< Jeremiah 34 >

1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the land of his dominion, and all the peoples, fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, saying:
Wakati Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli na jeshi lake lote, pamoja na falme zote na mataifa katika himaya aliyotawala walipokuwa wakipigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu pamoja na miji yote inayoizunguka, neno hili lilimjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
2 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire;
“Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kusema: Nenda kwa Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda umwambie, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Ninakaribia kuutia mji huu mikononi mwa mfalme wa Babeli, naye atauteketeza kwa moto.
3 and thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and thine eyes shall behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon.
Hutaweza kuepuka mkono wake, bali hakika utatekwa na kukabidhiwa kwake. Utamwona mfalme wa Babeli kwa macho yako mwenyewe, naye atazungumza nawe ana kwa ana. Nawe utakwenda Babeli.
4 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O Zedekiah king of Judah: Thus saith the LORD concerning thee: Thou shalt not die by the sword;
“‘Lakini sikia ahadi ya Bwana, ee Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda. Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kukuhusu: Hutakufa kwa upanga,
5 thou shalt die in peace; and with the burnings of thy fathers, the former kings that were before thee, so shall they make a burning for thee; and they shall lament thee: 'Ah lord!' for I have spoken the word, saith the LORD.
utakufa kwa amani. Kama vile watu walivyowasha moto wa maziko kwa heshima ya baba zako, wafalme waliokutangulia, ndivyo watu watakavyowasha moto kwa heshima yako na kuomboleza, wakisema: “Ole, Ee Bwana!” Mimi mwenyewe ninaweka ahadi hii, asema Bwana.’”
6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem,
Ndipo nabii Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda mambo haya yote huko Yerusalemu,
7 when the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.
wakati jeshi la mfalme wa Babeli lilipokuwa likipigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu na miji mingine ya Yuda ambayo bado ilikuwa imara, yaani Lakishi na Azeka. Hii ilikuwa miji pekee yenye ngome iliyobaki katika Yuda.
8 The word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people that were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;
Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana, baada ya Mfalme Sedekia kufanya agano na watu wote huko Yerusalemu ili kutangaza uhuru kwa watumwa.
9 that every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, go free; that none should make bondmen of them, even of a Jew his brother;
Kila mmoja alipaswa kuwaacha huru watumwa wake wa Kiebrania, wanawake na wanaume. Hakuna yeyote aliyeruhusiwa kumshikilia Myahudi mwenzake kama mtumwa.
10 and all the princes and all the people hearkened, that had entered into the covenant to let every one his man-servant, and every one his maid-servant, go free, and not to make bondmen of them any more; they hearkened, and let them go;
Kwa hiyo maafisa wote na watu walioingia katika agano hili wakakubali kwamba watawaacha huru watumwa wao wa kiume na wa kike, na hawatawashikilia tena kama watumwa. Wakakubali na wakawaacha huru.
11 but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids;
Lakini baadaye wakabadili mawazo yao, na kuwarudisha wale watumwa waliokuwa wamewaacha huru, wakawafanya tena watumwa.
12 therefore the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:
Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia kusema:
13 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:
“Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Nilifanya agano na baba zenu nilipowatoa Misri, kutoka nchi ya utumwa. Nilisema,
14 'At the end of seven years ye shall let go every man his brother that is a Hebrew, that hath been sold unto thee, and hath served thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee'; but your fathers hearkened not unto Me, neither inclined their ear.
‘Kila mwaka wa saba, kila mmoja wenu ni lazima amwache huru mtumwa ambaye ni Mwebrania mwenzenu aliyejiuza kwenu. Baada ya kukutumikia kwa miaka sita, ni lazima umwache huru aende zake.’ Hata hivyo baba zenu hawakunisikiliza wala kunijali.
15 And ye were now turned, and had done that which is right in Mine eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before Me in the house whereon My name is called;
Hivi karibuni tu mlitubu na kufanya yaliyo sawa machoni pangu: Kila mmoja wenu aliwatangazia uhuru Waebrania wake. Hata mlifanya agano mbele zangu ndani ya nyumba iitwayo kwa Jina langu.
16 but ye turned and profaned My name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and ye brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.
Lakini sasa mmegeuka na kulinajisi jina langu. Kila mmoja wenu amemrudisha mtumwa wa kiume na wa kike ambao mlikuwa mmewaacha huru waende zao walikotaka. Mmewalazimisha kuwa watumwa wenu tena.
17 Therefore thus saith the LORD: Ye have not hearkened unto Me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbour; behold, I proclaim for you a liberty, saith the LORD, unto the sword, unto the pestilence, and unto the famine; and I will make you a horror unto all the kingdoms of the earth.
“Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Hamkunitii mimi. Hamkutangaza uhuru kwa ndugu zenu. Hivyo sasa, ninawatangazia ninyi ‘uhuru,’ asema Bwana: ‘uhuru’ ili kuanguka kwa upanga, tauni na njaa. Nitawafanya mwe chukizo kwa falme zote za dunia.
18 And I will give the men that have transgressed My covenant, that have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they cut the calf in twain and passed between the parts thereof;
Watu waliovunja agano langu, na ambao hawakutunza masharti ya agano walilofanya mbele zangu, nitawafanya kama ndama waliyemkata vipande viwili, kisha wakatembea kati ya vile vipande vya huyo ndama.
19 the princes of Judah, and the princes of Jerusalem, the officers, and the priests, and all the people of the land, that passed between the parts of the calf;
Viongozi wa Yuda na Yerusalemu, maafisa wa mahakama, makuhani na watu wote wa nchi waliopita kati ya vile vipande vya ndama,
20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be for food unto the fowls of the heaven, and to the beasts of the earth.
nitawatia mikononi mwa adui zao wanaotafuta uhai wao. Maiti zao zitakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani na wanyama wa nchi.
21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, that are gone up from you.
“Nitamtia Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda na maafisa wake mikononi mwa adui zao wanaotafuta uhai wao, kwa jeshi la mfalme wa Babeli, lililokuwa limeondoka kwenu.
22 Behold, I will command, saith the LORD, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
Nitatoa amri, asema Bwana, nami nitawarudisha tena katika mji huu. Watapigana dhidi yake, wautwae na kuuteketeza kwa moto. Nami nitaiangamiza miji ya Yuda hivyo pasiwe na yeyote atakayeweza kuishi humo.”

< Jeremiah 34 >