Habakuki 1
1 Ujumbe ambao habakuki nabii alipokea,
[I am] Habakkuk, a prophet. This is the [message that Yahweh] gave to me in a vision.
2 Yahwe, kwa muda gani nitalilia msaada, na hutasikia? Nimekulilia wewe katika kitisho, 'vurugu' lakini hutaniokoa.
[I said, ] “Yahweh, how long must I continue to call [to you] for help before you respond? I cry out to you [for help], saying that [people are acting] violently [everywhere], but you do not rescue us!
3 Kwanini unanifanya nione mabaya na kuangalia matendo mabaya. Uharibifu na vurugu uko mbele yangu; kuna mapambano, na ushindani unainuka.
(Must I/I do not want to) continue seeing people doing what is unjust [RHQ]. Why do you not punish people who are doing what is wrong [RHQ]? I see people destroying things and [acting] violently. There is fighting and quarreling [everywhere].
4 Walakini sheria ni dhaifu, na haki haiishi kwa wakati wowote. Sababu uovu umezunguka haki; walakini haki ya uongo inatoweka. “Yahwe” anamjibu habakuki
No one obeys laws [PRS], and judges [PRS] never do what is fair/just. Wicked people always defeat righteous people [in the courts], with the result that matters are never decided fairly/justly.”
5 “Angalia mataifa na uwajaribu; stajaabishwa na shangazwa! Sababu nina uhakika kuhusu kufanya kitu katika siku zako kwamba hutaamini itakapotaarifiwa kwenu.
[Yahweh replied to me, ] “[I know that what you say is true, but] look around at [what is happening in] the other nations; [if you look, ] you will be amazed, because I am doing something during this time that you would not believe [would happen], even if someone told you about it.
6 Sababu angalia! nakaribia kuwainua Wakaldayo - taifa katili na lenye kishindo - wanatembea kupitia upana wa nchi kuteka nyumba zisizo za kwao.
The soldiers of Babylonia are fierce/cruel and swift. And now I am causing them [to become very powerful]; they will march across the world and conquer [many] other countries.
7 Wanahofu na kuogopa; hukumu yao na uzuri kutoka kwao unaendelea.
They are people whom [others] fear very much [DOU], and they do whatever they want to, paying no attention to the laws of other countries.
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.
The horses [that pull their chariots] go faster than leopards, and they are fiercer than wolves are in the evening. The horses on which the soldiers ride gallop swiftly; the soldiers riding them come from distant places. They are like [SIM] eagles that swoop down to [snatch and] kill small animals.
9 Wote wanakuja kwa vurugu; makundi yao yanakwenda kama upepo wa jangwani, na wanakusanya mateka kama mchanga.
As they ride along, [they are] determined to act violently. They advance like [SIM] a wind from the desert, gathering prisoners that are as [numerous as grains of] sand.
10 Wanawadhihaki wafalme, na viongozi ni dhihaka kwaajili yao. Huicheka kila ngome, maana hurundika mavumbi na kuyaondoa.
They make fun of kings and princes [of other countries], and they ridicule all the cities that have high walls around them. They pile dirt [outside those walls] [in order to climb up] and capture those cities.
11 Ndipo upepo utapita; itaendelea kupita - watu wenye hatia, ambao uwezo wao ni katika mungu.” Habakuki anamuuliza Yahwe swali lingine
They rush past like the wind, and then they go [to attack other cities]. But they are very guilty, because [they think that] their own power 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.
[Then I said, ] “Yahweh, you have certainly [RHQ] always/forever been God. You are my Holy One; you will not die. So [why] have you appointed those men [from Babylonia] to judge and get rid of [us]? You are like [MET] a huge rock [under which we are protected/safe], so why have 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?
You [SYN] are pure, and you cannot endure looking at what is evil, [so why] are you ignoring men who are treacherous? Why do you do nothing [to punish] those wicked men [from Babylonia] who destroy people who are more righteous than they [are]?
14 unawafanya watu kama samaki baharini, kama vitu vitambaavyo bila kiongozi juu yao.
[Do you consider that] we are like fish in the sea, or like other creatures in the sea, 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.
[The soldiers of Babylonia think that we are fish] [RHQ] for them to pull out of the sea with hooks or to catch in their nets, while they rejoice and 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.
If they catch us, they will [worship] their weapons [MET] with which they captured us, and offer sacrifices to them and burn incense in front of them! [They will say] ‘Those weapons have enabled us to become rich and be able to eat expensive food.’
17 Kwa sababu hiyo watamaliza nyavu zao za kuvulia na kuendelea kuchicha mataifa, bila kuhisi huruma”?
[Will you allow] them to continue [to conquer people] [MET] forever? [Will you allow] them to destroy people of other nations without their being merciful [to anyone]?”
