1 Hear ye now what the LORD saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.
Basi sasa, sikieni asemavyo Bwana; Simama, ujitetee mbele ya milima, vilima navyo na visikie sauti yako.
2 Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.
Sikieni, enyi milima, mateto ya Bwana, na ninyi, enyi misingi ya dunia iliyo imara; kwa maana Bwana ana mateto na watu wake, naye atahojiana na Israeli.
3 O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.
Enyi watu wangu, nimewatenda nini? Nami nimewachosha kwa habari gani? Shuhudieni juu yangu.
4 For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
Kwa maana nalikupandisha kutoka nchi ya Misri, na kukukomboa utoke katika nyumba ya utumwa, nami naliwapeleka Musa, na Haruni, na Miriamu, watangulie mbele yako.
5 O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
Enyi watu wangu, kumbukeni sasa alivyouliza Balaki, mfalme wa Moabu, na alivyojibu Balaamu, mwana wa Beori; kumbukeni toka Shitimu hata Gilgali, mpate kuyajua matendo ya haki ya Bwana.
6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
Nimkaribie Bwana na kitu gani, na kuinama mbele za Mungu aliye juu? Je! Nimkaribie na sadaka za kuteketezwa, na ndama za umri wa mwaka mmoja?
7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Je! Bwana atapendezwa na elfu za kondoo waume, au na elfu kumi za mito ya mafuta? Je! Nimtoe mzaliwa wangu wa kwanza kwa kosa langu, mzao wa mwili wangu kwa dhambi ya roho yangu?
8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Ee mwanadamu, yeye amekuonyesha yaliyo mema; na Bwana anataka nini kwako, ila kutenda haki, na kupenda rehema, na kwenda kwa unyenyekevu na Mungu wako!
His Call to the City
9 The LORD's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.
Sauti ya Bwana inaulilia mji, na mtu mwenye akili ataliona jina lako; isikieni hiyo fimbo na yeye aliyeiagiza.
10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?
Je! Hata sasa hazina za uovu zingalimo nyumbani mwa wabaya, na kipimo kilichopunguka, ambacho ni chukizo?
11 Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?
Je! Naweza kuwa safi nami nina mizani ya udhalimu, na mfuko wa mawe ya kupimia ya udanganyifu?
12 For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
Kwa maana matajiri wake wamejaa jeuri, na wenyeji wake wamesema uongo, na ulimi wao una udanganyifu kichwani mwao.
13 Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.
Basi, kwa ajili ya hayo, mimi nami nimekupiga kwa pigo liumizalo sana; nimekufanya kuwa ukiwa, kwa sababu ya dhambi zako.
14 Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.
Utakula, lakini hutashiba; na fedheha yako itakuwa kati yako; nawe utahama, lakini hutachukua kitu salama; na hicho utakachochukua nitakitoa kwa upanga.
15 Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.
Utapanda, lakini hutavuna; utazikanyaga zeituni, lakini hutajipaka mafuta; na hizo zabibu, lakini hutakunywa divai.
16 For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.
Kwa maana amri za Omri ndizo zishikwazo, na matendo yote ya nyumba ya Ahabu, nanyi mnakwenda katika mashauri yao; ili nikufanye kuwa ukiwa, na wenyeji waliomo humo kuwa zomeo; nanyi mtayachukua matukano waliyotukanwa watu wangu.
