1 Nambano woronganeye movimbumba, vature va Jerusalem! Ovanavita ve tu kovere! Owo mave rwisa omunane wa Israel!
Ndjambi ma kwizike omuhonapare okuza mObetlehem
2 Muhona ma tja nai: “Betlehem-Efrat, oove okaṱiṱi tjinene mokati kovihuro vya Juda, nungwari move mamu zu ombara ndji mai honaparere Israel, nomuze womuhoko we mau yaruka nga koruveze orukuru.”
3 Muhona opu ma zu okuyandja otjiwaṋa tje momake wovanavita na tjo, nga ingwi ngu ri pokupanduka tja panduka omuatje we omuzandu. Ovazamumwe ve mbe ri mouhuura otji mave kotoka kOvaisrael ovakwao. 4 Eye tji meya, ma honaparere otjiwaṋa tje momasa wa Muhona na mouvara wa Muhona Ndjambi omuini. Otjiwaṋa tje matji tura mohange, ovandu avehe mouye tjinga amave rizemburuka nounene we. 5 Neye omuini ma eta ohange.
Onguturiro nomberero
Ovaasirie tji va rwisa ehi retu nave ṱukuṱura oviṱunga vyetu, matu ve hindire ovanane vetu imba ovanamasa tjinene okukeverwisa. 6 Nowo mave kambura ehi ra Asirie na indi ora Nimrod komasa novirwise. Komuhingo mbwi otji mave tu yama kOvaasirie, owo tji mave hiti mehi retu okurirwisa.
7 Ovaisrael, mba sewa po, otji mave sana otja omueme mbwa hindwa i Muhona koviwaṋa ovingi, notja omata wombura kombanda yovihape; notjo kamaatji undju komundu, nungwari matji undju ku Ndjambi erike. 8 Nu Ovaisrael, mba sewa po mokati koviwaṋa ovingi mave sana kongeyama mokati kovipuka mehwa na kongeyama omutanda mokati kotupanda twozonyanda; oyo tji ya taurire mu zo mai yata nokuzenyondorora, nu kape nomundu ngu ma sora okuzeyama. 9 Israel matji havere ovanavita na tjo natji ve yandeke avehe.
10 Muhona ma tja nai: “Meyuva ndo ami me isa mo oukambe woye, nomatemba woye wovita ne ye hahaura. 11 Wina me yandeke ovihuro vyehi roye nu me haṋa oviṱunga vyoye avihe ovinamasa. 12 Ami me yandeke ozondjai nḓu ungurisa, nu ko tji nokukara nozombetere rukwao. 13 Me yandeke oomukuru woye vovisenginina nozongunḓe zoye ozonḓere kutja o ha uhara amo rikotamene koviungura vyomake woye rukwao. 14 Me zukura oviunda vyomiti omizere vyomukuru wotjisenginina oserekaze Asera mehi roye, nu e yandeke ovihuro vyoye. 15 Nu momazenge wandje omanene me sutisa oviwaṋa avihe, mbi ha ri nonḓuviro ku ami.”
A Promised Ruler
1 Jerusalem, enemy troops
have surrounded you;
they have struck Israel's ruler
in the face with a stick.
2 Bethlehem Ephrath,
you are one of the smallest towns
in the nation of Judah.
But the Lord will choose
one of your people
to rule the nation—
someone whose family
goes back to ancient times.
3 The Lord will abandon Israel
only until this ruler is born,
and the rest of his family
returns to Israel.
4 Like a shepherd
taking care of his sheep,
this ruler will lead
and care for his people
by the power and glorious name
of the Lord his God.
His people will live securely,
and the whole earth will know
his true greatness,
5 because he will bring peace.
Assyria Will Be Defeated
Let Assyria attack our country
and our palaces.
We will counterattack,
led by a number of rulers
6 whose strong army will defeat
the nation of Assyria.
Yes, our leaders will rescue us,
if those Assyrians
dare to invade our land.
The Survivors Will Be Safe
7 A few of Jacob's descendants
survived and are scattered
among the nations.
But the Lord will let them
cover the earth like dew and rain
that refreshes the soil.
8 At present they are scattered,
but later they will attack,
as though they were fierce lions
pouncing on sheep.
Their enemies will be torn
to shreds,
with no one to save them;
9 they will be helpless,
completely destroyed.
Idols Will Be Destroyed in Israel
10 The Lord said:
At that time I will wipe out
your cavalry and chariots,
11 as well as your cities
and your fortresses.
12 I will stop you
from telling fortunes
and practicing witchcraft.
13 You will no longer worship
the idols or stone images
you have made—
I will destroy them,
14 together with the sacred poles
and even your towns.
15 I will become furious
and take revenge on the nations
that refuse to obey me.
