< Jeremias 16 >

1 And thou shalt not take a wife, saith the Lord God of Israel:
Kisha neno la Bwana likanijia:
2 and there shall be no son born to thee, nor daughter in this place.
“Kamwe usioe na kuwa na wana wala binti mahali hapa.”
3 For thus saith the Lord concerning the sons and concerning the daughters that are born in this place, and concerning their mothers that have born them, and concerning their fathers that have begotten them in this land;
Kwa maana hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kuhusu wana na binti wazaliwao katika nchi hii, na kuhusu wale wanawake ambao ni mama zao, na wale wanaume ambao ni baba zao:
4 They shall die of grievous death; they shall not be lamented, nor buried; they shall be for an example on the face of the earth; and they shall be for the wild beasts of the land, and for the birds of the sky: they shall fall by the sword, and shall be consumed with famine.
“Watakufa kwa magonjwa ya kufisha. Hawataombolezewa wala kuzikwa, lakini watakuwa kama mavi yaliyosambaa juu ya ardhi. Watakufa kwa upanga na kwa njaa, nazo maiti zao zitakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani, na cha wanyama wa nchi.”
5 Thus saith the Lord, Enter not into their mourning feast, and go not to lament, and mourn not for them: for I have removed my peace from this people.
Kwa kuwa hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Usiingie katika nyumba ambayo kuna chakula cha matanga, usiende kuwaombolezea wala kuwahurumia, kwa sababu nimeziondoa baraka zangu, upendo wangu na huruma zangu kutoka kwa watu hawa,” asema Bwana.
6 They shall not bewail them, nor make cuttings for them, and they shall not shave themselves [for them]:
“Wakubwa na wadogo watakufa katika nchi hii. Hawatazikwa wala kuombolezewa, na hakuna atakayejikatakata au kunyoa nywele za kichwa chake kwa ajili yao.
7 and there shall be no bread broken in mourning for them for consolation over the dead: they shall not give one to drink a cup for consolation over his father or his mother.
Hakuna yeyote atakayewapa chakula ili kuwafariji wale waombolezao kwa ajili ya wale waliokufa, hata akiwa amefiwa na baba au mama, wala hakuna yeyote atakayewapa kinywaji ili kuwafariji.
8 Thou shalt not enter into the banquet-house, to sit with them to eat and to drink.
“Usiingie katika nyumba ambayo kuna karamu, na kuketi humo ili kula na kunywa.
9 For thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Behold, I [will] make to cease out of this place before your eyes, and in your days, the voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.
Kwa kuwa hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, aliye Mungu wa Israeli: ‘Mbele ya macho yako na katika siku zako, nitakomesha sauti zote za shangwe na za furaha, na pia sauti za bibi arusi na bwana arusi mahali hapa.’
10 And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt report to this people all these words, and they shall say to thee, Wherefore has the Lord pronounced against us all these evils? what is our unrighteousness? and what is our sin which we have sinned before the Lord our God?
“Utakapowaambia watu hawa mambo haya yote na wakakuuliza, ‘Kwa nini Bwana ameamuru maafa makubwa kama haya dhidi yetu? Tumefanya kosa gani? Tumetenda dhambi gani dhidi ya Bwana, Mungu wetu?’
11 Then thou shalt say to them, Because your fathers forsook me, saith the Lord, and went after strange gods and served them, and worshipped them, and forsook me, and kept not my law;
Basi waambie, ‘Ni kwa sababu baba zenu waliniacha mimi, wakafuata miungu mingine ili kuitumikia na kuiabudu. Waliniacha mimi na hawakuishika sheria yangu,’ asema Bwana.
12 (and ye sinned worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the lusts of your own evil heart, so as not to hearken to me);
‘Lakini ninyi mmetenda uovu zaidi kuliko baba zenu. Tazama jinsi ambavyo kila mmoja wenu anafuata ukaidi wa moyo wake mbaya, badala ya kunitii mimi.
13 therefore I will cast you off from this good land into a land which neither ye nor your fathers have known; and ye shall serve their other gods, who shall have no mercy upon you.
Kwa hiyo nitawaondoa katika nchi hii na kuwatupa katika nchi ambayo ninyi wala baba zenu hamkuijua, nako huko mtaitumikia miungu mingine usiku na mchana, kwa maana sitawapa fadhili zangu huko.’
14 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, The Lord lives, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
“Hata hivyo, siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “wakati ambapo watu hawatasema tena, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewapandisha Waisraeli kutoka Misri,’
15 but, The Lord lives, who brought up the house of Israel from the land of the north, and from all countries whither they were thrust out: and I will restore them to their own land, which I gave to their fathers.
bali watasema, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewatoa wana wa Israeli kutoka nchi ya kaskazini na nchi zote alizokuwa amewafukuzia.’ Maana nitawarudisha katika nchi niliyowapa baba zao.
16 Behold, I [will] send many fishers, saith the Lord, and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send many hunters, and they shall hunt them upon every mountain, and upon every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
“Lakini sasa nitawaagiza wavuvi wengi,” asema Bwana, “nao watawavua. Baada ya hilo, nitawaagizia wawindaji wengi, nao watawawinda kwenye kila mlima na kilima, na katika nyufa za miamba.
17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways; and their iniquities have not been hidden from mine eyes.
Macho yangu yanaziona njia zao zote, hazikufichika kwangu, wala dhambi yao haikusitirika.
18 And I will recompense their mischiefs doubly, and their sins, whereby they have profaned my land with the carcases of their abominations, and with their iniquities, whereby they have trespassed against mine inheritance.
Nitawalipiza maradufu kwa ajili ya uovu wao na dhambi yao, kwa sababu wameinajisi nchi yangu kwa maumbo yasiyo na uhai ya vinyago vyao vibaya, na kuujaza urithi wangu na sanamu za kuchukiza.”
19 O Lord, thou art my strength, and mine help, and my refuge in days of evil: to thee the Gentiles shall come from the end of the earth, and shall say, How vain [were the] idols [which] our fathers procured to themselves, and there is no help in them.
Ee Bwana, nguvu zangu na ngome yangu, kimbilio langu wakati wa taabu, kwako mataifa yatakujia kutoka miisho ya dunia na kusema, “Baba zetu hawakuwa na chochote zaidi ya miungu ya uongo, sanamu zisizofaa kitu ambazo hazikuwafaidia lolote.
20 Will a man make gods for himself, whereas these are no gods?
Je, watu hujitengenezea miungu yao wenyewe? Naam, lakini hao si miungu!”
21 Therefore, behold, I will at this time manifest my hand to them, and will make known to them my power; and they shall know that my name is the Lord.
“Kwa hiyo nitawafundisha: wakati huu nitawafundisha nguvu zangu na uwezo wangu. Ndipo watakapojua kuwa Jina langu ndimi Bwana.

< Jeremias 16 >