Hosea 12
1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth the east wind; the whole day he increaseth deceit and corruption; and a covenant do they make with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.
Efraimu anajilisha upepo; hufukuzia upepo wa mashariki kutwa nzima na kuzidisha uongo na jeuri. Anafanya mkataba na Ashuru na kutuma mafuta ya zeituni Misri.
2 But with Judah also hath the Lord [to hold] a controversy; and to punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will he recompense him.
Bwana analo shtaka dhidi ya Yuda, atamwadhibu Yakobo kwa kadiri ya njia zake na kumlipa kwa kadiri ya matendo yake.
3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his strength he strove with an angel.
Yakobo akiwa tumboni alishika kisigino cha kaka yake; kama mwanadamu, alishindana na Mungu.
4 Yea, he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: in Beth-el he should find him, and there he will speak with us.
Alishindana na malaika na kumshinda; alilia na kuomba upendeleo wake. Alimkuta huko Betheli na kuzungumza naye huko:
5 And the Lord God of hosts, the Eternal One is his memorial.
Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Bwana ndilo jina lake!
6 Therefore do thou return to thy God: keep goodness and justice, and wait on thy God continually.
Lakini ni lazima urudi kwa Mungu wako; dumisha upendo na haki, nawe umngojee Mungu wako siku zote.
7 But like a merchant, who hath the balances of deceit in his hand, loving to overreach,
Mfanyabiashara hutumia vipimo vya udanganyifu; hupenda kupunja.
8 Did Ephraim say, I am certainly become rich, I have acquired substance unto myself: it is all through my labors; they will find no iniquity in me, that could be sin.
Efraimu hujisifu akisema, “Mimi ni tajiri sana; nimetajirika. Pamoja na utajiri wangu wote hawatakuta ndani yangu uovu wowote au dhambi.”
9 And I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt: I will yet make thee dwell in tents, as in the days of antiquity.
“Mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wenu niliyewaleta kutoka Misri; nitawafanya mkae tena kwenye mahema, kama vile katika siku za sikukuu zenu zilizoamriwa.
10 And I have spoken through the prophets, and I myself have multiplied visions, and by the means of the prophets have I spoken in similitudes.
Niliongea na manabii, nikawapa maono mengi na kusema mifano kupitia wao.”
11 If in Gil'ad there was misfortune, [it is because] there was naught but idolatry; in Gilgal they sacrificed bullocks [to idols]: their altars also are as stone-heaps on the furrows of the fields.
Je, Gileadi si mwovu? Watu wake hawafai kitu! Je, hawatoi dhabihu za mafahali huko Gilgali? Madhabahu zao zitakuwa kama malundo ya mawe katika shamba lililolimwa.
12 And Jacob fled into the fields of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept [the flocks].
Yakobo alikimbilia katika nchi ya Aramu; Israeli alitumika ili apate mke, ili aweze kulipa kwa ajili yake alichunga kondoo.
13 And by a prophet did the Lord bring Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he guarded.
Bwana alimtumia nabii kumpandisha Israeli kutoka Misri, kwa njia ya nabii alimtunza.
14 [Yet] Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly: therefore will his Lord cast his blood-guiltiness upon him, and his reproach will he recompense unto him.
Lakini Efraimu amemchochea sana hasira; Bwana wake ataleta juu yake hatia yake ya kumwaga damu naye atamlipiza kwa ajili ya dharau yake.
