1 But those who have suffered will no longer be in pain. The territories of Zebulun and Naphtali in Galilee were once hated. But this land of the Gentiles across the Jordan River and along the Mediterranean Sea will be greatly respected.
War Is Over
2 Those who walked in the dark
have seen a bright light.
And it shines upon everyone
who lives in the land
of darkest shadows.
3 Our Lord, you have made
your nation stronger.
Because of you, its people
are glad and celebrate
like workers at harvest time
or like soldiers dividing up
what they have taken.
4 You have broken the power
of those who abused
and enslaved your people.
You have rescued them
just as you saved your people
from Midian.
5 The boots of marching warriors
and the blood-stained uniforms
have been fed to flames
and eaten by fire.
A Child Has Been Born
6 A child has been born for us.
We have been given a son
who will be our ruler.
His names will be
Wonderful Advisor
and Mighty God,
Eternal Father
and Prince of Peace.
7 His power will never end;
peace will last forever.
He will rule David's kingdom
and make it grow strong.
He will always rule
with honesty and justice.
The Lord All-Powerful
will make certain
that all of this is done.
God Will Punish Israel
8 The Lord had warned the people of Israel, 9 and all of them knew it, including everyone in the capital city of Samaria. But they were proud and stubborn and said,
10 “Houses of brick and sycamore
have fallen to the ground,
but we will build houses
with stones and cedar.”
11 The Lord made their enemies attack them. 12 He sent the Arameans from the east and the Philistines from the west, and they swallowed up Israel. But even this did not stop him from being angry, so he kept on punishing them. 13 The people of Israel still did not turn back to the Lord All-Powerful and worship him.
14 In one day he cut off their head and tail, their leaves and branches. 15 Their rulers and leaders were the head, and the lying prophets were the tail. 16 They had led the nation down the wrong path, and the people were confused. 17 The Lord was angry with his people and kept punishing them, because they had turned against him. They were evil and spoke foolishly. That's why he did not have pity on their young people or on their widows and orphans.
18 Evil had spread like a raging forest fire sending thornbushes up in smoke. 19 The Lord All-Powerful was angry and used the people as fuel for a fire that scorched the land. They turned against each other 20 like wild animals attacking and eating everyone around them, even their own relatives. But still they were not satisfied. 21 The tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh turned against each other, then joined forces to attack Judah. But the Lord was still angry and ready to punish the nation even more.
Ouhamba waMessias tau xunganekwa
1 Pomafiku onale okwa etela edu laSebulon nolaNaftali esheko nodino, ndelenee pomafiku okomesho ota ka fimanekifa ondjila yokuya kEfuta Lopokati; nedu lomoshikandjo shaJordan nokuGalilea omo mwa kala ovanailongo.
2 Oshiwana hashi endaenda momulaulu,
osha mona ouyelele muhapu,
naava hava kala medu lomudile wefyo,
ouyelele otau va minikile.
3 Ove to hapupalifa oshiwana
ndele to shi pe enyaku linene;
ndele vo otava hafele koshipala shoye,
ngaashi tapa hafelwa efiku leteyo
nongaashi tapa kuwililwa metukulo loitinhwa.
4 Osheshi ondjoko ei ye va djuupalela
noshimwati shokombuda yavo
nodibo yomuhepeki wavo,
oto i teya po ngaashi sha ningwa mefiku laMidian.
5 Osheshi keshe olukaku lomukwaita la lyatifwa meweelelo lolwoodi,
noikutu ya nyatekwa kohonde,
otai xwikwa po, ndele tai ningi eendja domundilo.
6 Osheshi okaana ke tu dalelwa,
Omona omumati e tu yandjelwa,
nepangelo oli li komapepe aye,
ndele ta ifanwa: Omukumwifa-Omupukululi,
Kalunga Omunaenghono,
Tate yaalushe, Ohamba yombili.
7 Epangelo laye tali ningi linene, nombili itai xulu po
okolukalwapangelo laDavid nomouhamba waye,
opo Ye e u kanghameke noku u pameka netokolo nouyuki
okefiku eli nofiyo alushe.
Ouladi waKalunga, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita
otau ke shi ninga.
Okuhandukilwa kwaIsrael
8 Omwene ta tumu ondjovo imwe kuJakob, ndele ya wila muIsrael, 9 novanhu aveshe naEfraim novakali muSamaria otave ke i shiiva, ava mokulinenepeka nomokufulalala tava ti komutima: 10 “Eedopi oda wila po, ndelenee fye ohatu ka tungulula nomamanya a hongwa, omikwiyu domofuka oda kewa po, ndelenee fye ohatu ka twika mo omisederi ponhele yado!” 11 Ndelenee Omwene okwe mu pendulila ovafininiki nokwa hongaifa ovatondi veni; 12 Ovaarami okoushilo nOvafilisti okouninginino, opo va lya Israel eemhanda mbali. Ndele mwaaishe ei ehandu laye inali kandulwa po, ndelenee natango eke laye ola yeluka. 13 Ndelenee ovanhu inava alukila kwaau te va denge, ngaashi itava kongo Omwene womatanga ovakwaita. 14 Onghee hano Omwene ota tete Israel omutwe nomushila, oluvale lomulunga noshihati sholumbungu, mefiku limwe. 15 Omukulunhu noshipuna oye omutwe, nomuxunganeki ou ta longo oipupulu, oye omushila. 16 Ovakwateli komesho voshiwana eshi ova ninga ovapukifi, novakwatelwa komesho ove lihanifwa. 17 Onghee hano Omwene ita ka hafela ovamati vavo, no ita file onghenda eefiye davo, novafiyekadi vavo, osheshi vo aveshe ovadinikalunga novakolokoshi, nakeshe okanya ohaka popi oulai wongaho. Ndele mwaaishe ei ehandu laye inali kandulwa po, ndelenee natango eke laye ola yeluka. 18 Osheshi oudinikalunga owa xwama ngaashi omundilo tau lungwinike po omano neeshosholo, owa xwameka ofuka nongoya, opo tai i pombada ngaashi okalungululu komwifi.
19 Edu ola xwama omolwoupyuhandu wOmwene womatanga ovakwaita, novanhu va ninga oikulya yomundilo, ndele vo itava filafana onghenda. 20 Ndele otava lumata kolulyo nove nondjala, otava li kolumosho, ndele vo itava kuta; keshe umwe ota li ombelela yokwooko kwaye mwene. 21 Manasse ota li Efraim naEfraim ota li Manasse, ndele aveshe ava vavali otava hangakene Juda. Ndele mwaaishe ei ehandu laye inali kandulwa po, ndelenee natango eke laye ola yeluka.
