Habakuki 1
1 Ujumbe ambao habakuki nabii alipokea,
This is the message that Habakkuk saw in vision.
2 Yahwe, kwa muda gani nitalilia msaada, na hutasikia? Nimekulilia wewe katika kitisho, 'vurugu' lakini hutaniokoa.
Lord, how long do I have to cry out for help and you don't listen? I cry out, “Violence!” but you don't save us from it.
3 Kwanini unanifanya nione mabaya na kuangalia matendo mabaya. Uharibifu na vurugu uko mbele yangu; kuna mapambano, na ushindani unainuka.
Why do you force me to see this wickedness and suffering? Why do you just observe such destruction and violence? Arguments and fighting happen right in front of me!
4 Walakini sheria ni dhaifu, na haki haiishi kwa wakati wowote. Sababu uovu umezunguka haki; walakini haki ya uongo inatoweka. “Yahwe” anamjibu habakuki
As a result the law is paralyzed, and justice never wins. The wicked crowd out those who do right so that the course of justice is perverted.
5 “Angalia mataifa na uwajaribu; stajaabishwa na shangazwa! Sababu nina uhakika kuhusu kufanya kitu katika siku zako kwamba hutaamini itakapotaarifiwa kwenu.
Look around at the nations, watch and be surprised and amazed. Something is going to happen in your time that you wouldn't believe even if you were told.
6 Sababu angalia! nakaribia kuwainua Wakaldayo - taifa katili na lenye kishindo - wanatembea kupitia upana wa nchi kuteka nyumba zisizo za kwao.
Watch! I am raising up the Babylonians, a cruel and brutal people who will march across the world to seize other lands.
7 Wanahofu na kuogopa; hukumu yao na uzuri kutoka kwao unaendelea.
They are fearsome and terrifying, and so proud of themselves that they set their own rules.
8 Farasi wao pia wanambio sana kuliko chui, wepesi sana kuliko mbwa mwitu wa jioni. Farasi wao huwaseta, na wapanda farasi wao wanakuja kutoka mbali - wanapaa kama tai anayewahi kula.
Their horses are faster than leopards and fiercer than hungry wolves. Their cavalry charges, racing in from far away. Like eagles, they swoop down to eat their prey.
9 Wote wanakuja kwa vurugu; makundi yao yanakwenda kama upepo wa jangwani, na wanakusanya mateka kama mchanga.
Here they come, all intent on violence. Their armies advance in frontal assault as rapidly as the desert wind, capturing so many prisoners they are like sand.
10 Wanawadhihaki wafalme, na viongozi ni dhihaka kwaajili yao. Huicheka kila ngome, maana hurundika mavumbi na kuyaondoa.
They mock kings and scoff at rulers. They laugh in scorn at fortresses—they pile up earth ramps and capture them.
11 Ndipo upepo utapita; itaendelea kupita - watu wenye hatia, ambao uwezo wao ni katika mungu.” Habakuki anamuuliza Yahwe swali lingine
Then they sweep on by like the wind and are gone. They are guilty because their own strength is their god.
12 “Wewe si wa tangu nyakati za zamani, Yahwe Mungu wangu, uliye Mtakatifu? Sisi hatutakufa. Yahwe aliwatenga kwaajili ya hukumu, na ninyi, Mwamba, mmeimarisha kwaajili ya kusahihisha.
Haven't you existed from eternity past? You are Lord my God, my Holy One, you do not die. Lord, you appointed them to execute judgment; God our Rock, you sent them to punish us.
13 Macho yenu ni safi kuangaza juu ya uovu, lakini hamuwezi kuangalia matendo mabaya kwa fadhila; kwa nini mnaangalia kwa upendeleo hivyo juu ambao wanasaliti? Kwanini kunyamaza wakati uovu unameza sana wenye haki zaidi yao?
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil; you cannot stand the sight of wrong. So why do you put up with untrustworthy people? Why are you silent when the wicked destroy those who do less evil than they do?
14 unawafanya watu kama samaki baharini, kama vitu vitambaavyo bila kiongozi juu yao.
You make people become like fish in the sea, or like crawling insects, that have no ruler.
15 Wao wanawaleta wote kwa ndoano; wanawakokota watu kutoka kwenye nyavu za samaki na kuwakusanya kwenye wavu wao. Hii ndiyo sababu wanafurahi na kupiga kelele kwa uchangamfu sana.
They drag everyone up with hooks, they pull them out with nets, catching them in dragnets. Then they happily celebrate.
16 Walakini wanatoa sadaka kwenye nyavu zao za kuvulia na kuchoma ubani kwenye nyavu zao, sababu wanyama wanene ni sehemu yao, na nyama iliyonona ni chakula chao.
They worship their nets as if they were gods, making sacrifices and burning incense to them, because by their nets they live in luxury, eating rich food.
17 Kwa sababu hiyo watamaliza nyavu zao za kuvulia na kuendelea kuchicha mataifa, bila kuhisi huruma”?
Will they keep on unsheathing their swords forever, killing nations without mercy?
