Sefania 3
1 Ole kwa mji ulioasi! Mji wenye vurugu umenajisiwa.
Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,
2 Haukuisikiliza sauti ya Mungu, wala haukupokea masahihisho kutoka kwa Yahwe. Hakumtumaini Yahwe na hatamkaribia Mungu wake.
She has not obeyed the voice, she has not accepted instruction, In the Lord she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near.
3 Wafalme wao ni simba wanaounguruma miongoni mwao. Waamuzi wao ni mbwa mwitu wa jioni wasiobakiza kitu ambacho kitakuwa kimemung'unywa asubuhi yake.
Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves, who leave nothing over until the morning,
4 Manabii wake wanakiburi na wanaume wasaliti. Makuhani wake wamepanajisi mahali patakatifu na wameifanyia vurugu sheria.
Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men. Her priests profane what is holy and do violence to the law.
5 Yahwe ni mwenye haki miongoni mwao. Hawezi kufanya makosa. Kila asubuhi husimamia haki yake! Haitafichika nuruni, hata hivyo watu wasio wenye haki hawajui kuona aibu.
The Lord is righteous in her midst, he does no wrong, Morning by morning he establishes his decree, Light is not lacking, an oversight is unknown. But the unjust know no shame.
6 Nimeyaharibu mataifa; ngome zao zimeharibiwa. Nimeifanya mitaa yao magofu, hivyo hakuna hata mmoja anayepitia kwake. Miji yao imeharibiwa kwa hiyo hakuna mtu anayeikaa.
“I have cut off nations, their turrets are destroyed; I have laid waste their broad streets, so that none passes over them. Desolate are their cities without people, without inhabitants.”
7 Nikasema, 'Hakika mtaniogopa mimi. Pokeeni masahihisho na msikatiliwe mbali kutoka kwenye miji yenu kwa yote yale niliyokuwa nimeyapanga kuyafanya kwenu.' Lakini walikuwa na shauku kuanza kila siku kwa kuharibu matendo yao yote.
I said: “Surely the city will fear me, she will accept instruction. Nothing will vanish from her eyes that I have impressed upon her; But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.”
8 Kwa hiyo ningojeni - hili ni tamko la Yahwe - mpaka siku ambayo nitainuka kwa ajili ya waathirika. Uaamuzi wangu nikuwakusanya mataifa, kuzikusanya falme, na kumwaga juu yao hasira yangu, uchungu wangu wote mkali, hivyo nchi yote itamezwa kwa moto wa hasira yangu.
Wait for me, is the Lord’s message, until the day when I stand up as a witness, for it is my fixed purpose to gather the nations, to collect the kingdoms, to pour upon them my wrath and my hot anger; for by the fire of my fury will all the earth be consumed.
9 Ndipo nitawapa midomo safi watu, kuwaita wote kwa jina la Bwana kunitumikia wakisimama bega kwa bega.
For then I will purify the lips of all peoples, so that they will all call on the Lord’s name, to serve him with one accord.
10 Kutoka ng'ambo ya mto Ethiopia waniabuduo - watu wangu waliotawanyika - wataleta dhabihu kwa sababu yangu.
From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers will bring me offerings.
11 Katika siku hiyo hamtawekwa kwenye woga kwa matendo yenu yote ambayo mmeyafanya dhidi yangu, tangu wakati ule nitaondoa kutoka kwenu wale waliosherehekea fahari yenu, na kwa sababu hamtakuwa na muda mrefu kufanya majivuno juu ya mlima wangu mtakatifu.
On that day you will no longer be ashamed of all your deeds by which you rebelled against me. For I will rid you of your proudly arrogant ones, and you will never again be haughty on my holy mountain.
12 Lakini nitawaacha kama wa chini zaidi na watu masikini, na mtapata kimbilio katika jina la Yahwe.
But I will leave in your midst a people humble and poor, and the remnant of Israel will trust in the name of the Lord.
13 Mkazi wa Israeli si muda mrefu hatafanya udhalimu au kusema uongo, na hakuna ulimi wa udanganyifu utakaoonekana mdomoni mwao; hivyo watalisha na kulala chini, na hakuna hata mmoja atakayewafanya kuogopa.”
They will not do evil, nor speak falsehood, and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth; but they will pasture and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.
14 Imba, binti Sayuni! Piga kelele, Israeli. Ufurahi na kushangilia kwa moyo wako wote, binti wa Yerusalemu.
Cry out with joy, daughter of Zion, shout aloud, Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 Yahwe ameiondoa hukumu yako; amewafukuzia mbali adui zako! Yahwe ni mfalme wa Israeli miongoni mwenu. Kamwe hamtamwogopa tena mwovu!
The Lord has put away your adversaries, he has turned away your foes; the Lord is king in your midst, you will fear evil no more.
16 Katika siku hizo watasema kwa Yerusalemi, “Usiogope, Sayuni. Usiiache mikono yako ilegee.
In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: Fear not! Zion, let not your hands grow weak!
17 Yahwe Mungu wako yuko katikati yenu, mwenye nguvu wa kuwaokoa. Atasherehekea juu yenu na kwa furaha atakuwa kimya juu yenu kwa upendo wake. Atakuwa na furaha juu yenu na atashangilia kwa furaha,
The Lord your God is in your midst, a victorious hero. He will rejoice over you with joy, he will renew his love, he will exult over you with singing,
18 katika siku maalumu ya sherehe. Nitaondoa maafa kutoka kwenu; si muda mrefu hamtabeba aibu kwa ajili yake.
as on a day of festival. I will take away from you your disgrace, and put away from you your reproach.
19 Tazama, Niko tayari kuwashughulikia watesi wenu wote. Katika wakati ule, Nitawaokoa waliolemaa na kuwakusanya waliotupiliwa mbali. Nitawafanya kuwa sifa, na nitaibadilisha aibu yao iwe sifa katika dunia yote.
I will destroy at that time all who afflict you. I will deliver the lame, and gather the outcast, I will make them an object of renown and fame in all the earth.
20 Katika wakati ule nitawaongoza; katika wakati ule nitawakusanya pamoja. Nitawafanya mataifa yote ya dunia kuwaheshimu na kuwasifu, wakati mtakapoona hivyo, Nitakuwa nimewarudisha”, asema Yahwe.
I will do good to you, at the time when I gather you. For I will make you an object of fame and renown among all the peoples of the earth; when I bring back your captivity before your eyes. This says the Lord.
