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 sons of Israel! For Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; For there is no truth, nor mercy, 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.
Perjury, and falsehood, and murder, And theft, and adultery have broken forth, And blood reacheth to blood.
3 Kwa hiyo nchi inakauka, na kila mtu aliyeishi ndani yake anaangamia; wanyama katika mashamba na ndege angani, hata samaki katika bahari, wanaondolewa.
Therefore shall the land mourn, And every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, Together with the beasts of the forest, and the birds of heaven; Yea, even the fishes of the sea shall perish.
4 Lakini usiruhusu mtu yeyote kuleta mashtaka; msiruhusu mtu yeyote ahukumu mtu mwingine. Kwa maana ninyi ndio makuhani, ninaowashtaki.
Yet let no man rebuke, and let no man reprove; For thy people are like those that contend with the priest,
5 Ninyi makuhani mtajikwaa wakati wa mchana; manabii pia watajikwaa pamoja nanyi usiku, nami nitamwangamiza mama yako.
Therefore shalt thou Fall by day, And the prophet shall fall 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 is destroyed for lack of knowledge; Since thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, so that thou shalt no more be my priest; Since 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 have become great, so have 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 feed upon the sins of my people, And incline their hearts to their iniquity.
9 Itakuwa sawa kwa watu kama kwa makuhani: nitawaadhibu wote kwa matendo yao; Nitawalipa kwa matendo yao.
And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; I will punish them for their ways, And requite them for their doings.
10 Watakula lakini hawatashiba; watafanya uzinzi lakini hawataongezeka, kwa sababu wamekwenda mbali na Bwana.
They shall eat and shall not be satisfied; They shall commit fornication, and shall not increase, For they have left off giving heed to Jehovah.
11 Wanapenda uasherati, divai, na divai mpya, ambayo imechukua uelewa wao.
Fornication and wine and new wine take away the understanding;
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 stocks, And their staff revealeth to them. For the spirit of fornication causeth them to err; Yea, they commit fornication, forsaking 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.
On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice, And on the hills they burn incense, Under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters commit fornication, 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 commit fornication, Nor your daughters-in-law, when they commit adultery; For ye yourselves go aside with harlots, And sacrifice with prostitutes; Therefore the people that hath not understanding shall fall.
15 Ingawa wewe, Israeli, umefanya uzinzi, lakini Yuda asiwe na hatia. Ninyi msiende Gilgali; msiende hadi Beth Aven. Wala msiape, “Aishivyo Bwana.”
Though thou play the harlot, O Israel, Yet let not Judah offend! Come ye not to Gilgal, Neither go ye up to Bethaven. And swear ye not, saying, As Jehovah liveth!
16 Kwa maana Israeli amefanya ukaidi, kama ndama mkaidi. Je! Bwana anaweza kuwaleta kwenye malisho kama kondoo mahali penye nafasi?
For like a refractory heifer is Israel become refractory, Therefore will Jehovah feed them, like a lamb in a wide place.
17 Efraimu alijiunga na sanamu; mwache peke yake.
Ephraim is joined to idols; Let him alone!
18 Hata wakati kileo chao kimeondoka wakaendelea kufanya uzinzi; watawala wake hupenda sana aibu yao.
When their carousal is over, They give themselves up to lasciviousness; Their rulers love shame.
19 Upepo utamfunga kwa mabawa yake; nao wataona aibu kwa sababu ya dhabihu zao.
The wind hath bound them up with its wings, And they shall be brought to shame on account of their sacrifices.
