Revelation 17

1 Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.

1 Mmoja wa wale malaika saba waliokuwa na yale mabakuli saba akaja akaniambia, “Njoo, nitakuonyesha adhabu ya yule kahaba mkuu, aketiye juu ya maji mengi.

2 The kings of the earth were immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

2 Yule ambaye wafalme wa dunia walizini naye na watu wakaao duniani walilewa kwa mvinyo wa uzinzi wake.”

3 And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.

3 Kisha yule malaika akanichukua katika Roho akanipeleka jangwani. Huko nikamwona mwanamke mmoja ameketi juu ya mnyama mwekundu aliyejaa majina ya kumkufuru Mungu mwili mzima. Mnyama huyo alikuwa na vichwa saba na pembe kumi.

4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.

4 Huyo mwanamke alikuwa amevaa mavazi ya rangi ya zambarau na nyekundu, akimetameta kwa dhahabu, vito vya thamani na lulu. Mkononi mwake alikuwa ameshika kikombe cha dhahabu kilichojaa mambo ya machukizo na uchafu wa uzinzi wake.

5 And on her forehead a mysterious name was written: BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

5 Kwenye kipaji chake cha uso palikuwa pameandikwa jina: “Siri, Babeli Mkuu, Mama wa makahaba na wa machukizo ya dunia.”

6 I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses for Jesus. And I was utterly amazed at the sight of her.

6 Nikaona kuwa huyo mwanamke alikuwa amelewa kwa damu ya watakatifu, yaani, damu ya wale watu waliouawa kwa ushuhuda wa Yesu. Nilipomwona huyo mwanamke, nilistaajabu sana.

7 “Why are you so amazed?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

7 Ndipo yule malaika akaniambia, “Kwa nini unastaajabu? Nitakufafanulia siri ya huyo mwanamke na huyo mnyama aliyempanda, mwenye vichwa saba na pembe kumi.

8 The beast that you saw—it was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the Abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world will marvel when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet will be.

8 Huyo mnyama ambaye ulimwona, wakati fulani alikuwepo, lakini sasa hayupo, naye atapanda kutoka lile Shimo na kwenda kwenye maangamizo yake. Watu waishio duniani ambao majina yao hayakuandikwa kwenye kitabu cha uzima tangu kuumbwa kwa ulimwengu watastaajabu kumwona huyo mnyama, kwa maana alikuwepo wakati fulani, na sasa hayupo, lakini atakuwepo.

9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.

9 “Hapa ndipo penye wito wa akili pamoja na hekima. Vile vichwa saba ni vilima saba ambavyo huyo mwanamke amevikalia.

10 There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. But when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

10 Pia hivyo vichwa saba ni wafalme saba ambao miongoni mwao watano wamekwisha kuanguka, yupo mwingine hajaja bado, lakini atakapokuja, atalazimika kukaa kwa muda mfupi.

11 The beast that was, and now is not, is an eighth king, who belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction.

11 Yule mnyama aliyekuwepo wakati fulani na ambaye sasa hayupo, yeye ni mfalme wa nane. Ni miongoni mwa wale saba, naye anakwenda kwenye maangamizi yake.

12 The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings along with the beast.

12 “Zile pembe kumi ulizoziona ni wafalme kumi ambao bado hawajapokea ufalme, lakini watapokea mamlaka kuwa wafalme kwa saa moja pamoja na yule mnyama.

13 These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.

13 Hawa wana nia moja, nao watamwachia yule mnyama nguvu zao na mamlaka yao.

14 They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

14 Watafanya vita na Mwana-Kondoo, lakini Mwana-Kondoo atawashinda kwa sababu yeye ni Bwana wa mabwana na Mfalme wa wafalme. Yeye atakuwa pamoja na watu wake walioitwa ambao ni wateule wake na wafuasi wake waaminifu.”

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

15 Kisha yule malaika akaniambia, “Yale maji uliyoyaona yule kahaba akiwa ameketi juu yake ni jamaa, makutano, mataifa na lugha.

16 And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire.

16 Zile pembe kumi ulizoziona, pamoja na huyo mnyama, watamchukia huyo kahaba, watamfilisi na kumwacha uchi, watamla nyama yake na kumteketeza kwa moto.

17 For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.

17 Kwa maana Mungu ameweka mioyoni mwao kutimiza kusudi lake kwa kukubali kumpa yule mnyama mamlaka yao ya utawala mpaka maneno ya Mungu yatakapotimia.

18 And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.”

18 Yule mwanamke uliyemwona ni ule mji mkubwa unaotawala juu ya wafalme wa dunia.”