Joeli 2
1 Piga tarumbeta katika Sayuni, na piga kelele juu ya mlima wangu mtakatifu! Wakazi wote wa nchi watetemeke kwa hofu; maana siku ya Bwana inakuja; Hakika iko karibu.
Blow ye the cornet in Zion, and sound an alarm on my holy mount; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh;
2 Ni siku ya giza na weusi, siku ya mawingu na giza nene. Kama asubuhi inayoenea kwenye milima, jeshi kubwa na la nguvu linakaribia. Hakujawahi kuwako jeshi kama hilo, na hakutakuwa tena, hata baada ya vizazi vingi.
It is a day of darkness and of gloom, a day of clouds and of tempestuous obscurity, like the morning-dawn spread out upon the mountains: a people numerous and strong, the like of which hath never been and after it there will be none any more, even to the years of all coming generations.
3 Moto unatumia kila kitu mbele yake, na nyuma yake moto unawaka. Nchi hiyo ni kama bustani ya Edeni mbele yake, lakini nyuma yake kuna jangwa lililoharibika. Hakika hakuna chochote kitakayotoroka.
Before it devoureth a fire; and behind it singeth a flame: like the garden of 'Eden was the land before it [came], and after it is a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing escapeth from it.
4 Muonekano wa jeshi ni kama farasi, na wanakimbia kama wapanda farasi.
Like the appearance of horses is its appearance; and like horsemen, so do they run.
5 Wanaruka kwa kelele kama ile ya magari juu ya vilele vya milima, kama kelele za muale wa moto ambao huangamiza majani, kama jeshi la nguvu lililo tayari kwa vita.
Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains do they leap; they are like the noise of a flame of fire consuming the stubble, as a strong people arrayed for a battle.
6 Mbele yao watu wako katika maumivu na nyuso zao zote zinakuwa za rangi.
At its presence the people are much pained: all the faces are covered with blackness.
7 Wanakimbia kama wapiganaji wenye nguvu; wanapanda kuta kama askari; wanasonga, kila mmoja kwa hatua, na hawavunji safu zao.
Like mighty men do they run; like men of war they climb up a wall; and they march every one on his own ways, and they turn not aside on their paths.
8 Wala hakuna mmoja anayemsukuma mwingine kando; wanasonga, kila mmoja katika njia yake; wao huvunja kwa njia ya ulinzi na si kuanguka nje ya mstari.
And they do not press one another; every one on his beaten track do they go forward: and they pass through between war-like weapons, and change not their purpose.
9 Wanakimbilia jiji, wanakimbia kwenye ukuta, wanapanda ndani ya nyumba, na hupita kupitia madirisha kama wezi.
Into the city they hasten forward; on the wall they run; into the houses they climb up; through the windows they make their entrance like a thief.
10 Nchi hutikisika mbele yao, mbingu hutetemeka, jua na mwezi ni giza, na nyota zinaacha kuangaza.
Before them trembleth the earth; the heavens quake; the sun and the moon are obscured, and the stars withdraw their brightness.
11 Bwana huinua sauti yake mbele ya jeshi lake; maana wapiganaji wake ni wengi sana; kwa maana wao ni wenye nguvu, wale wanaofanya amri zake. Kwa maana siku ya Bwana ni kubwa na ya kutisha sana. Nani anayeweza kuishi?
And the Lord uttereth his voice before his army; for very numerous is his camp; for strong is he that executeth his word; for great is the day of the Lord and very terrible; and who is able to endure it?
12 “Lakini hata sasa,” asema Bwana, “Nirudieni mimi kwa mioyo yenu yote. Haraka, lia na omboleza.”
But even now also, saith the Lord, return ye fully to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:
13 Rarueni miyoyo yenu, si mavazi yenu tu, na kurudi kwa Bwana Mungu wenu. Kwa maana ni mwenye neema na mwenye huruma, si mwepesi wa hasira na wingi katika uaminifu wa agano, na angependa kugeuka kutokana na adhabu.
And rend your heart, and not your garments, and return unto the Lord your God; for gracious and merciful is he, long suffering, and of great kindness, and he bethinketh himself of the evil.
14 Nani anajua? Labda angegeuka na kuwa na huruma, na kuacha baraka nyuma yake, sadaka ya unga na sadaka ya kinywaji kwa Bwana, Mungu wenu?
He that is conscious [of guilt], let him return and repent: when [the plague] may leave behind it a blessing; even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God.
15 Piga tarumbeta huko Sayuni, itisha kwa ajili ya funga takatifu, na itisheni kusanyiko takatifu.
Blow the cornet in Zion, sanctify a fast, proclaim a solemn assembly;
16 Kusanyeni watu, wito kwa kusanyiko takatifu. Kusanya wazee, kukusanya watoto na watoto wachanga. Bwana arusi waweze kutoka nje ya vyumba vyao, na bibi arusi kutoka kwenye vyumba vyao.
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts; let the bridegroom go forth out of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.
17 Basi makuhani, watumishi wa Bwana, waliao kati ya patakatifu na madhabahu. Wawaambie, Waitie watu wako, Ee Bwana, wala usitoe urithi wako kwa aibu, ili mataifa watawawale juu yao. Kwa nini wanapaswa kusema kati ya mataifa, “Yuko wapi Mungu wao?”
Between the porch and the altar let the priests weep, the ministers of the Lord, and let them say, Spare, O Lord, thy people, and give not up thy heritage to reproach, for nations to make a by-word of them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
18 Ndipo Bwana alikuwa mwenye bidii kwa nchi yake na kuwahurumia watu wake.
And the Lord was zealous for his land, and he had pity for his people.
19 Bwana akawajibu watu wake, Tazama, nitawaletea nafaka, divai mpya, na mafuta. Utaridhishwa nao, wala sitawafanya kuwa aibu kati ya mataifa.
And the Lord answered and said unto his people, “Behold, I will send you the corn, and the young wine, and the oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith; and I will not give you up any more to be a reproach among the nations:
20 Nitawaondoa washambuliaji wa kaskazini mbali nanyi, na nitawapitisha katika nchi kavu na iliyoachwa. Sehemu ya mbele ya jeshi lao itaingia bahari ya mashariki, na sehemuya nyuma itaingia bahari ya magharibi. Uvundo wake utainuka juu, na harufu yake mbaya itainuka juu. Hakika, amefanya mambo makuu.
And the host of the north will I remove far away from you, and I will drive it off into a land barren and desolate, with its advance toward the eastern sea, and its rereward toward the western sea; and its stench shall ascend, and its ill savor shall come up, because it hath done great things.”
21 Msiogope, nchi, shangilieni na kufurahi, kwa kuwa Bwana atafanya mambo makuu.
Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice; for the Lord hath done great things.
22 Usiogope, wanyama wa kondeni, kwa kuwa malisho ya jangwa yatakua, miti itazaa matunda yake, na miti ya mizabibu na mizabibu itazaa mavuno yao yote.
Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness have become green; for the tree beareth its fruit, the fig-tree and the vine yield their strength.
23 Furahini, enyi watu wa Sayuni, na kufurahi katika Bwana, Mungu wenu. Kwa maana atakupa mvua ya vuli kwa kiasi na kuleta mvua kwa ajili yenu, mvua ya vuli na mvua ya masika kama hapo awali.
And ye children of Zion, be glad, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he hath given you the first rain in beneficence, and he hath caused to come down for you the rain, the first rain, and the latter rain in the first [month].
24 Sakafu ya kupepetea zitajaa ngano, na vyombo vitafurika kwa divai mpya na mafuta.
And the threshing-floors are full of corn, and the vats overflow with young wine and oil.
25 “Nitawawezesha miaka ya mazao ambayo nzige walikula, Palale, nzige, na nzige wakuteketeza - jeshi langu lenye nguvu ambalo nimelituma kati yenu.
And I will repay to you the years [in] which the locust hath eaten [all], with the cankerworm, and the cricket, and the caterpillar, my great army, which I had sent against you.
26 Mutakula chakula tele na kushiba, na kulitukuza jina la Bwana, Mungu wenu, aliyefanya miujiza kati yenu, wala sitawaletea tena watu wangu.
And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall not be made ashamed unto eternity.
27 Utajua ya kwamba mimi niko kati ya Israeli, na kwamba mimi ni Bwana, Mungu wako, wala hakuna mwingine, wala sitawaletea aibu watu wangu.
And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else; and my people shall not be made ashamed unto eternity.
28 Itakuwa baada ya hayo nitamimina Roho yangu juu ya wenye mwili yote, na wana wenu na binti zenu watatabiri. Wazee wenu wataota ndoto, vijana wenu wataona maono.
And it shall come to pass after this, that I will pour out my spirit over all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy: your old men shall dream dreams: your young men shall see visions:
29 Pia juu ya watumishi na watumishi wa kike, siku hizo nitaimimina Roho wangu.
And also over the men-servants and over the maid-servants in those days will I pour out my spirit.
30 Nitaonyesha maajabu mbinguni na duniani, damu, moto na nguzo za moshi.
And I will display wonderful tokens in the heavens and on the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.
31 Jua litakuwa giza na mwezi kuwa damu, kabla ya siku kuu na ya kutisha ya Bwana itakapokuja.
The sun shall be changed into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the day of the Lord, the great and the terrible.
32 Itakuwa kwamba kila mtu anayeita jina la Yahweh ataokolewa. Kwa maana juu ya Mlima Sayuni na Yerusalemu watakuwa na wale waliokoka, kama Bwana alivyosema, na kati ya wale walisalia, wale ambao Bwana anawaita.
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall escape; for on mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and among the remnant whom the Lord calleth.
