Hosea 12
1 Efraimu hujilisha upepo na kufuata upepo wa mashariki. Yeye daima huzidisha uongo na unyanyasaji. Wanafanya agano na Ashuru na huchukua mafuta ya Misri.
Ephraim's food is the wind, and he goes after the east wind: deceit and destruction are increasing day by day; they make an agreement with Assyria, and take oil into Egypt.
2 Bwana pia ana mashtaka dhidi ya Yuda na ataadhibu Yakobo kwa yale aliyoyatenda; atamlipa kwa matendo yake.
The Lord has a cause against Judah, and will give punishment to Jacob for his ways; he will give him the reward of his acts.
3 Katika tumbo Yakobo akamshika ndugu yake kisigino, na katika ubinadamu wake alijitahidi kwa Mungu.
In the body of his mother he took his brother by the foot, and in his strength he was fighting with God;
4 Alishindana na malaika akashinda. Alilia na kuomba kwa neema yake. Alikutana na Mungu huko Betheli; huko Mungu aliongea naye.
He had a fight with the angel and overcame him; he made request for grace to him with weeping; he came face to face with him in Beth-el and there his words came to him;
5 Huyu ndiye Bwana, Mungu wa majeshi; “Yahweh” ndilo jina lake.
Even the Lord, the God of armies; the Lord is his name.
6 Basi tembea kwa Mungu wako. Shika uaminifu na uhuru wa agano, na umsubiri Mungu wako daima.
So then, come back to your God; keep mercy and right, and be waiting at all times on your God.
7 Wafanyabiashara wana mizani ya uongo mikononi mwao; wanapenda kudanganya.
As for Canaan, the scales of deceit are in his hands; he takes pleasure in twisted ways.
8 Efraimu akasema, “Kwa hakika mimi ni tajiri sana; Nimepata utajiri kwa nafsi yangu. Katika kazi yangu yote hawataona uovu wowote ndani yangu, chochote ambacho kitakuwa dhambi.”
And Ephraim said, Now I have got wealth and much property; in all my works no sin may be seen in me.
9 Mimi ndimi Bwana, Mungu wako, tangu ulipotoka nchi ya Misri. Nitakufanya uishi tena katika hema, kama siku za karamu iliyowekwa.
But I am the Lord your God from the land of Egypt; I will give you tents for your living-places again as in the days of the holy meeting.
10 Niliwaambia manabii, na nimewapa maono mengi kwa ajili yenu. Kwa mkono wa manabii nilitoa mifano.
My word came to the ears of the prophets and I gave them visions in great number, and by the mouths of the prophets I made use of comparisons.
11 Ikiwa kuna uovu huko Gileadi, hakika watu hawafai. Gilgali wanachinja ng'ombe; madhabahu zao zitakuwa kama miundo ya jiwe katika miamba ya mashamba.
In Gilead there is evil. They are quite without value; in Gilgal they make offerings of oxen; truly their altars are like masses of stones in the hollows of a ploughed field.
12 Yakobo akakimbia mpaka nchi ya Aramu; Israeli alifanya kazi ili kupata mke; naye akachunga kundi la kondoo ili kupata mke.
And Jacob went in flight into the field of Aram, and Israel became a servant for a wife, and for a wife he kept sheep.
13 Bwana akawaleta Israeli kutoka Misri kwa kutumia nabii, naye akawatunza kwa nabii.
And by a prophet the Lord made Israel come up out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was kept safe.
14 Efraimu amemkasirisha sana Bwana. Basi Bwana wake ataachia damu yake, naye atamrudishia aibu yake.
I have been bitterly moved to wrath by Ephraim; so that his blood will be on him, and the Lord will make his shame come back on him.
