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 is enjoying wind, And is pursuing an east wind, All the day lying and spoiling he multiplieth, And a covenant with Asshur they make, And oil to Egypt is carried.
2 Bwana pia ana mashtaka dhidi ya Yuda na ataadhibu Yakobo kwa yale aliyoyatenda; atamlipa kwa matendo yake.
And a controversy hath Jehovah with Judah, To lay a charge on Jacob according to his ways, According to his doings He returneth to him.
3 Katika tumbo Yakobo akamshika ndugu yake kisigino, na katika ubinadamu wake alijitahidi kwa Mungu.
In the womb he took his brother by the heel, And by his strength he was a prince with God,
4 Alishindana na malaika akashinda. Alilia na kuomba kwa neema yake. Alikutana na Mungu huko Betheli; huko Mungu aliongea naye.
Yea, he is a prince unto the Messenger, And he overcometh [by] weeping, And he maketh supplication to Him, At Bethel He doth find him, And there He doth speak with us,
5 Huyu ndiye Bwana, Mungu wa majeshi; “Yahweh” ndilo jina lake.
Even Jehovah, God of the Hosts, Jehovah [is] His memorial.
6 Basi tembea kwa Mungu wako. Shika uaminifu na uhuru wa agano, na umsubiri Mungu wako daima.
And thou, through thy God, dost turn, Kindness and judgment keep thou, And wait on thy God continually.
7 Wafanyabiashara wana mizani ya uongo mikononi mwao; wanapenda kudanganya.
Canaan! in his hand [are] balances of deceit! To oppress he hath loved.
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 saith: 'Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself, All my labours — they find not against me iniquity that [is] sin.'
9 Mimi ndimi Bwana, Mungu wako, tangu ulipotoka nchi ya Misri. Nitakufanya uishi tena katika hema, kama siku za karamu iliyowekwa.
And I — Jehovah thy God from the land of Egypt, Again do I turn thee back into tents, As in the days of the appointed time.
10 Niliwaambia manabii, na nimewapa maono mengi kwa ajili yenu. Kwa mkono wa manabii nilitoa mifano.
And I have spoken unto the prophets, And I have multiplied vision, And by the hand of the prophets I use similes.
11 Ikiwa kuna uovu huko Gileadi, hakika watu hawafai. Gilgali wanachinja ng'ombe; madhabahu zao zitakuwa kama miundo ya jiwe katika miamba ya mashamba.
Surely Gilead [is] iniquity, Only, vanity they have been, In Gilead bullocks they have sacrificed, Also their altars [are] as heaps, on the furrows of a field.
12 Yakobo akakimbia mpaka nchi ya Aramu; Israeli alifanya kazi ili kupata mke; naye akachunga kundi la kondoo ili kupata mke.
And Jacob doth flee to the country of Aram, And Israel doth serve for a wife, Yea, for a wife he hath kept watch.
13 Bwana akawaleta Israeli kutoka Misri kwa kutumia nabii, naye akawatunza kwa nabii.
And by a prophet hath Jehovah brought up Israel out of Egypt, And by a prophet it hath been watched.
14 Efraimu amemkasirisha sana Bwana. Basi Bwana wake ataachia damu yake, naye atamrudishia aibu yake.
Ephraim hath provoked most bitterly, And his blood on himself he leaveth, And his reproach turn back to him doth his Lord!
