Hosea 13
1 Wakati Efraimu alipozungumza, watu walitetemeka, alikuwa ametukuzwa katika Israeli. Lakini alikuwa na hatia ya kumwabudu Baali naye akafa.
“When Ephraim speaks tremblingly, He has been lifted up in Israel, When he becomes guilty in Ba‘al he dies.
2 Sasa wanatenda dhambi zaidi na zaidi; wanajitengenezea sanamu kutokana na fedha yao, vinyago vilivyotengenezwa kwa uhodari, vyote kazi ya fundi stadi. Inasemekana kuhusu hawa watu, “Hutoa dhabihu za binadamu na kubusu sanamu za ndama.”
And now they sin, And make for themselves a molten image of their silver, By their own understanding—idols, A work of artisans—all of it, Of them they say, who [are] sacrificers among men, The calves let them kiss.
3 Kwa hiyo watakuwa kama ukungu wa asubuhi, kama umande wa alfajiri utowekao, kama makapi yapeperushwayo kutoka sakafu ya kupuria nafaka, kama moshi utorokao kupitia dirishani.
Therefore they are as a cloud of the morning, And as dew, rising early, going away, As chaff tossed about out of a floor, And as smoke out of a window.
4 “Bali mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wenu, niliyewaleta ninyi toka Misri. Msimkubali Mungu mwingine ila mimi, hakuna Mwokozi isipokuwa mimi.
And I [am] your God YHWH from the land of Egypt, And you do not know a God besides Me, And a Savior—there is none except Me.
5 Niliwatunza huko jangwani, katika nchi yenye joto liunguzalo.
I have known you in a wilderness, In a land of droughts.
6 Nilipowalisha, walishiba, waliposhiba, wakajivuna, kisha wakanisahau mimi.
They are satiated according to their feedings, They have been satiated, And their heart is lifted up, Therefore they have forgotten Me,
7 Kwa hiyo nitakuja juu yao kama simba, kama chui nitawavizia kando ya njia.
And I am to them as a lion, I look out as a leopard by the way.
8 Kama dubu aliyenyangʼanywa watoto wake, nitawashambulia na kurarua vifua vyenu. Kama simba nitawala; mnyama pori atawararua vipande vipande.
I meet them as a bereaved bear, And I tear the enclosure of their heart, And I consume them there as a lioness, A beast of the field tears them.
9 “Ee Israeli, umeangamizwa, kwa sababu wewe u kinyume nami, kinyume na msaidizi wako.
You have destroyed yourself, O Israel, But in Me [is] your help;
10 Yuko wapi mfalme wako, ili apate kukuokoa? Wako wapi watawala wako katika miji yako yote ambao ulisema kuwahusu, ‘Nipe mfalme na wakuu’?
Where [is] your king now—And he saves you in all your cities? And your judges of whom you said, Give a king and heads to me?
11 Hivyo katika hasira yangu nilikupa mfalme na katika ghadhabu yangu nilimwondoa.
I give to you a king in My anger, And I take away in My wrath.
12 Kosa la Efraimu limehifadhiwa, dhambi zake zimewekwa katika kumbukumbu.
Bound up [is] the iniquity of Ephraim, Hidden [is] his sin,
13 Utungu kama wa mwanamke anayejifungua mtoto humjia, lakini yeye ni mtoto asiyekuwa na hekima; wakati utakapowadia hatatoka katika tumbo la mama yake.
Pangs of a travailing woman come to him, He [is] not a wise son, For he does not remain [at] the time for the breaking forth of sons.
14 “Nitawakomboa watu hawa kutoka nguvu za kaburi, nitawakomboa kutoka mautini. Yako wapi, ee mauti, mateso yako? Uko wapi, ee kuzimu, uharibifu wako? “Sitakuwa na huruma, (Sheol h7585)
Will I ransom them from the hand of Sheol? Will I redeem them from death? Where [is] your plague, O death? Where your destruction, O Sheol? Comfort is hid from My eyes. (Sheol h7585)
15 hata ingawa Efraimu atastawi miongoni mwa ndugu zake. Upepo wa mashariki kutoka kwa Bwana utakuja, ukivuma kutoka jangwani, chemchemi yake haitatoa maji na kisima chake kitakauka. Ghala lake litatekwa hazina zake zote.
Though he produces fruit among brothers, An east wind comes in, a wind of YHWH, From a wilderness it is coming up, And it dries up his fountain, And his spring becomes dry, It—it spoils a treasure—every desirable vessel.
16 Watu wa Samaria ni lazima wabebe hatia yao, kwa sababu wameasi dhidi ya Mungu wao. Wataanguka kwa upanga; watoto wao wadogo watatupwa kwa nguvu ardhini, wanawake wao walio na mimba watatumbuliwa.”
Samaria becomes desolate, Because she has been rebellious against her God, They fall by sword, Their sucklings are dashed in pieces, And its pregnant ones are ripped up!”
