< Ufunuo 17 >
1 Mmoja wa malaika saba aliyekuwa na vitasa saba alikuja na kuniambia, “Njoo, nitakuonesha hukumu ya kahaba mkuu akaaye juu ya maji mengi,
Then came one of the seven angels who have the seven cups, and talked with me, saying: Come, I will show thee the judgment of the great harlot, who sitteth upon many waters;
2 ambaye wafalme wa nchi wamefanya mambo ya uzinzi naye na juu ya mvinyo wa uzinzi wake wakaao duniani wameleweshwa.”
with whom the kings of the earth have practised whoredom, and the inhabitants of the earth have been inebriated with the wine of her whoredom.
3 Malaika akanichukua katika Roho mpaka nyikani, na nilimwona mwanamke amekaa juu ya mnyama mwekundu aliyejaa majina ya matukano. Mnyama alikuwa na vichwa saba na pembe kumi.
And he led me in spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sitting on a red beast of prey, which was full of names of blasphemy, and had seven heads and ten horns.
4 Mwanamke alivikwa nguo ya zambarau na nyekundu na amepambwa kwa dhahabu, mawe ya thamani, na lulu. Alikuwa ameshikilia mkononi mwake kikombe cha dhahabu kilichojaa vitu vya machukizo ya uchafu wa uasherati wake.
And the woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and gilded with gold, and precious stones, and pearls; and she had a cup of gold in her hand, which was full of the pollutions and impurity of her whoredoms of the earth.
5 Juu ya paji la uso wake limeandikwa jina la siri: “BABELI MKUU, MAMA WA MAKAHABA NA YA VITU VYA MACHUKIZO YA NCHI.”
And upon her forehead was the name written: Mystery: Babylon the great; the Mother of Harlots, and of the contaminations of the Earth.
6 Nikaona ya kuwa mwanamke huyo alikuwa amelewa kwa damu ya waumini na damu ya waliokufa kwa ajili ya Yesu. Wakati nilipomwona, nilikuwa na mshangao mkuu.
And I saw that the woman was intoxicated with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. And when I saw her, I wondered with great amazement.
7 Lakini malaika akaniambia, “Kwa nini unashangaa? Nitakueleza maana ya mwanamke na mnyama amchukuaye (mnyama huyo mwenye vichwa saba na zile pembe kumi).
And the Angel said to me, Why dost thou wonder? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast of prey that beareth her, which hath the seven heads and the ten horns.
8 Mnyama uliyemwona alikuwepo, hayupo tena sasa, lakini yuko tayari kupanda kutoka katika shimo lisilo na mwisho. Kisha ataendelea na uharibifu. Wale wakaao juu ya nchi, wale ambao majina yao hayakuandikwa kwenye kitabu cha uzima tangu kuwekwa misingi ya ulimwengu - watashangaa wamwonapo mnyama aliyekuwepo, kwamba hayupo sasa, lakini yupo karibu kuja. (Abyssos )
The beast of prey which thou sawest, was, and is not; and he will ascend from the abyss and go into perdition: and the dwellers on the earth, whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast of prey, which was, and is not, and approacheth. (Abyssos )
9 Wito huu ni kwa ajili ya akili zilizo na hekima. Vichwa saba ni milima saba ambapo mwanamke alikaa juu yake.
Here is intelligence, for him who hath wisdom. Those seven heads are the seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 Nayo pia ni wafalme saba. Wafalme watano wameanguka, mmoja yupo, na mwingine hajaja bado; wakati atakapokuja, atakaa kwa muda mfupi tu.
And there are seven kings: of whom five have fallen, one exists, and the other hath not yet come; and when he cometh he must continue for a short time.
11 Mnyama aliyekuwepo, lakini sasa hayupo, yeye pia ni mfalme wa nane; lakini ni mmoja wa wale wafalme saba, na anaenda kwenye uharibifu.
And the beast of prey, which was and is not, is the eighth, and is from the seven, and is for perdition.
12 Zile pembe kumi ulizoziona ni wafalme kumi ambao hawajapokea ufalme, lakini watapokea mamlaka kama wafalme kwa saa moja pamoja na mnyama.
And the ten horns which thou sawest, are ten kings. These persons have not yet received royalty; but they receive authority, as if kings, with the beasts of prey, for one hour.
13 Hawa wana shauri moja, na watampa nguvu zao na mamlaka yule mnyama.
They have one mind; and they will give their power and authority unto the beast of prey.
14 Watafanya vita baina yao na Mwana kondoo. Lakini Mwana kondoo atawashinda kwa sababu ni Bwana wa mabwana na Mfalme wa wafalme - na katika yeye tuliitwa, tulichaguliwa, waaminifu.”
They will make war upon the Lamb; and the Lamb will vanquish them; because he is Lord of lords, and King of kings, and these with him are called and chosen and faithful.
15 Malaika akaniambia, “Yale maji uliyoyaona, hapo alipoketi yule kahaba ni watu, makutano, mataifa na lugha.
And he said to me: The waters which thou sawest, where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
16 Zile pembe kumi ulizoziona - hizo na yule mnyama watamchukia yule kahaba. Nao watamfanya kuwa mpweke na uchi, watamla mwili wake, na watauteketeza kwa moto.
And the ten horns which thou sawest, and the beast of prey, will hate the harlot; and they will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 Maana Mungu ameweka mioyoni mwao kubeba kusudi lake kwa makubaliano ya kumpa mnyama nguvu zao kumtawala mpaka maneno ya Mungu yatakapotimia.
For God hath put into their hearts, to do his pleasure, and to execute one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast of prey, until these words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 Yule mwanamke uliyemwona ni mji ule mkubwa utawalao juu ya wafalme wa nchi.”
And the woman whom thou sawest, is the great city, which hath dominion over the kings of the earth.