Zefania 3
1 Kaĩ itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene rĩa andũ aremi, na rĩgwatĩtio thaahu, o na rĩiyũrĩte maũndũ ma kũhinyanĩrĩria rĩrĩ na haaro-ĩ!
Terrible things will [also] happen [to Jerusalem], that city whose people have rebelled [against Yahweh] and who have become unacceptable to him [because of the sins that they have committed]. [They act violently toward others] and they (oppress/treat cruelly) [other people].
2 Rĩtirĩ mũndũ rĩathĩkagĩra, rĩtiĩtĩkagĩra gũtaarwo. Rĩtiĩhokaga Jehova, na rĩtikuhagĩrĩria Ngai warĩo.
[The people there] do not pay attention to people who tell them [the wrong things that they are doing] and [try to] (correct them/cause them to quit doing those things). [The people in Jerusalem] do not trust in Yahweh or draw near to ask help from their God.
3 Anene aarĩo mahaana ta mĩrũũthi ĩkũrarama, aathani aarĩo mahaana ta njũũi iria icangacangaga hwaĩ-inĩ, gũtirĩ kĩndũ matigagia gĩkinyie rũciinĩ.
Their leaders are [like] [MET] roaring lions; they are [like] [MET] wolves that [attack other animals] during the evening, [and eat everything that they kill], with the result that the next morning there is nothing left [of those animals to eat].
4 Anabii aarĩo nĩ etĩĩi; nĩ andũ a ungumania. Athĩnjĩri-Ngai aarĩo mathaahĩtie handũ-harĩa-haamũre, na magathũkia watho.
The prophets in Jerusalem are proud, [and they give messages that are] not to be trusted. Their priests cause the temple to be unholy by doing things that are opposed to the laws [of Moses].
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 Yahweh is [also] in the city; and he never does what is wrong. He treats people justly/fairly; he does that every day, but wicked people are never ashamed [about their doing what is wrong].
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.
[Yahweh says this]: “I have destroyed [many] nations; I have destroyed their strong/high city walls and towers. [Now] I have caused the streets in those cities to be completely deserted [DOU]; the cities are ruined. There are no people [still alive] in the cities; they are all dead [LIT].
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.
[So] I thought [to myself], ‘[Because of what I have done to those other nations], surely the people [of Jerusalem] will revere me [now], and they will accept (my correcting them/my telling them to quit doing what is wrong). [If they do that, I] will not destroy their houses; I will not punish them like I said that I would do.’ But [in spite of knowing how I punished those other nations], they were still eager to get up early each morning and continue to do evil things.
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.
Therefore I, Yahweh, say, ‘Wait for the day in which I will testify [in court about your evil things].’ I have decided to gather the people of the kingdoms [of the earth] [DOU] and cause them to know that I am very angry with them. All [over] the earth I will punish and destroy people; my being angry with them because I (am jealous/want people to worship no other god) is [like] [MET] a (raging/very hot) fire.
9 “Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩngatheria mĩromo ya ndũrĩrĩ, nĩguo othe makayagĩre rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova, na mamũtungatagĩre marĩ na ũrũmwe.
When that happens, I will cause [all] people [MTY] to be changed and enable them to speak [only] what is (pure/pleasing to me), in order that everyone can worship me [MTY] and unitedly/together serve me [MTY].
10 Andũ akwa arĩa mahurunjũkĩire mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ wa njũũĩ cia Kushi, o acio maahooyaga, nĩmakandehera maruta.
[Then] my people who [were forced to go to other countries], those who live along the upper part of the [Nile] River in Ethiopia will come to me and bring 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.
At that time, you [people in Jerusalem] will no [longer] be ashamed [about what has happened to you], because you no longer will be rebelling against me. I will get rid of all the people among you who are very proud [DOU]. No one on [Zion], my holy hill, will [strut around] proudly.
12 No rĩrĩ, nĩngatigia gatagatĩ-inĩ kanyu andũ arĩa ahooreri na enyiihia, arĩa mehokete rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova.
Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
13 Matigari ma Isiraeli matigekaga ũũru; matikaheenanagia, kana ũhinga woneke tũnua-inĩ twao. Makaarĩĩaga na magakoma, na gũtirĩ mũndũ ũkaamamakia.”
Those people who are still alive [there] in Israel will not do [things that are] wrong; they will not tell lies or deceive [MTY] people. They will eat and sleep [safely], [because] no one will cause them to be afraid.”
14 Atĩrĩrĩ, wee Mwarĩ wa Zayuni, ina rwĩmbo; o nawe, Isiraeli anĩrĩra! Nawe Mwarĩ wa Jerusalemu kena na ũcanjamũke na ngoro yaku yothe!
You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
15 Jehova nĩeheretie ihũũra rĩaku, nacio thũ ciaku nĩacingatĩte. Jehova mũthamaki wa Isiraeli arĩ hamwe nawe; ndũgacooka gwĩtigĩra mwanangĩko rĩngĩ.
[because] Yahweh will stop punishing [MTY] you, and he will send away from you [the armies of] your enemies! And Yahweh [himself], the king of [us] Israeli people, will live among us, and never again will we be afraid that [others will] harm us.
16 Mũthenya ũcio nĩmakeera Jerusalemu atĩrĩ, “Wee Zayuni, ndũgacooke gwĩtigĩra na ndũkaregerie moko maku.
At that time, [other people] will say to us people of Jerusalem, “[You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, do not be afraid; do not become afraid or 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.”
[because] Yahweh your God is [living] among you. He is mighty, and he will rescue/save you. He will be very happy with you; because he loves you, he will cause you to not be afraid; he will sing loudly to rejoice over you.”
18 “Kĩeha gĩa ciathĩ iria njathane nĩngamwehereria; icio ikoretwo irĩ mũrigo na cia thoni harĩ inyuĩ.
[Yahweh says, ] “You people were sad and ashamed because [you were unable to attend] your religious festivals; but I will cause you to no longer be disgraced.
19 Hĩndĩ ĩyo nĩngaherithia arĩa othe maamũhinyagĩrĩria; nĩngahonokia arĩa ithua, na njookererie arĩa mahurunjĩtwo. Nĩngatũma magĩe igweta na ndĩmagoocithie mabũrũri-inĩ mothe kũrĩa manaconorithio.
Truly, I will [severely] punish all those who (oppressed you/caused you to suffer). I will rescue those who are helpless and those who were forced to go to other countries. I will enable them to be praised and honored in every country to which they were (exiled/forced to go), places where they were disgraced.
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 gather you together and bring you [back] home [to Israel]. I will cause you to (have a good reputation/be honored) and be [greatly] praised among all the nations of the earth. You [MTY] will see me causing you to prosper again. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
