Amosi 5
1 Sikia neno hili, ee nyumba ya Israeli, ombolezo hili ninalifanya kuwahusu ninyi:
Hear these words, which I utter concerning you; This lamentation, O house of Israel!
2 “Bikira Israeli ameanguka, kamwe hatainuka tena, ameachwa pweke katika nchi yake, hakuna yeyote wa kumwinua.”
She is fallen, she shall rise no more, The virgin of Israel! She is prostrate on her own ground, there is none to raise her up!
3 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: “Wakati mmoja wa miji yako utakapopeleka watu elfu moja vitani kwa ajili ya Israeli, mia moja tu watarudi; wakati mji utakapopeleka mia moja, kumi tu ndio watarudi hai.”
For thus saith the Lord Jehovah; The city which sent out a thousand shall have a hundred left, And that which sent out a hundred shall have ten left, To the house of Israel.
4 Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kwa nyumba ya Israeli: “Nitafuteni mpate kuishi;
For thus saith Jehovah to the house of Israel: Seek ye me, and ye shall live!
5 msitafute Betheli, msiende Gilgali, msisafiri kwenda Beer-Sheba. Kwa maana kwa hakika Gilgali itakwenda uhamishoni, na Betheli itafanywa kuwa si kitu.”
Seek not Bethel, And go not to Gilgal, And pass not over to Beersheba! For Gilgal shall surely go into captivity! And Bethel shall come to naught.
6 Mtafuteni Bwana mpate kuishi, au atafagia nyumba ya Yosefu kama moto; utawateketeza, nayo Betheli haitakuwa na yeyote wa kuuzima.
Seek Jehovah, and ye shall live! Lest he rush like a fire on the house of Joseph, And it devour, and there be none to quench it in the house of Israel.
7 Ninyi ambao mnageuza haki kuwa uchungu na kuiangusha haki chini
Ye who turn justice into wormwood, And cast righteousness down to the ground.
8 (yeye ambaye alifanya Kilimia na Orioni, ambaye hugeuza giza kuwa mapambazuko na mchana kuwa usiku, ambaye huyaita maji ya bahari na kuyamwaga juu ya uso wa nchi: Bwana ndilo jina lake;
Seek him, that made the Pleiades and Orion; That changeth death-like darkness into morning, And darkeneth day into night; That calleth up the waters of the sea, And poureth them out upon the face of the earth; Jehovah is his name!
9 yeye hufanya maangamizo kwenye ngome na kufanya mji uliozungushiwa ngome kuwa ukiwa),
Who sendeth sudden destruction upon the strong, And bringeth desolation upon the fortress.
10 mnamchukia yule akemeaye mahakamani, na kumdharau yule ambaye husema kweli.
They hate him that pleadeth in the gate, And abhor him that speaketh uprightly.
11 Mnamgandamiza maskini na kumlazimisha awape nafaka. Kwa hiyo, ingawa mmejenga majumba ya mawe ya fahari, hamtaishi ndani yake; ingawa mmepanda mashamba mazuri ya mizabibu, hamtakunywa divai yake.
Since, then, ye trample upon the poor, And take from him presents of wheat, Though ye build houses of hewn stone, ye shall not dwell in them; Though ye plant pleasant vineyards, ye shall not drink their wine.
12 Kwa kuwa ninajua hesabu ya makosa yenu na ukubwa wa dhambi zenu. Mmewaonea wenye haki na kupokea rushwa na kuzuia haki ya maskini mahakamani.
For I know that your sins are many, And your transgressions manifold, Ye who afflict the righteous, and take a bribe, And oppress the poor in the gate!
13 Kwa hiyo mtu mwenye busara hunyamaza kimya nyakati kama hizo, kwa kuwa nyakati ni mbaya.
Therefore the wise man shall be silent at that time, For it shall be an evil time.
14 Tafuteni mema, wala si mabaya, ili mpate kuishi. Ndipo Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote atakuwa pamoja nanyi, kama msemavyo yupo nanyi.
Seek ye good, and not evil, that ye may live; Then shall Jehovah, the God of hosts, be with you, as ye boast.
15 Yachukieni maovu, yapendeni mema; dumisheni haki mahakamani. Yamkini Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote atawahurumia mabaki ya Yosefu.
Hate ye evil, and love good, And establish justice in the gate; It may be that Jehovah, the God of hosts, will have pity upon the remnant of Joseph.
16 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana, Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote, asemalo: “Kutakuwepo maombolezo katika barabara zote na vilio vya uchungu katika njia kuu zote. Wakulima wataitwa kuja kulia, na waombolezaji waje kuomboleza.
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of hosts, the Lord: In all the streets shall there be wailing, And in all the highways shall they cry, Alas! alas! They shall call the husbandmen to mourning, And those who are skilful in lamentation to wailing,
17 Kutakuwepo kuomboleza katika mashamba yote ya mizabibu, kwa kuwa nitapita katikati yenu,” asema Bwana.
And in all vineyards shall be sounds of woe, For I will pass through the midst of thee, saith Jehovah.
18 Ole wenu ninyi mnaoitamani siku ya Bwana! Kwa nini mnaitamani siku ya Bwana? Siku hiyo itakuwa giza, si nuru.
Woe unto them that ask for the day of Jehovah! What is the day of Jehovah to you? It shall be darkness, and not light.
19 Itakuwa kama vile mtu aliyemkimbia simba kumbe akakutana na dubu, kama vile mtu aliyeingia nyumbani mwake na kuupumzisha mkono wake kwenye ukuta, kumbe akaumwa na nyoka.
As if a man fled from a lion, And a bear met him; Or went into a house and leaned his hand on a wall, And a serpent bit him;
20 Je, siku ya Bwana haitakuwa giza, na si nuru: giza nene, bila mwonzi wa mwanga?
So shall the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light, Even thick darkness, and no brightness in it.
21 “Ninachukia, ninazidharau sikukuu zenu za dini; siwezi kuvumilia makusanyiko yenu.
I hate, I despise your feasts; I have no delight in your solemn assemblies.
22 Hata ingawa mnaniletea sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa na sadaka za nafaka, sitazikubali. Ingawa mnaniletea sadaka nzuri za amani, sitazitambua.
When ye offer me burnt-offerings and flour-offerings, I will not accept them; And upon the thank-offerings of your fatlings I will not look.
23 Niondoleeni kelele za nyimbo zenu! Sitasikiliza sauti za vinubi vyenu.
Take ye away from me the noise of your songs, And the music of your harps let me not hear!
24 Lakini acheni haki itiririke kama mto, na uadilifu uwe kama kijito kisichokauka!
Let justice flow forth as waters, And righteousness as a mighty stream!
25 “Je, mliniletea dhabihu na sadaka kwa miaka arobaini kule jangwani, ee nyumba ya Israeli?
Did ye offer me sacrifices and offerings In the wilderness, for forty years, O house of Israel?
26 Mmeyainua madhabahu ya mfalme wenu, Sikuthi mungu wenu mtawala, na Kiuni mungu wenu wa nyota, ambao mliwatengeneza wenyewe.
But ye bore the tabernacle of your king, And the shrine of your images, The star of your god, which ye made for yourselves.
27 Kwa sababu hiyo nitawapeleka uhamishoni mbali kupita Dameski,” asema Bwana, ambaye jina lake ni Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, Saith Jehovah, whose name is the God of hosts!
