Jeremiah 18
1 The word that came from Jeremias to the Lord, saying:
Neno la Bwana lilimjia Yeremia, kusema,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there thou shalt hear my words.
“Simama, uende kwa nyumba ya mfinyanzi; kwa maana nitakusikilizisha neno langu huko.
3 And I went down into the potter’s house, and behold he was doing a work on the wheel.
Basi, nikaenda nyumbani kwa mfinyanzi, na tazama! Mfinyanzi alikuwa akifanya kazi kwenye gurudumu la mfinyanzi.
4 And the vessel was broken which he was making with clay with his hands: and turning he made another vessel, as it seemed good in his eyes to make it.
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 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
6 Cannot I do with you as this potter, saith the Lord? behold as clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O 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 I will suddenly speak against a nation, and against a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it.
Kwa wakati mmoja, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani juu ya taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaufukuza, kuuvunja, au kuuharibu.
8 If that nation against which I have spoken, shall repent of their evil, I also will repent of the evil that I have thought to do to them.
Lakini kama taifa ambalo nimefanya tamko hilo linageuka na kuacha maovu yake, basi nitaghairi nisitende maafa niliyokuwa nimepanga.
9 And I will suddenly speak of a nation and of a kingdom, to build up and plant it.
Wakati mwingine, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani kuhusu taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaujenga au kuupanda.
10 If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice: I will repent of the good that I have spoken to do unto it.
Lakini ikiwa watafanya mabaya machoni pangu kwa kutosikiliza sauti yangu, basi nitaghairi mema ambayo nilikuwa nimewaambia nitawafanyia.
11 Now therefore tell the men of Juda, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: let every man of you return from his evil way, and make ye your ways and your doings good.
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 And they said: We have no hopes: for we will go after our own thoughts, and we will do every one according to the perverseness 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 the Lord: Ask among the nations: Who hath heard such horrible things, as the virgin of Israel hath done to excess?
Kwa hiyo Bwana asema hivi, 'Uliza watu wa mataifa, ambao wamewahi kusikia habari kama hii? Bikira wa Israeli amefanya kitendo cha kutisha.
14 Shall now the snow of Libanus fail from the rock of the field? or can the cold waters that gush out and run down, be taken away?
Je, theluji ya Lebanoni imetoka milima yenye miamba juu ya pande zake? Je, mito ya mlima inayotoka mbali iliharibiwa, mito hiyo ya baridi?
15 Because my people have forgotten me, sacrificing in vain, and stumbling in their ways, in ancient paths, to walk by them in a way not trodden:
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 That their land might be given up to desolation, and to a perpetual hissing: every one that shall pass by it, shall be astonished, and wag his head.
Nchi yao itakuwa ya hofu, kitu cha kuzomewa milele. Kila mtu atakayepita karibu naye atashuhudia na kutingisha kichwa chake.
17 As a burning will I scatter them before the enemy: I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their destruction.
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 invent devices against Jeremias: for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet: come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us give no heed to all 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 Give heed to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries.
Sikiliza, Ee Bwana! Na kusikiliza sauti ya adui yangu.
20 Shall evil be rendered for good, because they have digged a pit for my soul? Remember that I have stood in thy sight, so speak good for them, and turn away thy indignation 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 deliver up their children to famine, and bring them into the hands of the sword: let their wives be bereaved of children and widows: and let their husbands be slain by death: let their young men be stabbed with 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 out of their houses: for thou shalt bring the robber upon them suddenly: because they have digged a pit to take me, and have hid 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 But thou, O Lord, knowest all their counsel against me unto death: forgive not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from thy sight: let them be overthrown before thy eyes, in the time of thy wrath do thou destroy them.
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.
