Hosea 9
1 Usifurahi, Israeli, kwa furaha kama watu wengine. Kwa maana haukuwa mwaminifu, umemuacha Mungu wako. Unapenda kulipa mshahara kwa kahaba kwenye sakafu zote za nafaka.
Rejoice not too loudly, Israel, like the nations, for you have commited adultery, being untrue to your God. You have loved a prostitute’s wages on every threshing floor.
2 Lakini sakafu na divai hazitawalisha; divai mpya itampungukia.
Threshing floor and wine vat won’t feed them, the new wine will fail them.
3 Hawawezi kuendelea kuishi katika nchi ya Bwana; badala yake, Efraimu atarudi Misri, na siku moja watakula chakula kichafu katika Ashuru.
They will not stay in the Lord’s land, but Ephraim will return to Egypt, and in Assyria they will eat what is unclean.
4 Hawatamtolea Bwana sadaka za divai, wala hawatamfurahisha. Dhabihu zao zitakuwa kwao kama chakula cha matanga wote wanaolila watakuwa wamejisikia. Maana chakula chao kitakuwa chao pekee; hautakuingia nyumbani mwa Bwana.
They will not pour out libations of wine to the Lord, nor please him with their sacrifices. Their bread will be like the bread of mourners: all who eat it will defile themselves. For their bread will be only for their hunger, it will not come into the Lord’s temple.
5 Utafanya nini siku ya sikukuu iliyowekwa rasmi, siku ya sikukuu ya Yahweh?
What will you do on the day of the festival? Or on the day of the Lord’s feast?
6 Kwa maana, angalia, wamekimbia uharibifu, Misri itawakusanya, na Nofu itawazika. Maana hazina zao za pesa za fedha zitakuwa nao, na miiba itajaza hema zao.
Even if they flee from destruction, Egypt will gather them, Memphis will bury them. Nettles will take possession of their treasure of silver, thorns will push into their tents.
7 Siku za adhabu zinakuja; siku za kulipiza kisasi zinakuja. Waisraeli wote wajue mambo haya. Nabii ni mpumbavu, na mtu aliyevuviwa ni mwendawazimu, kwa sababu ya uovu wako mkubwa na uadui mkubwa.
The days of punishment are come, the days of recompense are at hand, as soon the Israelites will know! “The prophet is a fool, the inspired man is raving mad!” It is because of the greatness of your iniquity and the greatness of your hatred.
8 Nabii ndiye mlinzi wa Mungu wangu juu ya Efraimu. Lakini mtego wa ndege ni juu ya njia zake zote, na uadui umo katika nyumba ya Mungu wake.
Ephraim acts the spy with my God, a prophet finds the snares of a fowler are in all his ways. In the house of his God they lay hostile plots,
9 Wamejiharibu wenyewe kama siku za Gibea. Mungu atawakumbusha uovu wao, naye atawaadhibu dhambi zao.
they commit crimes as in the days of Gibeah, God will remember their iniquity. He will punish their sin.
10 Bwana asema, “Nilipoikuta Israeli, ilikuwa kama kutafuta zabibu jangwani. Kama matunda ya kwanza ya msimu kwenye mtini, nimewaona baba zenu. Lakini wakaenda Baal Peori, nao wakajitoa kwenye sanamu ya aibu. Walikuwa chukizo kama sanamu waliyoipenda.
I found Israel like finding grapes in the wilderness. I saw your ancestors like they were the first fruit on a fig tree, but as soon as they came to Baal-peor, they consecrated themselves to shamefulness, and became as abominable as the object of their love.
11 Na kwa ajili ya Efraimu, utukufu wao utatoka kama ndege. Hakutakuwa na kuzaa, hakuna mimba, wala achukuaye mimba.
Ephraim – like a bird his glory flies away. There will be no more birth, no more motherhood, no more conception.
12 Ingawa wameleta watoto, nitawachukua ili asibaki hata mmoja. Ole wao nikiwaacha!
Even though they bring up their children, I will bereave them until not one is left. Woe to them when I turn away from them!
13 Nimeiona Efraimu, kama vile Tiro, alipandwa katika mlima, lakini Efraimu atatoa watoto wake kwa mtu atakayewaua.
Ephraim – planted like Tyre in a meadow, But Ephraim too must lead forth their children to slaughter.
14 Wape, Bwana-utawapa nini? Wape tumbo lenye kuharibu mimba na matiti ambayo haitoi maziwa.
Give them, Lord – what will you give? Give them a miscarrying womb and shrivelled up breasts!
15 'Kwa sababu ya uovu wao wote huko Gilgali, ndivyo nilipowachukia. Kwa sababu ya matendo yao ya dhambi, nitawafukuza nje ya nyumba yangu. Sitawapenda tena; maofisa wao wote ni waasi.
All their evil began in Gilgal, there I learned to hate them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. I will no longer love them, for all their princes are rebels.
16 Efraimu ni mgonjwa, na mizizi yao imekauka; hawazai matunda. Hata ikiwa wana watoto, nitawaua watoto wao wapendwa.
Ephraim is blighted, their root withered. If they do bear children, I will slay the darlings of their womb,
17 Mungu wangu atawakataa kwa sababu hawakumtii. Watakuwa watu wa kutangatanga kati ya mataifa.
My God will reject them because they have not listened to him, and they will become wanderers among the nations.
