< Mika 7 >
1 Ole wangu! Kwangu mimi ni kama msimu wa mavuno ulipokwisha, na pia makombo ya mavuno ya zabibu kwenye shamba la mizabibu: Hakuna tena kishamba cha matunda kinachoonekana, hakuna matini ya malimbuka ambayo ninayoyatamani.
Woe is me, for I am become as one that gleaneth in autumn the grapes of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat, my soul desired the firstripe figs.
2 Watu waaminifu wamepotelea kutoka kwenye nchi, hakuna mtu mwadilifu katika wanadamu wote. Wote hudanganya katika kusubiri kumwaga damu; kila mtu humuwinda ndugu yake mwenyewe kwa wavu.
The holy man is perished out of the earth, and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood, every one hunteth his brother to death.
3 Mikono yao ni mizuri mno kwa kufanya madhara. watawala huuliza pesa, hakimu yuko tayari kwa rushwa, na mtu mwenye nguvu anawaambia wengine kile anachokitaka kujipatia. Hivyo ndivyo waundavyo kwa pamoja.
The evil of their hands they call good: the prince requireth, and the judge is for giving: and the great man hath uttered the desire of his soul, and they have troubled it.
4 Mtu bora kwao ni kama mitemba, mwadilifu sana ni kama mche wa miba. Imefika siku iliyosemwa nyuma na walinzi wako, siku ya hukumu. Sasa ni mda wa machafuko.
He that is best among them, is as a brier: and he that is righteous, as the thorn of the hedge. The day of thy inspection, thy visitation cometh: now shall be their destruction.
5 Msimwamini kila jirani; msimuweke kiongozi katika rafiki yeyote. Kuweni makini kuhusiana na kile msemacho hata kwa mwanamke ambaye adanganyaye kwenye mikono yenu.
Believe not a friend, and trust not in a prince: keep the doors of thy mouth from her that sleepeth in thy bosom.
6 Kwa kuwa mwana humfedhehesha baba yake, binti huinuka kushindana na mama yake, na mke wa mwana wa kiume hushindana na mama mkwe wake. Adui wa watu ni watu wa nyumba yake mwenyewe.
For the son dishonoureth the father, and the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter in law against her mother in law: and a man’s enemies are they of his own household.
7 Lakini kama kwangu mimi, nitamtazama Yahwe. Nitamsubiri Mungu wa wokovu wangu; Mungu wangu ataniskia.
But I will look towards the Lord, I will wait for God my Saviour: my God will hear me.
8 Usifurahi juu yangu, adui yangu. Niangukapo, nitainuka. Wakati nitakapokuwa nimekaa katika giza, Yahwe atakuwa mwanga kwangu.
Rejoice not, thou, my enemy, over me, because I am fallen: I shall arise, when I sit in darkness, the Lord is my light.
9 Kwasababu nimetenda dhambi dhidi ya Yahwe, nitachukua ghadhabu yake hata aniteteapo kosa langu, na kutekeleza hukumu kwa ajili yangu. Atanileta kwenye nuru, na nitamwona akiniokoa kwenye haki yake.
I will bear the wrath of the Lord, because I have sinned against him; until he judge my cause and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth into the light, I shall behold his justice.
10 Kisha adui yangu atakapoliona hilo, na aibu itamfunika yule aliyeniambia, “Yahwe Mungu wako yuko wapi?” macho yangu yatamtazama; atakanyagwa chini kama tope kwenye mitaa.
And my enemy shall behold, and she shall be covered with shame, who saith to me: Where is the Lord thy God? My eyes shall look down upon her: now shall she be trodden under foot as the mire of the streets.
11 Siku ya ya kujenga kuta zako zitafika; siku hiyo mipaka itasogezwa mbali sana.
The day shall come, that thy walls may be built up: in that day shall the law be far removed.
12 Siku hiyo watu watakuja kwako, kutoka Ashuru na miji katika Misri, kutoka Misri hata mto mkubwa, kutoka bahari kwenda bahari, na kutoka mlima kwenda mlima.
In that day they shall come even from Assyria to thee, and to the fortified cities: and from the fortified cities even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain.
13 Hizo nchi zitakuwa zimejitenga kwasababu ya watu ambao wanaishi huko sasa, kwasababu ya tunda la matendo yao.
And the land shall be made desolate, because of the inhabitants thereof, and for the fruit of their devices.
14 Chunga watu wako kwa fimbo yako, kundi la urithi wako. Wanaishi wenyewe kwenye msitu, katikati ya msitu. Wachunge katika Bashani na Gileadi kama siku za zamani.
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy inheritance, them that dwell alone in the forest, in the midst of Carmel: they shall feed in Basan and Galaad according to the days of old.
15 Kama katika siku wakati mlipotoka nje ya nchi ya Misri, nitawaonyesha maajabu.
According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt I will shew him wonders.
16 Mataifa yataona na kuwa na aibu ya nguvu zao zote. Wataweka mikono yao kwenye midomo yao; masikio yao yatakuwa kiziwi.
The nations shall see, and shall be confounded at all their strength: they shall put the hand upon the mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
17 Watalamba vumbi kama nyoka, kama viumbe vitaambavyo juu ya nchi. Watatoka nje kwenye maficho kwa hofu; watakuja kwako kwa hofu, Yahwe Mungu wetu, na wataogopa kwa sababu yako.
They shall lick the dust like serpents, as the creeping things of the earth, they shall be disturbed in their houses: they shall dread the Lord our God, and shall fear thee.
18 Ni nani aliye Mungu kama wewe, wewe uchukuaye dhambi, wewe upitaye juu ya kosa la mabaki ya mrithi wako? Hutunzi hasira yako milele, kwa sababu unapenda kutuonyesha agano lako la aminifu.
Who is a God like to thee, who takest away iniquity, and passest by the sin of the remnant of thy inheritance? he will send his fury in no more, because he delighteth in mercy.
19 Tena utakuwa na huruma juu yetu; utayakanyaga maovu chini ya miguu yako. Utazitupa dhambi zetu zote kwenye vilindi vya bahari.
He will turn again, and have mercy on us: he will put away our iniquities: and he will cast all our sins into the bottom of the sea.
20 Utampatia ukweli Yakobo na agano aminifu kwa Abrahamu, ulipoapa kwa babu zetu katika siku za kale.
Thou wilt perform the truth of Jacob, the mercy to Abraham: which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the days of old.