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 I will cause thee to hear my words.
“Shuka uende mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nami huko nitakupa ujumbe wangu.”
3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought his work on the wheels.
Kwa hiyo nikashuka mpaka kwenye nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nikamkuta akifinyanga kwa gurudumu lake.
4 And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to 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 the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Kisha neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine 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 what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;
Ikiwa wakati wowote nikitangaza kuwa taifa au ufalme utangʼolewa, utaangushwa na kuangamizwa,
8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I 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 what instant I shall 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 if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
ikiwa utafanya maovu mbele zangu na hukunitii, ndipo nitakapoghairi makusudio yangu mema niliyokuwa nimeyakusudia.
11 Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.
“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 But they say, There is no hope: for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one 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 saith the LORD: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
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 Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?
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 For my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity; and they have caused them to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;
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 an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; 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 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will look upon their back, and not their face, in 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 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish 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 give heed 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 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Nisikilize, Ee Bwana, sikia wanayosema washtaki wangu!
20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy fury 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 deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, [and] their young men smitten of the sword in 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 shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid 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, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight: but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thou with them in the time of thine anger.
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.
