< Hosea 1 >
1 Hili ni neno la Bwana lililofika kwa Hosea mwana wa Beeri siku za Uzia, Yothamu, Ahazi na Hezekia, wafalme wa Yuda, na katika siku za Yeroboamu mwana wa Yoashi, mfalme wa Israeli.
The Lord sent a message to Hosea son of Beeri at the time when Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz were the kings of Judah, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash was the king of Israel.
2 Wakati Bwana alipozungumza kwanza kupitia Hosea, akamwambia, “Nenda ukajitwalie mke ambaye ni kahaba. Atakuwa na watoto ambao ni matokeo ya ukahaba wake. Kwa maana nchi inafanya uzinzi mkubwa kwa kumwacha Bwana.”
The Lord began speaking through Hosea by telling him, “Go and take a wife who is a prostitute and have children born to a prostitute because those living in this land have committed terrible prostitution by turning away from the Lord.”
3 Basi Hosea akaenda akamwoa Gomeri binti Diblaimu, naye akachukua mimba, akazaa mtoti mwanamume.
So Hosea went and married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim. She became pregnant and bore Hosea a son.
4 Bwana akamwambia Hosea, Mwite jina lake Yezreeli. Kwa maana kwa muda mfupi nitaiadhibu nyumba ya Yehu kwa sababu ya kumwaga damu huko Yezreeli; nami nitamaliza ufalme wa nyumba ya Israeli.
The Lord told Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I am going to punish the house of Jehu for the blood he shed at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
5 Itatokea siku ile nitakapovunja upinde wa Israeli katika bonde la Yezreeli.
On that day I will break Israel's military power in the valley of Jezreel.”
6 Gomeri akachukua mimba tena akamzaa binti. Ndipo Bwana akamwambia Hosea, “Mwite jina lake Lo Ruhama; kwa maana sitawahurumia tena nyumba ya Israeli, nisije nikawasamehe kwa njia yoyote.
Gomer became pregnant again and gave birth to a daughter. The Lord told Hosea, “Call her Lo-ruhamah, because I will no longer love the house of Israel and certainly not forgive them.
7 Hata hivyo nitawahurumia nyumba ya Yuda, nami nitawaokoa mwenyewe, Bwana, Mungu wao. Sitawaokoa kwa upinde, upanga, vita, farasi, au wapanda farasi. '
But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them—but I will not save them by bow or sword or war or horses and riders.”
8 Baada ya Gomeri kumwachisha Lo Ruhama, alipata mimba na kuzaa mtoto mwingine mwanamume.
After Gomer had weaned Lo-ruhamah she became pregnant again and gave birth to a son.
9 Ndipo Bwana akasema, “Mwite jina la Lo Ami; kwa kuwa ninyi si watu wangu, wala mimi si Mungu wenu.”
The Lord told Hosea, “Call him Lo-ammi, because you are not my people and I am not your God.
10 Hata hivyo idadi ya watu wa Israeli itakuwa kama mchanga wa bahari, ambayo haiwezi kupimwa au kuhesabiwa. Itakuwa pale ambapo waliambiwa, “Ninyi si watu wangu,” wataambiwa, “Ninyi ni watu wa Mungu aliye hai.”
Even so the number of the people of Israel will be like the sand on the seashore that cannot be measured or counted. Then right there at the place where they were told ‘you are not my people’ they will be called ‘the children of the living God.’
11 Watu wa Yuda na watu wa Israeli watakusanyika pamoja. Wao wataweka kiongozi mmoja wao wenyewe, na watatoka kutoka nchi, kwa maana itakuwa siku ya Yezreeli kuu.
The people of Israel and the people of Judah will be gathered together and they will choose one leader for themselves and they will take possession of the land, and the day of Jezreel will be great.”