Jeremiah 18
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
Neno la Bwana lilimjia Yeremia, kusema,
2 Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
“Simama, uende kwa nyumba ya mfinyanzi; kwa maana nitakusikilizisha neno langu huko.
3 And I went down to the potter's house; and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Basi, nikaenda nyumbani kwa mfinyanzi, na tazama! Mfinyanzi alikuwa akifanya kazi kwenye gurudumu la mfinyanzi.
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 cha udongo ambacho alikuwa akikifinyanga kiliharibika mkononi mwake, kwa hiyo alibadili mawazo yake na akafanya kitu kingine ambacho kilionekana kuwa kizuri machoni pake.
5 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
Ndipo 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.
“Je, siwezi kuwa kama huyu mfinyanzi kwenu, nyumba ya Israeli? Angalia! Kama udongo katika mkono wa mfinyanzi-ndivyo ulivyo mkononi mwangu, 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,
Kwa wakati mmoja, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani juu ya taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaufukuza, kuuvunja, au kuuharibu.
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.
Lakini kama taifa ambalo nimefanya tamko hilo linageuka na kuacha maovu yake, basi nitaghairi nisitende maafa niliyokuwa nimepanga.
9 And at the moment that I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant,
Wakati mwingine, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani kuhusu taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaujenga au kuupanda.
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.
Lakini ikiwa watafanya mabaya machoni pangu kwa kutosikiliza sauti yangu, basi nitaghairi mema ambayo nilikuwa nimewaambia nitawafanyia.
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 sasa, waambie watu wa Yuda na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu, ukisema, 'Bwana asema hivi: Tazameni, nitawaangamiza. Mimi ni karibu kufinyanga mabaya dhidi yenu. Tubuni, kila mtu kutoka njia yake mbaya, hivyo njia zako na matendo yako yatakuletea mema.'
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 watasema, 'Hili halina maana. Tutafanya kulingana na mipango yetu wenyewe. Kila mmoja wetu atafanya mabaya kwa kuufuata uchupavu wa moyo wake.'
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 Bwana asema hivi, 'Uliza watu wa mataifa, ambao wamewahi kusikia habari kama hii? Bikira wa Israeli amefanya kitendo cha kutisha.
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, theluji ya Lebanoni imetoka milima yenye miamba juu ya pande zake? Je, mito ya mlima inayotoka mbali iliharibiwa, mito hiyo ya baridi?
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;
Hata hivyo watu wangu wamesahau. Wamefanya sadaka kwa sanamu zisizo na maana na wamefanya mashaka katika njia zao; wameacha njia za kale za kutembea katika njia ndogo.
16 to make their land an astonishment, a perpetual hissing: every one that passeth by shall be astonished, and shake his head.
Nchi yao itakuwa ya hofu, kitu cha kuzomewa milele. Kila mtu atakayepita karibu naye atashuhudia na kutingisha kichwa chake.
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.
Nitawaangamiza mbele ya adui zao kama upepo wa mashariki. Nitawageuzia kisogo, wala sio uso wangu, siku ya msiba wao.'”
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.
Basi watu wakasema, “Njoni, tufanye njama dhidi ya Yeremia, maana sheria haitapotea kabisa kwa makuhani, wala ushauri kutoka kwa wenye hekima, au maneno ya manabii. Njoo, mshambulie kwa maneno yetu na tusisikilize tena chochote anachosema.”
19 Jehovah, give heed to me, and listen to the voice of those that contend with me.
Sikiliza, Ee Bwana! Na kusikiliza sauti ya adui yangu.
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, maafa kutoka kwao itakuwa malipo yangu kwa kuwa mema kwao? Kwa maana wamenichimbia shimo. Kumbuka jinsi nilivyosimama mbele yako ili niseme mema kwa ajili yao na kugeuza ghadhabu yako isiwapate.
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.
Basi uwape watoto wao njaa, na uwatie mikononi mwa wale wanaotumia upanga. Basi, waache wanawake wao wafiwe na kuwa wajane, na watu wao watauawa, na vijana wao wauawe kwa upanga wa vita.
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.
Kelele ya kusikitisha isikiwe kutoka katika nyumba zao, kama utakapoleta washambuliaji ghafla juu yao. Kwa kuwa wamechimba shimo kunikamata na wameficha mitego katika miguu yangu.
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 wewe, Bwana, unajua mipango yao yote dhidi yangu ya kuniua. Usisamehe uovu na dhambi zao. Usiondoe dhambi zao mbali nawe. Badala yake, waache waangamizwe mbele yako. Tenda juu yao wakati wa ghadhabu yako.
