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.
1 Yerusalaamunkoolu,
ali kafu ñoo ma ka kelediŋ kafoolu loo.
Jawoolu ye ǹ suki le.
Ì niŋ busoo,
ì be Banisirayila maralilaa busa la a tamoo le to.
Maralilaa tilindiŋo be wuluu la Betilehemu
2 Alitolu Efurata*-Betilehemunkoolu,
Yaawe* ye ñiŋ ne fo ko,
“Ali la saatewo keta saateeriŋo ti ñaa-wo-ñaa Yahuuda,
bari Banisirayila maralilaa be bo la alitolu le kono,
a be maraloo ke la niŋ nte Yaawe tooyaa le la.
A foloota naŋ waati jaŋ ne la, kabiriŋ.”
3 Yaawe be a la moolu fili la ì jawoolu bulu le,
fo janniŋ ñiŋ maralilaa be wuluu la.
Wo le to a baadiŋ toomaalu be naa bo la mutoo kono,
ì ye muru ka kafu Banisirayilanka koteŋolu ma.
4 A be ke la a la moolu ye le ko saajii kantalaa,
Yaawe la mansabaayaa semboo kaŋ,
Yaawe, a la Alla too la waroo kaŋ.
Ì la baluwo be tara la tankoo le kono,
aduŋ a too la waroo be taa le
fo duniyaa daŋo to.
5 Kayiroo sabatindilaa be ke la ate le ti.
Asiriyankoolu be noo la keloo to
Niŋ Asiriyankoolu naata boyi ǹ na bankoo kaŋ,
ì dunta naŋ ǹ na tatoolu kono,
m̀ be ñaatonka bambandiŋ jamaa le tomboŋ na ì kamma.
6 Ì si Asiriya bankoo mara hawusaroo* la,
meŋ mu Nimurodi koomalankoolu la bankoo ti,
ì be a mara la hawusari kesoo le la.
Ì si m̀ bo Asiriyankoolu bulu,
niŋ ì naata boyi ǹ na bankoo kaŋ,
niŋ ì ye ì siŋo loo ǹ na bankoo naanewo to.
Banisirayila moo toomaalu be janjandiŋ
7 Yaakuba koomalankoolu mennu tuta,
be tara la janjandiŋ bankoolu le kaŋ.
Ì la kuwo be muluŋ na le komeŋ komboo,
Yaawe ye meŋ jindi naŋ,
waraŋ samaajiyo, ñaamoolu kaŋ.
Ì te ì jiki sembe la moo la,
sako ì si taamaayaa hadamadiŋ na.
8 Moo toomaalu mennu tuta Yaakuba koomalankoolu kono,
be tara la banku koteŋolu le kaŋ,
ko jatoo ka tara wulakono daafeŋolu kono ñaameŋ,
ko niŋ jatoo dunta saajii koorewo kono,
ka ñapi ì kaŋ,
ka ì suboo kuntuŋ-kuntuŋ.
Tankandirilaa te soto la.
9 Ì be ì buloo wulindi la ì jawoolu kunto le,
aduŋ ì jawoolu bee le be kasaara la.
Jalaŋo waraŋ batuutaayaa te soto la Banisirayila kotenke
10 Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“Niŋ ñiŋ waatoo siita,
m be ali la keleraŋ suwoolu kasaara la ali bulu le,
ŋa ali la keleraŋ sareetoolu* tiñaa.
11 M be ali la saatewolu kasaara la le,
ŋa ali la tatoolu bee teyiŋ-teyiŋ.
12 M be ali la batuutaayaa kuwo bee le kasaara la,
bitaarilaa te soto la ali kono kotenke.
13 M be ali la jalaŋ leseriŋolu kasaara la ali bulu le,
aniŋ bere samasiŋolu, ali ka mennu batu.
Ali te sujudi la feŋolu ye kotenke,
ali faŋo buloo ye mennu dadaa.
14 M be ali la Asera* jalaŋ dokoolu wutu la le,
ŋa ali la saatewolu kasaara.
15 N jusu kandiriŋo le be bankoolu jarabi la,
mennu maŋ n na yaamaroo muta,
n kamfaatoo baa le be n joo la ì to.”
