< Zekaria 10 >
1 Mwombeni Bwana mvua wakati wa vuli; ndiye Bwana atengenezaye mawingu ya tufani. Huwapa watu manyunyu ya mvua, pia mimea ya shambani kwa ajili ya kila mtu.
Ask from the Lord rain, at the time of spring rain, from the Lord who forms the storm clouds, and the showers of rain he gives to you, and green in the field.
2 Sanamu huzungumza udanganyifu, waaguzi huona maono ya uongo; husimulia ndoto ambazo si za kweli, wanatoa faraja batili. Kwa hiyo watu wanatangatanga kama kondoo walioonewa kwa kukosa mchungaji.
But the household gods speak nonsense, and the diviners see lies, and relate idle dreams. In vain they offer comfort, so the people wander like sheep, They suffer because there is no shepherd.
3 “Hasira yangu inawaka dhidi ya wachungaji, nami nitawaadhibu viongozi; kwa kuwa Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote atalichunga kundi lake, nyumba ya Yuda, naye atawafanya kuwa kama farasi mwenye kiburi akiwa vitani.
My wrath is hot against the shepherds, and on the leaders will I bring punishment. For the Lord cares for his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them his splendid war steeds.
4 Kutoka Yuda litatokea Jiwe la pembeni, kutoka kwake vitatoka vigingi vya hema, kutoka kwake utatoka upinde wa vita, kutoka kwake atatoka kila mtawala.
From Judah will come the cornerstone and the stay, from them the battle bow, from them goes forth every commander.
5 Kwa pamoja watakuwa kama mashujaa wanaokanyaga barabara za matope wakati wa vita. Kwa sababu Bwana yu pamoja nao, watapigana na kuwashinda wapanda farasi.
Together they will trample on warriors, as on the dirt of the streets in battle. They fight, for the Lord is with them, putting the riders on horses to shame.
6 “Nitaiimarisha nyumba ya Yuda na kuiokoa nyumba ya Yosefu. Nitawarejesha kwa sababu nina huruma juu yao. Watakuwa kama watu ambao sijawahi kuwakataa kwa sababu mimi ndimi Bwana Mungu wao, nami nitawajibu.
I will make strong the house of Judah, I will bring deliverance to the house of Joseph, I will bring them back for I have compassion on them, they will be as if I had not driven them away. For I am the Lord their God and will answer them.
7 Waefraimu watakuwa kama mashujaa, mioyo yao itafurahi kana kwamba ni kwa divai. Watoto wao wataona na kufurahi, mioyo yao itashangilia katika Bwana.
The Ephraimites will be like warriors, their hearts will rejoice as with wine, their children will see and rejoice. Their hearts will exult in the Lord.
8 Nitawaashiria na kuwakusanya ndani. Hakika nitawakomboa, nao watakuwa wengi kama walivyokuwa mwanzoni.
I will whistle for them, and gather them, and they will be as many as they once were.
9 Ijapokuwa niliwatawanya miongoni mwa mataifa, hata hivyo wakiwa katika nchi za mbali watanikumbuka mimi. Wao na watoto wao watanusurika katika hatari nao watarudi.
I will sow them among the peoples, but in distant lands they will remember me, and they will bring up their children and come back.
10 Nitawarudisha kutoka Misri na kuwakusanya toka Ashuru. Nitawaleta katika nchi ya Gileadi na Lebanoni, na hapo hapatakuwa na nafasi ya kuwatosha.
I will bring them home from the land of Egypt, and from Assyria will I gather them. Into the land of Gilead and Lebanon I will bring them, until the land overflows with them.
11 Watapita katika bahari ya mateso; bahari iliyochafuka itatulizwa na vilindi vyote vya Mto Naili vitakauka. Kiburi cha Ashuru kitashushwa, nayo fimbo ya utawala ya Misri itatoweka.
And when they pass through the sea of distress, I will strike down the waves of the sea, and all the deeps of the Nile will be dried up. The pride of Assyria will be brought low and the sceptre of Egypt turned aside.
12 Nitawaimarisha katika Bwana, na katika jina lake watatembea,” asema Bwana.
I will make them strong in the Lord, they will walk in his name, says the Lord.