< Zefania 3 >

1 Kaĩ itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene rĩa andũ aremi, na rĩgwatĩtio thaahu, o na rĩiyũrĩte maũndũ ma kũhinyanĩrĩria rĩrĩ na haaro-ĩ!
What disaster is coming to corrupted, rebellious Jerusalem, you who oppress people!
2 Rĩtirĩ mũndũ rĩathĩkagĩra, rĩtiĩtĩkagĩra gũtaarwo. Rĩtiĩhokaga Jehova, na rĩtikuhagĩrĩria Ngai warĩo.
You don't listen to anybody, you don't accept correction, you don't trust in the Lord, you don't ask for God's help.
3 Anene aarĩo mahaana ta mĩrũũthi ĩkũrarama, aathani aarĩo mahaana ta njũũi iria icangacangaga hwaĩ-inĩ, gũtirĩ kĩndũ matigagia gĩkinyie rũciinĩ.
Your leaders are as greedy as roaring lions; your judges are ravenous wolves that leave nothing behind by morning.
4 Anabii aarĩo nĩ etĩĩi; nĩ andũ a ungumania. Athĩnjĩri-Ngai aarĩo mathaahĩtie handũ-harĩa-haamũre, na magathũkia watho.
Your prophets are arrogant, deceitful men who defile what is sacred and who openly break the law.
5 Jehova ũrĩa ũrĩ thĩinĩ warĩo nĩ mũthingu; we ndeekaga ũũru. Rũciinĩ o rũciinĩ nĩatuanagĩra ciira na kĩhooto, mũthenya o mũthenya ndagaga gwĩka ũguo, no arĩa matarĩ athingu matirĩ thoni.
But the Lord who does right is still among you, he does no wrong. Every morning he gives his judgment, every day without fail. But those who act unjustly have no shame.
6 “Nĩniinĩte ndũrĩrĩ; ciĩgitĩro ciao cia hinya nĩ momore. Nacio barabara ciao ndũmĩte itiganĩrio, gũtirĩ mũndũ ũracigerera. Matũũra mao manene nĩmanange; gũtirĩ mũndũ o na ũmwe ũtigarĩte, gũtirĩ o na ũmwe.
I have destroyed nations. Their fortresses are deserted; their streets are empty; their cities are destroyed—there are no survivors, not one.
7 Ndeerire itũũra rĩu inene atĩrĩ, ‘Ti-itherũ nĩũkanjĩtigĩra, na wĩtĩkĩre gũtaarwo!’ Hĩndĩ ĩyo itũũro ciake itikaniinwo, o na kana maherithia makwa mamũkore.” No o meeriragĩria o gwĩka ũũru maũndũ-inĩ mao mothe.
I told myself, “Surely they will respect me now and accept my correction. Then their homes would not be destroyed to teach them a lesson.” But instead you're just as eager to go on doing evil.
8 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Ikarai mũnjetereire, mweterere mũthenya ũrĩa ngaarũgama ndute ũira. Nĩnduĩte atĩ nĩngacookanĩrĩria ndũrĩrĩ hamwe, na nyũnganie mothamaki, nĩguo ndĩmaitĩrĩrie mangʼũrĩ makwa, nĩmo marakara makwa mahiũ. Thĩ yothe nĩĩkaniinwo nĩ mwaki wa marakara ma ũiru wakwa.
You just wait, declares the Lord. The day is coming when I will rise to give evidence. For I have decided to gather together all the nations and kingdoms and to pour out on them my anger, my fury and my rage. The whole earth will be burned up by the fire of my jealous anger.
9 “Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩngatheria mĩromo ya ndũrĩrĩ, nĩguo othe makayagĩre rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova, na mamũtungatagĩre marĩ na ũrũmwe.
For then I will give the nations pure speech so they can all pray and worship the Lord together.
10 Andũ akwa arĩa mahurunjũkĩire mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ wa njũũĩ cia Kushi, o acio maahooyaga, nĩmakandehera maruta.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my scattered people, my worshipers, will come to bring their offerings to me.
11 Mũthenya ũcio wee ndũgaconorithio nĩ ũndũ wa maũndũ mothe marĩa mooru wananjĩka, tondũ nĩngeheria arĩa othe makenagĩra mwĩtĩĩo wao, ndĩmarute kuuma itũũra-inĩ rĩĩrĩ inene. Ndũgacooka gwĩtũũgĩria ũrĩ kĩrĩma-inĩ gĩakwa gĩtheru.
On that day you won't be ashamed because of what you did in rebelling against me, for I will remove from among you those who are proud and boastful. Never again will you be conceited on my holy mountain.
12 No rĩrĩ, nĩngatigia gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu andũ arĩa ahooreri na enyiihia, arĩa mehokete rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova.
I will leave among you those who are meek and humble, those who trust in the name of the Lord.
13 Matigari ma Isiraeli matigekaga ũũru; matikaheenanagia, kana ũhinga woneke tũnua-inĩ twao. Makaarĩĩaga na magakoma, na gũtirĩ mũndũ ũkaamamakia.”
The people of Israel who remain will not act wickedly nor will they tell lies. They will not deceive one another. They will be able to eat in peace and sleep in safety for there will be nothing to frighten them.
14 Atĩrĩrĩ, wee Mwarĩ wa Zayuni, ina rwĩmbo; o nawe, Isiraeli anĩrĩra! Nawe Mwarĩ wa Jerusalemu kena na ũcanjamũke na ngoro yaku yothe!
Sing out, Jerusalem! Shout aloud, Israel! Jerusalem, be happy and celebrate with all your heart!
15 Jehova nĩeheretie ihũũra rĩaku, nacio thũ ciaku nĩacingatĩte. Jehova mũthamaki wa Isiraeli arĩ hamwe nawe; ndũgacooka gwĩtigĩra mwanangĩko rĩngĩ.
For the Lord has turned aside from punishing you, and he has turned back your enemies. The Lord, the king of Israel, is with you, and you will never again have to fear disaster.
16 Mũthenya ũcio nĩmakeera Jerusalemu atĩrĩ, “Wee Zayuni, ndũgacooke gwĩtigĩra na ndũkaregerie moko maku.
On that day the message to the people of Jerusalem will be, “Don't be afraid; don't be discouraged!”
17 Jehova Ngai waku arĩ hamwe nawe, o we ũrĩa ũrĩ hinya wa kũhonokania. Nĩarĩgũkenagĩra mũno, na nĩarĩkũhooragĩria na wendo wake, agũkũngũĩre akĩinaga nyĩmbo.”
The Lord your God is among you as a mighty warrior who saves. He will be so happy with you. He will renew his love for you. He will celebrate over you with loud singing.
18 “Kĩeha gĩa ciathĩ iria njathane nĩngamwehereria; icio ikoretwo irĩ mũrigo na cia thoni harĩ inyuĩ.
I will gather those of you who mourn for the religious festivals—you will no longer have to bear the disgrace.
19 Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩngaherithia arĩa othe maamũhinyagĩrĩria; nĩngahonokia arĩa ithua, na njookererie arĩa mahurunjĩtwo. Nĩngatũma magĩe igweta na ndĩmagoocithie mabũrũri-inĩ mothe kũrĩa manaconorithio.
Look at what I am going to do! At that time I am going to deal with all those who have oppressed you. I will save those who are helpless and bring back those who were scattered, and I will turn their shame into praise, and all the world will respect them.
20 Ihinda rĩu nĩngamũcookanĩrĩria; hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩngamũcookia mũciĩ. Nĩngatũma mũgĩe igweta na ndĩmũgoocithie gatagatĩ-inĩ ka ndũrĩrĩ ciothe cia thĩ, hĩndĩ ĩrĩa ngaatũma mũgaacĩre rĩngĩ, o mũkĩĩonagĩra na maitho manyu,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
At that time I will bring you home, gathering you together. I will give you a good reputation, and you will be praised by all the peoples of the earth when I restore your status before your very eyes, says the Lord.

< Zefania 3 >