Nahumu 3
1 Ole wa mji umwagao damu, uliojaa uongo, umejaa nyara, usiokosa kuwa na vitu vya kuteka nyara.
Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without prey.
2 Kelele za mijeledi, vishindo vya magurudumu, farasi waendao mbio na mshtuo wa magari ya vita!
The crack of the whip, the rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and bounding chariot!
3 Wapanda farasi wanaenda mbio, panga zinameremeta, na mikuki inangʼaa! Majeruhi wengi, malundo ya maiti, idadi kubwa ya miili isiyohesabika, watu wanajikwaa juu ya mizoga:
Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead—
4 yote haya kwa sababu ya wingi wa tamaa za kahaba, anayeshawishi, bibi wa mambo ya uchawi, anayewatia utumwani mataifa kwa ukahaba wake na pia jamaa za watu kwa ulozi wake.
because of the many harlotries of the harlot, the seductive mistress of sorcery, who betrays nations by her prostitution and clans by her witchcraft.
5 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote anasema, “Mimi ni kinyume na ninyi. Nitafunika uso wako kwa gauni lako. Nitaonyesha mataifa uchi wako na falme aibu yako.
“Behold, I am against you,” declares the LORD of Hosts. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show your nakedness to the nations and your shame to the kingdoms.
6 Nitakutupia uchafu, nitakufanyia dharau na kukufanya kioja.
I will pelt you with filth and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you.
7 Wote wanaokuona watakukimbia na kusema, ‘Ninawi ipo katika kuangamia: ni nani atakayeomboleza kwa ajili yake?’ Nitampata wapi yeyote wa kukufariji?”
Then all who see you will recoil from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated; who will grieve for her?’ Where can I find comforters for you?”
8 Je, wewe ni bora kuliko No-Amoni, uliopo katika Mto Naili, uliozungukwa na maji? Mto ulikuwa kinga yake, nayo maji yalikuwa ukuta wake.
Are you better than Thebes, stationed by the Nile with water around her, whose rampart was the sea, whose wall was the water?
9 Kushi na Misri walikuwa nguvu zake zisizo na mpaka; Putu na Libia walikuwa miongoni mwa wale walioungana naye.
Cush and Egypt were her boundless strength; Put and Libya were her allies.
10 Hata hivyo alichukuliwa mateka na kwenda uhamishoni. Watoto wake wachanga walivunjwa vunjwa vipande kwenye mwanzo wa kila barabara. Kura zilipigwa kwa watu wake wenye heshima, na watu wake wote wakuu walifungwa kwa minyororo.
Yet she became an exile; she went into captivity. Her infants were dashed to pieces at the head of every street. They cast lots for her dignitaries, and all her nobles were bound in chains.
11 Wewe pia utalewa; utakwenda mafichoni na kutafuta kimbilio kutoka kwa adui.
You too will become drunk; you will go into hiding and seek refuge from the enemy.
12 Ngome zako zote ni kama mitini yenye matunda yake ya kwanza yaliyoiva; wakati inapotikiswa, tini huanguka kwenye kinywa chake alaye.
All your fortresses are fig trees with the first ripe figs; when shaken, they fall into the mouth of the eater!
13 Tazama vikosi vyako: wote ni wanawake! Malango ya nchi yako yamekuwa wazi kwa adui zako; moto umeteketeza mapingo yake.
Look at your troops— they are like your women! The gates of your land are wide open to your enemies; fire consumes their bars.
14 Teka maji kwa ajili ya kuzingirwa kwako, imarisha ulinzi wako, Ufanyie udongo wa mfinyanzi kazi, yakanyage matope, karabati tanuru la kuchomea matofali!
Draw your water for the siege; strengthen your fortresses. Work the clay and tread the mortar; repair the brick kiln!
15 Huko moto utakuteketeza, huko upanga utakuangusha chini na kama vile panzi, watakumaliza. Ongezeka kama panzi, ongezeka kama nzige!
There the fire will devour you; the sword will cut you down and consume you like a young locust. Make yourself many like the young locust; make yourself many like the swarming locust!
16 Umeongeza idadi ya wafanyabiashara wako mpaka wamekuwa wengi kuliko nyota za angani, lakini kama nzige wanaacha nchi tupu kisha huruka na kwenda zake.
You have multiplied your merchants more than the stars of the sky. The young locust strips the land and flies away.
17 Walinzi wako ni kama nzige, maafisa wako ni kama makundi ya nzige watuao kwenye kuta wakati wa siku ya baridi: lakini wakati jua linapotokea wanaruka kwenda zao, na hakuna ajuaye waendako.
Your guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes like clouds of locusts that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows where.
18 Ee mfalme wa Ashuru, wachungaji wako wanasinzia; wakuu wako wanalala chini mavumbini kupumzika. Watu wako wametawanyika juu ya milima bila kuwa na mtu yeyote wa kuwakusanya.
O king of Assyria, your shepherds slumber; your officers sleep. Your people are scattered on the mountains with no one to gather them.
19 Hakuna kitu kinachoweza kuponya jeraha lako; jeraha lako ni la kukuua. Kila anayesikia habari zako, hupiga makofi kwa kuanguka kwako, kwa kuwa ni nani ambaye hajaguswa na ukatili wako usio na mwisho?
There is no healing for your injury; your wound is severe. All who hear the news of you applaud your downfall, for who has not experienced your constant cruelty?
