Sefania 2
1 Kusanyikeni pamoja ninyi wenyewe mkutano wa hadhara na kusanyikeni, taifa lisilokuwa na aibu -
Gather yourselves, gather together, O shameful nation,
2 kabla amri kuchukua madhara na siku hiyo kupita kama makapi, kabla hasira kali ya ghadhabu ya Yahwe kuja juu yenu, kabla siku ya ghadhabu ya Bwana kuja juu yenu.
before the decree takes effect and the day passes like chaff, before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the Day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you.
3 Mtafuteni Yahwe, ninyi watu wote wanyenyekevu duniani mnaozitii amri zake! Tafuteni haki yake. Tafuteni unyenyekevu, na labda mtalindwa katika siku ya ghadhabu ya Yahwe.
Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth who carry out His justice. Seek righteousness; seek humility. Perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.
4 hivyo Gaza utatelekezwa, na Ashkeloni utageuka kuwa uharibifu. Watauondoshea mbali Ashdodi wakati wa mchana, na wataung'oa Ekroni!
For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon left in ruins. Ashdod will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be uprooted.
5 Ole kwa wanaokaa kando ya bahari, taifa la Wakerethi! Yahwe amesema dhidi yenu, Kanaani, nchi ya Wafilisiti. Nitawaangamiza hakuna mkazi atakayebakia.
Woe to the dwellers of the seacoast, O nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines: “I will destroy you, and no one will be left.”
6 Hiyo nchi ya kando ya bahari itakuwa malisho kwa wachungaji na kwa mazizi ya kondoo.
So the seacoast will become a land of pastures, with wells for shepherds and folds for sheep.
7 Nchi ya kando ya bahari itakuwa mali ya mabaki ya watu wa nyumba ya Yuda, watakaochungia makundi yao huko. Watu wao watalala jioni katika nyumba ya Ashikeloni, kwa kuwa Yahwe Mungu wao atawatunza na kurejesha wafungwa wao.
The coast will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; there they will find pasture. They will lie down in the evening among the houses of Ashkelon, for the LORD their God will attend to them and restore their captives.
8 Nilizisikia dhihaka za Moabu na wakiwatukana watu wa Amoni wakati walipowadhihaki watu wangu na kujitukuza mipakani mwao.
“I have heard the reproach of Moab and the insults of the Ammonites, who have taunted My people and threatened their borders.
9 Kwa hiyo, kama ninavyoishi - hili ni tamko la Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, - Moabu itakuja kuwa kama Sodoma, na watu wa Amoni kama Gomora; mahali pa viwavi na shimo la chumvi, jangwa la daima. Lakini watu wangu waliosalia watawateka mateka, na watu wa taifa langu waliobaki watachukua umiliki wao.'
Therefore, as surely as I live,” declares the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, “surely Moab will be like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah— a place of weeds and salt pits, a perpetual wasteland. The remnant of My people will plunder them; the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.”
10 Hili litatokea kwa Moabu na Amoni kwa sababu ya kiburi chao, tangu walipowadhihaki na kuwatukana watu wa Yahwe wa majeshi.
This they shall have in return for their pride, for taunting and mocking the people of the LORD of Hosts.
11 Ndipo watamwogopa Yahwe, kwa kuwa ataidhihaki miungu yote ya dunia. Kila mmoja atamwabudu yeye, kila mmoja kutoka mahali pake, kutoka kila upande wa pwani.
The LORD will be terrifying to them when He starves all the gods of the earth. Then the nations of every shore will bow in worship to Him, each in its own place.
12 Ninyi Wakushi pia mtakufa kwa upanga wangu,
“You too, O Cushites, will be slain by My sword.”
13 na mkono wa Mungu utaishambulia kaskazini na kuiangamiza Ashuru, Kwa hiyo Ninawi utatelekezwa kwa kuteketezwa, kuwa pakavu kama jangwa.
And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria; He will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as a desert.
14 Ndipo makundi ya wanyama yatalala pale, kila mnyama wa mataifa, wote kirukanjia na nungunungu watapumzika juu ya safu zao. Sauti itasikika kutoka madirishani; kifusi kitakuwa milangoni; nakshi za mwerezi wao mihimili itakuwa imeifunua.
Herds will lie down in her midst, creatures of every kind. Both the desert owl and screech owl will roost atop her pillars. Their calls will sound from the window, but desolation will lie on the threshold, for He will expose the beams of cedar.
15 huu ni mji wa kushangiliwa ambao umekaa pasipo hofu, ambaye husema moyoni mwake, “Mimi niko, na hakuna mwingine wa kufanana na Mimi”. Kwa namna ulivyokuwa wa kutisha, mahali pa kulala wanyama ndani yake. Kila mmoja ambaye hupitia kwake huuhisia na kutingisha ngumi kwake.
This carefree city that dwells securely, that thinks to herself: “I am it, and there is none besides me,” what a ruin she has become, a resting place for beasts. Everyone who passes by her hisses and shakes his fist.
