Jeremiah 23
1 Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the flocks of my pasture! saith the Lord.
“Ole wao wachungaji wanaoharibu na kutawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu!” asema Bwana.
2 Therefore thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel concerning the shepherds that feed my people, Ye have scattered my flocks, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them: now, behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.
Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, analowaambia wachungaji wanaowachunga watu wangu: “Kwa sababu mmelitawanya kundi langu na kuwafukuzia mbali, wala hamkuwatunza, basi mimi nitawaadhibu kwa ajili ya uovu mliofanya,” asema Bwana.
3 And I will indeed gather the remnant of my flock together out of all the countries whither I have driven them; and I will bring them back again to their folds: and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
“Mimi mwenyewe nitayakusanya mabaki ya kundi langu kutoka nchi zote ambazo nimewafukuzia, nami nitawarudisha katika malisho yao, mahali ambapo watazaa na kuongezeka idadi yao.
4 And I will raise up over them shepherds who shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, and none of them shall be missing, saith the Lord.
Nitaweka wachungaji juu yao ambao watawachunga, nao hawataogopa tena au kutishwa, wala hatapotea hata mmoja,” asema Bwana.
5 Behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will raise up unto David a righteous sprout, and he shall reign as king, and prosper, and he shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.
Bwana asema, “Siku zinakuja, nitakapomwinulia Daudi Tawi lenye haki, Mfalme atakayetawala kwa hekima, na kutenda lililo haki na sawa katika nchi.
6 In his days shall Judah be helped, and Israel shall dwell in safety: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.
Katika siku zake, Yuda ataokolewa na Israeli ataishi salama. Hili ndilo jina atakaloitwa: Bwana Haki Yetu.
7 Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, As the Lord liveth, who hath brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
“Hivyo basi, siku zinakuja, wakati ambapo watu hawatasema tena, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewapandisha Waisraeli kutoka Misri,’
8 But, As the Lord liveth, who hath brought up and who hath led forth the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and out of all countries whither I had driven them: and they shall dwell in their own land.
bali watasema, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewatoa wazao wa Israeli kutoka nchi ya kaskazini na nchi zote alizokuwa amewafukuzia,’ asema Bwana. Ndipo wataishi katika nchi yao wenyewe.”
9 To the prophets—Broken is my heart within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a person whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of his holy words.
Kuhusu manabii: Moyo wangu umevunjika ndani yangu; mifupa yangu yote inatetemeka. Nimekuwa kama mtu aliyelewa, kama mtu aliyelemewa na divai, kwa sababu ya Bwana na maneno yake matakatifu.
10 For of adulterers is the land full; for because of false swearing mourneth the land, dried up are the pastures in the wilderness; because their course was for evil, and their strength was for injustice.
Nchi imejaa wazinzi; kwa sababu ya laana, nchi imekauka na malisho yaliyoko nyikani yamekauka. Mwenendo wa manabii ni mbaya na mamlaka yao si ya haki.
11 For both prophet and priest are hypocrites: yea, in my own house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.
“Nabii na kuhani wote si wacha Mungu; hata hekaluni mwangu ninaona uovu wao,” asema Bwana.
12 Therefore shall their way be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be pushed forward, and fall thereon; for I will bring upon them evil, the year of their punishment, saith the Lord.
“Kwa hiyo mapito yao yatakuwa utelezi, watafukuziwa mbali gizani na huko wataanguka. Nitaleta maafa juu yao katika mwaka wa kuadhibiwa kwao,” asema Bwana.
13 And on the prophets of Samaria have I seen absurdity: they prophesied by Ba'al, and misled my people Israel.
“Miongoni mwa manabii wa Samaria nililiona jambo la kuchukiza: Walitabiri kwa Baali na kuwapotosha Israeli watu wangu.
14 But on the prophets of Jerusalem have I seen a horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that not one of these doth return from his wickedness: they are become unto me all of them as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.
Nako miongoni mwa manabii wa Yerusalemu nimeona jambo baya sana: Wanafanya uzinzi na kuenenda katika uongo. Wanatia nguvu mikono ya watenda mabaya, kwa ajili hiyo hakuna yeyote anayeachana na uovu wake. Wote wako kama Sodoma kwangu; watu na Yerusalemu wako kama Gomora.”
15 Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poison-water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is hypocrisy gone forth over all the land.
Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo kuhusu manabii: “Nitawafanya wale chakula kichungu na kunywa maji yaliyotiwa sumu, kwa sababu kutokana na manabii wa Yerusalemu kutokumcha Mungu kumeenea katika nchi yote.”
16 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you, they bring you unto vanity: a vision of their own heart do they ever speak, not out of the mouth of the Lord.
Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: “Msisikilize wanachowatabiria manabii, wanawajaza matumaini ya uongo. Wanasema maono kutoka akili zao wenyewe, hayatoki katika kinywa cha Bwana.
17 They say indeed unto those that incense me, The Lord hath spoken, Peace shall ye have; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart, they said, There shall come no evil upon you.
Huendelea kuwaambia wale wanaonidharau mimi, ‘Bwana asema: Mtakuwa na amani.’ Kwa wale wote wafuatao ugumu wa mioyo yao, wao husema, ‘Hakuna dhara litakalowapata.’
18 For who hath stood in the secret counsel of the Lord, that he could perceive and hear his word? who hath listened to his word and heard it?
Lakini ni yupi miongoni mwao aliyesimama katika baraza la Bwana ili kuona au kusikia neno lake? Ni nani aliyesikiliza na kusikia neno lake?
19 Behold, the storm-wind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, yea, a whirling storm: upon the head of the wicked shall it fall grievously.
Tazama, dhoruba ya Bwana itapasuka kwa ghadhabu, kisulisuli kitazunguka na kuanguka vichwani vya waovu.
20 The anger of the Lord will not return, until he have executed, and until he have fulfilled the purposes of his heart: in the end of days shall ye understand this fully.
Hasira ya Bwana haitageuka mpaka amelitimiza kusudi la moyo wake. Siku zijazo mtalifahamu kwa wazi.
21 I had not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I had not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
Mimi sikuwatuma manabii hawa, lakini bado wamekimbia wakitangaza ujumbe wao. Mimi sikusema nao, lakini wametabiri.
22 But if they had stood in my secret counsel, they should have announced my words to my people, and have caused them to turn back from their evil way, and from the wrongfulness of their doings.
Lakini kama wangesimama barazani mwangu, wangetangaza maneno yangu kwa watu wangu, nao wangewageuza kutoka njia zao mbaya na kutoka matendo yao maovu.”
23 Am I a God for those near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God for those who are afar off?
“Je, mimi ni Mungu aliyeko hapa karibu tu,” Bwana asema, “wala si Mungu aliyeko pia mbali?
24 If a man should hide himself in secret places should I not then see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? saith the Lord.
Je, mtu yeyote aweza kujificha mahali pa siri ili nisiweze kumwona?” Bwana asema. “Je, mimi sikuijaza mbingu na nchi?” Bwana asema.
25 I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy falsely in my name, saying, I have dreamt, I have dreamt.
“Nimesikia wanayoyasema manabii, hao wanaotabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Wanasema, ‘Nimeota ndoto! Nimeota ndoto!’
26 How long shall it be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy falsehood? yea, the prophets of the deceit of their own heart, —
Mambo haya yataendelea mpaka lini ndani ya mioyo ya hawa manabii wa uongo, ambao hutabiri maono ya uongo ya akili zao wenyewe?
27 [How long] do they think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they relate every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for the sake of Ba'al?
Wanadhani ndoto wanazoambiana wao kwa wao zitawafanya watu wangu walisahau jina langu, kama baba zao walivyolisahau jina langu kwa kumwabudu Baali.
28 The prophet that hath had a dream, let him relate his dream; and he that hath received my word, let him speak my word of truth. What hath the straw to do with the corn? saith the Lord.
Mwache nabii aliye na ndoto aseme ndoto yake, lakini yule aliye na neno langu na aliseme kwa uaminifu. Kwa maana jani kavu lina uhusiano gani na ngano?” asema Bwana.
29 Is not thus my word, like the fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that shivereth the rock?
“Je, neno langu si kama moto,” asema Bwana, “na kama nyundo ivunjayo mwamba vipande vipande?
30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.
“Kwa hiyo, niko kinyume na manabii wanaoibiana maneno kana kwamba ni yangu,” asema Bwana.
31 Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their own word, and say, [The Lord] saith.
“Naam, mimi niko kinyume na manabii wanaotikisa ndimi zao wenyewe na kusema, ‘Bwana asema.’
32 Behold, I am against those that prophesy with false dreams, saith the Lord, and do relate them, and mislead my people by their falsehoods, and by their vain boasting: while I have not sent them, nor commanded them; and they cannot bring the least profit to this people, saith the Lord.
Kweli, niko kinyume na hao wanaotabiri ndoto za uongo,” asema Bwana. “Wanazisimulia na kuwapotosha watu wangu kwa uongo wao bila kujali, lakini sikuwatuma wala sikuwaamuru. Hawawafaidi watu hawa hata kidogo,” asema Bwana.
33 And if this people, or the prophet, or a priest, should ask thee, saying, What is the message of the Lord? then shalt thou say unto them, Because of this “What is the message?” will I even cast you off, saith the Lord.
“Wakati watu hawa, au nabii, au kuhani watakapokuuliza, ‘Mzigo wa Bwana ni nini?’ wewe utawaambia, ‘Ninyi ndio mzigo. Nami nitawavua kama vazi, asema Bwana.’
34 And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that will say, “A message of the Lord,” I will even inflict punishment on that man and on his house.
Nabii, kuhani, au mtu yeyote akisema, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ nitamwadhibu huyo na nyumba yake.
35 Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
Hivyo mnaambiana kila mmoja na mwenzake, au kwa mtu wa nyumba yao: ‘Bwana amejibu nini?’ au ‘Bwana amesema nini?’
36 But “A message of the Lord” shall ye not mention any more; for the message cometh indeed to the man of his [prophetic] word; but ye pervert the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.
Lakini kamwe msiseme tena, ‘Nina mzigo wa Bwana,’ kwa sababu kila neno la mtu binafsi linakuwa mzigo wake mwenyewe, na hivyo kupotosha maneno ya Mungu aliye hai, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wetu.
37 Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?
Hivi ndivyo utakavyoendelea kumuuliza nabii: ‘Bwana amekujibu nini?’ au ‘Je, Bwana amesema nini?’
38 But if ye will say, “A message of the Lord,” then thus saith the Lord, Because ye say this word, “A message of the Lord,” and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, “A message of the Lord:”
Ingawa unadai, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Ulitumia maneno, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ hata ingawa nilikuambia kuwa kamwe usiseme, ‘Huu ni mzigo wa Bwana.’
39 Therefore, behold, I am here, and I will tear you completely away, and I will cast you off, and the city that I have given to you and to your fathers, out of my presence;
Kwa hiyo, hakika nitakusahau na kukutupa mbali na uso wangu pamoja na mji niliowapa ninyi na baba zenu.
40 And I will lay upon you an everlasting disgrace, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.
Nitaleta juu yako fedheha ya kudumu: yaani aibu ya kudumu ambayo haitasahaulika.”
