< Amos 3 >
1 “You people of Israel, I brought all your ancestors out of Egypt; so listen to what I am saying about you.
Sikilizeni neno hili alilosema Bwana dhidi yenu, enyi watu wa Israeli, dhidi ya jamaa nzima niliowapandisha toka Misri:
2 From all the people-groups on the earth, I [chose and] took care of only you. That is the reason that I will punish you for the sins that you have committed.”
“Ni ninyi tu niliowachagua kati ya jamaa zote za dunia; kwa hiyo nitawaadhibu kwa ajili ya dhambi zenu zote.”
3 Two [people] certainly cannot [RHQ] walk together if they have not [already] agreed [about what place they will start walking from].
Je, watu wawili hutembea pamoja wasipokubaliana kufanya hivyo?
4 A lion certainly does not [RHQ] roar in the bushes/forest if it has not killed another animal. It does not [RHQ] growl in its den if it is not eating [the flesh of an animal that it has caught].
Je, simba hunguruma katika kichaka wakati hana mawindo? Aweza kuvuma katika pango wakati ambao hajakamata chochote?
5 No one can [RHQ] catch a bird if [he does] not [set] a trap for it. A trap does not spring shut unless some [animal] has not sprung the trap.
Je, ndege aweza kuanguka kwenye mtego ulio ardhini ambapo hajategewa chambo? Je, mtego unaweza kufyatuka toka ardhini wakati ambapo hakuna chochote cha kunasa?
6 [Similarly, all] the people in a city certainly [RHQ] become afraid when [they hear someone] blowing a trumpet [to signal that enemies are attacking]. And when a city experiences disaster, Yahweh is the one who has caused it [RHQ].
Je, tarumbeta inapopigwa mjini kujulisha hatari, watu hawatetemeki? Mji upatwapo na maafa, je, si Bwana amesababisha?
7 And whatever Yahweh plans to do, he tells his prophets about it.
Hakika Bwana Mwenyezi hatafanya neno lolote bila kuwafunulia watumishi wake manabii siri yake.
8 Everyone certainly becomes terrified [RHQ] when they hear a lion roar, and if Yahweh the Lord has given messages [to prophets like me], we certainly must [RHQ] proclaim those messages, [even if they cause people to become terrified].
Simba amenguruma: je, ni nani ambaye hataogopa? Bwana Mwenyezi ametamka: je, ni nani awezaye kukosa kutoa unabii?
9 [I said this to the leaders of Samaria] (OR, [Yahweh said this to me]): Send this message to the leaders [MET] in Ashdod [city] and to Egypt: “Come to the hills of Samaria and see [the way that their (leaders/wealthy people)] are causing people in that city to be terrified, and [the way that they] are causing the people to suffer!”
Tangazeni katika ngome za Ashdodi na katika ngome za Misri: “Kusanyikeni juu ya milima ya Samaria; angalieni wingi wa wasiwasi ulio ndani yake, na uonevu ulio miongoni mwa watu wake.”
10 Yahweh says that the people there do not know how to do things that are right. Their homes are filled with [valuable things] that they have stolen or [taken] violently [from others].
Bwana asema: “Hawajui kutenda lililo jema, wale ambao hujilundikia nyara na vitu vilivyotekwa katika ngome zao.”
11 So Yahweh [our] God says that [soon] their enemies will come and tear down their (defenses/high city walls) and take away those valuable things.
Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenyezi: “Adui ataizingira nchi; ataangusha chini ngome zenu na kuteka nyara maboma yenu.”
12 Yahweh has declared this: “When a lion attacks a sheep, [sometimes] a shepherd will be able to snatch from the lion’s mouth only two legs or an ear of the sheep. Similarly, [only] a few people from Samaria will escape, and [they will be able to rescue only] a part of a couch and a part of a bed.”
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Kama vile mchungaji aokoavyo kinywani mwa simba vipande viwili tu vya mfupa wa mguu au kipande cha sikio, hivyo ndivyo Waisraeli watakavyookolewa, wale wakaao Samaria kwenye kingo za vitanda vyao, na katika Dameski kwenye viti vyao vya fahari.”
13 The Commander of the armies of angels said this: “Proclaim [this message] about the descendants [MTY] of Jacob:
“Sikia hili na ushuhudie dhidi ya nyumba ya Yakobo,” asema Bwana, Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
14 When I, Yahweh, punish [the people of] Israel because of the sins that they have committed, I will cause the altars at Bethel [town] to be destroyed; even the projections at the corners of the altars will be cut off and fall to the ground.
“Siku nitakapomwadhibu Israeli kwa sababu ya dhambi zake, nitaharibu madhabahu za Betheli; pembe za madhabahu zitakatiliwa mbali na kuanguka chini.
15 I will cause the houses [that they live in during] the (winter/rainy season) and those [in which they live during] the (summer/dry season) to be torn down. [Beautiful] big houses and houses [that are decorated] with ivory will be destroyed. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
Nitabomoa nyumba ya wakati wa masika, pamoja na nyumba ya wakati wa kiangazi; nyumba zilizonakshiwa kwa pembe za ndovu na majumba makubwa ya fahari yatabomolewa,” asema Bwana.