Maika 5

1 Ugbu a doo ndị agha gị nʼusoro, gị obodo nke usuu ndị agha, nʼihi na e jirila mgbidi gbaa gị gburugburu ibuso gị agha. Ha ga-eji mkpara tie onyendu Izrel na nti.

“But now, [you people of Jerusalem, gather your troops together, ] [because even though] you have a wall [around your city to protect it], [enemy soldiers] are surrounding the city. And [soon] they will strike your leader on his face, with a rod.”

2 “Ma gị onwe gị, Betlehem Efrata, ọ bụ ezie na ị bụ obodo dị nta nʼetiti ndị ikwu Juda niile, ma onye ahụ ga-achị Izrel ga-esi na gị pụta, bụ onye ahụ mmalite ya sitere na mgbe ochie, sitekwa na mgbe ebighị ebi gara aga.”

But you [people of] [APO] Bethlehem in Ephrathah [district need to know that] even though your [town] is a very small one among all the towns in Judah, someone who will rule Israel will be born in your town. [He will be] someone whose family has existed a very long time ago [DOU].

3 Ya mere, a ga-arara ha nye tutu ruo mgbe onye ahụ ime na-eme mụpụtara nwa ya. Mgbe ahụ, ụmụnna ya niile ahụ fọdụrụ ga-alọghachikwuru ndị Izrel.

[But now] you people of Israel will be conquered by your enemies; [but it will be for only a short time], like [MET] [the short time that] women have great pain while their babies are being born. After that, your fellow-countrymen who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries) will return to their own country.

4 Ọ ga-eguzo zụọ igwe ewu na atụrụ ya, site nʼike nke Onyenwe anyị, na site nʼịdị ukwuu nke aha Onyenwe anyị Chineke ya. Ndị ya ga-anọkwa na-enweghị nsogbu, nʼihi na ịdị ukwuu ya ga-eru na nsọtụ niile nke ụwa.

And that man who will be ruling [there in Jerusalem] will stand and lead his people well, because Yahweh, his God, will cause him to be strong and greatly honored. Then the people whom he rules will live [in Jerusalem] safely; he will be greatly honored by people all over the earth, [so no one will dare to attack Jerusalem].

5 Ọ ga-abụkwa udo anyị. Mgbe ndị Asịrịa ga-abata nʼala anyị nʼike, sikwa nʼebe niile e wusiri ike nke anyị na-agafe, anyị ga-ahọpụta ndị ọzụzụ atụrụ asaa, ọ bụladị ndịisi asatọ.

And he will cause things to go well [for his people]. When [the army of] Assyria attacks our country and breaks though our fortresses, we will appoint (seven or eight/several) leaders [to lead our army] to fight against them.

6 Onye ga-eji mma agha chịa ala Asịrịa, jirikwa mma agha a mịpụtara amịpụta chịa ala Nimrọd. Ọ ga-anapụta anyị site nʼaka ndị Asịrịa ahụ, mgbe ha ga-eji ike bata nʼala anyị, ma zọrọkwa ije gafee oke ala anyị.

With their swords [our army] will defeat the [army of] Assyria, [whose capital was founded by] Nimrod [long ago]. So our army will rescue us from the Assyrian [army] when they invade our country [DOU].

7 Mgbe ahụ, ndị fọdụrụ afọdụ nke Jekọb ga-adị nʼetiti ọtụtụ ndị mmadụ, dịka igirigi si nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ abịa, maọbụ dịka mmiri ozuzo ntakịrị na-ezokwasị ahịhịa, nke na-adịghị ele anya mmadụ maọbụ chere ụmụ mmadụ.

The (descendants of Jacob/Israelis) who survive will be [a blessing] to the people of other nations, like [SIM] dew and rain sent by Yahweh do good to the grass. The Israelis will not trust in humans [to help them]; instead, they will rely on Yahweh.

8 Ndị fọdụrụ afọdụ nke Jekọb ga-adịkwa nʼetiti ọtụtụ ndị mmadụ dị ka ọdụm nʼetiti anụ ọhịa niile dị iche iche, e, dịka nwa ọdụm nʼetiti igwe atụrụ, nke na-azọda na-adọkasị mgbe ọ na-agabiga, ma o nweghị onye ga-anapụta ya.

In the midst of [their enemies in] many people-groups [DOU], the descendants of Jacob who remain alive will be like [SIM] a lion among the [other] wild beasts of the forest, like [SIM] a young lion who goes among a flock of sheep and pounces [on one] and (mauls it/tears it to pieces), and no one will be able to rescue [that sheep].

9 Aka gị ga-adị elu na mmeri nke ndị iro ya, a ghakwaghị ịla ndị iro gị niile nʼiyi.

You Israelis will defeat [MTY] all your enemies and completely destroy them.

10 “Nʼụbọchị ahụ kwa,” otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, “Aga m ala ịnyịnya unu nʼiyi site nʼetiti unu, kụjisiekwa ụgbọala unu niile.

Yahweh says, “At that time, I will destroy [you Israeli people’s] horses [that your soldiers use in war] and your chariots.

11 Aga m ala obodo niile dị nʼala unu nʼiyi, dọdasịakwa ebe unu niile e wusiri ike.

I will tear down your city [walls] and destroy all your fortified cities.

12 Aga m ala mgbaasị unu nʼiyi, unu agaghị enwekwa ndị na-ajụ mmụọ ọjọọ ase.

I will get rid of all those among you who practice magic and the (fortune-tellers/those who say that they can predict what will happen in the future).

13 Aga m ala arụsị a pịrị apị unu niile nʼiyi, ya na nkume nsọ ahụ niile dị nʼetiti unu. Unu agakwaghị akpọ isiala nye ihe unu ji aka unu kpụọ.

I will destroy [all] your idols and [sacred stone] pillars, and then you will no longer bow down [and worship] things that you yourselves [SYN] have made.

14 Aga m ehopu ogidi arụsị niile nke dị nʼetiti unu, mgbe m ga-akụdasị obodo unu niile

I will get rid of your poles [that represent the goddess] Asherah, and [I will also] destroy all your idols.

15 Aga m esite nʼoke iwe m na ọnụma m bọọrọ onwe m ọbọ nʼahụ mba niile ndị ahụ jụrụ irubere m isi.”

And because I will be very angry, I will [also] punish [the people of] all the nations who have not obeyed [me].”