1
Ufunuo aliouona nabii Habakuki.
This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision:
2
Ee Bwana, nilie hata lini, wewe usitake kusikia? Nakulilia kwa sababu ya udhalimu, ila hutaki kuokoa.
How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?
3
Mbona wanionyesha uovu, na kunitazamisha ukaidi? Maana uharibifu na udhalimu u mbele yangu; kuna ugomvi, na mashindano yatokea.
Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.
4
Kwa sababu hiyo sheria imelegea, wala hukumu haipatikani; kwa maana watu wabaya huwazunguka wenye haki; kwa sababu hiyo hukumu ikipatikana imepotoka.
Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
5
Angalieni, enyi mlio kati ya mataifa, katazameni, kastaajabuni sana; kwa maana mimi natenda tendo siku zenu, ambalo hamtaliamini hata mkiambiwa.
“Look at the nations and observe—be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.
6
Kwa maana, angalieni, nawaondokesha Wakaldayo, taifa lile kali, lenye haraka kupita kiasi; wapitao katikati ya dunia, ili wayamiliki makao yasiyo yao.
For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans—that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.
7
Hao ni watu wa kutisha sana, wa kuogofya sana; hukumu yao na ukuu wao hutoka katika nafsi zao wenyewe.
They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.
8
Farasi zao ni wepesi kuliko chui, ni wakali kuliko mbwa-mwitu wa jioni; na wapanda farasi wao hujitapa naam, wapanda farasi wao watoka mbali sana; huruka kama tai afanyaye haraka ale.
Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.
9
Waja wote ili kufanya udhalimu; nyuso zao zimeelekezwa kwa bidii yao kama upepo wa mashariki, nao hukusanya mateka kama mchanga.
All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like the east wind; they gather prisoners like sand.
10
Naam, huwadhihaki wafalme, na wakuu ni kitu cha kudharauliwa kwake; huidharau kila ngome; kwa maana hufanya chungu ya mavumbi, na kuitwaa.
They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.
11
Kisha atapita kwa kasi, kama upepo, atapita na kuwa ana hatia; yeye ambaye nguvu zake ni mungu wake.
Then they sweep by like the wind and pass through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.”
12
Ee Bwana, Mungu wangu, mtakatifu wangu, wewe si wa milele? Hatutakufa. Ee Bwana, umemwandikia hukumu, nawe, Ee Jabali, umemweka imara ili aadhibishwe.
Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.
13
Wewe uliye na macho safi hata usiweze kuangalia uovu, wewe usiyeweza kutazama ukaidi, mbona unawaangalia watendao kwa hila; na kunyamaza kimya, hapo mtu mwovu ammezapo mtu aliye mwenye haki kuliko yeye;
Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
14
na kufanya wanadamu kuwa kama samaki wa baharini, kama vitu vitambaavyo, ambavyo havina mtawala?
You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler.
15
Yeye huwatoa wote kwa ndoana yake, huwakamata katika wavu wake, na kuwakusanya katika juya lake; ndiyo sababu afurahi na kupendezwa.
The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly.
16
Kwa sababu hiyo huutolea wavu wake sadaka, na kulifukizia uvumba juya lake; kwa sababu kwa vitu vile fungu lake limenona, na chakula chake kimekuwa tele.
Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.
17
Je! Atawatoa walio katika wavu wake, asiache kuwaua watu wa mataifa daima?
Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy?