< Zekaria 5 >
1 Nikatazama tena: na hapo mbele yangu kulikuwa na kitabu kilichoruka!
I looked up again, and I saw a scroll that was flying [through the air].
2 Akaniuliza, “Unaona nini?” Nikamjibu, “Naona kitabu kinachoruka chenye, urefu wa dhiraa ishirini na upana wa dhiraa kumi.”
The angel asked me, “What do you see?” I replied, “I see a flying scroll that is [huge], (10 yards/9 meters) long and (5 yards/4.5 meters) wide.”
3 Akaniambia, “Hii ni laana inayotoka kwenda juu ya nchi yote, kwa kuwa kufuatana na yale yaliyoandikwa katika upande mmoja, kila mwizi atafukuziwa mbali, pia kufuatana na yaliyo upande wa pili, kila aapaye kwa uongo atafukuziwa mbali.
Then he said to me, “On this scroll is written the [words that Yahweh is speaking to] curse the entire country. On [one side of] the scroll it is written that every thief will be banished. On [the other side] it is written that everyone who tells a lie when he is solemnly promising to tell the truth will also be banished from the country.
4 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asema, ‘Nitaituma hiyo laana, nayo itaingia katika nyumba ya mwizi na nyumba ya huyo aapaye kwa uongo kwa Jina langu. Itabaki katika nyumba yake na kuiharibu, pamoja na mbao zake na mawe yake.’”
The Commander of the armies of angels says, ‘I will send [copies of] this scroll to the places where thieves live and to the houses of those who use my name when they solemnly promise to tell the truth. [The copies of] this scroll will stay in their houses, until those houses and all their wood and stones are destroyed.’”
5 Kisha yule malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza nami akanijia na kuniambia, “Tazama juu uone ni nini kile kinachojitokeza.”
Then the angel who had been talking to me came closer to me and said, “Look up and see what is appearing!”
6 Nikamuuliza, “Ni kitu gani?” Akanijibu, “Ni kikapu cha kupimia.” Kisha akaongeza kusema, “Huu ni uovu wa watu katika nchi nzima.”
I asked him, “What is it?” He replied, “It is a big basket [for measuring grain]. But it represents the sins that everyone in this nation has committed.”
7 Kisha kifuniko kilichotengenezwa kwa madini ya risasi kilichokuwa kimefunika kile kikapu, kiliinuliwa na ndani ya kile kikapu alikuwako mwanamke ameketi!
Then [the angel] lifted the basket’s cover, [which was made] of lead. There was a woman sitting inside the basket!
8 Akasema, “Huu ni uovu,” tena akamsukumia ndani ya kikapu na kushindilia kifuniko juu ya mdomo wa kikapu.
The angel said, “She represents the wicked things [that people do].” Then the angel pushed her back into the basket and closed the very heavy lid [again].
9 Kisha nikatazama juu: na pale mbele yangu, walikuwepo wanawake wawili, wakiwa na upepo katika mabawa yao! Walikuwa na mabawa kama ya korongo, nao wakainua kile kikapu na kuruka nacho kati ya mbingu na nchi.
Then I looked up and saw two women in front of me. They [were flying toward us], with their wings spread out in the wind. Their wings were [large], like [SIM] storks’ wings. They lifted the big basket up into the sky.
10 Nikamuuliza yule malaika aliyekuwa akizungumza nami, “Wanakipeleka wapi hicho kikapu?”
I asked the angel who had been talking to me, “Where are they taking that basket?”
11 Akanijibu, “Wanakipeleka katika nchi ya Babeli na kujenga nyumba kwa ajili yake. Itakapokuwa tayari, kikapu kitawekwa pale mahali pake.”
He replied, “[They are taking it] to Babylonia to build a temple for it. When the temple is finished, they will set the basket there on a pedestal [for people to worship it].”