< 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 when they have gathered the summer fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage: [there is] no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit.
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 good [man] hath perished from the earth: and [there is] none upright among men: 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.
That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asketh, and the judge [asketh] for a reward; and the great [man], he uttereth his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up.
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 sharper] than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen [and] thy visitation cometh; 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 guide: 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 dishonoreth 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.
Therefore I will look to 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 my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD [will be] a light to 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 shall 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 [she that is] my enemy shall see [it], and shame shall cover her who said to me, Where is the LORD thy God? my eyes shall behold 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.
[In] the day that thy walls are to be built, [in] that day shall the decree 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 [also] he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and [from] the fortified cities, and from the fortress 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.
Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell in it, for 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.
Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thy heritage, who dwell solitarily [in] the wood, in the midst of Carmel: 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.
According to the days of thy departure from the land of Egypt will I show to him marvelous [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 confounded at 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, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear 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 to thee, that pardoneth 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 turn again, he will 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 perform the truth to Jacob, [and] the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn to our fathers from the days of old.