< Yeremiya 16 >

1 Ekigambo kya Mukama ne kinzijira nga kigamba nti,
A message from the Lord that came to me, saying,
2 “Towasa, kuzaalira balenzi na bawala mu kifo kino.
Don't marry or have children here.
3 Kubanga kino Mukama ky’agamba ku balenzi n’abawala abazaalibwa mu nsi eno era ne ku bakazi ba nnyaabwe ne ku basajja ba kitaabwe.
This is what the Lord says about children born here, and about their mothers and fathers—their parents here in this country:
4 Balifa endwadde ez’akabi. Tebalibakungubagira wadde okuziikibwa naye balibeera ng’ebisaaniko ebisuuliddwa ku ttaka. Balizikirira na kitala era balifa njala; n’emirambo gyabwe girifuuka mmere ya binyonyi eby’omu bbanga n’ebisolo eby’omu nsiko.”
They will die from fatal diseases. No one will mourn for them. Their bodies won't be buried, but will lie on the ground like manure. They will be destroyed by war and famine, and their bodies will be food for birds of prey and wild animals.
5 Kubanga bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, “Toyingira mu nnyumba we balya emmere y’olumbe, togenda kukungubaga wadde okubasaasira kubanga nziggyewo omukisa gwange n’okwagala kwange era n’okusaasira kwange ku bantu bano,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
This is what the Lord says: Don't enter a home where people are having a funeral meal. Don't visit them to mourn or to offer condolences, for I have taken away my peace, my trustworthy love, and my mercy from these people, declares the Lord.
6 Bonna ab’ekitiibwa n’abakopi baakufiira mu nsi eno. Tebajja kuziikibwa wadde okukungubagirwa era tewali ajja kwesala misale wadde okumwa omutwe ku lwabwe.
Everyone, from the most important to the least, will die in this country. They will not be buried or mourned; there will be no rites for the dead such as cutting oneself or shaving of heads.
7 Tewaliba n’omu aliwaayo mmere okuliisa abakungubagira abafiiriddwa, ne bwaliba kitaabwe oba nnyaabwe nga kwe kuli afudde; tewaliba n’omu alibawaayo wadde ekyokunywa okubakubagiza.
No funeral receptions will be held to comfort those who mourn—not even a comforting drink is to be offered at the loss of a father or mother.
8 Era toyingiranga mu nnyumba muli kinyumu n’otuula okulya n’okunywa.
Don't go into a house where people are celebrating and sit down with them to eat and drink.
9 Kubanga kino Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri, ky’agamba nti, “Nga weerabirako n’amaaso go, mu nnaku z’obulamu bwo, ndikomya eddoboozi ery’essanyu era n’ery’okwesiima ery’abagole omusajja ne mukyala we mu kifo kino.
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am going to put a stop right here, while you watch, to any sounds of celebration and joy, the happy voices of the groom and bride.
10 “Bw’oligamba abantu bino byonna ne bakubuuza nti, ‘Lwaki Mukama atutuusizaako akabi kano konna? Kibi ki kye tukoze? Musango ki gwe tuzizza eri Mukama Katonda waffe?’
When you explain all this to them they'll ask you, “Why has the Lord ordered that such a terrible disaster should happen to us? What did we do wrong? What sin have we committed against the Lord our God?”
11 Kale bagambe nti, ‘Kubanga bakitammwe bandeka ne batakuuma mateeka gange,’ bw’ayogera Mukama, ‘ne bagoberera bakatonda abalala ne babaweereza ne babasinza. Bandeka ne batakuuma mateeka gange.
Answer them: It's because your forefathers deserted me, declares the Lord. They went and followed other gods, serving them and worshiping them. They abandoned me and didn't keep my laws.
12 Era mweyisizza bubi n’okusinga bakitammwe. Laba buli omu nga bwe yeeyisa ng’akakanyaza omutima gwe ogujjudde ebibi mu kifo ky’okuŋŋondera.
You however have done even more evil than your forefathers. Look at how all of you followed your own stubborn evil thinking instead of obeying me.
13 Noolwekyo ndibaggya mu nsi eno ne mbateeka mu nsi mmwe gye mutamanyi wadde bakitammwe gye bataamanya, era nga muli eyo muliweereza bakatonda abalala emisana n’ekiro, era siribakwatirwa kisa.’
So I'm going to throw you out of this country and exile you in a country unfamiliar to you and your forefathers. There you'll serve other gods day and night, because I won't help you at all.
14 “Naye ennaku zijja,” bw’ayogera Mukama. “Abantu lwe bataliddayo kwogera nti, ‘Ddala nga Katonda bw’ali omulamu eyaggya Isirayiri mu nsi y’e Misiri,’
But listen! The time is coming, declares the Lord, when people won't any longer make vows, saying. “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites out of Egypt.”
15 naye baligamba nti, ‘Ddala nga Mukama bw’ali omulamu eyaggya Abayisirayiri mu nsi ey’omu bukiikakkono era n’okuva mu nsi zonna gye yali abasudde.’ Kubanga ndibakomyawo mu nsi gye nawa bajjajjaabwe.
Instead they'll say, “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites back from the northern country and all the other countries where he had exiled them.” I'm going to bring them back to the country I gave their forefathers.
16 “Naye kaakano leka ntumye abavubi bange,” bw’ayogera Mukama, “era bajja kubavuba. Ng’ekyo kiwedde nzija kutumya abayizzi bange, era bajja kubayigga ku buli lusozi era na buli kasozi na buli lwatika lwonna mu njazi.
But for the moment I'm going to send for many fishermen and they'll catch them, declares the Lord. Then I'm going to send for many hunters, and they'll hunt them down on every mountain and hill, even from their hiding places in the rocks.
17 Amaaso gange galaba buli kye bakola, tebinkwekeddwa wadde obutali butuukirivu bwabwe okuunkwekebwa.
I see everything they're doing. They can't hide from me, and their sins aren't hidden from me either.
18 Ndibasasula olw’obutali butuukirivu bwabwe n’olw’ekibi kyabwe emirundi ebiri, kubanga boonoonye ensi yange olw’ebintu ebitaliimu bulamu ne bajjuza omugabo gwange ebifaananyi bya bakatonda baabwe abakolerere, eby’emizizo.”
First I'm going to pay them back double for their wickedness and sin, because they have made my land unclean with the lifeless bodies of their disgusting idols, filling my special country with their offensive pagan images.
19 Ayi Mukama, amaanyi gange era ekigo kyange, ekiddukiro kyange mu biro eby’okulabiramu ennaku, bannaggwanga balijja gy’oli, okuva ku nkomerero z’ensi bagambe nti, “Bakitaffe tebaalina kantu okuggyako bakatonda ab’obulimba, ebifaananyi ebikolerere ebitagasa ebitaabayamba.
Lord, you are my strength and my fortress, my safe place in the time of trouble. Nations will come to you from all over the earth, and they will say, “The religion of our forefathers was a total lie! The idols they worshiped were useless—no good at all.
20 Abantu beekolera bakatonda baabwe? Ye, naye si Katonda!
How can people make gods for themselves? These aren't gods!”
21 “Noolwekyo ndibayigiriza, ku mulundi guno; ŋŋenda kubalaga amaanyi gange n’obuyinza bwange. Olwo balyoke bamanye nti erinnya lyange nze Mukama.”
Now they'll see! I'll show them, and then they'll recognize my power and strength. Then they'll know that I am the Lord!

< Yeremiya 16 >