Hosea 9
1 Usifurahie, ee Israeli; usishangilie kama mataifa mengine. Kwa kuwa hukuwa mwaminifu kwa Mungu wako; umependa ujira wa kahaba kwenye kila sakafu ya kupuria nafaka.
Rejoice not too loudly, Israel, like the nations, for you have commited adultery, being untrue to your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on every threshing floor.
2 Sakafu za kupuria nafaka na mashinikizo ya kukamulia divai havitalisha watu, divai mpya itawapungukia.
Threshing floor and wine vat won’t feed them, the new wine will fail them.
3 Hawataishi katika nchi ya Bwana, Efraimu atarudi Misri na atakula chakula kilicho najisi huko Ashuru.
They will not stay in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean.
4 Hawatammiminia Bwana sadaka ya divai wala dhabihu zao hazitampendeza. Dhabihu kama hizo zitakuwa kwao kama mkate wa waombolezaji; nao wote wazilao watakuwa najisi. Chakula hiki kitakuwa kwa ajili yao wenyewe; kisije katika Hekalu la Bwana.
They will not pour out libations of wine to the Lord, nor please him with their sacrifices. Their bread will be like the bread of mourners: all who eat it will defile themselves. For their bread will be only for their hunger, it will not come into the Lord’s temple.
5 Mtafanya nini katika siku ya sikukuu zenu zilizoamriwa, katika siku za sikukuu za Bwana?
What will you do on the day of the festival? Or on the day of the Lord’s feast?
6 Hata ikiwa wataokoka maangamizi, Misri atawakusanya, nayo Memfisi itawazika. Hazina zao za fedha zitasongwa na michongoma, nayo miiba itafunika mahema yao.
Even if they flee from destruction, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver, thorns will push into their tents.
7 Siku za adhabu zinakuja, siku za malipo zimewadia. Israeli na afahamu hili. Kwa sababu dhambi zenu ni nyingi sana na uadui wenu ni mkubwa sana, nabii anadhaniwa ni mpumbavu, mtu aliyeongozwa na Mungu anaonekana mwendawazimu.
The days of punishment are come, the days of recompense are at hand, as soon the Israelites will know! “The prophet is a fool, the inspired man is raving mad!” It is because of the greatness of your iniquity and the greatness of your hatred.
8 Nabii, pamoja na Mungu wangu, ndiye mlinzi juu ya Efraimu, hata hivyo mitego inamngojea katika mapito yake yote, na uadui katika nyumba ya Mungu wake.
Ephraim acts the spy with my God, a prophet finds the snares of a fowler are in all his ways. In the house of his God they lay hostile plots,
9 Wamezama sana katika rushwa, kama katika siku za Gibea. Mungu atakumbuka uovu wao na kuwaadhibu kwa ajili ya dhambi zao.
they commit crimes as in the days of Gibeah, God will remember their iniquity. He will punish their sin.
10 “Nilipompata Israeli, ilikuwa kama kupata zabibu jangwani; nilipowaona baba zenu, ilikuwa kama kuona matunda ya kwanza katika mtini. Lakini walipofika Baal-Peori, walijiweka wakfu kwa ile sanamu ya aibu, nao wakawa najisi kama kitu kile walichokipenda.
I found Israel like finding grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like they were the first fruit on a fig tree, but as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they consecrated themselves to shamefulness, and became as abominable as the object of their love.
11 Utukufu wa Efraimu utaruka kama ndege: hakuna kuzaa, hakuna kuchukua mimba, hakuna kutunga mimba.
Ephraim – like a bird his glory flies away. There will be no more birth, no more motherhood, no more conception.
12 Hata wakilea watoto, nitamuua kila mmoja. Ole wao nitakapowapiga kisogo!
Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them until not one is left. Woe to them when I turn away from them!
13 Nimemwona Efraimu, kama Tiro, aliyeoteshwa mahali pazuri. Lakini Efraimu wataleta watoto wao kwa mchinjaji.”
Ephraim – planted like Tyre in a meadow, But Ephraim too must lead forth their children to slaughter.
14 Wape, Ee Bwana, je, utawapa nini? Wape matumbo ya kuharibu mimba na matiti yaliyokauka.
Give them, Lord – what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and shrivelled up breasts!
15 “Kwa sababu ya uovu wao wote huko Gilgali, niliwachukia huko. Kwa sababu ya matendo yao ya dhambi, nitawafukuza katika nyumba yangu. Sitawapenda tena, viongozi wao wote ni waasi.
All their evil began in Gilgal, there I learned to hate them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them, for all their princes are rebels.
16 Efraimu ameharibiwa, mzizi wao umenyauka, hawazai tunda. Hata kama watazaa watoto, nitawachinja watoto wao waliotunzwa vizuri.”
Ephraim is blighted, their root withered. If they do bear children, I will slay the darlings of their womb,
17 Mungu wangu atawakataa kwa sababu hawakumtii; watakuwa watu wa kutangatanga miongoni mwa mataifa.
My God will reject them because they have not listened to him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.
