Jeremia 23
1 “Hĩ! Kaĩ arĩithi arĩa maniinaga na makahurunja mbũri cia rũũru rwakwa marĩ na haaro-ĩ!” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
Yahweh declares, “Terrible things will happen to [the leaders] [MET] [of my people—those who are like] shepherds of [the people who are like] my sheep—because they have scattered my people and sent them away, and have not taken care of them.
2 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jehova Ngai wa Isiraeli ekũũria arĩithi arĩa marĩithagia andũ akwa atĩrĩ: “Tondũ nĩmũhurunjĩte mbũri ciakwa na mũgaciingata, na nĩmwagĩte gũcimenyerera-rĩ, nĩngamũherithia nĩ ũndũ wa ũũru ũcio mwĩkĩte,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
So, this is what [I, ] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli [people worship], say to those leaders: ‘Instead of taking care of my people and [leading them to places where they are safe, like a shepherd does for] his sheep, you have scattered them. So I will punish you for the evil things that you have done.
3 “Niĩ mwene nĩngacookereria matigari ma rũũru rwa mbũri ciakwa kuuma mabũrũri mothe marĩa ndaacitwarithirie, ndĩcicookie ũrĩithio-inĩ wacio, na nĩigaciaranĩra kuo, cingĩhe.
But later I will gather those who are still alive, from the countries where I have forced them to go. I will bring them back to their own country, where they will have many children, and their number/population will increase.
4 Nĩngacirehera arĩithi a gũcirĩithagia, na itigacooka gwĩtigĩra kana kũmaka, na gũtirĩ o na ĩmwe yacio ĩkoora,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
[Then] I will appoint [other] leaders for my people, leaders who will take care of them. And my people will never be afraid [DOU] of anything again, and none of them will be [like a] lost [sheep].’”
5 Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ, “Matukũ nĩmarooka rĩrĩa ngaarahũrĩra Daudi mũndũ mũthingu ũgerekanĩtio na Rũhonge rwa mũtĩ, na nĩwe Mũthamaki ũrĩa ũgaathamakaga arĩ na ũũgĩ, na ageekaga maũndũ marĩa magĩrĩire na ma kĩhooto bũrũri-inĩ.
Yahweh [also] says, “Some day I will appoint for you a righteous man who will be a descendant of King David. He will be a king who rules wisely. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
6 Matukũ-inĩ make-rĩ, Juda nĩakahonokio, nake Isiraeli atũũre arĩ mũgitĩre. Nake ageetagwo rĩĩtwa rĩrĩ: Jehova-Ũthingu-Witũ.”
At that time, all the Israeli people [DOU] will be saved [from their enemies], and they will be safe. And his name will be ‘Yahweh, the one who vindicates/defends us.’”
7 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ: “Matukũ nĩmarooka, rĩrĩa andũ matagacooka kuuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ti-itherũ o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, ũrĩa warutire andũ a Isiraeli kuuma bũrũri wa Misiri,’
Yahweh [also] says that at that time, people [who are solemnly promising to do something] will no longer say, “[I will do it as surely] as Yahweh lives, who rescued the Israeli people from Egypt.”
8 no makoigaga atĩrĩ, ‘Ti-itherũ, o ta ũrĩa Jehova atũũraga muoyo, ũrĩa warutire njiaro cia Isiraeli bũrũri ũrĩa ũrĩ mwena wa gathigathini, na kuuma mabũrũri-inĩ mothe kũrĩa aamathaamĩirie.’ Hĩndĩ ĩyo magaatũũra bũrũri wao ene.”
Instead, they will say, “[I will do it] as surely as Yahweh lives, who brought [us] Israeli people back to our own land, from the land to the northeast and from all the [other] countries to which he had exiled us.” And they will live in their own land [again].
9 Ũhoro ũkoniĩ anabii nĩ atĩrĩ: Ngoro yakwa nĩthuthĩku; mahĩndĩ makwa mothe nĩmarainaina. Haana ta mũndũ mũrĩĩu, ngahaana ta mũndũ mũtoorie nĩ ndibei, nĩ ũndũ wa Jehova, na nĩ ũndũ wa ndũmĩrĩri ciake theru.
I am very shocked because of the sacred message that Yahweh has spoken about [what will happen to] the [false] prophets; [it is as though] all my bones shake. I stagger like a man who is drunk after drinking a lot of wine.
10 Bũrũri ũyũ ũiyũrĩte itharia; bũrũri ũyũ ũikarĩte ũrĩ mũngʼaru nĩ ũndũ wa kĩrumi, naguo ũrĩithio wothe kũu werũ-inĩ ũkahooha. Anabii marũmĩrĩire mĩtũũrĩre mĩũru, na makahũthĩra hinya wao ũrĩa gũtagĩrĩire.
The land is full of [people who commit] adultery; and [Yahweh] has cursed the land. Even the pastures in the desert are all dried up, because the people do what is evil, and [the false prophets] use their power to do things that are not just/fair.
11 “Anabii na athĩnjĩri-Ngai matiĩtigagĩra Ngai; o na thĩinĩ wa hekarũ-inĩ yakwa, nĩndĩĩoneire waganu wao,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
Yahweh says, “[Yes, even] the priests and the prophets are ungodly; they do wicked things even in my temple.
12 “Nĩ ũndũ ũcio njĩra yao nĩĩgũtuĩka ndenderũ; magaathaamĩrio nduma-inĩ, na kũu nĩkuo makaagũĩra. Nĩngamarehithĩria mwanangĩko mwaka-inĩ ũrĩa makaaherithio,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
Therefore, [it will be as though] the paths that they walk on are slippery. [It will be as though] they are being chased in the darkness, and there they will fall down, because I will cause them to experience disasters at the time that I will punish them. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
13 “Thĩinĩ wa anabii a Samaria-rĩ, nĩndonire ũndũ ũrĩ magigi, naguo nĩ ũyũ: Maarathaga mohoro na rĩĩtwa rĩa Baali, nao makĩhĩtithia andũ akwa a Isiraeli.
[Previously] I saw that the prophets in Samaria were doing something that was wrong; they were prophesying, saying that Baal [gave them the messages that they were proclaiming], and they were deceiving my people.
14 Ningĩ thĩinĩ wa anabii a Jerusalemu-rĩ, nĩnyonete ũndũ mũũru mũno, naguo nĩ ũyũ: Matharanagia, na magatũũra maheenanagia. Mekagĩra moko ma eeki naaĩ hinya, gũkaaga mũndũ ũngĩgarũrũka atigane na waganu wake. Othe mahaanĩte ta Sodomu harĩ niĩ; andũ a Jerusalemu mahaana o ta Gomora.”
And [now] I have seen the prophets in Jerusalem doing terrible things. They commit adultery and habitually tell lies. They encourage evil people to continue to do evil things, with the result that the people do not stop sinning. Those prophets are as wicked as the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were.
15 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, ũhoro ũkoniĩ anabii acio, Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe ekuuga ũũ: “Nĩngatũma marĩe irio ndũrũ na manyue maaĩ marĩ na thumu, nĩ ũndũ kuuma kũrĩ anabii a Jerusalemu, wagi wa gwĩtigĩra Ngai ũhunjĩte bũrũri-inĩ guothe.”
So, this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says about those [false] prophets: “I will give those prophets bitter things to eat and poison to drink, because it is because of them that this land is filled with [people who do] wicked things.”
16 Ũũ nĩguo Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe ekuuga: “Mũtigathikĩrĩrie ũrĩa anabii acio maramũrathĩra; nĩ ciĩrĩgĩrĩro cia tũhũ mamũheaga. Maaragia ũhoro wa cioneki ciumĩte meciiria-inĩ mao ene, no ti kuuma kanua ka Jehova.
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Do not pay any attention to what those [false] prophets say to you, because they are just deceiving you. They tell you about visions that they have thought/created [only] in their own minds, not about visions that I have given them.
17 Mathiiaga na mbere na kwĩra andũ arĩa maathũire atĩrĩ, ‘Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ: Nĩmũkũgĩa na thayũ.’ Na kũrĩ arĩa othe marũmagĩrĩra ũremi wa ngoro ciao, makameera atĩrĩ, ‘Gũtirĩ ũũru ũkũmũkora.’
They habitually say to those who hate me, ‘[Yahweh says that] you will have peace.’ And they say to those who stubbornly do what they want to do, ‘Nothing bad will happen to you [because of your doing those things].’
18 No rĩrĩ, nũũ wao ũrĩ warũgama ciira-inĩ wa Jehova, akĩona kana akĩigua kiugo gĩake. Nũũ wathikĩrĩirie kana akĩigua kiugo gĩake?
But none of them has ever been in a council [meeting] in heaven in order to listen to a message from me. None of them has paid attention to anything that [I], Yahweh, have said.
19 Atĩrĩrĩ, kĩhuhũkanio kĩa Jehova gĩgaatuthũka na mangʼũrĩ, ta kĩhuhũkanio kĩnene gĩkĩharũrũka, nakĩo kĩgũĩre mĩtwe ya andũ arĩa aaganu.
So, listen to this: I will punish them; it will be [like] a great storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of those wicked people.
20 Marakara macio ma Jehova matigaathira, o nginya rĩrĩa akaahingia muoroto wa ngoro yake. Matukũ-inĩ marĩa magooka-rĩ, nĩmũgataũkĩrwo nĩ ũhoro ũcio wega.
I will not stop being angry until I completely accomplish all that I have planned. In the future, you will understand [all of] this clearly.”
21 Anabii acio-rĩ, ti niĩ ndaamatũmire, no rĩrĩ, nĩmatengʼerete na ndũmĩrĩri ciao; niĩ ndiamaarĩirie, no-o no marathĩte mohoro.
[Yahweh also says, ] “I have not appointed those prophets, but they run [around telling people their messages]. I did not speak to them, but they [continue to] prophesy.
22 No korwo nĩmarũgamĩte ciira-inĩ wakwa-rĩ, nĩmangĩahunjirie ndũmĩrĩri yakwa kũrĩ andũ akwa, na nĩmangĩagarũrũkĩte, magatigana na mĩthiĩre yao mĩũru, na magatigana na ciĩko ciao njũru.
If they had been in my council [meetings], they would have been able to speak messages from me, and they would have caused people to turn away from committing evil things.”
23 “Kaĩ ndĩ Ngai wa o gũkũ gũkuhĩ, na ndirĩ Ngai wa kũraya?” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekũũria.
Yahweh [also] says, “Am I a God who is only nearby? No, I am a God who is far away, also.
24 “Kũrĩ mũndũ ũngĩhota kwĩhitha kũrĩa kwĩhithĩte mũno, ũndũ itangĩhota kũmuona?” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekũũria. “Githĩ ndiyũrĩte kũndũ guothe, igũrũ na thĩ?” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekũũria.
So, no one can hide in some secret place with the result that I cannot see him. I am everywhere, in heaven and on the earth! [That is what I], Yahweh, say!
25 “Nĩnjiguĩte ũrĩa anabii moigaga arĩa marathaga mohoro ma maheeni makĩgwetaga rĩĩtwa rĩakwa. Moigaga atĩrĩ, ‘Nĩndĩrarootire! Nĩndĩrarootire!’
I have heard those prophets prophesy lies, saying that they are telling people messages from me. They say, ‘[Listen to me tell you] the dream that God gave me last night! I [really] had this dream!’
26 Nĩ nginya rĩ ũhoro ũyũ ũgũthiĩ na mbere ngoro-inĩ cia anabii acio maheenanagia, o acio marathaga maũndũ ma matũhũhũ moimĩte meciiria-inĩ mao ene?
How long will they continue to do this? How long will those lying prophets continue to prophesy things that come only from their own minds?
27 Meciiragia atĩ irooto icio meranaga mũndũ na ũrĩa ũngĩ nĩigũtũma andũ akwa mariganĩrwo nĩ rĩĩtwa rĩakwa, o ta ũrĩa maithe mao mariganĩirwo nĩ rĩĩtwa rĩakwa makĩhooya Baali.
They think that because of the dreams that they tell to each other, people will forget me, like their ancestors forgot about me when they started to worship Baal.
28 Mũnabii ũrĩa ũrotete kĩroto-rĩ, nĩaheane ũhoro wa kĩroto kĩu gĩake, no rĩrĩ, ũrĩa ũrĩ na ndũmĩrĩri yakwa nĩaheane ũhoro wayo arĩ na wĩhokeku. Tondũ-rĩ, kaĩ rũũwa rwa ngano rũrĩ na ũhoro ũrĩkũ na ngano?” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekũũria.
Allow those [false] prophets to tell people their dreams, but those who have messages that [really] come from me should proclaim those messages faithfully. I, Yahweh, say [that like] straw and grain are certainly very different, [my messages and the messages from those false prophets are certainly very different].
29 “Githĩ ndũmĩrĩri yakwa ndĩhaana ta mwaki, o na ta kĩbũi kĩrĩa gĩthetheraga rwaro rwa ihiga rũgatuĩka tũcere?” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekũũria.
[It is as though] my messages [burn] like a fire; they [strike people’s inner beings like] someone strikes a rock with a hammer and smashes it into pieces.
30 “Nĩ ũndũ ũcio-rĩ, nĩndeganĩte na anabii acio maiyaga ndeto mũndũ kuuma kũrĩ ũrĩa ũngĩ, magaciaria ta ciumĩte kũrĩ niĩ,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
Therefore, [I, ] Yahweh say, 'I oppose all those prophets who steal messages from each other and claim that those messages came from me.
31 Ũũ nĩguo Jehova ekuuga, “Nĩngũũkĩrĩra anabii acio maaragia ndeto ciao ene, na magacooka makoiga atĩrĩ, ‘Ũguo nĩguo Jehova oiga.’
I oppose those prophets who speak their own messages but claim that those messages came from me.
32 Ĩĩ ti-itherũ, nĩngũũkĩrĩra anabii acio marathaga mohoro ma irooto cia maheeni,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga. “Maheanaga ũhoro wacio, makahĩtithia andũ akwa na maheeni na mwĩtĩĩo wao, no ti niĩ ndĩmatũmĩte kana ngamaatha. Matigunaga andũ aya o na hanini,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
I oppose those prophets who falsely say that I told them something in a vision, but they are [only] telling lies that cause my people to sin. I did not send those prophets. I did not even appoint them [to be prophets]. And they have no messages that will benefit my people at all.' [That is what I, ] Yahweh, declare.”
33 “Rĩrĩa andũ aya, kana mũnabii, o na kana mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai mangĩkũũria atĩrĩ, ‘Ndũmĩrĩri nditũ kuuma kũrĩ Jehova nĩ ĩrĩkũ?’ ũkameera atĩrĩ, ‘Ndũmĩrĩri nditũ ya Jehova nĩ inyuĩ, na nĩngamũtiganĩria, ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.’
[Yahweh said to me], “If one of those prophets or priests or one of the [other] people asks you, ‘What problem has Yahweh told you about [now]?’, you must reply, ‘You are the problem! And Yahweh says that he will abandon you!’
34 Mũnabii, kana mũthĩnjĩri-Ngai, o na kana mũndũ ũngĩ o wothe angiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri nditũ kuuma kũrĩ Jehova,’ niĩ nĩngaherithia mũndũ ũcio o hamwe na nyũmba yake.
And if any prophet or priest or anyone [else falsely] says, ‘[I have] a prophecy from Yahweh,’ I will punish that person and his family.
35 Mũndũ o mũndũ wanyu atiindaga akĩũria mũratawe kana mũndũ wao atĩrĩ: ‘Icookia rĩa Jehova nĩ rĩrĩkũ?’ kana, ‘Jehova oigĩte atĩa?’
What you should continually ask each other is, ‘[When you spoke to Yahweh, ] what did he reply? What is he saying [to us]?’
36 No rĩrĩ, mũtigacooke kuuga rĩngĩ atĩ ‘ndũmĩrĩri nditũ kuuma kũrĩ Jehova,’ tondũ kiugo kĩa mũndũ we mwene nĩkĩo gĩtuĩkaga ndũmĩrĩri yake nditũ, na ũguo nĩguo mũgarũraga ciugo cia ndũmĩrĩri cia Ngai ũrĩa ũrĩ muoyo, o we Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, Ngai witũ.
But stop saying ‘[I have] a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ because those who say that are doing it only because they want people to accept their ideas, and by doing that they distort/change the messages that are from our God, the Commander of the armies of angels.
37 Mũtindaga mũkĩũria mũnabii atĩrĩ: ‘Jehova agũcookeirie ũhoro ũrĩkũ?’ kana, ‘Jehova aarĩtie atĩa?’
This is what you should ask each prophet: ‘What did Yahweh reply [when you talked to him]? What is he saying [to us]?’
38 O na gwatuĩka inyuĩ nĩmugaga atĩrĩ, ‘Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri nditũ kuuma kũrĩ Jehova,’ ũũ nĩguo Jehova ekuuga: Nĩmwahũthĩrire ciugo ici, ‘Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri nditũ kuuma kũrĩ Jehova,’ o na gũtuĩka nĩndamwĩrĩte mũtikanoige atĩ ‘Ĩno nĩyo ndũmĩrĩri nditũ kuuma kũrĩ Jehova.’
If he replies, ‘[What I told you] is a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ you should say to him, ‘You have continued to say, “[I received] a prophecy/message from Yahweh” even though I told you to not claim that you have received prophecies/messages from Yahweh.’
39 Nĩ ũndũ ũcio, ti-itherũ nĩngariganĩrwo nĩ inyuĩ, ndĩmũingate mwehere mbere yakwa hamwe na itũũra rĩĩrĩ inene rĩrĩa ndaamũheire inyuĩ ene o na maithe manyu.
So I [, Yahweh, ] will get rid of you [false prophets]. I will expel you from my presence. And I will get rid of this city that I gave to you and to your ancestors.
40 Nĩngamũrehithĩria thoni cia gũtũũra tene na tene, ĩĩ, ndũme mũconorithio na njono itakariganĩra.”
I will cause people to make fun of you forever. People will never forget that you were disgraced.”
