< Joeli 3 >
1 Tazama, katika siku hizo na wakati huo, nitakaporudi mateka wa Yuda na Yerusalemu,
For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
2 Nami nitakusanya mataifa yote, na kuwaleta mpaka bonde la Yehoshafati. Nitawahukumu huko, kwa sababu ya watu wangu na warithi wangu Israeli, ambao waliwatawanya kati ya mataifa, na kwa sababu waligawanya nchi yangu.
I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.
3 Wamepiga kura kwa ajili ya watu wangu, walinunua kijana kwa ajili ya kahaba, kuuza msichana kwa divai ili waweze kunywa.
And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.
4 Sasa, kwa nini unanikasirikia, Tiro, Sidoni na mikoa yote ya Wafilisti? Je! mutanirudishia malipo? Hata kama mutanilipa, mara moja nitawarudishia malipo yenu juu ya vichwa vyenu wenyewe.
Yes, and what have you to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will you render me a recompense? and if you recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompense on your own head;
5 Kwa maana mumechukua fedha zangu na dhahabu zangu, nanyi mukachukua hazina zangu za thamani na kuzileta katika hekalu zenu.
Because you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:
6 Mumewauza watu wa Yuda na Yerusalemu kwa Wayunani, ili kuwaondoa mbali na maeneo yao.
The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have you sold to the Grecians, that you might remove them far from their border.
7 Tazama, nitawaamsha, watoke mahali ambako muliwauza, na nitawarudishia malipo juu ya vichwa vyenu wenyewe.
Behold, I will raise them out of the place where you have sold them, and will return your recompense on your own head:
8 Nitawauza wana wako na binti zako, kwa mkono wa watu wa Yuda. Wao watawauza Sheba, kwa taifa mbali. Kwa maana Bwana amesema.
And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD has spoken it.
9 Tangaza hii kati ya mataifa, 'Jitayarisheni wenyewe kwa ajili ya vita, waamsheni mashujaa, waacheni wakaribie, mashujaa wote wa vita wapande juu.
Proclaim you this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:
10 Yafueni majembe yenu kuwa panga na visu vyenu vya kuchongea kuwa mikuki. Basi wadhaifu waseme, 'Nina nguvu.'
Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.
11 Haraka na mje, mataifa yote ya karibu, jikusanyeni pamoja huko. Ee Bwana, washushe mashujaa wako.
Assemble yourselves, and come, all you heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause your mighty ones to come down, O LORD.
12 Naam, mataifa yajihimize yenyewe kuja hadi bonde la Yehoshafati. Kwa maana nitakaa huko kuhukumu mataifa yote ya jirani.
Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.
13 Wekeni katiki mundu, kwa maana mavuno yameiva. Njoo, muponde zabibu, kwa ajiri pipa la divai limejaa. Vipuri vilivyofurika, kwa sababu uovu wao ni mkubwa sana.
Put you in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
14 Kuna mshtuko, mshtuko katika bonde la Hukumu. Kwa maana siku ya Bwana i karibu katika bonde la hukumu.
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15 Jua na mwezi vinakuwa giza, nyota zimeacha kuangaza.
The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
16 Bwana ataunguruma kutoka Sayuni, na kuinua sauti yake kutoka Yerusalemu. Mbingu na nchi zitatikisika, lakini Bwana atakuwa makao kwa ajili ya watu wake, na ngome kwa wana wa Israeli.
The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.
17 Kwa hiyo mtajua ya kuwa mimi ndimi Bwana, Mungu wenu, anayeishi Sayuni, mlima wangu mtakatifu. Kisha Yerusalemu itakuwa takatifu, na hakuna jeshi litaklozunguka tena.
So shall you know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.
18 Katika siku hiyo, milima itatayarisha divai nzuri, milima itatiririsha maziwa, miito yote ya Yuda itapita katikati ya maji, na chemchemi zitakuja kutoka nyumba ya Bwana na maji ya bonde la Shitimu.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth out of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.
19 Misri itakuwa ukiwa, na Edomu itakuwa jangwa tupu, kwa sababu ya vurugu iliyofanyika kwa watu wa Yuda, kwa sababu walimwaga damu isiyo na hatia katika nchi yao.
Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
20 Lakini Yuda utakua mwenyeji milele, na Yerusalemu itakuwa kizazi hata kizazi.
But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
21 Nitawalipizia damu yao, ambayo sijajilipizia kisasi, kwa maana Bwana anaishi Sayuni.
For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwells in Zion.