Jeremiah 2
1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema,
2 Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.
“Nenda ukahubiri masikioni mwa watu wa Yerusalemu: “‘Nakumbuka moyo wako wa uchaji katika ujana wako, jinsi ulivyonipenda kama bibi arusi na kunifuata katika jangwa lile lote, katika nchi isiyopandwa mbegu.
3 Israel is holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
Israeli alikuwa mtakatifu kwa Bwana, kama malimbuko ya kwanza ya mavuno yake; wote waliowaangamiza walihesabiwa kuwa na hatia, nayo maafa yaliwakumba,’” asema Bwana.
4 Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel.
Sikia neno la Bwana, ee nyumba ya Yakobo, nanyi nyote jamaa za nyumba ya Israeli.
5 Thus saith the Lord: What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “Je, baba zenu waliona kosa gani kwangu, hata wakatangatanga mbali nami hivyo? Walifuata sanamu zisizofaa, nao wenyewe wakawa hawafai.
6 And they have not said: Where is the Lord, that made us come up out of the land of Egypt? that led us through the desert, through a land uninhabited and unpassable, through a land of drought, and the image of death, through a land wherein no man walked, nor any man dwelt?
Hawakuuliza, ‘Yuko wapi Bwana, aliyetupandisha kutoka Misri na kutuongoza kupitia nyika kame, kupitia nchi ya majangwa na mabonde, nchi ya ukame na giza, nchi ambayo hakuna mtu asafiriye ndani yake wala hakuna mtu aishiye humo?’
7 And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.
Niliwaleta katika nchi yenye wingi wa vitu ili mpate kula matunda yake na utajiri wa mazao yake. Lakini mkaja na kuinajisi nchi yangu, na kuufanya urithi wangu chukizo.
8 The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastors transgressed against me: and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and followed idols.
Makuhani hawakuuliza, ‘Yuko wapi Bwana?’ Wale wanaoshughulikia sheria hawakunijua mimi; viongozi waliasi dhidi yangu. Manabii walitabiri kwa jina la Baali, wakifuata sanamu zisizofaa.
9 Therefore will I yet contend in judgement with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.
“Kwa hiyo naleta tena mashtaka dhidi yako,” asema Bwana. “Nami nitaleta mashtaka dhidi ya watoto wa watoto wako.
10 Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider diligently: and see if there hath been done any thing like this.
Vuka, nenda ngʼambo mpaka pwani ya Kitimu nawe uangalie, tuma watu waende Kedari, wachunguze kwa makini, uone kama kumekuwepo kitu kama hiki.
11 If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
Je, taifa limebadili miungu yake wakati wowote? (Hata ingawa hao si miungu kamwe.) Lakini watu wangu wamebadili Utukufu wao kwa sanamu zisizofaa kitu.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.
Shangaeni katika hili, ee mbingu, nanyi tetemekeni kwa hofu kuu,” asema Bwana.
13 For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
“Watu wangu wametenda dhambi mbili: Wameniacha mimi, niliye chemchemi ya maji yaliyo hai, nao wamejichimbia visima vyao wenyewe, visima vilivyobomoka, visivyoweza kuhifadhi maji.
14 Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become prey?
Je, Israeli ni mtumishi, yaani mtumwa kwa kuzaliwa? Kwa nini basi amekuwa mateka?
15 The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down and there is none to dwell in them.
Simba wamenguruma; wamemngurumia. Wameifanya nchi yake kuwa ukiwa; miji yake imeteketezwa, nayo imeachwa haina watu.
16 The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have deflowered thee, even to the crown of the head.
Pia watu wa Memfisi na Tahpanhesi wamevunja taji ya kichwa chako.
17 Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by the way?
Je, hukujiletea hili wewe mwenyewe kwa kumwacha Bwana, Mungu wako alipowaongoza njiani?
18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the troubled water? And what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of the river?
Sasa kwa nini uende Misri kunywa maji ya Shihori? Nawe kwa nini kwenda Ashuru kunywa maji ya Mto Frati?
19 Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostasy shall rebuke thee. Know thou, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the God of hosts.
Uovu wako utakuadhibu; kurudi nyuma kwako kutakukemea. Basi kumbuka, utambue jinsi lilivyo ovu na chungu kwako unapomwacha Bwana Mungu wako na kutokuwa na hofu yangu,” asema Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
20 Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.
“Zamani nilivunja nira yako na kukatilia mbali vifungo vyako; ukasema, ‘Sitakutumikia!’ Naam kweli, kwenye kila kilima kirefu na chini ya kila mti uliotanda matawi yake ulijilaza kama kahaba.
21 Yet I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?
Nilikupanda ukiwa mzabibu ulio bora sana, mkamilifu na wa mbegu nzuri. Ilikuwaje basi ukawa kinyume nami, ukaharibika na kuwa mzabibu mwitu?
22 Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God.
Hata ujisafishe kwa magadi na kutumia sabuni nyingi, bado doa la hatia yako liko mbele zangu,” asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
23 How canst thou say: I am not polluted, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.
“Wawezaje kusema, ‘Mimi si najisi, sijawafuata Mabaali’? Kumbuka jinsi ulivyotenda kule bondeni; fikiri uliyoyafanya. Wewe ni ngamia jike mwenye mbio ukikimbia hapa na pale,
24 A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall find her.
punda-mwitu aliyezoea jangwa, anayenusa upepo katika tamaa yake kubwa: katika wakati wake wa kuhitaji mbegu ni nani awezaye kumzuia? Madume yoyote yanayomfuatilia hayana haja ya kujichosha; wakati wa kupandwa kwake watampata tu.
25 Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.
Usikimbie hadi miguu yako iwe haina viatu, na koo lako liwe limekauka. Lakini ulisema, ‘Haina maana! Ninaipenda miungu ya kigeni, nami lazima niifuatie.’
26 As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, their princes and their priests, and their prophets.
“Kama vile mwizi aaibikavyo wakati amekamatwa, hivyo ndivyo nyumba ya Israeli inavyoaibishwa: wao wenyewe, wafalme wao na maafisa wao, makuhani wao na manabii wao.
27 Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.
Wanaiambia miti, ‘Wewe ndiwe baba yangu,’ nalo jiwe, ‘Wewe ndiwe uliyenizaa.’ Wamenipa visogo vyao wala hawakunigeuzia nyuso zao; lakini wakiwa katika taabu, wanasema, ‘Njoo utuokoe!’
28 Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
Iko wapi basi ile miungu mliyojitengenezea? Yenyewe na ije kama inaweza kuwaokoa wakati mko katika taabu! Kwa maana mna miungu mingi kama mlivyo na miji, ee Yuda.
29 Why will you contend with me in judgement? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
“Kwa nini mnaleta mashtaka dhidi yangu? Ninyi nyote mmeniasi,” asema Bwana.
30 In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.
“Nimeadhibu watu wako bure tu, hawakujirekebisha. Upanga wako umewala manabii wako kama simba mwenye njaa.
31 See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.
“Enyi wa kizazi hiki, tafakarini neno la Bwana: “Je, nimekuwa jangwa kwa Israeli au nchi ya giza kuu? Kwa nini watu wangu wanasema, ‘Sisi tuko huru kuzurura, hatutarudi kwako tena’?
32 Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.
Je, mwanamwali husahau vito vyake, au bibi arusi mapambo yake ya arusi? Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi, tena kwa siku zisizo na hesabu.
33 Why dost thou endeavour to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who has also taught thy malices to be thy ways,
Je, wewe una ustadi kiasi gani katika kufuatia mapenzi! Hata wale wanawake wabaya kuliko wote wanaweza kujifunza kutokana na njia zako.
34 And in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor and innocent? not in ditches have I found them, but in all places, which I mentioned before.
Katika nguo zako watu huona damu ya uhai ya maskini wasio na hatia, ingawa hukuwakamata wakivunja nyumba. Lakini katika haya yote
35 And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgement, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.
unasema, ‘Sina hatia; Mungu hajanikasirikia.’ Lakini nitakuhukumu kwa sababu unasema, ‘Mimi sijatenda dhambi.’
36 How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
Kwa nini unatangatanga sana, kubadili njia zako? Utakatishwa tamaa na Misri kama ulivyokatishwa na Ashuru.
37 For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.
Pia utaondoka mahali hapo ukiwa umeweka mikono kichwani, kwa kuwa Bwana amewakataa wale unaowatumainia; hutasaidiwa nao.
