Hosea 4
1 Sikilizeni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wa Israeli. Bwana ana mashtaka dhidi ya wenyeji wa nchi, kwa sababu hakuna ukweli au uaminifu wa agano, hakuna ujuzi wa Mungu katika nchi.
Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is no truth, nor goodness, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 Kuna laana, uongo, mauaji, wizi na uzinzi. Watu wamevunja mipaka yote, na damu inakuja baada ya damu.
Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, — they break out; and blood toucheth blood.
3 Kwa hiyo nchi inakauka, na kila mtu aliyeishi ndani yake anaangamia; wanyama katika mashamba na ndege angani, hata samaki katika bahari, wanaondolewa.
For this shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 Lakini usiruhusu mtu yeyote kuleta mashtaka; msiruhusu mtu yeyote ahukumu mtu mwingine. Kwa maana ninyi ndio makuhani, ninaowashtaki.
Yet let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 Ninyi makuhani mtajikwaa wakati wa mchana; manabii pia watajikwaa pamoja nanyi usiku, nami nitamwangamiza mama yako.
And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy mother.
6 Watu wangu wanaharibiwa kwa sababu ya ukosefu wa maarifa. Kwa sababu makuhani wamekataa maarifa, nami nitawakataa msiwe makuhani kwangu. Kwa sababu umesahau sheria yangu, ingawa mimi ni Mungu wako, nami pia nitasahau watoto wako.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children.
7 Makuhani wengi waliongezeka, zaidi walifanya dhambi dhidi yangu. Walibadilisha heshima zao kwa aibu.
As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame.
8 Wanajilisha dhambi ya watu wangu; wao ni wenye tamaa zaidi ya uovu wao.
They eat the sin of my people, and their soul longeth for their iniquity.
9 Itakuwa sawa kwa watu kama kwa makuhani: nitawaadhibu wote kwa matendo yao; Nitawalipa kwa matendo yao.
And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings;
10 Watakula lakini hawatashiba; watafanya uzinzi lakini hawataongezeka, kwa sababu wamekwenda mbali na Bwana.
and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.
11 Wanapenda uasherati, divai, na divai mpya, ambayo imechukua uelewa wao.
Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart.
12 Watu wangu hutaka shauri kwa sanamu zao za mbao, na fimbo zao za kutembelea huwapa unabii. Kwa maana mawazo ya uasherati yamewadanganya, na wamefanya kama makahaba badala ya kuwa mwaminifu kwa Mungu wao.
My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth [them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God:
13 Wanatoa sadaka juu ya milima na kuteketeza uvumba kwenye milima, chini ya mialoni, milibua na miela, kwa sababu kivuli ni nzuri. Basi binti zenu hufanya uasherati, na binti zenu wanazini.
they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because the shade thereof is good; therefore your daughters play the harlot and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
14 Mimi siwaadhibu binti zako wakati wanachagua kutenda uasherati, wala binti zako wakati wazini. Kwa maana wanaume pia wanajitoa kwa makahaba, na hutoa dhabihu ili waweze kufanya vitendo vya uasherati na makahaba. Hivyo watu wasiofahamu wataangamizwa.
I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin.
15 Ingawa wewe, Israeli, umefanya uzinzi, lakini Yuda asiwe na hatia. Ninyi msiende Gilgali; msiende hadi Beth Aven. Wala msiape, “Aishivyo Bwana.”
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear [As] Jehovah liveth!
16 Kwa maana Israeli amefanya ukaidi, kama ndama mkaidi. Je! Bwana anaweza kuwaleta kwenye malisho kama kondoo mahali penye nafasi?
For Israel is refractory as an untractable heifer; now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a wide [pasture].
17 Efraimu alijiunga na sanamu; mwache peke yake.
— Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone.
18 Hata wakati kileo chao kimeondoka wakaendelea kufanya uzinzi; watawala wake hupenda sana aibu yao.
Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love [their] shame.
19 Upepo utamfunga kwa mabawa yake; nao wataona aibu kwa sababu ya dhabihu zao.
The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
