< 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 a horn in Zion, And shout in My holy hill, All inhabitants of the earth tremble, For the Day of YHWH is coming, for [it is] near!
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.
A day of darkness and thick darkness, A day of cloud and thick darkness, As darkness spread on the mountains, A people numerous and mighty, Like there has not been from of old, And after it there is not again—Until the years of generation and generation.
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 fire has consumed, And after it a flame burns, As the Garden of Eden [is] the land before it, And after it a wilderness—a desolation! And also there has not been to it an escape,
4 Muonekano wa jeshi ni kama farasi, na wanakimbia kama wapanda farasi.
As the appearance of horses [is] its appearance, And as horsemen, so 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.
As the noise of chariots, they skip on the tops of the mountains, As the noise of a flame of fire devouring stubble, As a mighty people set in array for battle.
6 Mbele yao watu wako katika maumivu na nyuso zao zote zinakuwa za rangi.
Pained are peoples from its face, All faces have gathered paleness.
7 Wanakimbia kama wapiganaji wenye nguvu; wanapanda kuta kama askari; wanasonga, kila mmoja kwa hatua, na hawavunji safu zao.
They run as mighty ones, As men of war they go up a wall, And they each go in his own ways, And they do not change 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 each does not press his brother, They each go on in his way, If they fall by the missile, they are not cut off.
9 Wanakimbilia jiji, wanakimbia kwenye ukuta, wanapanda ndani ya nyumba, na hupita kupitia madirisha kama wezi.
In the city they run to and fro, On the wall they run, Into houses they go up by the windows, They go in as a thief.
10 Nchi hutikisika mbele yao, mbingu hutetemeka, jua na mwezi ni giza, na nyota zinaacha kuangaza.
At their face the earth has trembled, The heavens have shaken, Sun and moon have been black, And stars have gathered up their shining.
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 YHWH has given forth His voice before His force, For His camp [is] very great, For mighty [is] the doer of His word, For great [is] the Day of YHWH—very fearful, And who bears it?
12 “Lakini hata sasa,” asema Bwana, “Nirudieni mimi kwa mioyo yenu yote. Haraka, lia na omboleza.”
“And also now,” a declaration of YHWH, “Turn back to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, and with weeping, And with lamentation.”
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 tear your heart, and not your garments, And turn back to your God YHWH, For He [is] gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and abundant in kindness, And relenting from 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?
Who knows—He turns back, Indeed—He has relented, And He has left behind Him a blessing, A present and drink-offering of your God YHWH?
15 Piga tarumbeta huko Sayuni, itisha kwa ajili ya funga takatifu, na itisheni kusanyiko takatifu.
Blow a horn in Zion, Sanctify a fast—proclaim a restraint.
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 an assembly, Assemble the aged, Gather infants and sucklings of the breasts, Let a bridegroom go out from his inner chamber, And a 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?”
Let the priests weep between the porch and the altar, servants of YHWH, And let them say: “Have pity, O YHWH, on Your people, And do not give Your inheritance to reproach, To the ruling over them of nations, Why do they say among peoples, Where [is] their God?”
18 Ndipo Bwana alikuwa mwenye bidii kwa nchi yake na kuwahurumia watu wake.
And let YHWH be zealous for His land, And have pity on His people.
19 Bwana akawajibu watu wake, Tazama, nitawaletea nafaka, divai mpya, na mafuta. Utaridhishwa nao, wala sitawafanya kuwa aibu kati ya mataifa.
Let YHWH answer and say to His people, “Behold, I am sending to you the grain, And the new wine, and the oil, And you have been satisfied with it, And I make you no longer a reproach among 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 northern I put far off from you, And have driven him to a land dry and desolate, With his face toward the Eastern Sea, And his rear to the Western Sea, And his stink has come up, And his stench comes up, For he has exerted himself to work.”
21 Msiogope, nchi, shangilieni na kufurahi, kwa kuwa Bwana atafanya mambo makuu.
Do not fear, O land! Be glad and rejoice, For YHWH has exerted Himself to work.
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.
Do not fear, O livestock of the field! For pastures of a wilderness have sprung up, For the tree has borne its fruit, Fig tree and vine have given 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 you sons of Zion, Be glad and rejoice in your God YHWH, For He has given to you the Teacher for righteousness, And causes a shower to come down to you, Early rain and spring rain [as] in the beginning.
24 Sakafu ya kupepetea zitajaa ngano, na vyombo vitafurika kwa divai mpya na mafuta.
And the floors have been full [with] pure grain, And the presses have overflown [with] new 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 have repaid to you the years that the locust consumed, The cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmer-worm, My great force that I 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 you have eaten, eating and being satisfied, And have praised the Name of your God YHWH, Who has dealt with you wonderfully, And My people are not ashamed for all time.
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 you have known that I [am] in the midst of Israel, And I [am] your God YHWH, and there is none else, And My people are not ashamed for all time.
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 has come to pass afterward, I pour out My Spirit on all flesh, And your sons and your daughters have prophesied, Your old men dream dreams, Your young men see visions.
29 Pia juu ya watumishi na watumishi wa kike, siku hizo nitaimimina Roho wangu.
And also on the menservants and on the maidservants, In those days I pour out My Spirit.
30 Nitaonyesha maajabu mbinguni na duniani, damu, moto na nguzo za moshi.
And I have given wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood, and fire, and columns of smoke.
31 Jua litakuwa giza na mwezi kuwa damu, kabla ya siku kuu na ya kutisha ya Bwana itakapokuja.
The sun is turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, Before the coming of the Day of YHWH, The great and the fearful.
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 has come to pass, Everyone who calls on the Name of YHWH is delivered, For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there is an escape, As YHWH has said, And among the remnants whom YHWH is calling!”

< Joeli 2 >