Jeremiah 18
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there will I let thee hear my words.
“Shuka uende mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nami huko nitakupa ujumbe wangu.”
3 Then went I down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was doing work on the wheels.
Kwa hiyo nikashuka mpaka kwenye nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nikamkuta akifinyanga kwa gurudumu lake.
4 And the vessel that he was making became spoiled as [happeneth] with the clay in the hand of the potter; and he made again thereof another vessel, as it seemed good in the eyes of the potter to make it.
Lakini chombo alichokuwa akikifinyanga kutokana na udongo kilivunjika mikononi mwake, hivyo mfinyanzi akakifanya kuwa chombo kingine, umbo jingine kama vile ilivyoonekana vyema kwake yeye.
5 Then came the word of the Lord to me, saying,
Kisha neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
6 Shall I not be able to do unto you as this potter, O house of Israel? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
“Ee nyumba ya Israeli, je, siwezi kuwafanyia kama huyu mfinyanzi afanyavyo?” asema Bwana. “Kama vile udongo ulivyo katika mikono ya mfinyanzi, ndivyo mlivyo katika mkono wangu, ee nyumba ya Israeli.
7 At one instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
Ikiwa wakati wowote nikitangaza kuwa taifa au ufalme utangʼolewa, utaangushwa na kuangamizwa,
8 But should that nation, against whom I have spoken, return from their wrong-doing: then will I bethink me of the evil that I had thought to do unto them.
ikiwa lile taifa nililolionya litatubia uovu wake, ndipo nitakapokuwa na huruma, wala sitawapiga kwa maafa niliyokuwa nimewakusudia.
9 And at one instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
Ikiwa wakati mwingine nitatangaza kuwa taifa ama utawala ujengwe na kuwekwa wakfu,
10 But should it do what is evil in my eyes, so as not to hearken to my voice: then will I bethink me of the good, wherewith I had thought to benefit the same.
ikiwa utafanya maovu mbele zangu na hukunitii, ndipo nitakapoghairi makusudio yangu mema niliyokuwa nimeyakusudia.
11 And now do say to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as followeth, Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I form against you evil, and devise against you a device: do but return now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.
“Basi kwa hiyo waambie watu wa Yuda na wale waishio Yerusalemu, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tazama! Ninaandaa maafa kwa ajili yenu, nami ninabuni mabaya dhidi yenu. Kwa hiyo geukeni kutoka njia zenu mbaya, kila mmoja wenu, tengenezeni njia zenu na matendo yenu.’
12 And they said, It is useless: for after our own thoughts will we walk, and we will every one do after the stubbornness of his evil heart.
Lakini wao watajibu, ‘Hakuna faida. Tutaendelea na mipango yetu wenyewe, kila mmoja wetu atafuata ukaidi wa moyo wake mbaya.’”
13 Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Only ask among the nations, Who hath heard the like things? a very horrible act hath the virgin of Israel committed.
Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Ulizia miongoni mwa mataifa: Ni nani alishasikia jambo kama hili? Jambo la kutisha sana limefanywa na Bikira Israeli.
14 Doth the snow of Lebanon ever quit the rock of the field? or do the far-coming, cold, flowing waters ever fail?
Je, barafu ya Lebanoni iliwahi kutoweka kwenye miteremko yake ya mawe wakati wowote? Je, maji yake baridi yatokayo katika vyanzo vilivyo mbali yaliwahi kukoma kutiririka wakati wowote?
15 That my people have forgotten me, that they have burnt incense to false gods, and are made to stumble on their ways, the ancient beaten tracks, to walk in paths, on a road which is not leveled?
Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi, wanafukizia uvumba sanamu zisizofaa kitu, zilizowafanya wajikwae katika njia zao na katika mapito ya zamani. Zimewafanya wapite kwenye vichochoro na kwenye barabara ambazo hazikujengwa.
16 To make their land desolate, a perpetual derision: every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.
Nchi yao itaharibiwa, itakuwa kitu cha kudharauliwa daima; wote wapitao karibu nayo watashangaa na kutikisa vichwa vyao.
17 Like an east wind will I scatter them before the enemy; with the back, and not the face, will I regard them on the day of their calamity.
Kama upepo utokao mashariki, nitawatawanya mbele ya adui zao; nitawapa kisogo wala sio uso, katika siku ya maafa yao.”
18 And they said, Come, and let us contrive devices against Jeremiah; for the law will not be lost from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not listen to any of his words.
Wakasema, “Njooni, tutunge hila dhidi ya Yeremia; kwa kuwa kufundisha sheria kwa kuhani hakutapotea, wala shauri litokalo kwa mwenye hekima, wala neno la manabii. Hivyo njooni, tumshambulie kwa ndimi zetu na tusijali chochote asemacho.”
19 Listen to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of those that contend with me.
Nisikilize, Ee Bwana, sikia wanayosema washtaki wangu!
20 Shall evil be recompensed instead of good, that they have dug a pit for my life? Remember my standing before thee to speak good concerning them, to cause thy wrath to turn away from them.
Je, mema yalipwe kwa mabaya? Lakini wao wamenichimbia shimo. Kumbuka kwamba nilisimama mbele yako na kunena mema kwa ajili yao, ili wewe ugeuze hasira yako kali mbali nao.
21 Therefore give up their children to the famine, and let their life ebb out by means of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain by death; their young men smitten by the sword in the battle.
Kwa hiyo uwaache watoto wao waone njaa; uwaache wauawe kwa makali ya upanga. Wake zao wasiwe na watoto, na wawe wajane; waume wao wauawe, nao vijana wao waume wachinjwe kwa upanga vitani.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou bringest a troop over them suddenly; for they have dug a pit to catch me, and laid concealed snares for my feet.
Kilio na kisikike kutoka kwenye nyumba zao ghafula uwaletapo adui dhidi yao, kwa kuwa wamechimba shimo ili kunikamata na wameitegea miguu yangu mitego.
23 Yet thou, Lord, knowest well all their counsel against me to [procure my] death: forgive not their iniquity, and let their sin not be blotted out from before thee; but let them be brought to stumbling before thee; in the time of thy anger deal thus with them.
Lakini unajua, Ee Bwana, hila zao zote za kuniua. Usiyasamehe makosa yao wala usifute dhambi zao mbele za macho yako. Wao na waangamizwe mbele zako; uwashughulikie wakati wa hasira yako.
