Sefania 2
1 Kusanyikeni pamoja ninyi wenyewe mkutano wa hadhara na kusanyikeni, taifa lisilokuwa na aibu -
Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame;
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 bring forth, [before] the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come 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 ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in 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 shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.
5 Ole kwa wanaokaa kando ya bahari, taifa la Wakerethi! Yahwe amesema dhidi yenu, Kanaani, nchi ya Wafilisiti. Nitawaangamiza hakuna mkazi atakayebakia.
Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of the LORD is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines; I will destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.
6 Hiyo nchi ya kando ya bahari itakuwa malisho kwa wachungaji na kwa mazizi ya kondoo.
And the sea coast shall be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.
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.
And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed [their flocks] thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for the LORD their God shall visit them, and bring again their captivity.
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 revilings of the children of Ammon, wherewith they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.
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 I live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, a possession of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my nation shall inherit them.
10 Hili litatokea kwa Moabu na Amoni kwa sababu ya kiburi chao, tangu walipowadhihaki na kuwatukana watu wa Yahwe wa majeshi.
This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against 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 terrible unto them: for he will famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles of the nations.
12 Ninyi Wakushi pia mtakufa kwa upanga wangu,
Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall 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; and will make Nineveh a desolation, and dry like the wilderness.
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.
And herds shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the pelican and the porcupine shall lodge in the chapiters thereof: [their] voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds; for he hath laid bare the cedar work.
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 is the joyous city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none else beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.
