< Jeremiah 16 >

1 A message from the Lord that came to me, saying,
Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
2 Don't marry or have children here.
“Usiwe na mke, wala usiwe na wana au binti hapa.
3 This is what the Lord says about children born here, and about their mothers and fathers—their parents here in this country:
Kwa kuwa Bwana asema hivi kwa wana na binti ambao wamezaliwa hapa, kwa mama waliowabeba, na kwa baba waliowafanya wazaliwe katika nchi hii,
4 They will die from fatal diseases. No one will mourn for them. Their bodies won't be buried, but will lie on the ground like manure. They will be destroyed by war and famine, and their bodies will be food for birds of prey and wild animals.
'Watakufa vifo vya magonjwa. Hawataliliwa wala kuzikwa. Watakuwa kama samadi juu ya nchi. Kwa maana wataangamizwa kwa upanga na njaa, na miili yao itakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani na wanyama wa dunia.'
5 This is what the Lord says: Don't enter a home where people are having a funeral meal. Don't visit them to mourn or to offer condolences, for I have taken away my peace, my trustworthy love, and my mercy from these people, declares the Lord.
Maana Bwana asema hivi, 'Usiingie nyumba yoyote yenye kuomboleza. Usiende kuwaombolezea, wala usihuzunike kwa ajili ya watu hawa. Kwa maana nimeondoa amani yangu, uaminifu wa agano, na huruma, kutoka kwa watu hawa! Ndivyo asemavyo Bwana;
6 Everyone, from the most important to the least, will die in this country. They will not be buried or mourned; there will be no rites for the dead such as cutting oneself or shaving of heads.
kwa hiyo wakuu na wadogo watakufa katika nchi hii. Wala hawatazikwa, wala hakuna yeyote atakayeomboleza kwa ajili yao. Hakuna mtu atakayejikata-kata au kunyoa vichwa vyao kwa ajili yao.
7 No funeral receptions will be held to comfort those who mourn—not even a comforting drink is to be offered at the loss of a father or mother.
Hakuna mtu anayepaswa kugawa chakula chochote wakati wa kuomboleza ili kuwafariji kwa sababu ya vifo, na hawatawapa kikombe cha faraja kwa baba yake au mama yake ili kuwafariji.
8 Don't go into a house where people are celebrating and sit down with them to eat and drink.
Usiende kwenye nyumba ya karamu ili ukae pamoja nao ili kula au kunywa.
9 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am going to put a stop right here, while you watch, to any sounds of celebration and joy, the happy voices of the groom and bride.
Kwa maana Bwana wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, 'Tazama, mbele yako, siku zako na mahali hapa, nitakomesha sauti ya furaha na sherehe, sauti ya bwana na bibi arusi. '
10 When you explain all this to them they'll ask you, “Why has the Lord ordered that such a terrible disaster should happen to us? What did we do wrong? What sin have we committed against the Lord our God?”
Kisha itatokea kwamba utawaambia watu hawa maneno haya yote, na watakuambia, 'Mbona Bwana amesema maafa yote haya juu yetu? Uovu wetu ni uovu gani na dhambi yetu tuliyomtendea Bwana, Mungu wetu?'
11 Answer them: It's because your forefathers deserted me, declares the Lord. They went and followed other gods, serving them and worshiping them. They abandoned me and didn't keep my laws.
Basi uwaambie, 'hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana; Kwa sababu baba zenu waliniacha, nao wakafuata miungu mingine, wakaiabudu na kuisujudia. Waliniacha na hawakuishika sheria yangu.
12 You however have done even more evil than your forefathers. Look at how all of you followed your own stubborn evil thinking instead of obeying me.
Lakini ninyi wenyewe mmeleta uovu zaidi kuliko baba zenu, kwa maana, kila mtu anaenda kwa ukaidi wa moyo wake mbaya; hakuna mtu anayenisikiliza.
13 So I'm going to throw you out of this country and exile you in a country unfamiliar to you and your forefathers. There you'll serve other gods day and night, because I won't help you at all.
Kwa hiyo nitawafukuza kutoka nchi hii mpaka nchi msiyoijua, wewe wala baba zako, nanyi mtaiabudu miungu mingine huko mchana na usiku, kwa maana mimi sitawapa fadhili zangu.'
14 But listen! The time is coming, declares the Lord, when people won't any longer make vows, saying. “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites out of Egypt.”
Kwa hiyo tazama! Siku zinakuja-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-ambapo hawatasema tena, 'Kama Bwana aishivyo, yeye aliyewaleta wana wa Israeli kutoka nchi ya Misri.'
15 Instead they'll say, “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites back from the northern country and all the other countries where he had exiled them.” I'm going to bring them back to the country I gave their forefathers.
Kwa maana, kama Bwana aishivyo, yeye aliyewaleta wana wa Israeli kutoka nchi ya kaskazini, na kutoka nchi aliyowaangamiza, nitawarudisha katika nchi niliyowapa baba zao.
16 But for the moment I'm going to send for many fishermen and they'll catch them, declares the Lord. Then I'm going to send for many hunters, and they'll hunt them down on every mountain and hill, even from their hiding places in the rocks.
Angalia! hili ni tamko la Bwana-Nitatuma wavuvi wengi-kwa hiyo watawavua watu. Baada ya hayo nitatuma wawindaji wengi ili waweze kuwinda kati ya milima na vilima vyote, na katika miamba ya mwamba.
17 I see everything they're doing. They can't hide from me, and their sins aren't hidden from me either.
Kwa kuwa macho yangu yapo juu ya njia zao zote; hawawezi kujificha mbele yangu. Uovu wao hauwezi kufichika mbele ya macho yangu.
18 First I'm going to pay them back double for their wickedness and sin, because they have made my land unclean with the lifeless bodies of their disgusting idols, filling my special country with their offensive pagan images.
Nami kwanza nitawalipa mara mbili uovu na dhambi zao kwa kuwa wameichafua nchi yangu sanamu za machukizo, na kwa kujaza urithi wangu na sanamu zao za machukizo.
19 Lord, you are my strength and my fortress, my safe place in the time of trouble. Nations will come to you from all over the earth, and they will say, “The religion of our forefathers was a total lie! The idols they worshiped were useless—no good at all.
Ee Bwana, wewe ndiwe ngome yangu, na kimbilio langu, na mahali pa usalama wangu siku ya shida. Mataifa yatakujia kwako kutoka mwisho wa dunia na kusema, 'Hakika baba zetu walirithi udanganyifu. Ubatili mtupu; hakuna faida ndani yao. Je!
20 How can people make gods for themselves? These aren't gods!”
Watu hufanya miungu kwa ajili yao wenyewe? Lakini wao sio miungu.
21 Now they'll see! I'll show them, and then they'll recognize my power and strength. Then they'll know that I am the Lord!
Kwa hiyo tazama! Nitawafanya wajue wakati huu, nitawafanya watambue mkono wangu na nguvu zangu, kwa hiyo watajua kwamba Yahweh ni jina langu.”

< Jeremiah 16 >