< Maika 3 >

1 Mgbe ahụ ekwuru m sị, “Geenụ ntị unu ndịisi ụlọ Jekọb, na unu ndị na-achị ezinaụlọ Izrel. Ọ bụ na unu ekwesighị ịmata ikpe ziri ezi
I also said: ‘Listen now, leaders of Jacob, judges of the house of Israel. Is it not your duty to know what is the right?
2 unu bụ ndị kpọrọ ezi ihe asị ma na-ahụ ajọ ọrụ nʼanya. Unu na-agba ndị m akpụkpọ na ndụ na-agbapụkwa anụ ahụ kpuchiri ọkpụkpụ ha.
Haters of that which is good and lovers of evil!
3 Unu na-erida anụ ahụ ndị nke m, na-agba ha akpụkpọ, na-etijisi ọkpụkpụ ha, na-egburi anụ ahụ ha, dịka anụ a na-esinye nʼite.”
‘They devour the flesh of my people, and their hide they strip from off them, and break in pieces and serve up their bones, like meat in a pot or the cooking pan!
4 Mgbe ahụ ha ga-akpọku Onyenwe anyị, ma ọ gaghị aza ha! Mgbe oge ahụ bịaruru, ọ ga-ezo ihu ha site nʼebe ha nọ nʼihi ihe ọjọọ nke ha mere.
‘Then they will cry out to the Lord, but he will not pay attention to them. He will hide his face from them at that time because they have committed such crimes.’
5 Ihe a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru: “Banyere ndị amụma bụ ndị na-eduhie ndị m, mgbe ha nwere ihe ha ga-eri, ha na-ekwusa ‘Udo’ ma ọ bụrụ na mmadụ enyeghị ha nri, ha na-ebili buo agha megide onye dị otu a.
Therefore the Lord says: ‘To the prophets who lead my people astray, who when they have food between their teeth declare peace, but against one who puts nothing in their mouths, they proclaim an open war!
6 Ya mere nʼabalị ga-abịakwasị ha, napụ ha ike ịhụ ọhụ; ọchịchịrị ga-ekpuchi ha, ka ha ghara ịjụta ase ọbụla. Anwụ ga-ada nʼebe ndị amụma ahụ nọ, ụbọchị ga-agbakwa ọchịchịrị nye ha.
‘Night will overtake you so that you have no vision, and darkness so that there will be no divination, and the sun will go down on the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.
7 Ndị ọhụ ụzọ ka ihere ga-eme, ndị na-ajụ ase ka a ga-emebọ. Ha ga-ekpuchi ihu ha, nʼihi na ọsịsa ọbụla agaghị esite nʼebe Chineke nọ bịara ha.”
‘The seers will be ashamed, and the diviners will turn pale, all of them will cover their mouths. For there will be no answer from God.
8 Ma mụ onwe m, ejupụtara m nʼike, ejupụtara m na Mmụọ nke Onyenwe anyị, jupụtakwa na mmụọ nke ikpe ziri ezi, na nke ịdị ike ikwupụta nye Jekọb njehie ya, na nye Izrel mmehie ya.
‘But I, on the contrary am full of power, and the sense of justice and strength, to make known to Jacob his crime, and to Israel his sin.
9 Geenụ ntị unu ndị na-achị ezinaụlọ Jekọb, na unu ndịisi ezinaụlọ Izrel. Ndị kpọrọ ikpe ziri ezi asị, ma na-ewere ihe niile na-ezighị ezi nʼọnọdụ ihe ziri ezi.
‘Hear this, leaders of the house of Jacob, judges of the house of Israel, you who spurn justice, and make all that is straight crooked,
10 Ndị ji ọbara wuo Zayọn, werekwa ajọ omume wuo Jerusalem.
who build Zion with acts of bloodshed, and Jerusalem with crime.
11 Ndịisi ya na-ekpe ikpe nʼihi ngarị, ndị nchụaja ya na-akụzi ihe nʼihi ụgwọ, ebe ndị amụma ya na-ajụta ase nʼihi ego. Ma ha dabere na Onyenwe anyị na-asị, “Onyenwe anyị ọ nọnyeereghị anyị? O nweghị ihe ọjọọ ga-abịakwasị anyị.”
‘The leaders render judgment for a bribe, and her priests give oracles for a reward, and her prophets divine for silver. Yet they claim to rely on the Lord, “The Lord”, they say, “is in our midst. Evil cannot overtake us.”
12 Ọ bụ nʼihi gị ka a ga-akọgharị Zayọn dịka ala ubi, Jerusalem ga-aghọ ebe e kpokọtara nkume na ngwongwo ụlọ dakpọrọ adakpọ, ugwu nke ụlọnsọ ukwu ahụ ga-aghọ ebe dị elu nke oke ọhịa tochiri.
‘Therefore for your sakes Zion will be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, and the temple mount a wooded height.’

< Maika 3 >