< Joeli 1 >
1 Neno la Bwana ambalo lilimjia Yoeli mwana wa Pethueli.
The LORD’s word that came to Joel, the son of Pethuel.
2 Sikilizeni hili, enyi wazee; sikilizeni, ninyi nyote mnaoishi katika nchi. Je, jambo kama hili lilishawahi kutokea katika siku zenu au katika siku za babu zenu?
Hear this, you elders, and listen, all you inhabitants of the land! Has this ever happened in your days, or in the days of your fathers?
3 Waelezeni watoto wenu, na watoto wenu wawaambie watoto wao, na watoto wao kwa kizazi kitakachofuata.
Tell your children about it, and have your children tell their children, and their children, another generation.
4 Kilichosazwa na kundi la tunutu nzige wakubwa wamekula, kilichosazwa na nzige wakubwa parare wamekula, kilichosazwa na parare madumadu wamekula.
What the swarming locust has left, the great locust has eaten. What the great locust has left, the grasshopper has eaten. What the grasshopper has left, the caterpillar has eaten.
5 Amkeni, enyi walevi, mlie! Pigeni yowe enyi wanywaji wote wa mvinyo, pigeni yowe kwa sababu ya mvinyo mpya, kwa kuwa mmenyangʼanywa kutoka midomoni mwenu.
Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine, because of the sweet wine, for it is cut off from your mouth.
6 Taifa limevamia nchi yangu, lenye nguvu tena lisilo na idadi; lina meno ya simba, magego ya simba jike.
For a nation has come up on my land, strong, and without number. His teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he has the fangs of a lioness.
7 Limeharibu mizabibu yangu na kuangamiza mitini yangu. Limebambua magome yake na kuyatupilia mbali, likayaacha matawi yake yakiwa meupe.
He has laid my vine waste, and stripped my fig tree. He has stripped its bark, and thrown it away. Its branches are made white.
8 Omboleza kama bikira aliyevaa nguo ya gunia anayehuzunika kwa ajili ya mume wa ujana wake.
Mourn like a virgin dressed in sackcloth for the husband of her youth!
9 Sadaka za nafaka na sadaka za kinywaji zimekatiliwa mbali kutoka nyumba ya Bwana. Makuhani wanaomboleza, wale wanaohudumu mbele za Bwana.
The meal offering and the drink offering are cut off from the LORD’s house. The priests, the LORD’s ministers, mourn.
10 Mashamba yameharibiwa, ardhi imekauka; nafaka imeharibiwa, mvinyo mpya umekauka, mafuta yamekoma.
The field is laid waste. The land mourns, for the grain is destroyed, The new wine has dried up, and the oil languishes.
11 Kateni tamaa, enyi wakulima, lieni, enyi mlimao mizabibu; huzunikeni kwa ajili ya ngano na shayiri, kwa sababu mavuno ya shambani yameharibiwa.
Be confounded, you farmers! Wail, you vineyard keepers, for the wheat and for the barley; for the harvest of the field has perished.
12 Mzabibu umekauka na mtini umenyauka; mkomamanga, mtende na mtofaa, miti yote shambani, imekauka. Hakika furaha yote ya mwanadamu imeondoka.
The vine has dried up, and the fig tree withered— the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all of the trees of the field are withered; for joy has withered away from the sons of men.
13 Vaeni nguo ya gunia, enyi makuhani, muomboleze; pigeni yowe, enyi mnaohudumu madhabahuni. Njooni, vaeni nguo ya gunia usiku kucha, enyi mnaohudumu mbele za Mungu wangu; kwa kuwa sadaka za nafaka na sadaka za kinywaji zimezuiliwa kufika katika nyumba ya Mungu wenu.
Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests! Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come, lie all night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God, for the meal offering and the drink offering are withheld from your God’s house.
14 Tangazeni saumu takatifu; liiteni kusanyiko takatifu. Iteni wazee na wote waishio katika nchi waende katika nyumba ya Bwana Mungu wenu, wakamlilie Bwana.
Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD, your God, and cry to the LORD.
15 Ole kwa siku hiyo! Kwa kuwa siku ya Bwana iko karibu; itakuja kama uharibifu kutoka kwa Mwenyezi.
Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is at hand, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.
16 Je, chakula hakikukatiliwa mbali mbele ya macho yetu: furaha na shangwe kutoka nyumba ya Mungu wetu?
Isn’t the food cut off before our eyes, joy and gladness from the house of our God?
17 Mbegu zinakauka chini ya mabonge ya udongo. Ghala zimeachwa katika uharibifu, ghala za nafaka zimebomolewa, kwa maana hakuna nafaka.
The seeds rot under their clods. The granaries are laid desolate. The barns are broken down, for the grain has withered.
18 Jinsi gani ngʼombe wanavyolia! Makundi ya mifugo yanahangaika kwa sababu hawana malisho; hata makundi ya kondoo yanateseka.
How the animals groan! The herds of livestock are perplexed, because they have no pasture. Yes, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
19 Kwako, Ee Bwana, naita, kwa kuwa moto umeteketeza malisho ya mbugani na miali ya moto imeunguza miti yote shambani.
LORD, I cry to you, for the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame has burnt all the trees of the field.
20 Hata wanyama wa porini wanakuonea shauku; vijito vya maji vimekauka, na moto umeteketeza malisho yote ya mbugani.
Yes, the animals of the field pant to you, for the water brooks have dried up, and the fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.