< 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 as the last of the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage; there is no cluster to eat; nor first-ripe fig which my soul desireth.
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 godly man is perished out of the earth, and the upright among men is no more; they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
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.
Their hands are upon that which is evil to do it diligently; the prince asketh, and the judge is ready for a reward; and the great man, he uttereth the evil desire of his soul; thus they weave it together.
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.
The best of them is as a brier; the most upright is worse than a thorn hedge; the day of thy watchmen, even thy visitation, is come; now shall be their perplexity.
5 Msimwamini kila jirani; msimuweke kiongozi katika rafiki yeyote. Kuweni makini kuhusiana na kile msemacho hata kwa mwanamke ambaye adanganyaye kwenye mikono yenu.
Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a familiar friend; keep the doors of thy mouth from her that lieth 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, the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.
7 Lakini kama kwangu mimi, nitamtazama Yahwe. Nitamsubiri Mungu wa wokovu wangu; Mungu wangu ataniskia.
'But as for me, I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.
8 Usifurahi juu yangu, adui yangu. Niangukapo, nitainuka. Wakati nitakapokuwa nimekaa katika giza, Yahwe atakuwa mwanga kwangu.
Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy; though I am fallen, I shall arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD is a light unto me.
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 indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against Him; until He plead my cause, and execute judgment for me; He will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold His righteousness.
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.
Then mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her; who said unto me: Where is the LORD thy God? Mine eyes shall gaze upon her; now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.'
11 Siku ya ya kujenga kuta zako zitafika; siku hiyo mipaka itasogezwa mbali sana.
'The day for building thy walls, even that day, shall 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.
There shall be a day when they shall come unto thee, from Assyria even to the cities of Egypt, and from Egypt 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 desolate for them that dwell therein, because of the fruit of their doings.
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.
Tend Thy people with Thy staff, the flock of Thy heritage, that dwell solitarily, as a forest in the midst of the fruitful field; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 Kama katika siku wakati mlipotoka nje ya nchi ya Misri, nitawaonyesha maajabu.
'As in the days of thy coming forth out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvellous things.'
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 be put to shame for all their might; they shall lay their hand upon their 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 a serpent; like crawling things of the earth they shall come trembling out of their close places; they shall come with fear unto the LORD our God, and shall be afraid because of 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 unto Thee, that pardoneth the iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, 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 again have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
20 Utampatia ukweli Yakobo na agano aminifu kwa Abrahamu, ulipoapa kwa babu zetu katika siku za kale.
Thou wilt show faithfulness to Jacob, mercy to Abraham, as Thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.