< Zekaria 9 >
1 Hili ni tamko la neno la Yahwe kuhusu nchi ya Hadraki na Damesiki. Kwa maana jicho la Yahwe liko juu ya wanadamu wote, na juu ya kabila zote za Israeli pia.
An oracle: The message of the Lord concerns the land of Hadrach, it rests upon Damascus. For the capital of Aram belongs to the Lord, as the tribes of Israel do,
2 Azimio hili pia linaihusu Hamathi, inayopakana na Damesiki, na linahusu Tiro na Sidoni, japokuwa ni werevu sana.
and also Hamath which borders on it. Tyre and Sidon, for all their wisdom.
3 Tiro amejijengea ngome na kurundika fedha kama mavumbi na dhahabu safi kama matope mitaani.
Tyre built for herself a fortress. Heaped up silver as dust, and gold like the dirt of the streets.
4 Tazama! Bwana atamnyang'anya na kuharibu nguvu zake juu ya bahari, kwa hiyo atateketezwa kwa moto.
But now the Lord will dispossess her, cast down her rampart into the sea. She will be consumed in fire.
5 Ashikeloni ataona na kuogopa! Gaza pia atatemeka sana! Ekroni, tumanini lake litatikiswa! Mfalme ataangamizwa kuanzia Gaza, na Ashikeloni haitakuwa na watu tena!
Ashkelon will see and fear, and Gaza writhe in anguish, Ekron, also for her hope will be put to shame. The king will perish from Gaza, Ashkelon will remain uninhabited.
6 Wageni watafanya makao yao katika Ashidodi, nami nitakiondoa kiburi cha Wafilisiti.
A foreign people will settle in Ashdod, and I will humble the pride of the Philistines.
7 Kwani nitaondoa damu yao katika vinywa vyao na machukizo yao kutoka kati ya meno yao. Ndipo watakapokuwa masalia kwa Mungu wetu kama ukoo katika Yuda, na Ekironi atakuwa kama Wayebusi.
I will take their blood from their mouth, and their abominations from between their teeth. They also will be a remnant for our God, like a clan in Judah, and Ekron will be like the Jebusites.
8 Nitaweka kambi kuzunguka nchi yangu kinyume cha majeshi ya adui hata hakuna atakayeweza kupita ndani yake tena, kwani hakuna mtesaji atakayeipita tena. Kwa kuwa sasa nitaangalia nchi yangu kwa macho yangu mwenyewe!
But I will encamp as a guard about my house, so that none will pass through or return, and no oppressor will pass through them again, for now I have seen with my own eyes.
9 Piga kelele kwa furaha, ewe binti Sayuni! Piga kelele kwa shangwe, ewe binti Yerusalem! Tazama! Mfalme wako anakuja kwako pamoja na uadilifu na anakuokoa. Ni mnyenyekevu, amepanda punda, mwanapunda.
Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king comes to you. Vindicated and victorious is he, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
10 Ndipo nitakapoondoa kibandawazi kutoka Efraimu na farasi kutoka Yerusalemu, na upinde utaondolewa katika vita; kwani atasema amani kwa mataifa, na utawala wake utakuwa kutoka bahari hata bahari, na kutoka katika mto hadi miisho ya dunia!
He will cut off chariots from Ephraim, and war horses from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be cut off, and he will speak peace to the nations. His rule will be from sea to sea, from the river to the ends of the earth.
11 Lakini kwenu, kwa sababu ya damu ya agano langu nanyi, nitawaweka wafungwa wenu huru kutoka shimoni pasipo na maji.
And you, too – because of your blood covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the waterless pit.
12 Rudini ngomeni, wafungwa wa matumaini! Hata leo natamka kwamba nitawarudishia mara mbili, kwani nimempinda Yuda kama upinde wangu.
To the stronghold will the prisoners of hope return. This day I declare, I will restore double to you.
13 Hata nimelijaza podo langu pamoja na Efraimu. Nimewainua wana wenu, Sayuni, kinyume cha wana wenu, Ugiriki, na amekufanya wewe, Sayuni, kama upanga wa shujaa!
For I have bent Judah to me, like a bow which I have filled with Ephraim like an arrow. I will urge your sons, Zion, against the sons of Greece, I will make you like the sword of a hero.
14 Yahwe atawatokea, na mishale yake itapiga kama radi! Kwa maana Yahwe Bwana wangu atapiga tarumbeta naye ataendelea pamoja na dhoruba kutoka Temani.
Then the Lord will be seen above them and his arrow will go forth like lightning. The Lord will blow a blast upon a trumpet, and travel on the whirlwinds of the south.
15 Yahwe wa majeshi atawatetea, nao watawararua na kuyashinda mawe ya kombeo. Ndipo watakapo kunywa na kupiga kelele kama mtu aliyelewa kwa mvunyo, nao watajazwa na mvinyo kama mabakuri, kama pembe za madhabahu.
The Lord of hosts will defend them. They will devour and tread down the slingstones, they will drink their blood like wine, they will be full like a bowl, like the crevices of the altar.
16 Hivyo Yahwe Mungu wao atawaokoa siku hiyo; watakuwa kama kundi la kondoo lililo na watu wake, kwani watakuwa mapambo ya taji, yaliyoinuliwa juu ya nchi yake.
And the Lord their God will save them on that day, as the flock of his people, as the jewel of a crown shining in his land.
17 Jinsi gani watakavyokuwa wazuri na warembo! vijana watastawi juu ya nafaka na bikra juu ya divai tamu!
How good and how beautiful will it be! Corn will make the young men flourish and new wine the young women!