< Joel 3 >
1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I will cause to return the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
“Katika siku hizo na wakati huo, nitakaporejesha neema ya Yuda na Yerusalemu,
2 Then will I assemble all the nations, and I will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will hold judgment with them there because of my people and my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and for my land [which] they have divided out.
nitayakusanya mataifa yote na kuyaleta katika Bonde la Yehoshafati Hapo nitaingia kwenye hukumu dhidi yao kuhusu urithi wangu, watu wangu Israeli, kwa kuwa waliwatawanya watu wangu miongoni mwa mataifa na kuigawa nchi yangu.
3 And for my people did they cast lots; and gave a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, and drank it.
Wanawapigia kura watu wangu na kuwauza wavulana ili kupata makahaba; waliwauza wasichana ili wapate kunywa mvinyo.
4 And also ye, what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all ye districts of Philistia? is this the recompense which ye repay me? or do ye only commence to render me evil?— swiftly and speedily will I bring back your recompense upon your own head;
“Sasa una nini dhidi yangu, ee Tiro na Sidoni, nanyi nchi zote za Ufilisti? Je, mnanilipiza kwa yale niliyoyafanya? Kama mnalipa, mimi nitalipiza juu ya vichwa vyenu kwa kasi na kwa haraka yale mliyoyatenda.
5 Because my silver and my gold have ye taken, and the handsomest of my precious things have ye carried into your temples;
Kwa kuwa mlichukua fedha na dhahabu yangu pia mkabeba hazina zangu nzuri sana mkapeleka kwenye mahekalu yenu.
6 And the children of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the sons of the Jevanim, in order to remove them far from their borders.
Mliwauza watu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu kwa Wayunani, ili kwamba mpate kuwapeleka mbali na nchi yao.
7 Behold, I will awaken them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and I will bring back your recompense upon your own head;
“Tazama nitawaamsha kutoka zile sehemu mlizowauza, nami nitawalipiza juu ya vichwa vyenu kile mlichofanya.
8 And I will deliver your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far off; for the Lord hath spoken it.
Nitawauza wana wenu na binti zenu kwa watu wa Yuda, nao watawauza kwa Waseba, taifa lililo mbali.” Bwana amesema.
9 Proclaim ye this among the nations, Prepare war, wake up the mighty men; let them draw near; let them come up—all the men of war.
Tangazeni hili miongoni mwa mataifa: Jiandaeni kwa vita! Amsha askari! Wanaume wote wapiganaji wasogee karibu na kushambulia.
10 Beat your plough-shares into swords, and your pruning-knives into spears: let the weak say, I am a hero.
Majembe yenu yafueni yawe panga na miundu yenu ya kukatia iwe mikuki. Aliye dhaifu na aseme, “Mimi nina nguvu!”
11 Assemble hastily together, and come, all ye nations from every side, and gather yourselves together: there doth the Lord strike down thy mighty ones.
Njooni haraka, ninyi mataifa yote kutoka pande zote, kusanyikeni huko. Shusha wapiganaji wako, Ee Bwana!
12 Let the nations awake, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations from every side.
“Mataifa na yaamshwe; na yasonge mbele kuelekea Bonde la Yehoshafati, kwa kuwa nitaketi mahali pale kuhukumu mataifa yote yaliyoko kila upande.
13 Put forth the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, tread down [the grapes]; for the press is full; the vats overflow; for great is their wickedness.
Tia mundu, kwa kuwa mavuno yamekomaa. Njooni, mkanyage zabibu, kwa kuwa shinikizo la kukamua zabibu limejaa na mapipa yanafurika: kwa kuwa uovu wao ni mkubwa!”
14 Multitudes, multitudes are in the valley of decision; for near is the day of the Lord in the valley of decision.
Umati mkubwa, umati mkubwa katika bonde la uamuzi! Kwa kuwa siku ya Bwana ni karibu katika bonde la uamuzi.
15 Sun and moon are obscured, and stars withdraw their brightness.
Jua na mwezi vitatiwa giza, na nyota hazitatoa mwanga wake tena.
16 And the Lord will cry aloud out of Zion, and from Jerusalem will he send forth his voice; and the heavens and the earth shall quake; but the Lord will be a refuge for his people, and a stronghold for the children of Israel.
Bwana atanguruma kutoka Sayuni na mshindo wa ngurumo kutoka Yerusalemu; dunia na mbingu vitatikisika. Lakini Bwana atakuwa kimbilio la watu wake, ngome imara kwa ajili ya watu wa Israeli.
17 So shall ye know that I am the Lord your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mount: and Jerusalem shall be holy, and strangers shall not pass through her any more.
“Ndipo mtakapojua kwamba Mimi, Bwana Mungu wenu, nakaa Sayuni, mlima wangu mtakatifu. Yerusalemu utakuwa mtakatifu; kamwe wageni hawatavamia tena.
18 And it came to pass on that day, that the mountains shall drop down sweet new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the ravines of Judah shall flow with water; and a spring shall come forth out of the house of the Lord, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
“Katika siku hiyo milima itadondosha divai mpya, na vilima vitatiririka maziwa; mabonde yote ya Yuda yatatiririka maji. Chemchemi itatiririka kutoka kwenye nyumba ya Bwana na kunywesha Bonde la Shitimu.
19 Egypt shall become a desolate land, and Edom shall become a desolate wilderness; because of the violence against the children of Judah, in whose land they have shed innocent blood.
Lakini Misri itakuwa ukiwa, Edomu itakuwa jangwa tupu, kwa sababu ya jeuri waliofanya kwa watu wa Yuda, ambao katika nchi yao walimwaga damu isiyo na hatia.
20 But Judah shall be inhabited for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
Yuda itakaliwa na watu milele na Yerusalemu itadumu vizazi vyote.
21 And I will avenge their blood that I have not yet avenged; for the Lord dwelleth in Zion.
Hatia yao ya damu, ambayo sijasamehe, nitasamehe.”