The City is Besieged
1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
Kimbieni mpate kuwa salama, enyi wana wa Benyamini; tokeni katika Yerusalemu, pigeni tarumbeta katika Tekoa, simamisheni ishara juu ya Beth-hakeremu; kwa maana mabaya yanachungulia toka kaskazini, na uharibifu mkuu.
2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman .
Binti Sayuni aliye mzuri, mwororo, nitamkatilia mbali.
3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.
Wachungaji na makundi yao ya kondoo watamjilia; watapiga hema zao karibu naye pande zote; watalisha kila mmoja mahali pake.
4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
Takaseni vita juu yake; inukeni, na tupande juu wakati wa adhuhuri. Ole wetu, kwa kuwa mchana umeanza kupungua, vivuli vya jioni vinazidi kuwa virefu.
5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
Inukeni, na tupande juu wakati wa usiku, tukayaharibu majumba yake.
6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
Maana Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Jikatieni miti, mfanyize boma juu ya Yerusalemu. Mji huu ni mji unaojiliwa; dhuluma tupu imo ndani yake.
7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
Kama vile kisima kitoavyo maji yake, ndivyo utoavyo uovu wake; jeuri na kuharibu kwasikiwa ndani yake; ugonjwa na jeraha zi mbele zangu daima.
8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
Uadhibishwe, Ee Yerusalemu, nafsi yangu, isije ikafarakana nawe; nisije nikakufanya ukiwa, nchi isiyokaliwa na watu.
9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, Wataokota mabaki ya Israeli kama mzabibu; rudisha mkono wako ndani ya vikapu, kama mchuma zabibu.
10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.
Niseme na nani na kushuhudia, wapate kusikia? Tazama, sikio lao halikutahiriwa, wala hawawezi kusikiliza; tazama, neno la Bwana limekuwa matukano kwao; hawalifurahii.
11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.
Lakini nimejaa ghadhabu ya Bwana; nimechoka kwa kujizuia; imwageni juu ya watoto walio njiani, na juu ya kusanyiko la vijana pia; maana hata mume atatwaliwa pamoja na mkewe, mzee pamoja na yeye aliyetimiza siku zake.
12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.
Na nyumba zao zitakuwa mali za watu wengine, mashamba yao na wake zao pamoja; kwa kuwa nitaunyosha mkono wangu juu ya wenyeji wa nchi hii, asema Bwana.
13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
Kwa maana, tangu aliye mdogo hata aliye mkubwa miongoni mwao, kila mmoja ni mtamanifu; na, tangu nabii hata kuhani, kila mmoja hutenda mambo ya udanganyifu.
14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Wameiponya jeraha ya watu wangu kwa juu juu tu, wakisema, Amani, Amani, wala hapana amani.
15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
Je! Walitahayarika, walipokuwa wameunda machukizo? La, hawakutahayarika hata kidogo, wala hawakuweza kuona haya usoni; basi, wataanguka miongoni mwa hao waangukao; wakati nitakapowajilia wataangushwa chini, asema Bwana.
16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein .
Bwana asema hivi, Simameni katika njia kuu, mkaone, mkaulize habari za mapito ya zamani, I wapi njia iliyo njema? Mkaende katika njia hiyo, nanyi mtajipatia raha katika nafsi zenu. Lakini walisema, Hatutaki kwenda katika njia hiyo.
17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying , Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
Nami naliweka walinzi juu yenu, wakisema, Isikilizeni sauti ya tarumbeta; lakini walisema, Hatutaki kusikiliza.
18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
Kwa sababu hiyo sikilizeni, enyi mataifa, mkajue, Ee kusanyiko, ni jambo gani litokealo kati yao.
19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
Sikia, Ee nchi; tazama, nitaleta mabaya juu ya watu hawa, naam, matunda ya mawazo yao, kwa sababu hawakuyasikiliza maneno yangu; tena kwa habari ya sheria yangu, wameikataa.
20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
Yafaa nini niletewe ubani kutoka Sheba, na uudi kutoka nchi iliyo mbali? Sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa hazikubaliwi, wala dhabihu zenu haziniridhii.
21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
Basi, kwa hiyo, Bwana asema hivi, Tazama, nitaweka makwazo mbele ya watu hawa, na baba na wana wao watajikwaa pamoja; jirani ya mtu na rafiki yake watapotea.
22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.
Bwana asema hivi, Tazama, watu wanakuja, wakitoka katika nchi ya kaskazini; na taifa kubwa litaamshwa, litokalo katika pande za mwisho wa dunia.
23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
Washika upinde na mkuki; ni wakatili, hawana huruma; sauti yao huvuma kama bahari, nao wamepanda farasi zao; kila mmoja kama mtu wa vita amejipanga juu yako, Ee binti Sayuni.
24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
Tumesikia habari zake; mikono yetu inalegea; dhiki imetushika, na utungu kama wa mwanamke wakati wa kuzaa kwake.
25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
Msitoke kwenda mashambani, wala msitembee njiani, kwa maana upanga wa adui uko huko; hofu ziko pande zote.
26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
Ee binti wa watu wangu, ujivike nguo ya magunia, na kugaagaa katika majivu; fanya maombolezo, kama maombolezo kwa ajili ya mwana wa pekee, maombolezo ya uchungu mwingi; maana mwenye kuteka nyara atakuja juu yetu ghafula.
27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
Nimekuweka uwe mnara na ngome kati ya watu wangu; upate kuijua njia yao na kuijaribu.
28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
Ni waasi kupita kiasi wote pia, waendao huko na huko wakisingizia, ni shaba na chuma hao, hutenda dhuluma wote pia.
29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
Mifuo inafukuta kwa nguvu; risasi tu inatoka katika moto huo; mfua fedha ameyeyusha bure tu; maana wabaya hawaondolewi mbali.
30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Watu watawaita taka za fedha, kwa sababu Bwana amewakataa.
