Habakkuk 1
1 The oracle of which Habakkuk the prophet, had vision:
Neno alilopokea nabii Habakuki.
2 How long, O Yahweh, have I called out, and thou wouldst not hear me? Have I kept crying unto thee of violence, and thou wouldst not save?
Ee Bwana, hata lini nitakuomba msaada, lakini wewe husikilizi? Au kukulilia, “Udhalimu!” Lakini hutaki kuokoa?
3 Wherefore shouldst thou let me see iniquity, and, wrong, shouldst let me behold, and, force and violence, be straight before me, —and there should have ever been someone who, contention and strife, would uphold?
Kwa nini unanifanya nitazame dhuluma? Kwa nini unavumilia makosa? Uharibifu na udhalimu viko mbele yangu; kuna mabishano na mapambano kwa wingi.
4 For which cause, benumbed is the law, and there is never any going forth of justice, —for, the lawless, doth circumvent the righteous, for which cause, justice doth go forth perverted?
Kwa hiyo sheria imepotoshwa, nayo haki haipo kabisa. Waovu wanawazunguka wenye haki, kwa hiyo haki imepotoshwa.
5 Behold ye, among the nations, and look around, Yea stand stock still—stare, —for, a work, is being wrought in your days, ye will not believe, when it is recounted.
“Yatazame mataifa, uangalie na ushangae kabisa. Kwa sababu katika siku zako nitafanya kitu ambacho hungeamini, hata kama ungeambiwa.
6 For, behold me! raising up the Chaldeans, the bitter and headlong nation, —that marcheth to the breadths of the earth, to take possession of habitations, not his.
Nitawainua Wakaldayo, watu hao wakatili na wenye haraka, ambao hupita dunia yote kuteka mahali pa kuishi pasipo pao wenyewe.
7 Awful and fearful, is he, —from himself, his decision and his uprising, proceed.
Ni watu wanoogopwa na wanaotisha; wenyewe ndio sheria yao, na huinua heshima yao wenyewe.
8 Then, swifter than leopards, are his horses, and, more sharply they attack, than evening wolves, and forward have leapt his chargers, —Yea, his chargers, from afar, will come in, they will fly as an eagle hath hastened to devour.
Farasi wao ni wepesi kuliko chui, na wakali kuliko mbwa mwitu wakati wa machweo. Askari wapanda farasi wao huenda mbio; waendesha farasi wao wanatoka mbali. Wanaruka kasi kama tai ili kurarua;
9 Solely for violence, will he come, the intent of their faces, is—To the east! And he hath gathered, as the sand, a captive host;
wote wanakuja tayari kwa fujo. Makundi yao ya wajeuri yanasonga mbele kama upepo wa jangwani, na kukusanya wafungwa kama mchanga.
10 And, he, over kings, will make merry, and, nobles, will be a scorn to him: he, at any fortress, will laugh, once he hath heaped up dust, he hath captured it!
Wanawabeza wafalme, na kuwadhihaki watawala. Wanaicheka miji yote iliyozungushiwa maboma; wanafanya malundo ya udongo na kuiteka hiyo miji.
11 Then, hath he become arrogant in spirit, and hath committed excess, and so is guilty, —this his violence, is due to his god.
Kisha wanapita kasi kama upepo na kusonga mbele: watu wenye hatia, ambao nguvu zao ndio mungu wao.”
12 Art not, thou, from of old, O Yahweh, my God, my Holy One? Thou diest not! O Yahweh, to judgment, hast thou appointed him, and, O Rock, to correction, hast thou devoted him:
Ee Bwana, je, wewe sio wa tangu milele? Mungu wangu, Uliye Mtakatifu wangu, hatutakufa. Ee Bwana, umewachagua wao ili watekeleze hukumu; Ee Mwamba, umewaamuru watuadhibu.
13 [Thou] whose eyes are too pure to look with approval on wrong, to respect oppression, canst not endure, —Wherefore, shouldst thou respect the treacherous? Be silent, when the lawless, swalloweth up, one more righteous than he?
Macho yako ni safi mno hata yasiweze kuutazama uovu, wala huwezi kuvumilia makosa. Kwa nini basi unawavumilia wadanganyifu? Kwa nini unakuwa kimya wakati waovu wanawameza wale wenye haki kuliko wao wenyewe?
14 So wouldst thou have made Men, like the fishes of the sea, —like the creeping thing that hath no ruler over it:
Umewafanya watu kama samaki baharini, kama viumbe wa bahari wasio na mtawala.
15 All of which, with a hook, one bringeth up, raketh together with his drag, and hath gathered with his net, —
Adui mwovu anawavuta wote kwa ndoana, anawakamata katika wavu wake, anawakusanya katika juya lake; kwa hiyo anashangilia na anafurahi.
16 On which account, he is glad and exulteth: on which account, he sacrificeth to his Net, and burneth incense to his Drag; because, thereby, rich, is his portion, and his food—fatness!
Kwa hiyo anatoa kafara kwa wavu wake, na kuchoma uvumba kwa juya lake, kwa kuwa kwa wavu wake anaishi kwa starehe, na anafurahia chakula kizuri.
17 Shall he, on this account, empty his net? And, the continual slaying of nations, deem to be no pity?
Je, aendelee kuwatoa walio katika wavu wake, akiangamiza mataifa bila huruma?
