< Jeremiah 4 >

1 If you will return, O Israel, says the LORD, return unto me: and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight, then shall you not remove.
“Atĩrĩrĩ wee Isiraeli, ũngĩkorwo nĩũgũcooka-rĩ, njookerera,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga. “Ũngĩeheria mĩhianano ĩyo yaku ĩrĩ magigi, na ũtige gũcooka kũũrũũra rĩngĩ,
2 And you shall swear, The LORD lives, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.
ningĩ ũngĩrũmia ũhoro wa ma, na ũtuanĩri ciira wa kĩhooto, na wa ũthingu, na wĩhĩte ũkiugaga atĩrĩ, ‘Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo,’ hĩndĩ ĩyo ndũrĩrĩ nĩikarathimwo nĩwe, na thĩinĩ wake nĩikaagĩa na riiri.”
3 For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
Atĩrĩrĩ, Jehova areera andũ a Juda, o na andũ a Jerusalemu ũũ: “Cimbai mĩgũnda yanyu ĩrĩa ĩrĩ ngamba, na mũtikahaande irio mĩigua-inĩ.
4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, all of you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Mwĩamũrĩrei Jehova, na ũndũ wa kũruithia ngoro cianyu inyuĩ andũ aya a Juda, na inyuĩ mũtũũraga Jerusalemu, nĩgeetha mangʼũrĩ makwa matigaakane ta mwaki, nĩ ũndũ wa ũũru ũrĩa mwĩkĩte, maakane mage mũndũ wa kũmahoria.
5 Declare all of you in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow all of you the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
“Anĩrĩrai kũu Juda, na mũhunjie ũhoro kũu Jerusalemu, muuge ũũ: ‘Huhai tũrumbeta bũrũri-inĩ guothe!’ Anĩrĩrai na kayũ muuge atĩrĩ: ‘Mwĩcookanĩrĩriei! Nĩtũũrĩrei matũũra-inĩ marĩa manene mairigĩre!’
6 Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
Haandai bendera mũthiĩ mwerekeire Zayuni! Mwĩtharei narua mwĩhonokie! Nĩgũkorwo nĩndĩrarehithia mwanangĩko uumĩte mwena wa gathigathini, o na kũniinanwo kũnene.”
7 The lion has come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make your land desolate; and your cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.
Mũrũũthi nĩumĩte kĩmamo-inĩ kĩaguo; mũniinani wa kũniina ndũrĩrĩ nĩoimagarĩte. Oimĩte gwake oke aanange bũrũri waku. Matũũra maku makaanangĩka, mage mũndũ wa gũtũũra kuo.
8 For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail: for the fierce anger of the LORD is not turned back from us.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, mwĩhumbei nguo cia makũnia, cakayai na mũrĩre, nĩ ũndũ tũtirĩ tũrehererwo nĩ mangʼũrĩ macio mahiũ ma Jehova.
9 And it shall come to pass at that day, says the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Mũthenya ũcio-rĩ, mũthamaki na anene ake nĩmagakua ngoro, nao athĩnjĩri-Ngai nĩmakagegeara, nao anabii mamake.”
10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, All of you shall have peace; whereas the sword reachs unto the soul.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo ngiuga atĩrĩ: “Hĩ! Mwathani Jehova, ti-itherũ nĩ ta ũkĩheenetie andũ aya biũ, o na ũkaheenia Jerusalemu, nĩ ũndũ wa kũmeera atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩmũkaagĩa na thayũ,’ o rĩrĩa tũigĩrĩirwo rũhiũ rwa njora mĩmero.”
11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,
Ihinda rĩu andũ aya o hamwe na Jerusalemu nĩmakeerwo atĩrĩ, “Rũhuho rũhiũ ruumĩte kũndũ kũrĩa gũtarĩ kĩndũ kũu gũtũũgĩru werũ-inĩ nĩrũkahurutana rwerekeire kũrĩ andũ akwa, no rĩrĩ, ti ta rũrĩa rwa kũhuha irio kana rwa gũcitheria;
12 Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.
nĩ rũhuho rũrĩ na hinya kũrĩ rũu ruumĩte kũrĩ niĩ. Rĩu nĩngũmatuĩra matuĩro ma ciira.”
13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
Ta rorai muone! Mũndũ ũcio aroka ta matu, ngaari ciake cia ita irooka ta kĩhuhũkanio, nacio mbarathi ciake ihanyũkaga gũkĩra nderi. Ĩiya witũ-ĩ! Tũrĩ aniine biũ.
14 O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?
Wee Jerusalemu-rĩ, theria ũũru kuuma ngoro-inĩ yaku nĩguo ũhonoke. Ũgũtũũra ũthugundaga ũũru meciiria-inĩ maku nginya-rĩ?
15 For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes affliction from mount Ephraim.
Nĩ kũrĩ na mũgambo wa mũndũ ũranĩrĩra kũu Dani, ũkaanĩrĩra ũhoro wa mwanangĩko kũu irĩma-inĩ cia Efiraimu.
16 Make all of you mention to the nations; behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
“Ĩrai ndũrĩrĩ ũhoro ũcio, hunjĩriai Jerusalemu muuge atĩrĩ: ‘Ita inene rĩa gũgũũkĩrĩra nĩrĩroka riumĩte bũrũri wa kũraya, na rĩroka na mbugĩrĩrio ya mbaara ya gũũkĩrĩra matũũra mothe manene ma Juda.
17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she has been rebellious against me, says the LORD.
Marĩrigiicĩirie o ta andũ marangĩire mũgũnda, tondũ itũũra rĩu nĩrĩnemeire, rĩkanjũkĩrĩra,’” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
18 Your way and your doings have procured these things unto you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reachs unto your heart.
“Mĩthiĩre yaku mwene na ciĩko ciaku nĩcio ikũreheire maũndũ macio. Rĩĩrĩ nĩrĩo iherithia rĩaku. Na kaĩ nĩ irũrũ-ĩ! Kaĩ nĩrĩgũtheeca ngoro-ĩ!”
19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
Wũi, ruo-ĩ, wũi ruo-ĩ! Ndĩrenyogonda nĩ ruo. Wũi, ruo rũnene ngoro-inĩ yakwa-ĩ! Ngoro yakwa nĩĩratumatuuma, ndingĩhota gũkirĩrĩria. Nĩgũkorwo nĩnjiguĩte mũgambo wa karumbeta; nĩnjiguĩte mbugĩrĩrio ya mbaara.
20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment.
Mwanangĩko ũrarũmanĩrĩra na mwanangĩko; bũrũri wothe nĩwanangĩtwo. O rĩmwe hema ciakwa nĩthũkangie, o kahinda gatarĩ cooho kĩĩgitio gĩakwa gĩgathũkangio.
21 How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
Nĩ nginya rĩ ngũtũũra nyonaga bendera ya mbaara, na ngaigua mũgambo wa karumbeta?
22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are foolish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
“Andũ akwa nĩ irimũ; matinjũũĩ. Nĩ ciana iteciiragia, na ikaaga ũmenyo. Ũũgĩ ũrĩa marĩ naguo no wa gwĩka ũũru; matiũĩ gwĩka wega.”
23 I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light.
Ndaacũthĩrĩirie thĩ, ngĩkĩona atĩ ndĩarĩ ũrĩa yatariĩ na ndĩarĩ na kĩndũ; ningĩ ngĩcũthĩrĩria matu-inĩ, ngĩona atĩ gũtiarĩ na ũtheri.
24 I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
Ndaacũthĩrĩria irĩma, ngĩona atĩ nĩgũthingitha ciathingithaga; natuo tũrĩma tuothe nĩ kwereera twereeraga.
25 I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
Ngĩcũthĩrĩria, ngĩona atĩ gũtiarĩ na andũ; nyoni ciothe cia rĩera-inĩ nĩciombũkĩte ikoora.
26 I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
Ngĩcũthĩrĩria, ngĩona bũrũri ũrĩa waciaraga maciaro maingĩ, watuĩkĩte o werũ mũtheri, matũũra makuo mothe nĩmamomokeire hau mbere ya Jehova, makagũa thĩ nĩ ũndũ wa marakara make mahiũ.
27 For thus has the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end.
Ũũ nĩguo Jehova ekuuga: “Bũrũri wothe nĩũkanangwo, o na gũtuĩka ndikaũniina biũ.
28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio thĩ nĩĩgacakaya, narĩo igũrũ rĩgĩe nduma, tondũ ũguo nĩguo njugĩte, na ndingĩĩricũkwo. Nĩnduĩte itua na ndikũgarũrũka.”
29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
Rĩrĩa kwaiguuo mũrurumo wa andũ arĩa mathiiaga mahaicĩte mbarathi na wa andũ arĩa maikagia mĩguĩ-rĩ, andũ a matũũra mothe no makoora. Amwe ao makoorĩra ihinga-inĩ, nao amwe ao makahaica ndwaro-inĩ cia mahiga. Matũũra macio mothe nĩmathaamĩtwo; gũtirĩ mũndũ ũikaraga kuo.
30 And when you are spoiled, what will you do? Though you cloth yourself with crimson, though you deck you with ornaments of gold, though you rent your face with painting, in vain shall you make yourself fair; your lovers will despise you, they will seek your life.
Ũreka atĩa, wee ũnũhĩtwo? Ũkwĩhumba nguo ndune na ũkegemia na mathaga ma thahabu nĩkĩ? Ũrahaka mbutu ciaku cia maitho rangi nĩkĩ? Atĩrĩrĩ, kwĩgemia gwaku no gwa tũhũ. Endwa aku nĩmakwagĩire bata; rĩu maracaria ũrĩa mangĩkũruta muoyo.
31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewails herself, that spreads her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
Nĩndĩraigua kĩrĩro ta kĩa mũndũ-wa-nja akĩrũmwo, arĩ na mũcaayo ta wa mũtumia agĩciara mwana wake wa irigithathi: nĩ kĩrĩro kĩa Mwarĩ wa Zayuni agĩteeha, atambũrũkĩtie moko make, akiugaga atĩrĩ, “Wũi-ĩ-iya-wakwa-ĩ! Nĩndĩraringĩka; muoyo wakwa nĩmũneane kũrĩ oragani.”

< Jeremiah 4 >