Zephaniah 3
1 Woe [to] the rebellious and polluted, The oppressing city!
Ole mji wa wadhalimu, waasi na waliotiwa unajisi!
2 She hath not hearkened to the voice, She hath not accepted instruction, In Jehovah she hath not trusted, Unto her God she hath not drawn near.
Hautii mtu yeyote, haukubali maonyo. Haumtumaini Bwana, haukaribii karibu na Mungu wake.
3 Her heads in her midst [are] roaring lions, Her judges [are] evening wolves, They have not gnawn the bone in the morning.
Maafisa wake ni simba wangurumao, watawala wake ni mbwa mwitu wa jioni, ambao hawabakizi chochote kwa ajili ya asubuhi.
4 Her prophets unstable — men of treachery, Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have violated the law.
Manabii wake ni wenye kiburi, ni wadanganyifu. Makuhani wake hunajisi patakatifu na kuihalifu sheria.
5 Jehovah [is] righteous in her midst, He doth not do perverseness, Morning by morning His judgment he giveth to the light, It hath not been lacking, And the perverse doth not know 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, Desolated have been their chief ones, I have laid waste their out-places without any passing by, Destroyed have been their cities, Without man, without inhabitant.
“Nimeyafutilia mbali mataifa, ngome zao zimebomolewa. Nimeziacha barabara ukiwa, hakuna anayepita humo. Miji yao imeharibiwa; hakuna mmoja atakayeachwa: hakuna hata mmoja.
7 I have said: Only, ye do fear Me, Ye do accept instruction, And her habitation is not cut off, All that I have appointed for her, But they have risen early, They have corrupted all their doings.
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 Therefore, wait for Me — an affirmation of Jehovah, For the day of My rising for prey, For My judgment [is] to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them Mine indignation, All the heat of Mine anger, For by the fire of My jealousy consumed is all the earth.
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 do I turn unto peoples a pure lip, To call all of them by the name of Jehovah, To serve Him [with] one shoulder.
“Ndipo nitatakasa midomo ya mataifa, kwamba wote waweze kuliitia jina la Bwana na kumtumikia kwa pamoja.
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush, my supplicants, The daughter of My scattered ones, Do bring My present.
Kutoka ngʼambo ya mito ya Kushi watu wangu wanaoniabudu, watu wangu waliotawanyika, wataniletea sadaka.
11 In that day thou art not ashamed because of any of thine actions, Wherewith thou hast transgressed against Me, For then do I turn aside from thy midst The exulting ones of thine excellency, And thou dost add no more to be haughty, In 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 And I have left in thy midst a people humble and poor, And they have trusted in the name of Jehovah.
Lakini nitakuachia ndani yako wapole na wanyenyekevu, ambao wanatumaini jina la Bwana.
13 The remnant of Israel do no perversity, nor speak lies, Nor found in their mouth is a deceitful tongue, For they have delight, and have lain down, And there is none troubling.
Mabaki ya Israeli hayatafanya kosa; hawatasema uongo, wala udanganyifu hautakuwa katika vinywa vyao. Watakula na kulala wala hakuna yeyote atakayewaogopesha.”
14 Cry aloud, O daughter of Zion, shout, O Israel, Rejoice and exult with the whole heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
Imba, ee Binti Sayuni; paza sauti, ee Israeli! Furahi na kushangilia kwa moyo wako wote, ee Binti Yerusalemu!
15 Jehovah hath turned aside thy judgments, He hath faced thine enemy, The king of Israel, Jehovah, [is] in thy midst, Thou seest 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 is said to Jerusalem, 'Fear not, O Zion, let not thy hands be feeble.
Katika siku hiyo watauambia Yerusalemu, “Usiogope, ee Sayuni; usiiache mikono yako ilegee.
17 Jehovah thy God [is] in thy midst, A mighty one doth save, He rejoiceth over thee with joy, He doth work in His love, He joyeth over thee 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 Mine afflicted from the appointed place I have gathered, from thee they have been, Bearing for her sake reproach.
“Huzuni katika sikukuu zilizoamriwa nitaziondoa kwenu; hizo ni mzigo na fedheha kwenu.
19 Lo, I am dealing with all afflicting thee at that time, And I have saved the halting one, And the driven out ones I do gather, And have set them for a praise and for a name, In all the land of their shame.
Wakati huo nitawashughulikia wote waliokudhulumu; nitaokoa vilema na kukusanya wale ambao wametawanywa. Nitawapa sifa na heshima katika kila nchi ambayo waliaibishwa.
20 At that time I bring you in, Even at the time of My assembling you, For I give you for a name, and for a praise, Among all peoples of the land, In My turning back [to] your captivity before your eyes, said Jehovah!
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.
