< Nahumu 3 >
1 Ole wa mji umwagao damu, uliojaa uongo, umejaa nyara, usiokosa kuwa na vitu vya kuteka nyara.
Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery—no end to the prey.
2 Kelele za mijeledi, vishindo vya magurudumu, farasi waendao mbio na mshtuo wa magari ya vita!
The noise of the whip, the noise of the rattling of wheels, prancing horses, and bounding chariots,
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:
the horseman charging, and the flashing sword, the glittering spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great heap of corpses, and there is no end of the bodies. They stumble on 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 multitude of the prostitution of the alluring prostitute, the mistress of witchcraft, who sells nations through her prostitution, and families through 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,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness, and the kingdoms your shame.
6 Nitakutupia uchafu, nitakufanyia dharau na kukufanya kioja.
I will throw abominable filth on you and make you vile, and will make you a spectacle.
7 Wote wanaokuona watakukimbia na kusema, ‘Ninawi ipo katika kuangamia: ni nani atakayeomboleza kwa ajili yake?’ Nitampata wapi yeyote wa kukufariji?”
It will happen that all those who look at you will flee from you, and say, ‘Nineveh is laid waste! Who will mourn for her?’ Where will I seek 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 No-Amon, who was situated amongst the rivers, who had the waters around her, whose rampart was the sea, and her wall was of the sea?
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 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 was she carried away. She went into captivity. Her young children also were dashed in pieces at the head of all the streets, and they cast lots for her honourable men, and all her great men were bound in chains.
11 Wewe pia utalewa; utakwenda mafichoni na kutafuta kimbilio kutoka kwa adui.
You also will be drunken. You will be hidden. You also will seek a stronghold because of 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 will be like fig trees with the first-ripe figs. If they are 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.
Behold, your troops amongst you are women. The gates of your land are set wide open to your enemies. The fire has devoured 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 water for the siege. Strengthen your fortresses. Go into the clay, and tread the mortar. Make the brick kiln strong.
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 off. It will devour you like the grasshopper. Multiply like grasshoppers. Multiply like the 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 increased your merchants more than the stars of the skies. The grasshopper strips and flees 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 locusts, and your officials like the swarms of locusts, which settle on the walls on a cold day, but when the sun appears, they flee away, and their place is not known where they are.
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 slumber, king of Assyria. Your nobles lie down. Your people are scattered on the mountains, and there is 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 your wound, for your injury is fatal. All who hear the report of you clap their hands over you, for who hasn’t felt your endless cruelty?