Jeremiah 4
1 “If you will return, Israel,” says the LORD, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
“Ikiwa utataka kurudi, ee Israeli, nirudie mimi,” asema Bwana. “Ikiwa utaondoa sanamu zako za kuchukiza mbele ya macho yangu na usiendelee kutangatanga,
2 and you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”
ikiwa kwa kweli, kwa haki na kwa unyofu utaapa, ‘Kwa hakika kama vile Bwana aishivyo,’ ndipo mataifa yatakapobarikiwa naye na katika yeye watajitukuza.”
3 For the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow amongst thorns.
Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kwa watu wa Yuda na kwa Yerusalemu: “Vunjeni mabonge kwenye mashamba yenu, wala msipande katikati ya miiba.
4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
Jitahirini katika Bwana, tahirini mioyo yenu, enyi wanaume wa Yuda na watu wa Yerusalemu, la sivyo ghadhabu yangu itatoka kwa nguvu na kuwaka kama moto kwa sababu ya uovu mliotenda, ikiwaka pasipo wa kuizima.
5 Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the shofar in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’
“Tangaza katika Yuda na upige mbiu katika Yerusalemu na kusema: ‘Piga tarumbeta katika nchi yote!’ Piga kelele na kusema: ‘Kusanyikeni pamoja! Tukimbilie katika miji yenye maboma!’
6 Set up a standard towards Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
Onyesheni ishara ili kwenda Sayuni! Kimbilieni usalama pasipo kuchelewa! Kwa kuwa ninaleta maafa kutoka kaskazini, maangamizi ya kutisha.”
7 A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way. He has gone out from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
Simba ametoka nje ya pango lake, mharabu wa mataifa amejipanga. Ametoka mahali pake ili aangamize nchi yenu. Miji yenu itakuwa magofu pasipo mtu wa kuishi humo.
8 For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD hasn’t turned back from us.
Hivyo vaeni nguo za magunia, ombolezeni na kulia kwa huzuni, kwa kuwa hasira kali ya Bwana haijaondolewa kwetu.
9 “It will happen at that day,” says the LORD, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”
“Katika siku ile,” asema Bwana “mfalme na maafisa watakata tamaa, makuhani watafadhaika, na manabii watashangazwa mno.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace;’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
Ndipo niliposema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, umewadanganyaje kabisa watu hawa na Yerusalemu kwa kusema, ‘Mtakuwa na amani,’ wakati upanga uko kwenye koo zetu!”
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind blows from the bare heights in the wilderness towards the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse.
Wakati huo watu hawa na Yerusalemu wataambiwa, “Upepo wa moto kutoka miinuko iliyo kame katika jangwa unavuma kuelekea watu wangu, lakini sio kupepeta au kutakasa,
12 A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgements against them.”
upepo wenye nguvu sana kuliko wa kupepeta na kutakasa utakuja kwa amri yangu. Sasa natangaza hukumu zangu dhidi yao.”
13 Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
Tazama! Anakuja kama mawingu, magari yake yanakuja kama upepo wa kisulisuli, farasi wake wana mbio kuliko tai. Ole wetu! Tunaangamia!
14 Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
Ee Yerusalemu, usafishe uovu kutoka moyoni mwako na uokolewe. Utaendelea kuficha mawazo mapotovu mpaka lini?
15 For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
Sauti inatangaza kutoka Dani, ikipiga mbiu ya maafa kutoka vilima vya Efraimu.
16 “Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
“Waambie mataifa jambo hili, piga mbiu hii dhidi ya Yerusalemu: ‘Jeshi la kuzingira linakuja kutoka nchi ya mbali, likipiga kelele ya vita dhidi ya miji ya Yuda.
17 As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says the LORD.
Wamemzunguka kama watu walindao shamba, kwa sababu amefanya uasi dhidi yangu,’” asema Bwana.
18 “Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.”
“Mwenendo wako na matendo yako mwenyewe yameleta haya juu yako. Hii ndiyo adhabu yako. Tazama jinsi ilivyo chungu! Tazama jinsi inavyochoma moyo!”
19 My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the shofar, the alarm of war.
Ee mtima wangu, mtima wangu! Ninagaagaa kwa maumivu. Ee maumivu makuu ya moyo wangu! Moyo wangu umefadhaika ndani yangu, siwezi kunyamaza. Kwa sababu nimesikia sauti ya tarumbeta, nimesikia kelele ya vita.
20 Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment.
Maafa baada ya maafa, nchi yote imekuwa magofu. Kwa ghafula mahema yangu yameangamizwa, makazi yangu kwa muda mfupi.
21 How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the shofar?
Hata lini nitaendelea kuona bendera ya vita na kusikia sauti za tarumbeta?
22 “For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skilful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”
“Watu wangu ni wapumbavu, hawanijui mimi. Ni watoto wasio na akili, hawana ufahamu. Ni hodari kutenda mabaya, hawajui kutenda yaliyo mema.”
23 I saw the earth and, behold, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light.
Niliitazama dunia, nayo haikuwa na umbo tena ni tupu; niliziangalia mbingu, mianga ilikuwa imetoweka.
24 I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.
Niliitazama milima, nayo ilikuwa ikitetemeka, vilima vyote vilikuwa vikiyumbayumba.
25 I saw, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky had fled.
Nilitazama, wala watu hawakuwepo; kila ndege wa angani alikuwa ameruka zake.
26 I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, before his fierce anger.
Nilitazama, hata nchi iliyokuwa imestawi vizuri imekuwa jangwa, miji yake yote ilikuwa magofu mbele za Bwana, mbele ya hasira yake kali.
27 For the LORD says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: “Nchi yote itaharibiwa, ingawa sitaiangamiza kabisa.
28 For this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken it. I have planned it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it.”
Kwa hiyo dunia itaomboleza na mbingu zilizo juu zitakuwa giza, kwa sababu nimesema nami sitarudi nyuma, nimeamua na wala sitageuka.”
29 Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and archers. They go into the thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells therein.
Kwa sauti ya wapanda farasi na wapiga upinde kila mji unakimbia. Baadhi wanakimbilia vichakani, baadhi wanapanda juu ya miamba. Miji yote imeachwa, hakuna aishiye ndani yake.
30 You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
Unafanya nini, ewe uliyeharibiwa? Kwa nini unajivika vazi jekundu na kuvaa vito vya dhahabu? Kwa nini unapaka macho yako rangi? Unajipamba bure. Wapenzi wako wanakudharau, wanautafuta uhai wako.
31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”
Nasikia kilio kama cha mwanamke katika utungu wa kuzaa, kilio cha uchungu kama cha anayemzaa mtoto wake wa kwanza: kilio cha Binti Sayuni akitweta ili aweze kupumua, akiinua mikono yake, akisema, “Ole wangu! Ninazimia; maisha yangu yamekabidhiwa kwa wauaji.”
