< Hosea 8 >
1 "Put the trumpet to your lips. Something like an eagle is over YHWH's house, because they have broken my covenant, and rebelled against my law.
“Weka tarumbeta katika midomo yako! Tai anakuja juu ya nyumba ya Bwana kwa sababu watu wamevunja agano langu na waliasi dhidi ya sheria yangu.
2 They cry to me, 'My God, we Israel acknowledge you.'
Wananililia,'Mungu wangu, sisi katika Israeli tunakujua.'
3 Israel has cast off that which is good. The enemy will pursue him.
Lakini Israeli amekataa mema, na adui atamfuata.
4 They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I did not approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, that they may be cut off.
Wameweka wafalme, lakini sio kwa shauri langu. Wamewafanya wakuu, lakini sikuwa na habari. Kwa fedha zao na dhahabu wamejifanyia sanamu wenyewe, ili wakatiliwe mbali.”
5 Let Samaria throw out his calf idol. My anger burns against them. How long will it be until they are capable of purity?
“Ndama yako imekataliwa, Samaria. Hasira yangu inawaka juu ya watu hawa. Kwa muda gani watakuwa na hatia?
6 For this is even from Israel. The workman made it, and it is no God; indeed, the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces.
Kwa maana sanamu hii ilitoka Israeli; fundi aliifanya; si Mungu! Ndama ya Samaria itavunjwa vipande vipande.
7 For they sow the wind, and they will reap the whirlwind. He has no standing grain. The stalk will yield no head. If it does yield, strangers will swallow it up.
Kwa maana watu hupanda upepo na kuvuna kimbunga. Mbegu zilizosimama hazina vichwa; haitoi unga. Ikiwa itakomaa, wageni watakula.
8 Israel is swallowed up. Now they are among the nations like a worthless thing.
Israeli imemezwa; sasa wanalala kati ya mataifa kama kitu kisicho na maana.
9 For they have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey wandering alone. Ephraim has hired lovers for himself.
Kwa maana walikwenda Ashuru kama punda wa mwitu pekee. Efraimu ameajiri wapenzi kwa ajili yake mwenyewe.
10 But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.
Hata ingawa wameajiri wapenzi kati ya mataifa, sasa nitawakusanya pamoja. Wao wataanza kupotea kwa sababu ya unyanyasaji wa mfalme wa wakuu.
11 Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they became for him altars for sinning.
Kwa maana Efraimu imeongeza madhabahu kwa sadaka za dhambi, lakini zimekuwa madhabahu kwa kufanya dhambi.
12 I wrote for him the many things of my law; but they were regarded as a strange thing.
Niliweza kuandika sheria yangu kwao mara elfu kumi, lakini wangeiona kama kitu cha ajabu kwao.
13 As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; But YHWH doesn't accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish their sins. They will return to Egypt, and will eat unclean things in Assyria.
Kwa ajili ya dhabihu za sadaka zangu, hutoa nyama na kuila, lakini mimi, Bwana, siwakubali. Sasa nitafikiri juu ya uovu wao na kuadhibu dhambi zao. Watarudi Misri.
14 For Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; and Judah has multiplied fortified cities; but I will send a fire on his cities, and it will devour its fortresses."
Israeli amenisahau mimi, Muumba wake, na amejenga majumba. Yuda ameimarisha miji mingi, lakini nitatuma moto juu ya miji yake; itaharibu ngome zake.