< Jeremiah 42 >

1 Then came near all the captains of the armies, and Jochanan the son of Kareach, and Yezanyah the son of Hosha'yah, and all the people from the least even unto the greatest,
Ndipo maafisa wote wa jeshi, pamoja na Yohanani mwana wa Karea, na Yezania mwana wa Hoshaya, na watu wote kuanzia aliye mdogo kabisa hadi aliye mkuu sana wakamjia
2 And said unto Jeremiah the prophet, Let, we beseech thee, our humble supplication be accepted before thee, and pray in our behalf unto the Lord thy God, in behalf of all this remnant; [for we are left but a few of many, as thy own eyes do see us: ]
Yeremia nabii na kumwambia, “Tafadhali sikia maombi yetu na umwombe Bwana Mungu wako kwa ajili ya watu hawa wote waliosalia. Kwa kuwa kama unavyoona sasa, ingawa wakati fulani tulikuwa wengi, sasa tumesalia wachache tu.
3 That the Lord thy God may tell us the way whereon we should walk, and the thing that we should do.
Omba ili Bwana Mungu wako atuambie twende wapi na tufanye nini.”
4 Then said Jeremiah the prophet unto them, I have heard you: behold, I will pray unto the Lord your God according to your words; and it shall come to pass, that whatsoever thing the Lord will answer you, I will tell unto you; I will withhold not a word from you.
Nabii Yeremia akajibu, “Nimewasikia. Kwa hakika nitamwomba Bwana Mungu wenu kama mlivyoomba. Nitawaambia kila kitu asemacho Bwana, wala sitawaficha chochote.”
5 But they said to Jeremiah, May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us, if we do not act entirely according to all the word with which the Lord thy God may send thee to us:
Kisha wakamwambia Yeremia, “Bwana na awe shahidi wa kweli na mwaminifu kati yetu kama hatutafanya sawasawa na kila kitu Bwana Mungu wako atakachokutuma utuambie.
6 Whether it be good, or whether it be evil, we will hearken to the voice of the Lord our God, to whom we send thee; in order that it may be well with us, when we hearken to the voice of the Lord our God.
Likiwa jema au likiwa baya, tutamtii Bwana Mungu wetu, ambaye tunakutuma kwake, ili mambo yote yawe mema kwetu, kwa maana tutamtii Bwana Mungu wetu.”
7 And it came to pass at the end of ten days, that the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah.
Baada ya siku kumi, neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia.
8 Then called he Jochanan the son of Kareach, and all the captains of the armies who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,
Kwa hiyo akawaita pamoja Yohanani mwana wa Karea, na maafisa wote wa jeshi waliokuwa pamoja naye na watu wote kuanzia mdogo kabisa hadi aliye mkuu sana.
9 And he said unto them, Thus hath said the Lord, the God of Israel, unto whom ye sent me to present your humble supplication before him:
Akawaambia, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, ambaye mlinituma kuwasilisha maombi yenu:
10 If ye will indeed remain in this land, then will I build you up, and I will not pull you down, and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I have bethought me of the evil that I have done unto you.
‘Kama mkikaa katika nchi hii, nitawajenga wala sitawabomoa, nitawapanda wala sitawangʼoa, kwani ninahuzunishwa na maafa niliyowapiga nayo.
11 Be ye not afraid because of the king of Babylon, of whom ye are afraid: have no fear of him, saith the Lord; for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you out of his hand.
Msimwogope mfalme wa Babeli, ambaye sasa mnamwogopa. Msimwogope, asema Bwana, kwa kuwa niko pamoja nanyi, nami nitawaokoa na kuwaponya kutoka mikononi mwake.
12 And I will give unto you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and let you return to your own land.
Nitawaonea huruma ili naye awe na huruma nanyi na kuwarudisha katika nchi yenu.’
13 But if ye say, We will not remain in this land, so as not to hearken to the voice of the Lord your God,
“Hata hivyo, kama mkisema, ‘Hatutakaa katika nchi hii,’ hivyo mkaacha kumtii Bwana Mungu wenu,
14 Saying, No; but into the land of Egypt will we go, that we may not see war, nor hear the sound of the cornet, and that we may not have hunger for bread; and there will we dwell;
nanyi kama mkisema, ‘Hapana, tutakwenda kuishi Misri, mahali ambapo hatutaona vita au kusikia sauti ya tarumbeta au kuwa na njaa ya chakula,’
15 And now therefore hear the word of the Lord, ye remnant of Judah, Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, If ye will indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go thither to sojourn there:
basi sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi mabaki ya Yuda. Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: ‘Ikiwa mmekusudia kwenda Misri na kufanya makazi huko,
16 Then shall the sword, of which ye are afraid, there overtake you in the land of Egypt; and the famine, whereof ye are in dread, shall there cleave close unto you in Egypt; and there shall ye die.
basi ule upanga mnaouogopa utawapata huko, na njaa mnayoihofia itawafuata huko Misri, nanyi mtafia huko.
17 So shall be all the men that have set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there, —they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence; and they shall have none that remaineth or escapeth from the evil that I am bringing over them.
Naam, wote waliokusudia kwenda kuishi Misri watakufa kwa upanga, njaa na tauni; hakuna hata mmoja wao atakayenusurika au kuokoka maafa nitakayoyaleta juu yao.’
18 For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, As my anger and my fury were poured forth over the inhabitants of Jerusalem: so shall my fury be poured forth over you, when ye enter into Egypt; and ye shall become an oath, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a disgrace; and ye shall never see this place again.
Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: ‘Kama vile hasira yangu na ghadhabu yangu ilivyomwagwa juu ya wale walioishi Yerusalemu, ndivyo ghadhabu yangu itakavyomwagwa juu yenu mtakapokwenda Misri. Mtakuwa kitu cha kulaania na cha kutisha, cha kulaumia na cha kushutumia, nanyi kamwe hamtaona mahali hapa tena.’
19 The Lord hath spoken concerning you, O ye remnant of Judah, “Ye shall not go into Egypt:” ye must know for certain that I have warned you this day.
“Enyi mabaki ya Yuda, Bwana amewaambia, ‘Msiende Misri.’ Hakikisheni jambo hili: Ninawaonya leo
20 For ye have dissembled in regard to what your intentions are; for ye sent me unto the Lord your God, saying, Pray in our behalf unto the Lord our God: and in accordance with all that the Lord our God may say, so tell unto us, and we will do it.
kwamba mmefanya kosa kubwa mioyoni mwenu mliponituma kwa Bwana Mungu wenu na kusema, ‘Mwombe Bwana Mungu wetu kwa ajili yetu, nawe utuambie kila kitu atakachosema, nasi tutafanya.’
21 And I have told it to you this day; but ye have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord your God, and this in all with which he hath sent me unto you.
Nimewaambieni leo, lakini bado ninyi hamtaki kumtii Bwana Mungu wenu katika yote aliyonituma niwaambie.
22 But now know for certain that ye shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place whither ye desire to go to sojourn there.
Basi sasa, hakikisheni jambo hili: Mtakufa kwa upanga, njaa na tauni mahali ambapo mnataka kwenda kuishi.”

< Jeremiah 42 >