< Jeremiah 51 >

1 Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will awaken against Babylon, and against those that dwell in the midst of my opponents, a destroying wind;
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Tazama nitaamsha roho ya mwangamizi dhidi ya Babeli na watu wakaao Leb-Kamai.
2 And I will send out unto Babylon fanners, and they shall fan her, and shall empty out her land; for they shall be against her round about on the day of trouble.
Nitawatuma wageni Babeli kumpepeta na kuiharibu nchi yake; watampinga kila upande katika siku ya maafa yake.
3 Let the archer come against any one that bendeth his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his armor: and spare ye not her young men: destroy ye utterly all her host.
Usimwache mpiga upinde afunge kamba upinde wake, wala usimwache avae silaha zake. Usiwaonee huruma vijana wake; angamiza jeshi lake kabisa.
4 And the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are pierced through, in her streets.
Wataanguka waliouawa katika Babeli, wakiwa na majeraha ya kutisha barabarani zake.
5 For not widowed are Israel and Judah of their God, of the Lord of hosts; for the land of those was filled with guiltiness against the Holy One of Israel.
Kwa maana Israeli na Yuda hawajaachwa na Mungu wao, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, ingawa nchi yao imejaa uovu mbele zake yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
6 Flee ye out of the midst of Babylon, and save ye every man his life: perish not for her iniquity; for this is a time of vengeance unto the Lord; a recompense is he paying out unto her.
“Kimbieni kutoka Babeli! Okoeni maisha yenu! Msiangamizwe kwa sababu ya dhambi zake. Ni wakati wa kisasi cha Bwana, atamlipa kile anachostahili.
7 A golden cup hath Babylon been in the hand of the Lord, that made drunken all the earth: of her wine have nations drunk; therefore are the nations rendered mad.
Babeli alikuwa kikombe cha dhahabu katika mkono wa Bwana; aliufanya ulimwengu wote ulewe. Mataifa walikunywa mvinyo wake; kwa hiyo sasa wameingiwa na wazimu.
8 Suddenly is Babylon fallen and broken: wail ye for her; fetch balm for her wound, perhaps she may be healed.
Babeli ataanguka ghafula na kuvunjika. Mwombolezeni! Tafuteni zeri ya kutuliza maumivu yake, labda anaweza kupona.
9 “We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one unto his own country; for her punishment reacheth unto the heavens, and it is lifted up even to the skies.”
“‘Tungemponya Babeli, lakini hawezi kuponyeka; tumwacheni, na kila mmoja wetu aende nchi yake mwenyewe, kwa kuwa hukumu yake inafika angani, inapanda juu hadi mawinguni.’
10 The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us relate in Zion the work of the Lord our God.
“‘Bwana amethibitisha haki yetu; njooni, tutangaze katika Sayuni kitu ambacho Bwana Mungu wetu amefanya.’
11 Make bright the arrows; fill the quivers: the Lord hath awakened the spirit of the kings of Media; for against Babylon is his intention, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance for his temple.
“Noeni mishale, chukueni ngao! Bwana amewaamsha wafalme wa Wamedi, kwa sababu nia yake ni kuangamiza Babeli. Bwana atalipiza kisasi, kisasi kwa ajili ya Hekalu lake.
12 Against the walls of Babylon lift up the standard, strengthen the watch, set up the watchmen, make ready the ambushes; for the Lord hath both intended and done what he had spoken against the inhabitants of Babylon.
Twekeni bendera juu ya kuta za Babeli! Imarisheni ulinzi, wekeni walinzi, andaeni waviziao! Bwana atatimiza kusudi lake, amri yake juu ya watu wa Babeli.
13 O thou that dwellest upon many waters, great in treasures, thy end is come, the full measure of thy selfish robbery.
Wewe uishiye kando ya maji mengi na uliye na wingi wa hazina, mwisho wako umekuja, wakati wako wa kukatiliwa mbali.
14 Sworn hath the Lord of hosts by himself, Surely I will fill thee with men, as with locusts: and they shall lift up the battle-cry against thee.
Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ameapa kwa nafsi yake mwenyewe: ‘Hakika nitakujaza na watu, kama kundi la nzige, nao watapiga kelele za ushindi juu yako.’
15 He made the earth by his power, he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
“Aliiumba dunia kwa uweza wake; akaweka misingi ya ulimwengu kwa hekima yake na akazitandaza mbingu kwa ufahamu wake.
16 At the sound when he giveth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and causeth clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; when he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures:
Atoapo sauti yake, maji yaliyo katika mbingu hunguruma, huyafanya mawingu yainuke kutoka miisho ya dunia. Hupeleka umeme wa radi pamoja na mvua, naye huuleta upepo kutoka ghala zake.
17 Then standeth every man as brutish without knowledge; ashamed is every goldsmith because of the graven image; for falsehood is his molten work, and there is no breath therein.
“Kila mtu ni mjinga na hana maarifa; kila sonara ameaibishwa na sanamu zake. Vinyago vyake ni vya udanganyifu, havina pumzi ndani yavyo.
18 They are vanity, the work of deception: in the time of their punishment shall they vanish.
Havifai kitu, ni vitu vya kufanyia mzaha, hukumu yavyo itakapowadia, vitaangamia.
19 Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the former of all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.
Yeye Aliye Fungu la Yakobo sivyo alivyo, kwani ndiye Muumba wa vitu vyote, pamoja na kabila la urithi wake: Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndilo jina lake.
20 Thou art a hammer unto me, weapons of war; and I strike down with thee nations, and I destroy with thee kingdoms;
“Wewe ndiwe rungu langu la vita, silaha yangu ya vita: kwa wewe navunjavunja mataifa, kwa wewe naangamiza falme,
21 And I strike down with thee the horse and his rider; and I strike down with thee the chariot and its rider;
kwa wewe navunjavunja farasi na mpanda farasi, kwa wewe navunjavunja gari la vita na mwendeshaji wake,
22 And I strike down with thee man and woman; and I strike down with thee the aged and the lad; and I strike down with thee the young man and the virgin:
kwa wewe napondaponda mwanaume na mwanamke, kwa wewe napondaponda mzee na kijana, kwa wewe napondaponda kijana wa kiume na mwanamwali,
23 And I strike down with thee the shepherd and his flock; and I strike down with thee the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and I strike down with thee governors and rulers.
kwa wewe nampondaponda mchungaji na kundi, kwa wewe nampondaponda mkulima na maksai, kwa wewe nawapondaponda watawala na maafisa.
24 But [now] will I repay unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes, saith the Lord.
“Mbele ya macho yako nitamlipiza Babeli na wote waishio Ukaldayo kwa ajili ya makosa yote waliyofanya katika Sayuni,” asema Bwana.
25 Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the Lord, which destroyest all the earth; and I will stretch out my hand over thee, and I will roll thee down from the rocks, and will render thee a burnt mountain.
“Mimi niko kinyume nawe, ee mlima unaoharibu, wewe uangamizaye dunia yote,” asema Bwana. “Nitanyoosha mkono wangu dhidi yako, nikuvingirishe kutoka kwenye kilele cha mwamba, na kukufanya mlima ulioteketezwa kwa moto.
26 And they shall not take from thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but everlasting ruins shalt thou be, saith the Lord.
Hakuna jiwe litakalochukuliwa kutoka kwako kwa ajili ya kufanywa jiwe la pembeni, wala jiwe lolote kwa ajili ya msingi, kwa maana utakuwa ukiwa milele,” asema Bwana.
27 Lift ye up a standard in the land, blow ye the cornet among the nations, make ready against her nations, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz; appoint against her a commander; cause the horses to come up like the hairy locusts.
“Twekeni bendera katika nchi! Pigeni tarumbeta katikati ya mataifa! Andaeni mataifa kwa ajili ya vita dhidi yake, iteni falme hizi dhidi yake: Ararati, Mini na Ashkenazi. Wekeni jemadari dhidi yake, pelekeni farasi wengi kama kundi la nzige.
28 Make ready against her the nations with the kings of Media, its governors, and all its rulers, and all the land of their dominion.
Andaeni mataifa kwa ajili ya vita dhidi yake, wafalme wa Wamedi, watawala wao na maafisa wao wote, pamoja na nchi zote wanazotawala.
29 And the earth quaketh and trembleth; for every one of the purposes of the Lord is fulfilled against Babylon, to change the land of Babylon into a desolate country without an inhabitant.
Nchi inatetemeka na kugaagaa, kwa kuwa makusudi ya Bwana dhidi ya Babeli yanasimama: yaani, kuangamiza nchi ya Babeli ili pasiwe na yeyote atakayeishi humo.
30 The mighty men of Babylon have ceased to fight, they sit still in [their] strongholds; their might is vanished; they are become as women: they have burnt her dwelling-places; her bars are broken.
Mashujaa wa Babeli wameacha kupigana, wamebaki katika ngome zao. Nguvu zao zimekwisha, wamekuwa kama wanawake. Makazi yake yameteketezwa kwa moto, makomeo ya malango yake yamevunjika.
31 One runner shall run to meet another runner, and one messenger to meet another messenger, to tell unto the king of Babylon that his city is captured at all ends,
Tarishi mmoja humfuata mwingine, na mjumbe humfuata mjumbe, kumtangazia mfalme wa Babeli kwamba mji wake wote umetekwa,
32 And that the passages have been seized, and that they have burnt the reeds with fire, and that the men of war are affrighted.
Vivuko vya mito vimekamatwa, mabwawa yenye mafunjo yametiwa moto, nao askari wameingiwa na hofu kuu.”
33 For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, the daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor, at the time they thresh therein; but yet a little while more, when the time of harvest shall come for her.
Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: “Binti Babeli ni kama sakafu ya kupuria wakati inapokanyagwa; wakati wa kumvuna utakuja upesi.”
34 “Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon devoured me, he crushed me, he set me down as an empty vessel, he swallowed me up like a huge serpent, he filled his belly with my delicacies: he drove me out.
“Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli ametula, ametufanya tuchangayikiwe, ametufanya tuwe gudulia tupu. Kama nyoka ametumeza na kujaza tumbo lake kwa vyakula vyetu vizuri, kisha akatutapika.
35 the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,” will the inhabitress of Zion say; and “My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,” will Jerusalem say.
Jeuri iliyofanyiwa miili yetu na iwe juu ya Babeli,” ndivyo wasemavyo wakaao Sayuni. “Damu yetu na iwe juu ya wale waishio Babeli,” asema Yerusalemu.
36 Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will contend in thy cause, and execute vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and cause her springs to fail.
Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: “Tazama, nitatetea shauri lako na kulipiza kisasi kwa ajili yako; nitaikausha bahari yake na kuzikausha chemchemi zake.
37 And Babylon shall become ruinous heaps, a dwelling-place for monsters, an astonishment, and a derision, without an inhabitant.
Babeli utakuwa lundo la magofu na makao ya mbweha, kitu cha kutisha na kudharauliwa, mahali asipoishi mtu.
38 Together like lions shall they roar: they shall yell like the lions' whelps.
Watu wake wote wananguruma kama simba wadogo, wanakoroma kama wana simba.
39 When they are heated will I prepare their drinking-feasts, and I will make them drunken, in order that they may be joyful, and [then] sleep a perpetual sleep, and not awake again, saith the Lord.
Lakini wakati wakiwa wameamshwa, nitawaandalia karamu na kuwafanya walewe, ili wapige kelele kwa kicheko, kisha walale milele na wasiamke,” asema Bwana.
40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like wethers with he-goats.
“Nitawateremsha kama wana-kondoo waendao machinjoni, kama kondoo dume na mbuzi.
41 How is Sheshach captured! and how is conquered the praise of the whole earth! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!
“Tazama jinsi Sheshaki atakamatwa, majivuno ya dunia yote yatakavyonyakuliwa. Babeli atakuwa mwenye hofu kiasi gani kati ya mataifa!
42 The sea is come up over Babylon: with the multitude of its waves is she covered.
Bahari itainuka juu ya Babeli; mawimbi yake yenye kunguruma yatamfunika.
43 Her cities are become desolate places, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein not any man shall dwell, and through which no son of man shall pass along.
Miji yake itakuwa ukiwa, kame na jangwa, nchi ambayo hakuna yeyote anayeishi ndani yake, ambayo hakuna mtu anayepita humo.
44 And I will inflict punishment on Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth what he hath swallowed up out of his mouth; and nations shall not assemble together like a stream unto him any more; yea, the wall of Babylon also is fallen.
Nitamwadhibu Beli katika Babeli, na kumfanya atapike kile alichokimeza. Mataifa hayatamiminika tena kwake. Nao ukuta wa Babeli utaanguka.
45 Go ye out of the midst of her, my people, and save ye every man his life from the fierceness of the anger of the Lord.
“Tokeni ndani yake, enyi watu wangu! Okoeni maisha yenu! Ikimbieni hasira kali ya Bwana.
46 And so that your heart may not faint, and ye fear at the report that is heard in the land: when the report cometh in one year, and after that in another year cometh another report, and when violence [be done] in the land, [by] ruler against ruler.
Msikate tamaa wala msiogope tetesi zitakaposikika katika nchi; tetesi moja inasikika mwaka huu, nyingine mwaka unaofuata; tetesi juu ya jeuri katika nchi, na ya mtawala dhidi ya mtawala.
47 Therefore, behold, days are coming, when I will inflict punishment on the graven images of Babylon, and her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fail in the midst of her.
Kwa kuwa hakika wakati utawadia nitakapoziadhibu sanamu za Babeli; nchi yake yote itatiwa aibu, na watu wake wote waliouawa wataangukia ndani yake.
48 And then shall the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, sing because of Babylon; for from the north shall come unto her the destroyers, saith the Lord.
Ndipo mbingu na dunia na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake vitapiga kelele za shangwe juu ya Babeli, kwa kuwa kutoka kaskazini waharabu watamshambulia,” asema Bwana.
49 Also Babylon is destined to fall, O ye slain ones of Israel, also at Babylon fall the slain of all the land.
“Babeli ni lazima aanguke kwa sababu ya kuwaua Waisraeli, kama vile waliouawa duniani kote walivyoanguka kwa sababu ya Babeli.
50 [But] ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember afar off the Lord, and let Jerusalem rise up in your heart.
Wewe uliyepona upanga, ondoka wala usikawie! Mkumbuke Bwana ukiwa katika nchi ya mbali, na utafakari juu ya Yerusalemu.”
51 “We had been made ashamed, because we had heard reproach: confusion had covered our faces; because strangers were come into the sanctuaries of the Lord's house.”
“Tumetahayari, kwa maana tumetukanwa na aibu imefunika nyuso zetu, kwa sababu wageni wameingia mahali patakatifu pa nyumba ya Bwana.”
52 Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will inflict punishment on her graven images: and through all her land shall groan the deadly wounded.
“Lakini siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “nitakapoadhibu sanamu zake, na katika nchi yake yote waliojeruhiwa watalia kwa maumivu makali.
53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength; yet from me should destroyers come unto her, saith the Lord.
Hata kama Babeli ikifika angani na kuziimarisha ngome zake ndefu, nitatuma waharabu dhidi yake,” asema Bwana.
54 A sound of a painful cry cometh from Babylon, and of a great breach from the land of the Chaldeans;
“Sauti ya kilio inasikika kutoka Babeli, sauti ya uharibifu mkuu kutoka nchi ya Wakaldayo.
55 Because the Lord wasteth Babylon, and destroyeth out of her the loud noise; but their waves roar like great waters, the noise of their voice is sent forth;
Bwana ataiangamiza Babeli, atanyamazisha makelele ya kishindo chake. Mawimbi ya adui yatanguruma kama maji makuu, ngurumo ya sauti zao itavuma.
56 Because the destroyer is come over her, over Babylon, and her mighty men are caught, every one of their bows is broken; for the God of recompenses, the Lord, will surely requite.
Mharabu atakuja dhidi ya Babeli, mashujaa wake watakamatwa, nazo pinde zao zitavunjwa. Kwa kuwa Bwana ni Mungu wa kisasi, yeye atalipiza kikamilifu.
57 And I will make drunken her princes, and her wise men, her governors, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not awake again, saith the King, The Lord of hosts is his name.
Nitawafanya maafisa wake na wenye busara walewe, watawala wao, maafisa, pamoja na wapiganaji wao; watalala milele na hawataamka,” asema Mfalme, ambaye jina lake ni Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
58 Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Every one of the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly overthrown, and her high gates shall be burnt with fire; so that nations shall have labored in vain, and the people for the fire, and so shall they have wearied themselves.
Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: “Ukuta mnene wa Babeli utasawazishwa, na malango yaliyoinuka yatateketezwa kwa moto; mataifa yanajichosha bure, taabu ya mataifa ni nishati tu ya miali ya moto.”
59 The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Serayah the son of Neriyah, the son of Machseyah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah unto Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Serayah was chief chamberlain.
Huu ndio ujumbe Yeremia aliompa afisa Seraya mwana wa Neria mwana wa Maaseya, alipokwenda Babeli pamoja na Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda, katika mwaka wa nne wa utawala wake.
60 And Jeremiah wrote down all the evil that should come upon Babylon in one book, namely, all these words that are written concerning Babylon.
Yeremia alikuwa ameandika ndani ya kitabu kuhusu maafa yote yatakayoipata Babeli, yaani yote yaliyokuwa yameandikwa kuhusu Babeli.
61 And Jeremiah said to Serayah, As thou comest to Babylon, see to it, that thou read all these words;
Yeremia akamwambia Seraya, “Utakapofika Babeli, hakikisha kwamba umesoma maneno haya yote kwa sauti kubwa.
62 And thou shalt say, O Lord, thou thyself hast spoken concerning this place, to cut it off, so that there shall not be in it an inhabitant, either man or beast; but that it shall become a desolate place for ever.
Kisha sema, ‘Ee Bwana, umesema utaangamiza mahali hapa ili mtu wala mnyama asiishi ndani yake, napo patakuwa ukiwa milele.’
63 And it shall be, when thou hast finished reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and throw it into the midst of the Euphrates;
Utakapomaliza kusoma hiki kitabu, kifungie jiwe kisha ukitupe ndani ya Mto Frati.
64 And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise again from the evil that I will bring upon her: and her people shall be wearied. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.
Kisha sema, ‘Hivi ndivyo Babeli utakavyozama na usiinuke tena, kwa sababu ya maafa nitakayoleta juu yake. Nao watu wake wataanguka.’” Maneno ya Yeremia yanaishia hapa.

< Jeremiah 51 >