Zephaniah 3
1 Alas for her that is rebellious, and polluted, the city that oppresseth!
Ole kwa mji ulioasi! Mji wenye vurugu umenajisiwa.
2 She hath hearkened to no voice, accepted no correction; in Yahweh, hath not trusted, to her God, hath not drawn near:
Haukuisikiliza sauti ya Mungu, wala haukupokea masahihisho kutoka kwa Yahwe. Hakumtumaini Yahwe na hatamkaribia Mungu wake.
3 Her rulers in her midst, are roaring lions, —her judges, evening wolves, they have left nothing until morning!
Wafalme wao ni simba wanaounguruma miongoni mwao. Waamuzi wao ni mbwa mwitu wa jioni wasiobakiza kitu ambacho kitakuwa kimemung'unywa asubuhi yake.
4 Her prophets, are reckless, treacherous men! her priests, have profaned the holy, done violence to law.
Manabii wake wanakiburi na wanaume wasaliti. Makuhani wake wamepanajisi mahali patakatifu na wameifanyia vurugu sheria.
5 Yahweh, the Righteous One, is in her midst, he dealeth not perversely, —Morning by morning, his justice, bringeth he forth the light, He is not found lacking, but the perverse man knoweth no shame.
Yahwe ni mwenye haki miongoni mwao. Hawezi kufanya makosa. Kila asubuhi husimamia haki yake! Haitafichika nuruni, hata hivyo watu wasio wenye haki hawajui kuona aibu.
6 I have cut off nations, deserted are their towers, have made desolate their streets, that none passeth through; ruined are their cities, for want of men of note, from lack of any dweller!
Nimeyaharibu mataifa; ngome zao zimeharibiwa. Nimeifanya mitaa yao magofu, hivyo hakuna hata mmoja anayepitia kwake. Miji yao imeharibiwa kwa hiyo hakuna mtu anayeikaa.
7 I said, Surely thou wilt reverence, Me, wilt accept correction, lest her abode, should be cut of, howsoever I had punished her; but, in truth, they soon corrupted all their deeds.
Nikasema, 'Hakika mtaniogopa mimi. Pokeeni masahihisho na msikatiliwe mbali kutoka kwenye miji yenu kwa yote yale niliyokuwa nimeyapanga kuyafanya kwenu.' Lakini walikuwa na shauku kuanza kila siku kwa kuharibu matendo yao yote.
8 Wherefore, wait for me, urgeth Yahweh, until the day when I rise up as witness, for, my decision, is to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out on them mine indignation, all the glow of mine anger, for, in the fire of my jealousy, shall be devoured the whole earth.
Kwa hiyo ningojeni - hili ni tamko la Yahwe - mpaka siku ambayo nitainuka kwa ajili ya waathirika. Uaamuzi wangu nikuwakusanya mataifa, kuzikusanya falme, na kumwaga juu yao hasira yangu, uchungu wangu wote mkali, hivyo nchi yote itamezwa kwa moto wa hasira yangu.
9 Surely, then, will I turn unto the peoples a lip made pure, —that they all may call on the name of Yahweh, may serve him with one consent.
Ndipo nitawapa midomo safi watu, kuwaita wote kwa jina la Bwana kunitumikia wakisimama bega kwa bega.
10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, [shall come] my suppliants, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bear along a gift for me.
Kutoka ng'ambo ya mto Ethiopia waniabuduo - watu wangu waliotawanyika - wataleta dhabihu kwa sababu yangu.
11 In that day, wilt thou not turn pale for all thy deeds, wherein thou hast transgressed against me? For, then, will I take away out of thy midst thy proudly exulting ones, and thou shalt not again be haughty any more in my holy mountain:
Katika siku hiyo hamtawekwa kwenye woga kwa matendo yenu yote ambayo mmeyafanya dhidi yangu, tangu wakati ule nitaondoa kutoka kwenu wale waliosherehekea fahari yenu, na kwa sababu hamtakuwa na muda mrefu kufanya majivuno juu ya mlima wangu mtakatifu.
12 So will I leave remaining in thy midst, a people oppressed and poor, —who will seek refuge in the name of Yahweh:
Lakini nitawaacha kama wa chini zaidi na watu masikini, na mtapata kimbilio katika jina la Yahwe.
13 The remnant of Israel—will not do perversity, nor speak falsehood, neither shall there be found in their mouth a tongue of deceit, —surely, they, shall feed and lie down, with none to make them afraid.
Mkazi wa Israeli si muda mrefu hatafanya udhalimu au kusema uongo, na hakuna ulimi wa udanganyifu utakaoonekana mdomoni mwao; hivyo watalisha na kulala chini, na hakuna hata mmoja atakayewafanya kuogopa.”
14 Sing out, O daughter of Zion, shout aloud, O Israel, —rejoice and exult with all thy heart, O daughter Jerusalem:
Imba, binti Sayuni! Piga kelele, Israeli. Ufurahi na kushangilia kwa moyo wako wote, binti wa Yerusalemu.
15 Yahweh, hath set aside, thy judgments, hath turned back thy foe, —The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in thy midst, thou shalt not fear calamity, any more.
Yahwe ameiondoa hukumu yako; amewafukuzia mbali adui zako! Yahwe ni mfalme wa Israeli miongoni mwenu. Kamwe hamtamwogopa tena mwovu!
16 In that day, shall it be said—to Jerusalem, Do not fear, —O Zion, Let not thy hands hang down:
Katika siku hizo watasema kwa Yerusalemi, “Usiogope, Sayuni. Usiiache mikono yako ilegee.
17 Yahweh, thy God, in the midst of thee, as a mighty one, will save, —will be glad over thee with rejoicing, will be silent in his love, will exult over thee with shouts of triumph.
Yahwe Mungu wako yuko katikati yenu, mwenye nguvu wa kuwaokoa. Atasherehekea juu yenu na kwa furaha atakuwa kimya juu yenu kwa upendo wake. Atakuwa na furaha juu yenu na atashangilia kwa furaha,
18 The sad exiles from the appointed meeting, have I gathered, from thee, had they been! [but were] a burden on thee—a reproach!
katika siku maalumu ya sherehe. Nitaondoa maafa kutoka kwenu; si muda mrefu hamtabeba aibu kwa ajili yake.
19 Behold me! dealing with all thine oppressors, at that time, —and I will save her that is lame, and, her that hath been an outcast, will I carry, and I will make them to be a Praise and a Name, in the whole earth that hath witnessed their shame.
Tazama, Niko tayari kuwashughulikia watesi wenu wote. Katika wakati ule, Nitawaokoa waliolemaa na kuwakusanya waliotupiliwa mbali. Nitawafanya kuwa sifa, na nitaibadilisha aibu yao iwe sifa katika dunia yote.
20 At that time, will I bring you in, even at the time when I gather you, —Yea I will grant you to become a Name and a Praise, among all the peoples of the earth, when I cause them of your captivities to return before your eyes, saith Yahweh.
Katika wakati ule nitawaongoza; katika wakati ule nitawakusanya pamoja. Nitawafanya mataifa yote ya dunia kuwaheshimu na kuwasifu, wakati mtakapoona hivyo, Nitakuwa nimewarudisha”, asema Yahwe.
