< Hosea 10 >

1 Israeli alikuwa mzabibu uliostawi sana, alijizalia matunda mwenyewe. Kadiri matunda yake yalivyoongezeka, alijenga madhabahu zaidi; kadiri nchi yake ilivyostawi, alipamba mawe yake ya ibada.
Israel [is] an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit to himself: according to the multitude of his fruit he hath multiplied the altars; according to the goodness of his land they have made goodly images.
2 Moyo wao ni mdanganyifu, nao sasa lazima wachukue hatia yao. Bwana atabomoa madhabahu zao na kuharibu mawe yao ya ibada.
Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty: he shall break down their altars, he shall spoil their images.
3 Kisha watasema, “Hatuna mfalme kwa sababu hatukumheshimu Bwana. Lakini hata kama tungelikuwa na mfalme, angeweza kutufanyia nini?”
For now they shall say, We have no king, because we feared not the LORD; what then should a king do to us?
4 Wanaweka ahadi nyingi, huapa viapo vya uongo wanapofanya mapatano; kwa hiyo mashtaka huchipuka kama magugu ya sumu katika shamba lililolimwa.
They have spoken words, swearing falsely in making a covenant: thus judgment springeth up as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5 Watu wanaoishi Samaria huogopa kwa ajili ya sanamu ya ndama ya Beth-Aveni. Watu wake wataiombolezea, vivyo hivyo kuhani wake wa kuabudu sanamu, wale waliokuwa wamefurahia fahari yake, kwa sababu itaondolewa kutoka kwao kwenda uhamishoni.
The inhabitants of Samaria shall fear because of the calves of Beth-aven: for its people shall mourn over it, and its priests [that] rejoiced on it, for its glory, because it is departed from it.
6 Itachukuliwa kwenda Ashuru kama ushuru kwa mfalme mkuu. Efraimu atafedheheshwa; Israeli ataaibika kwa ajili ya sanamu zake za mti.
It shall also be carried to Assyria, [for] a present to king Jareb: Ephraim shall receive shame, and Israel shall be ashamed of his own counsel.
7 Samaria na mfalme wake wataelea kama kijiti juu ya uso wa maji.
[As for] Samaria, her king is cut off as the foam upon the water.
8 Mahali pa kuabudia sanamu pa uovu pataharibiwa: ndiyo dhambi ya Israeli. Miiba na mibaruti itaota na kufunika madhabahu zao. Kisha wataiambia milima, “Tufunikeni!” na vilima, “Tuangukieni!”
The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed: the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.
9 “Tangu siku za Gibea, mmetenda dhambi, ee Israeli, huko ndiko mlikobaki. Je, vita havikuwapata watenda mabaya huko Gibea?
O Israel, thou hast sinned from the days of Gibeah: there they stood: the battle in Gibeah against the children of iniquity did not overtake them.
10 Wakati nitakapopenda, nitawaadhibu; mataifa yatakusanywa dhidi yao ili kuwaweka katika vifungo kwa ajili ya dhambi zao mbili.
[It is] in my desire that I should chastise them; and the people shall be gathered against them, when they shall bind themselves in their two furrows.
11 Efraimu ni mtamba wa ngʼombe aliyefundishwa ambaye hupenda kupura, hivyo nitamfunga nira juu ya shingo yake nzuri. Nitamwendesha Efraimu, Yuda lazima alime, naye Yakobo lazima avunjavunje mabonge ya udongo.
And Ephraim [is as] a heifer [that is] taught, [and] loveth to tread out [the corn]; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, [and] Jacob shall break his clods.
12 Jipandieni wenyewe haki, vuneni matunda ya upendo usio na kikomo, vunjeni ardhi yenu isiyolimwa; kwa kuwa ni wakati wa kumtafuta Bwana, mpaka atakapokuja na kuwanyeshea juu yenu haki.
Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for [it is] time to seek the LORD, till he shall come and reign righteousness upon you.
13 Lakini mmepanda uovu, mkavuna ubaya, mmekula tunda la udanganyifu. Kwa sababu mmetegemea nguvu zenu wenyewe na wingi wa mashujaa wenu,
Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity; ye have eaten the fruit of lies: because thou hast trusted in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men.
14 mngurumo wa vita utainuka dhidi ya watu wako, ili kwamba ngome zako zote zitaharibiwa: kama Shalmani alivyoharibu Beth-Arbeli katika siku ile ya vita, wakati mama pamoja na watoto wao walipotupwa kwa nguvu ardhini.
Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy people, and all thy fortresses shall be plundered, as Shalman plundered Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon [her] children.
15 Ndivyo itakavyotokea kwako, ee Betheli, kwa sababu uovu wako ni mkuu. Siku ile itakapopambazuka, mfalme wa Israeli ataharibiwa kabisa.
So shall Beth-el do to you because of your great wickedness: in a morning shall the king of Israel be utterly cut off.

< Hosea 10 >