention lifteth up [its head]?
Kwa nini unanifanya nitazame dhuluma? Kwa nini unavumilia makosa? Uharibifu na udhalimu viko mbele yangu; kuna mabishano na mapambano kwa wingi.
4 Therefore is the law powerless, and justice cometh not forth victorious; for the wicked encompasseth about the righteous; therefore doth justice come forth perverted.
Kwa hiyo sheria imepotoshwa, nayo haki haipo kabisa. Waovu wanawazunguka wenye haki, kwa hiyo haki imepotoshwa.
5 Look ye about among the nations, and behold and be astonished and astounded; for [God] will fulfill a work in your days, ye would not believe it, if it were only told you.
“Yatazame mataifa, uangalie na ushangae kabisa. Kwa sababu katika siku zako nitafanya kitu ambacho hungeamini, hata kama ungeambiwa.
6 For, lo, I will raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and impetuous nation, that march to the wide spaces of the earth to conquer dwelling-places that are not theirs.
Nitawainua Wakaldayo, watu hao wakatili na wenye haraka, ambao hupita dunia yote kuteka mahali pa kuishi pasipo pao wenyewe.
7 Terrible and dreadful are they: from themselves go forth their judicial laws and their dignity.
Ni watu wanoogopwa na wanaotisha; wenyewe ndio sheria yao, na huinua heshima yao wenyewe.
8 And swifter than leopards are their horses, and fiercer than the evening wolves; and their horsemen spread themselves abroad: and their horsemen will come from afar; they will fly like the eagle hastening to eat.
Farasi wao ni wepesi kuliko chui, na wakali kuliko mbwa mwitu wakati wa machweo. Askari wapanda farasi wao huenda mbio; waendesha farasi wao wanatoka mbali. Wanaruka kasi kama tai ili kurarua;
9 They all will come for violence: the front of their faces is like the east wind, and they gather captives as the sand.
wote wanakuja tayari kwa fujo. Makundi yao ya wajeuri yanasonga mbele kama upepo wa jangwani, na kukusanya wafungwa kama mchanga.
10 And they will make sport with kings, and princes will be a play unto them: at every strong-hold will they laugh, and they will cast up earth-mounds and capture it.
Wanawabeza wafalme, na kuwadhihaki watawala. Wanaicheka miji yote iliyozungushiwa maboma; wanafanya malundo ya udongo na kuiteka hiyo miji.
11 Then doth their spirit become arrogant, and they are surpassingly proud, and offend, [imputing] this their power unto their god.
Kisha wanapita kasi kama upepo na kusonga mbele: watu wenye hatia, ambao nguvu zao ndio mungu wao.”
12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, my Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O Protector, thou hast appointed them to correct [nations].
Ee Bwana, je, wewe sio wa tangu milele? Mungu wangu, Uliye Mtakatifu wangu, hatutakufa. Ee Bwana, umewachagua wao ili watekeleze hukumu; Ee Mwamba, umewaamuru watuadhibu.
13 Thou, who art too pure of eyes to behold evil, and canst not look on trouble, wherefore wilt thou look upon those that deal treacherously, be silent when the wicked swalloweth up him that is more righteous than he?
Macho yako ni safi mno hata yasiweze kuutazama uovu, wala huwezi kuvumilia makosa. Kwa nini basi unawavumilia wadanganyifu? Kwa nini unakuwa kimya wakati waovu wanawameza wale wenye haki kuliko wao wenyewe?
14 And [why] makest thou men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
Umewafanya watu kama samaki baharini, kama viumbe wa bahari wasio na mtawala.
15 All of them he bringeth up with the angle, he draggeth them up in his net, and gathereth them in his drag: therefore he rejoiceth and is glad.
Adui mwovu anawavuta wote kwa ndoana, anawakamata katika wavu wake, anawakusanya katika juya lake; kwa hiyo anashangilia na anafurahi.
16 Therefore he sacrificeth unto his net, and burneth incense unto his drag; because through them is his portion fat, and his food marrowy.
Kwa hiyo anatoa kafara kwa wavu wake, na kuchoma uvumba kwa juya lake, kwa kuwa kwa wavu wake anaishi kwa starehe, na anafurahia chakula kizuri.
17 Shall he therefore [always] empty his net, and continually slay nations without sparing?
Je, aendelee kuwatoa walio katika wavu wake, akiangamiza mataifa bila huruma?
