< Hosea 10 >

1 Israeli ni mzabibu mzuri ambao huzaa matunda yake. kwa kadiri matunda yake yanavyoongezeka vivyo hivyo anajenga madhabahu nyingi. Kwa kuwa nchi yake ilizalishwa zaidi, aliboresha nguzo zake.
Israel is a luxuriant vine, That bringeth forth fruit; But according to the abundance of his fruit hath he abounded in altars; According to the goodness of his land hath he made goodly images.
2 Moyo wao ni udanganyifu; sasa wanapaswa kubeba hatia yao. Bwana ataharibu madhabahu zao; ataharibu nguzo zao.
Their heart is divided; now shall they suffer for it; He will break down their altars, And destroy their images.
3 Kwa maana watasema, “Hatuna mfalme, kwa maana hatukumcha Bwana. Na mfalme-angeweza kutufanyia nini?”
For soon shall they say, We have no king, Because we fear not Jehovah; What can a king do for us?
4 Wanasema maneno tupu na kufanya maagano kwa kuapa uongo. Kwa hivyo haki inakuja kama magugu yenye sumu katika mito ya shamba.
They utter empty words, Swearing falsely, making covenants, And now judgment springeth up, as hemlock in the furrows of the field.
5 Wakazi wa Samaria wataogopa kwa sababu ya ndama za Beth Aveni. Watu wake waliomboleza juu yao, kama walivyofanya wale makuhani wa sanamu ambao walikuwa wamefurahi juu yao na utukufu wao, lakini hawako tena.
For the calf of Bethaven shall the inhabitants of Samaria be in fear; Yea, its people shall grieve for it, And its priests shall tremble for it, Because its glory has departed from it.
6 Wao watachukuliwa kwenda Ashuru kama sadaka kwa mfalme mkuu. Efraimu atakuwa na aibu, na Israeli atakuwa na aibu kwa sanamu yake.
It shall be carried to Assyria, As a present to the hostile king. Ephraim shall be covered with confusion, And Israel shall be ashamed of his doings,
7 Mfalme wa Samaria ataangamizwa, kama chipu cha kuni juu ya uso wa maji.
Samaria shall be brought to destruction; Her king shall be as a twig upon the waters.
8 Sehemu za juu za uovu zitaharibiwa. Hii ndiyo dhambi ya Israeli! Miti na vichaka vitakua juu ya madhabahu zao. Watu wataiambia milima, “Tufunike sisi!” na kwa vilima, “Tuangukieni!”
The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; The thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars. And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us! And to the hills, Fall on us!
9 Ee Israeli, umetenda dhambi tangu siku za Gibea; huko umebaki. Je, vita vitawapata wana wa uovu huko Gibea?
More than in the days of Gibeah hast thou sinned, O Israel! There they stood; The battle in Gibeah against the sons of iniquity did not overtake them.
10 Nitakapotaka, nitawaadhibu. Mataifa wataungana pamoja nao na kuwaweka katika vifungo kwa uovu wao mara mbili.
Now will I chastise them according to my pleasure, And the nations shall be gathered together against them, When I shall bind them for their two iniquities.
11 Efraimu ni ndama mwenye mafunzo ambayo anapenda kupura nafaka, hivyo nitaweka jozi juu ya shingo yake nzuri. Efraimu nitauweka jozi; Yuda ataimea; Yakobo atauvuta pigo kwa nafsi yake.
Ephraim is a trained heifer, that loveth to tread out the corn; But I will lay the yoke upon her fair neck; I will cause Ephraim to draw, Judah shall plough, Jacob shall harrow.
12 Jifanyieni haki, vuneni matunda ya uaminifu wa agano. Chimbueni ardhi yenu isiyopandwa, kwa maana ni wakati wa kumtafuta Bwana, mpaka atakapokuja na kuinua haki juu yenu.
Sow for yourselves to righteousness, and ye shall reap according to your piety; Break up your fallow ground; For it is a time to seek Jehovah, Till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
13 Mmelima uovu; mmevuna udhalimu. Mmekula matunda ya udanganyifu kwa sababu uliamini katika mipango yako na katika askari wako wengi.
Ye plough wickedness, ye shall reap injustice; Ye shall eat the fruit of falsehood. Because thou trustest in thy way, in the multitude of thy mighty men,
14 Kwa hiyo mlipuko wa vita utafufuka kati ya watu wako, na miji yako yote yenye ngome itaharibiwa. Itakuwa kama Shalmani aliharibu Beth Arbeli siku ya vita, wakati mama alivunjika vipande vipande na watoto wake.
There shall arise a tumult among thy people, And all thy fortresses shall be destroyed, As Shalman destroyed Betharbel in the day of battle, When the mother was dashed in pieces with her children.
15 Kwa hiyo itakuwa kwako, Betheli, kwa sababu ya uovu wako mkubwa. Wakati wa mchana mfalme wa Israeli atakatwa kabisa.
Such things shall Bethel bring upon you Because of your great wickedness. In the morning shall the king of Israel be destroyed.

< Hosea 10 >