Zephaniah 3
1 Woe [to] the rebelling and defiling, The oppressing city!
Ole mji wa wadhalimu, waasi na waliotiwa unajisi!
2 She has not listened to the voice, She has not accepted instruction, In YHWH she has not trusted, She has not drawn near to her God.
Hautii mtu yeyote, haukubali maonyo. Haumtumaini Bwana, haukaribii karibu na Mungu wake.
3 Her heads in her midst [are] roaring lions, Her judges [are] wolves [as in] evening, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.
Maafisa wake ni simba wangurumao, watawala wake ni mbwa mwitu wa jioni, ambao hawabakizi chochote kwa ajili ya asubuhi.
4 Her prophets unstable—men of treachery, Her priests have defiled the sanctuary, They have violated the Law.
Manabii wake ni wenye kiburi, ni wadanganyifu. Makuhani wake hunajisi patakatifu na kuihalifu sheria.
5 YHWH [is] righteous in her midst, He does not do perverseness, Morning by morning His judgment He gives to the light, It has not been lacking, And the perverse do not know shame.
Bwana aliye ndani yake ni mwenye haki, hafanyi kosa. Asubuhi kwa asubuhi hutoa haki yake, kila kukipambazuka huitimiza, bali mtu dhalimu hana aibu.
6 “I have cut off nations, Desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, Destroyed have been their cities, Without man, without inhabitant.
“Nimeyafutilia mbali mataifa, ngome zao zimebomolewa. Nimeziacha barabara ukiwa, hakuna anayepita humo. Miji yao imeharibiwa; hakuna mmoja atakayeachwa: hakuna hata mmoja.
7 I have said: Only, you fear Me, You accept instruction, And her habitation is not cut off, All that I have appointed for her, But they have risen early, They have corrupted all their doings.
Niliuambia huo mji, ‘Hakika utaniogopa na kukubali maonyo!’ Ndipo makao yake hayatafutiliwa mbali, wala adhabu zangu zote hazitakuja juu yake. Lakini walikuwa bado na shauku kutenda kwa upotovu katika yote waliyofanya.”
8 Therefore, wait for Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “For the day of My rising for prey, For My judgment [is] to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All the heat of My anger, For by the fire of My jealousy all the earth is consumed.
Bwana anasema, “Kwa hiyo ningojee mimi, siku nitakayosimama kuteka nyara. Nimeamua kukusanya mataifa, kukusanya falme na kumimina ghadhabu yangu juu yao, hasira yangu kali yote. Dunia yote itateketezwa kwa moto wa wivu wa hasira yangu.
9 For then I turn a pure lip to peoples, To call all of them by the Name of YHWH, To serve Him [with] one shoulder.
“Ndipo nitatakasa midomo ya mataifa, kwamba wote waweze kuliitia jina la Bwana na kumtumikia kwa pamoja.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush, My supplicants, The daughter of My scattered ones, Bring My present.
Kutoka ngʼambo ya mito ya Kushi watu wangu wanaoniabudu, watu wangu waliotawanyika, wataniletea sadaka.
11 In that day you are not ashamed because of any of your actions, With which you have transgressed against Me, For then I turn aside from your midst The exulting ones of your excellence, And you are to be haughty no longer, In My holy mountain.
Siku hiyo hutaaibishwa kwa ajili ya makosa yote ulionitendea, kwa sababu nitawaondoa kutoka mji huu wale wote wanaoshangilia katika kiburi chao. Kamwe hutajivuna tena katika kilima changu kitakatifu.
12 And I have left in your midst a people humble and poor, And they have trusted in the Name of YHWH.
Lakini nitakuachia ndani yako wapole na wanyenyekevu, ambao wanatumaini jina la Bwana.
13 The remnant of Israel does no perversity, nor speaks lies, Nor is a deceitful tongue found in their mouth, For they have delight, and have lain down, And there is none troubling.”
Mabaki ya Israeli hayatafanya kosa; hawatasema uongo, wala udanganyifu hautakuwa katika vinywa vyao. Watakula na kulala wala hakuna yeyote atakayewaogopesha.”
14 Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, Rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Imba, ee Binti Sayuni; paza sauti, ee Israeli! Furahi na kushangilia kwa moyo wako wote, ee Binti Yerusalemu!
15 YHWH has turned aside your judgments, He has faced your enemy, The King of Israel, YHWH, [is] in your midst, You see evil no more.
Bwana amekuondolea adhabu yako, amewarudisha nyuma adui zako. Bwana, Mfalme wa Israeli, yu pamoja nawe; kamwe hutaogopa tena madhara yoyote.
16 In that day it is said to Jerusalem, “Do not fear, O Zion, Do not let your hands be feeble.
Katika siku hiyo watauambia Yerusalemu, “Usiogope, ee Sayuni; usiiache mikono yako ilegee.
17 Your God YHWH [is] in your midst, A mighty one [to] save, He rejoices over you with joy, He works in His love, He delights over you with singing.”
Bwana Mungu wako yu pamoja nawe, yeye ni mwenye nguvu kuokoa. Atakufurahia kwa furaha kubwa, atakutuliza kwa pendo lake, atakufurahia kwa kuimba.”
18 “I have gathered My afflicted from the appointed place, They have been bearing reproach from you for her sake.
“Huzuni katika sikukuu zilizoamriwa nitaziondoa kwenu; hizo ni mzigo na fedheha kwenu.
19 Behold, I am dealing with all afflicting you at that time, And I have saved the halting one, And I gather the ones driven out, And have set them for a praise and for a name, In all the land of their shame.
Wakati huo nitawashughulikia wote waliokudhulumu; nitaokoa vilema na kukusanya wale ambao wametawanywa. Nitawapa sifa na heshima katika kila nchi ambayo waliaibishwa.
20 At that time I bring you in, Even at the time of My assembling you, For I give you for a name, and for a praise, Among all peoples of the land, In My turning back [to] your captivity before your eyes,” said YHWH!
Wakati huo nitawakusanya; wakati huo nitawaleta nyumbani. Nitawapa sifa na heshima miongoni mwa mataifa yote ya dunia wakati nitakapowarudishia mateka yenu mbele ya macho yenu hasa,” asema Bwana.
