Zephaniah 3
1 Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,
Ole mji wa wadhalimu, waasi na waliotiwa unajisi!
2 She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
Hautii mtu yeyote, haukubali maonyo. Haumtumaini Bwana, haukaribii karibu na Mungu wake.
3 Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,
Maafisa wake ni simba wangurumao, watawala wake ni mbwa mwitu wa jioni, ambao hawabakizi chochote kwa ajili ya asubuhi.
4 Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.
Manabii wake ni wenye kiburi, ni wadanganyifu. Makuhani wake hunajisi patakatifu na kuihalifu sheria.
5 The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But the unjust know no 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, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.”
“Nimeyafutilia mbali mataifa, ngome zao zimebomolewa. Nimeziacha barabara ukiwa, hakuna anayepita humo. Miji yao imeharibiwa; hakuna mmoja atakayeachwa: hakuna hata mmoja.
7 I said: “Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.”
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 Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be 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 will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.
“Ndipo nitatakasa midomo ya mataifa, kwamba wote waweze kuliitia jina la Bwana na kumtumikia kwa pamoja.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.
Kutoka ngʼambo ya mito ya Kushi watu wangu wanaoniabudu, watu wangu waliotawanyika, wataniletea sadaka.
11 On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on 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 But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.
Lakini nitakuachia ndani yako wapole na wanyenyekevu, ambao wanatumaini jina la Bwana.
13 They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
Mabaki ya Israeli hayatafanya kosa; hawatasema uongo, wala udanganyifu hautakuwa katika vinywa vyao. Watakula na kulala wala hakuna yeyote atakayewaogopesha.”
14 Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
Imba, ee Binti Sayuni; paza sauti, ee Israeli! Furahi na kushangilia kwa moyo wako wote, ee Binti Yerusalemu!
15 The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear 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 will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!
Katika siku hiyo watauambia Yerusalemu, “Usiogope, ee Sayuni; usiiache mikono yako ilegee.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult 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 as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.
“Huzuni katika sikukuu zilizoamriwa nitaziondoa kwenu; hizo ni mzigo na fedheha kwenu.
19 I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.
Wakati huo nitawashughulikia wote waliokudhulumu; nitaokoa vilema na kukusanya wale ambao wametawanywa. Nitawapa sifa na heshima katika kila nchi ambayo waliaibishwa.
20 I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.
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.
