< Nahumu 3 >
1 Ole wa mji umwagao damu, uliojaa uongo, umejaa nyara, usiokosa kuwa na vitu vya kuteka nyara.
O city of blood, wholly false, full of unrighteousness; the prey shall not be handled.
2 Kelele za mijeledi, vishindo vya magurudumu, farasi waendao mbio na mshtuo wa magari ya vita!
The noise of whips, and the noise of the rumbling of wheels, and of the pursuing horse, and of the 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:
and of the mounting rider, and of the glittering sword, and of the gleaming arms, and of a multitude of slain, and of heavy falling: and there was no end to her nations, but they shall be weak in their bodies
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 abundance of fornication: [she is] a fair harlot, and well-favoured, skilled in sorcery, that sells the nations by her fornication, and peoples by her sorceries.
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, says the Lord God Almighty, and I will uncover your skirts in your presence, and I will show the nations your shame, and the kingdoms your disgrace.
6 Nitakutupia uchafu, nitakufanyia dharau na kukufanya kioja.
And I will cast abominable filth upon you according to your unclean ways, and will make you a public example.
7 Wote wanaokuona watakukimbia na kusema, ‘Ninawi ipo katika kuangamia: ni nani atakayeomboleza kwa ajili yake?’ Nitampata wapi yeyote wa kukufariji?”
And it shall be [that] every one that sees you shall go down from you, and shall say, Wretched Nineve! who shall lament for her? whence shall I seek comfort for her?
8 Je, wewe ni bora kuliko No-Amoni, uliopo katika Mto Naili, uliozungukwa na maji? Mto ulikuwa kinga yake, nayo maji yalikuwa ukuta wake.
Prepare you a portion, tune the chord, prepare a portion for Ammon: she that dwells amongst the rivers, water is round about her, whose dominion is the sea, and whose walls are water.
9 Kushi na Misri walikuwa nguvu zake zisizo na mpaka; Putu na Libia walikuwa miongoni mwa wale walioungana naye.
And Ethiopia is her strength, and Egypt; and there was no limit of the flight [of her enemies]; and the Libyans became her helpers.
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 shall go as a prisoner into captivity, and they shall dash her infants against the ground at the top of all her ways: and they shall cast lots upon all her glorious [possessions], and all her nobles shall be bound in chains.
11 Wewe pia utalewa; utakwenda mafichoni na kutafuta kimbilio kutoka kwa adui.
And you shall be drunken, and shall be overlooked; and you shall seek for yourself strength because of [your] enemies.
12 Ngome zako zote ni kama mitini yenye matunda yake ya kwanza yaliyoiva; wakati inapotikiswa, tini huanguka kwenye kinywa chake alaye.
All your strongholds are as fig-trees having watchers: if they be shaken, they shall 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.
Behold, your people within you are as women: the gates of your land shall surely be opened to your enemies: the fire shall devour your 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 you water for a siege, and well secure your strongholds: enter into the clay, and be you trodden in the chaff, make [the fortifications] stronger than brick.
15 Huko moto utakuteketeza, huko upanga utakuangusha chini na kama vile panzi, watakumaliza. Ongezeka kama panzi, ongezeka kama nzige!
There the fire shall devour you; the sword shall utterly destroy you, it shall devour you as the locust, and you shall be pressed down as a palmerworm.
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 merchandise beyond the stars of heaven: the palmerworm has attacked [it], and has flown 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 mixed [multitude] has suddenly departed as the grasshopper, as the locust perched on a hedge in a frosty day; the sun arises, and it flies off, and knows not its place: woe to them!
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.
Your shepherds have slumbered, the Assyrian king has laid low your mighty men: your people departed to the mountains, and there was none to receive [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 bruise; your wound has rankled: all that hear the report of you shall clap their hands against you; for upon whom has not your wickedness passed continually?