A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem
5:0 In Hebrew texts 5:1 is numbered 4:14, and 5:2-15 is numbered 5:1-14. 1Marshal your troops now, city of troops,
for a siege is laid against us.
They will strike Israel’s ruler
on the cheek with a rod.
2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans5:2 Or rulers of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”
3Therefore Israel will be abandoned
until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,
and the rest of his brothers return
to join the Israelites.
4He will stand and shepherd his flock
in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness
will reach to the ends of the earth.
5And he will be our peace
when the Assyrians invade our land
and march through our fortresses.
We will raise against them seven shepherds,
even eight commanders,
6who will rule5:6 Or crush the land of Assyria with the sword,
the land of Nimrod with drawn sword.5:6 Or Nimrod in its gates
He will deliver us from the Assyrians
when they invade our land
and march across our borders.
7The remnant of Jacob will be
in the midst of many peoples
like dew from the Lord,
like showers on the grass,
which do not wait for anyone
or depend on man.
8The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,
in the midst of many peoples,
like a lion among the beasts of the forest,
like a young lion among flocks of sheep,
which mauls and mangles as it goes,
and no one can rescue.
9Your hand will be lifted up in triumph over your enemies,
and all your foes will be destroyed.
10“In that day,” declares the Lord,
“I will destroy your horses from among you
and demolish your chariots.
11I will destroy the cities of your land
and tear down all your strongholds.
12I will destroy your witchcraft
and you will no longer cast spells.
13I will destroy your idols
and your sacred stones from among you;
you will no longer bow down
to the work of your hands.
14I will uproot from among you your Asherah poles5:14 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
when I demolish your cities.
15I will take vengeance in anger and wrath
on the nations that have not obeyed me.”
Wolamulira Wochokera ku Betelehemu
1Iwe mzinda wa anthu ankhondo, sonkhanitsa anthu ako ankhondo,
pakuti anthu atizungulira kuti alimbane nafe.
Adzakantha ndi ndodo pa chibwano
cha wolamulira wa Israeli.
2“Koma iwe Betelehemu Efurata,
ngakhale uli wonyozeka pakati pa mafuko a Yuda,
mwa iwe mudzatuluka
munthu amene adzalamulira Israeli,
amene chiyambi chake nʼchakalekale,
nʼchamasiku amakedzana.”
3Nʼchifukwa chake Israeli adzasiyidwa
mpaka pa nthawi imene mayi amene ali woyembekezera adzachire.
Ndipo abale ake onse otsalira adzabwerera
kudzakhala pamodzi ndi Aisraeli.
4Iye adzalimbika, ndipo adzaweta nkhosa zake
mwa mphamvu ya Yehova,
mu ulemerero wa dzina la Yehova Mulungu wake.
Ndipo iwo adzakhala mu mtendere,
pakuti ukulu wake udzakhala ponseponse pa dziko lapansi.
5Ndipo Iye adzakhala mtendere wawo.
Chipulumutso ndi Chiwonongeko
Asiriya akadzalowa mʼdziko lathu
ndi kuyamba kuthira nkhondo malo athu otetezedwa,
tidzawadzutsira abusa asanu ndi awiri,
ngakhalenso atsogoleri asanu ndi atatu.
6Iwo adzagonjetsa dziko la Asiriya ndi lupanga,
dziko la Nimurodi adzalilamulira mwankhondo.
Adzatipulumutsa kwa Asiriya
akadzafika mʼmalire a mʼdziko lathu
kudzatithira nkhondo.
7Otsalira a Yakobo adzakhala
pakati pa mitundu yambiri ya anthu
ngati mame ochokera kwa Yehova,
ngati mvumbi pa udzu,
omwe sulamulidwa ndi munthu
kapena kudikira lamulo la anthu.
8Otsala a Yakobo adzakhala pakati pa mitundu ya anthu,
mʼgulu la anthu a mitundu yambiri,
ngati mkango pakati pa nyama za mʼnkhalango.
Ngati mwana wa mkango pakati pa gulu la nkhosa,
amene pozidutsa amazidya ndi kuzikhadzula,
ndipo palibe angathe kuzilanditsa.
9Mudzagonjetsa adani anu,
ndipo adani anu onse adzawonongeka.
10Yehova akuti,
“Tsiku limenelo ndidzawononga akavalo anu onse
ndi kuphwasula magaleta anu.
11Ndidzawononga mizinda ya mʼdziko mwanu
ndi kugwetsa malinga anu onse.
12Ndidzawononga ufiti wanu
ndipo sikudzakhalanso anthu owombeza mawula.
13Ndidzawononga mafano anu osema
pamodzi ndi miyala yanu yopatulika imene ili pakati panu;
simudzagwadiranso zinthu zopanga
ndi manja anu.
14Ndidzazula mitengo ya mafano a Asera imene ili pakati panu,
ndipo ndidzawononga mizinda yanu.
15Ndidzayilanga mwaukali ndi mokwiya
mitundu imene sinandimvere Ine.”
