Amosi 5
1 Sikilizeni hili neno ambalo nisemalo kama maombelezo juu yenu, nyumba ya Israeli.
Hear ye this word, which, I, am taking up concerning you—even a dirge, O house of Israel.
2 Bikira wa Israeli ameanguka; hatoinuka tena; ametoroka kwenye nchi yake, hakuna mtu wa kumwinua.
She hath fallen—she cannot again rise, the virgin, Israel, —she lieth forsaken on her soil, there is none to raise her up.
3 Kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo: “Mji ambao umetoka nje kwa elfu watabaki mia, na walioenda nje mia watabaki kumi wa mali ya nyumba ya Israeli.”
For, thus, saith My Lord, Yahweh, The city that goeth out a thousand strong, shall have left it a hundred, —And, that which goeth out a hundred strong, shall have left it ten, belonging to the house of Israel.
4 Kwa kuwa hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo kwa nyumba ya Israeli: “Nitafuteni na mtaishi!
For, thus, saith Yahweh, to the house of Israel, —Seek me, and live;
5 Msimtafute Betheli; wala kuingia Gilgali; msisafiri kwenda Bersheba. Kwa kuwa Gilgali watakwenda utumwani hakika, na Betheli haitakuwa kitu.
Then do not seek Bethel, and, Gilgal, shall ye not enter, and, unto Beer-sheba, shall ye not cross over, For, Gilgal, shall, surely go into exile, and, Bethel, shall become a trouble.
6 Mtafuteni Yahwe mtaishi, au atawaka kama moto kwenye nyumba ya Yusufu. Utateketeza, na hakutakuwa na mtu hata mmoja kuuzima katika Betheli.
Seek ye Yahweh, and live, —lest he break forth, like a fire, upon the house of Joseph, and it devour with none to quench it, for Bethel.
7 Wale watu wageuzao haki kuwa jambo chungu na kuiangusha haki chini!”
Ye who turn, into, wormwood, justice, and, righteousness—to the ground have let fall.
8 Mungu aliiumba Pleidezi na Orioni; amebadilisha giza kuwa asubuhu; hufanya siku kuwa giza na usiku na kuita maji ya bahari; yeye huyamwaga juu ya uso wa dunia. Yahwe ndilo jina lake!
[Seek him] who made the Cluster and the Giant, and turneth, into morning, the shadow of death, and who, day into night, doth darken, Him who calleth to the waters of the sea, and poureth them out on the face of the land, Yahweh, is his name:
9 Yeye huleta uharibifu wa ghafla juu ya waliohodari ili kwamba uharibifu uje juu ya ngome.
Him who flasheth force on the strong, —and, force, on the fortress, alighteth!
10 Wanamchukia kila awasahihishaye katika lango la mji, nao humchukia sana yeyote asemaye ukweli.
They hate the man who, in the gate, rebuketh, —and, him who speaketh truthfully, they abhor.
11 Kwa sababu mnamkanyaga chini maskini na kuchukua sehemu ya ngano kutoka kwake- ingawa mmejenga nyumba za mawe yaliyochongwa, hamtaishi kwenye nyumba hizo. Mmependezwa na mashamba ya mizabibu, lakini hamtakunywa mvinyo wake.
Therefore—because ye have trampled on the poor, and, the gift of corn, ye would take away from him, though, houses of hewn stone, ye have built, Yet shall ye not dwell in them, —Though, delightful vineyards, ye have planted, Yet shall ye not drink the wine of them.
12 Kwa kuwa najua ni jinsi gani mlivyo na makosa mengi na jinsi dhambi zenu zilivyo kubwa- ninyi mnaowaonea wenye haki, chukueni rushwa, na kuwageuza wahitaji kwenye lango la mji.
For I know how numerous are your transgressions, and how surpassing your sins, —ye adversaries of the righteous! ye acceptors of a bribe! Even the needy in the gate, have they turned away!
13 Kwa hiyo kila mtu mwenye busara atanyamaza kimya kwenye wakati kama huo, kwa kuwa ni wakati wa uovu.
Therefore, the prudent man, at that time, will be dumb, —Because an evil time, it is!
14 Tafuteni mazuri na sio mabaya, ili kwamba mpate kuishi. Hivyo Yahwe, Mungu wa majeshi, atakuwa na ninyi tayari, kama msemavyo yeye ndiye.
Seek ye right and not wrong, that ye nay live, —that, so, Yahweh God of hosts, may be with you, as ye have said.
15 Chukieni uovu, imarisheni haki katika lango la mji. Huenda Yahwe, Mungu wa majeshi, atawafadhili mabaki ya Yusufu.
Hate wrong, and love right, and station, Justice, in the gate, —Peradventure, Yahweh, God of hosts, will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.
16 Kwa hiyo, hivi ndivyo Yahwe asemavyo, Mungu wa majeshi, Bwana, “Kutakuwa na maombolezo kwenye miraba yote, na watasema kwenye mitaa yote, 'Ole! Ole!' Watawaita wakulima kuomboleza na walio hodari wa kulia na kuomboleza.
Therefore, thus, saith Yahweh, God of hosts, My Lord, In all broadways, shall be lamentation, and, in all streets, shall they say, Alas! Alas! And they shall call the husbandman unto the mourning, and, unto the lamentation, them who know a wailing song;
17 Katika mashamba yote ya mizabibu kutakuwa na kilio, kwa kuwa nitapita katikati yako,” asema Yahwe.
Ye, in all vineyards, lamentation, —For I will pass along through thy midst, saith Yahweh.
18 Ole wenu ninyi mnaoitamani siku ya Yahwe! Kwa nini mnaitamani? Itakuwa giza na sio nuru,
Alas for them who are longing for the day of Yahweh, —What good to you, is the day of Yahweh? it, being darkness and not light:
19 kama wakati mtu anamkimbia simba na kukutana na dubu, au aliingia katika nyumba na kuweka mkono wake kwenye ukuta na kung'atwa na nyoka.
As if a man should flee from the face of a lion, and there should meet him—a bear! or he should have entered the house, and leaned his hand upon the wall, and there should bite him—a serpent!
20 Je siku ya Yahwe itakuwa giza na sio nuru? Huzuni na sio furaha?
Shall not the day of Yahweh be, darkness, and not light? yea, thick darkness and no brightness in it?
21 “Nachukia, nazidharau sikukuu zenu, naichukia mikutano yenu ya dini.
I hate, I despise your festivals, —and can scent no fragrance in your solemn feasts.
22 Hata kama mnanitolea sadaka ya kuteketeza na sadaka za unga, sintozipokea, wala kuzitazama kwenye sadaka za ushirika wa wanyama walionona.
Nay, though ye cause to ascend unto me ascending-sacrifices, and your meal-offerings, I will not accept [them], —nor, the peace-offering of your fat heifers, will I regard.
23 Niondoleeni kelele za nyimbo zenu; sintosikiliza sauti za vinubi vyenu.
Take thou away from me, the noise of thy songs, —Even the melody of thy harps, will I not hear.
24 Badala yake, acheni haki itiririke kama maji, na haki kama mkondo utiririkao siku zote.
But let, justice, roll along like water, —and, righteousness, as a torrent over flowing.
25 Je mmeniletea dhambihu na sadaka za kuteketeza jangwani kwa mda wa miaka arobaini?
The sacrifices and meal-offering, ye brought near unto me, in the desert, for forty years O house of Israel;
26 Mtamwinua Sikuthi kama mfalme wenu, na Kiuni, nyota yenu ya miungu-ambayo mmeifanya kwa ajili yenu wenyewe.
But ye carried the tent of your king-idol, and your Saturn-images, —the star of your gods, which ye made for yourselves:
27 Kwa hiyo nitawahamisha upande wa pili wa Damaskasi,” asema Yahwe, ambaye jina lake ni Mungu wa majeshi.
Therefore will I carry you into exile beyond Damascus, —saith Yahweh, God of hosts, is his name.
