Jeremiah 2
1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,
Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema,
2 “Go, and you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.
“Nenda ukahubiri masikioni mwa watu wa Yerusalemu: “‘Nakumbuka moyo wako wa uchaji katika ujana wako, jinsi ulivyonipenda kama bibi arusi na kunifuata katika jangwa lile lote, katika nchi isiyopandwa mbegu.
3 Israel [is] holy to YHWH, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Calamity comes to them,” A declaration of YHWH.
Israeli alikuwa mtakatifu kwa Bwana, kama malimbuko ya kwanza ya mavuno yake; wote waliowaangamiza walihesabiwa kuwa na hatia, nayo maafa yaliwakumba,’” asema Bwana.
4 Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, And all you families of the house of Israel—
Sikia neno la Bwana, ee nyumba ya Yakobo, nanyi nyote jamaa za nyumba ya Israeli.
5 Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after vanity, and become vain,
Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “Je, baba zenu waliona kosa gani kwangu, hata wakatangatanga mbali nami hivyo? Walifuata sanamu zisizofaa, nao wenyewe wakawa hawafai.
6 And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leads us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land that none has passed through, Nor has man dwelt there?
Hawakuuliza, ‘Yuko wapi Bwana, aliyetupandisha kutoka Misri na kutuongoza kupitia nyika kame, kupitia nchi ya majangwa na mabonde, nchi ya ukame na giza, nchi ambayo hakuna mtu asafiriye ndani yake wala hakuna mtu aishiye humo?’
7 Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And you come in and defile My land, And have made My inheritance an abomination.
Niliwaleta katika nchi yenye wingi wa vitu ili mpate kula matunda yake na utajiri wa mazao yake. Lakini mkaja na kuinajisi nchi yangu, na kuufanya urithi wangu chukizo.
8 The priests have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, And have gone after those who do not profit.
Makuhani hawakuuliza, ‘Yuko wapi Bwana?’ Wale wanaoshughulikia sheria hawakunijua mimi; viongozi waliasi dhidi yangu. Manabii walitabiri kwa jina la Baali, wakifuata sanamu zisizofaa.
9 Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.
“Kwa hiyo naleta tena mashtaka dhidi yako,” asema Bwana. “Nami nitaleta mashtaka dhidi ya watoto wa watoto wako.
10 For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, And send to Kedar and consider well, And see if there has been [anything] like this:
Vuka, nenda ngʼambo mpaka pwani ya Kitimu nawe uangalie, tuma watu waende Kedari, wachunguze kwa makini, uone kama kumekuwepo kitu kama hiki.
11 Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.
Je, taifa limebadili miungu yake wakati wowote? (Hata ingawa hao si miungu kamwe.) Lakini watu wangu wamebadili Utukufu wao kwa sanamu zisizofaa kitu.
12 Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.
Shangaeni katika hili, ee mbingu, nanyi tetemekeni kwa hofu kuu,” asema Bwana.
13 “For My people have done two evils, They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, That do not contain the waters.
“Watu wangu wametenda dhambi mbili: Wameniacha mimi, niliye chemchemi ya maji yaliyo hai, nao wamejichimbia visima vyao wenyewe, visima vilivyobomoka, visivyoweza kuhifadhi maji.
14 [Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?
Je, Israeli ni mtumishi, yaani mtumwa kwa kuzaliwa? Kwa nini basi amekuwa mateka?
15 Young lions roar against him, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burned without inhabitant.
Simba wamenguruma; wamemngurumia. Wameifanya nchi yake kuwa ukiwa; miji yake imeteketezwa, nayo imeachwa haina watu.
16 Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the head!
Pia watu wa Memfisi na Tahpanhesi wamevunja taji ya kichwa chako.
17 Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, At the time He is leading you in the way?
Je, hukujiletea hili wewe mwenyewe kwa kumwacha Bwana, Mungu wako alipowaongoza njiani?
18 And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?
Sasa kwa nini uende Misri kunywa maji ya Shihori? Nawe kwa nini kwenda Ashuru kunywa maji ya Mto Frati?
19 Your wickedness instructs you, And your backslidings reprove you, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, And My fear not being on you,” A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts.
Uovu wako utakuadhibu; kurudi nyuma kwako kutakukemea. Basi kumbuka, utambue jinsi lilivyo ovu na chungu kwako unapomwacha Bwana Mungu wako na kutokuwa na hofu yangu,” asema Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
20 “For from of old you have broken your yoke, Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, For on every high height, and under every green tree, You are wandering—a harlot.
“Zamani nilivunja nira yako na kukatilia mbali vifungo vyako; ukasema, ‘Sitakutumikia!’ Naam kweli, kwenye kila kilima kirefu na chini ya kila mti uliotanda matawi yake ulijilaza kama kahaba.
21 And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, And how have you been turned Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me?
Nilikupanda ukiwa mzabibu ulio bora sana, mkamilifu na wa mbegu nzuri. Ilikuwaje basi ukawa kinyume nami, ukaharibika na kuwa mzabibu mwitu?
22 But though you wash with natron, And multiply soap to yourself, Your iniquity is marked before Me,” A declaration of Lord YHWH.
Hata ujisafishe kwa magadi na kutumia sabuni nyingi, bado doa la hatia yako liko mbele zangu,” asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
23 “How can you say, I have not been defiled, I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,
“Wawezaje kusema, ‘Mimi si najisi, sijawafuata Mabaali’? Kumbuka jinsi ulivyotenda kule bondeni; fikiri uliyoyafanya. Wewe ni ngamia jike mwenye mbio ukikimbia hapa na pale,
24 A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, In her month they find her.
punda-mwitu aliyezoea jangwa, anayenusa upepo katika tamaa yake kubwa: katika wakati wake wa kuhitaji mbegu ni nani awezaye kumzuia? Madume yoyote yanayomfuatilia hayana haja ya kujichosha; wakati wa kupandwa kwake watampata tu.
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, And your throat from thirst, And you say, It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them.
Usikimbie hadi miguu yako iwe haina viatu, na koo lako liwe limekauka. Lakini ulisema, ‘Haina maana! Ninaipenda miungu ya kigeni, nami lazima niifuatie.’
26 As the shame of a thief when he is found, So has the house of Israel been put to shame, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,
“Kama vile mwizi aaibikavyo wakati amekamatwa, hivyo ndivyo nyumba ya Israeli inavyoaibishwa: wao wenyewe, wafalme wao na maafisa wao, makuhani wao na manabii wao.
27 Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, For they turned to me the back and not the face, And in the time of their distress, They say, Arise, and save us.
Wanaiambia miti, ‘Wewe ndiwe baba yangu,’ nalo jiwe, ‘Wewe ndiwe uliyenizaa.’ Wamenipa visogo vyao wala hawakunigeuzia nyuso zao; lakini wakiwa katika taabu, wanasema, ‘Njoo utuokoe!’
28 And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, In the time of your distress, For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah,
Iko wapi basi ile miungu mliyojitengenezea? Yenyewe na ije kama inaweza kuwaokoa wakati mko katika taabu! Kwa maana mna miungu mingi kama mlivyo na miji, ee Yuda.
29 Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.
“Kwa nini mnaleta mashtaka dhidi yangu? Ninyi nyote mmeniasi,” asema Bwana.
30 “I have struck your sons in vain, They have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As a destroying lion.
“Nimeadhibu watu wako bure tu, hawakujirekebisha. Upanga wako umewala manabii wako kama simba mwenye njaa.
31 O generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, We wandered freely, We do not come to You again.
“Enyi wa kizazi hiki, tafakarini neno la Bwana: “Je, nimekuwa jangwa kwa Israeli au nchi ya giza kuu? Kwa nini watu wangu wanasema, ‘Sisi tuko huru kuzurura, hatutarudi kwako tena’?
32 Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me [for] days without number.
Je, mwanamwali husahau vito vyake, au bibi arusi mapambo yake ya arusi? Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi, tena kwa siku zisizo na hesabu.
33 Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked your ways.
Je, wewe una ustadi kiasi gani katika kufuatia mapenzi! Hata wale wanawake wabaya kuliko wote wanaweza kujifunza kutokana na njia zako.
34 Also the blood of innocent needy souls Has been found on your skirts, I have not found them by digging, But on all these.
Katika nguo zako watu huona damu ya uhai ya maskini wasio na hatia, ingawa hukuwakamata wakivunja nyumba. Lakini katika haya yote
35 And you say, Because I have been innocent, Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, Because of your saying, I have not sinned.
unasema, ‘Sina hatia; Mungu hajanikasirikia.’ Lakini nitakuhukumu kwa sababu unasema, ‘Mimi sijatenda dhambi.’
36 What? You are very vile to repeat your way, You are even ashamed of Egypt, As you have been ashamed of Asshur,
Kwa nini unatangatanga sana, kubadili njia zako? Utakatishwa tamaa na Misri kama ulivyokatishwa na Ashuru.
37 Also you go out from this, And your hands on your head, For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, And you do not give prosperity to them!”
Pia utaondoka mahali hapo ukiwa umeweka mikono kichwani, kwa kuwa Bwana amewakataa wale unaowatumainia; hutasaidiwa nao.
