Jeremiah 18
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
2 Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
“Shuka uende mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nami huko nitakupa ujumbe wangu.”
3 And I went down to the potter's house; and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Kwa hiyo nikashuka mpaka kwenye nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nikamkuta akifinyanga kwa gurudumu lake.
4 And the vessel that he made was marred, as clay, in the hand of the potter; and he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make.
Lakini chombo alichokuwa akikifinyanga kutokana na udongo kilivunjika mikononi mwake, hivyo mfinyanzi akakifanya kuwa chombo kingine, umbo jingine kama vile ilivyoonekana vyema kwake yeye.
5 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
Kisha neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
6 House of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, house of Israel.
“Ee nyumba ya Israeli, je, siwezi kuwafanyia kama huyu mfinyanzi afanyavyo?” asema Bwana. “Kama vile udongo ulivyo katika mikono ya mfinyanzi, ndivyo mlivyo katika mkono wangu, ee nyumba ya Israeli.
7 At the moment that I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to break down, and to destroy,
Ikiwa wakati wowote nikitangaza kuwa taifa au ufalme utangʼolewa, utaangushwa na kuangamizwa,
8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, then I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
ikiwa lile taifa nililolionya litatubia uovu wake, ndipo nitakapokuwa na huruma, wala sitawapiga kwa maafa niliyokuwa nimewakusudia.
9 And at the moment that I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant,
Ikiwa wakati mwingine nitatangaza kuwa taifa ama utawala ujengwe na kuwekwa wakfu,
10 if it do evil in my sight, that it hearken not unto my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them.
ikiwa utafanya maovu mbele zangu na hukunitii, ndipo nitakapoghairi makusudio yangu mema niliyokuwa nimeyakusudia.
11 And now, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I prepare evil against you, and devise a device against you: turn ye then every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
“Basi kwa hiyo waambie watu wa Yuda na wale waishio Yerusalemu, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tazama! Ninaandaa maafa kwa ajili yenu, nami ninabuni mabaya dhidi yenu. Kwa hiyo geukeni kutoka njia zenu mbaya, kila mmoja wenu, tengenezeni njia zenu na matendo yenu.’
12 But they say, There is no hope; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will each one do [according to] the stubbornness of his evil heart.
Lakini wao watajibu, ‘Hakuna faida. Tutaendelea na mipango yetu wenyewe, kila mmoja wetu atafuata ukaidi wa moyo wake mbaya.’”
13 Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ask ye now among the nations, Who hath heard such things? The virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Ulizia miongoni mwa mataifa: Ni nani alishasikia jambo kama hili? Jambo la kutisha sana limefanywa na Bikira Israeli.
14 Shall the snow of Lebanon cease from the rock of the field? Shall the cool flowing waters coming from afar be dried up?
Je, barafu ya Lebanoni iliwahi kutoweka kwenye miteremko yake ya mawe wakati wowote? Je, maji yake baridi yatokayo katika vyanzo vilivyo mbali yaliwahi kukoma kutiririka wakati wowote?
15 For my people hath forgotten me: they burn incense to vanity; and they have caused them to stumble in their ways, the ancient paths, to walk in by-paths of a way not cast up;
Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi, wanafukizia uvumba sanamu zisizofaa kitu, zilizowafanya wajikwae katika njia zao na katika mapito ya zamani. Zimewafanya wapite kwenye vichochoro na kwenye barabara ambazo hazikujengwa.
16 to make their land an astonishment, a perpetual hissing: every one that passeth by shall be astonished, and shake his head.
Nchi yao itaharibiwa, itakuwa kitu cha kudharauliwa daima; wote wapitao karibu nayo watashangaa na kutikisa vichwa vyao.
17 As with an east wind will I scatter them before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
Kama upepo utokao mashariki, nitawatawanya mbele ya adui zao; nitawapa kisogo wala sio uso, katika siku ya maafa yao.”
18 And they said, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor word from the prophet. Come and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
Wakasema, “Njooni, tutunge hila dhidi ya Yeremia; kwa kuwa kufundisha sheria kwa kuhani hakutapotea, wala shauri litokalo kwa mwenye hekima, wala neno la manabii. Hivyo njooni, tumshambulie kwa ndimi zetu na tusijali chochote asemacho.”
19 Jehovah, give heed to me, and listen to the voice of those that contend with me.
Nisikilize, Ee Bwana, sikia wanayosema washtaki wangu!
20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.
Je, mema yalipwe kwa mabaya? Lakini wao wamenichimbia shimo. Kumbuka kwamba nilisimama mbele yako na kunena mema kwa ajili yao, ili wewe ugeuze hasira yako kali mbali nao.
21 Therefore give up their children to the famine, and deliver them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of children and be widows; and let their men be swept off by death, their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.
Kwa hiyo uwaache watoto wao waone njaa; uwaache wauawe kwa makali ya upanga. Wake zao wasiwe na watoto, na wawe wajane; waume wao wauawe, nao vijana wao waume wachinjwe kwa upanga vitani.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and have hidden snares for my feet.
Kilio na kisikike kutoka kwenye nyumba zao ghafula uwaletapo adui dhidi yao, kwa kuwa wamechimba shimo ili kunikamata na wameitegea miguu yangu mitego.
23 And thou, Jehovah, knowest all their counsel against me to slay me. Forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee: deal with them in the time of thine anger.
Lakini unajua, Ee Bwana, hila zao zote za kuniua. Usiyasamehe makosa yao wala usifute dhambi zao mbele za macho yako. Wao na waangamizwe mbele zako; uwashughulikie wakati wa hasira yako.
