< Yeremiya 2 >

1 Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira nga kigamba nti,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Genda olangirire nga Yerusaalemi ewulira nti: “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda nti, “‘Nzijukira okwewaayo kwe weewaayo ng’okyali muto, engeri gye wanjagalamu nga twakafumbiriganwa, wangoberera mu ddungu mu nsi etali nnime.
Go and call out before the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus hath said the Lord, I remember unto thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy espousals, thy going after me in the wilderness, through a land that is not sown.
3 Isirayiri wali mutukuvu wa Mukama, ebibala ebibereberye ebyamakungula ge; bonna abaakulyangako nga bazzizza omusango, akabi nga kabatuukako,’” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda.
A holy thing is Israel unto the Lord, the first of his fruits: all that devour him shall incur guilt; evil shall come over them, saith the Lord.
4 Muwulirize ekigambo kya Mukama mwe ezzadde lya Yakobo, era n’ab’enju zonna ez’ebika eby’omu Isirayiri.
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel.
5 Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, Kibi ki bakitammwe kye bansangamu ne banvaako ne bagenda ewala ennyo bwe batyo? Baagoberera ebifaananyi bya bakatonda abakole n’emikono ebitaliimu nabo bennyini ne bafuuka ebitaliimu.
Thus hath said the Lord, What fault did your fathers find in me, that they went away far from me, and walked after vanity, and became vain?
6 Ne batagamba nako nti; “Ali ludda wa Mukama eyatuggya mu nsi y’e Misiri; eyatuyisa mu lukoola, mu nsi ey’amalungu n’obunnya, mu nsi enkalu n’ekisiikirize eky’okufa, mu nsi omutali muntu n’omu, so n’omuntu yenna mw’atayinza kuyita?”
That they said not, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of wildness, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land through which no one had passed, and where no man had dwelt?
7 Ne mbaleeta mu nsi engimu, mulye ebibala byamu n’ebintu ebirungi. Naye bwe mwajja ne mwonoona ensi yange, ne mufuula omugabo gwange ekivume.
And I brought you into the land of fruitful fields, to eat its fruit and its goodly products; but ye came and ye made unclean my land, and my heritage ye rendered an abomination.
8 Bakabona ne batabuuzaako nti, “Mukama ali ludda wa?” Abo abakola ku mateeka tebammanya. Abakulembeze ne banjeemera. Bannabbi nga baweereza ku lwa Baali, ne bagoberera ebitagasa.
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied in the name of Ba'al, and after things that cannot profit did they walk.
9 “Kyenva nnyongera okubalumiriza,” bw’ayogera Mukama, “Era ndirumiriza n’abaana b’abaana bammwe.
Therefore will I contend yet farther with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children will I contend.
10 Muwunguke ennyanja mugende ku bizinga bya Kittimu mulabe; era mutume e Kedali, mwetegereze. Mujja kulaba nga tekibangawo.
For pass over to the isles of the Chittites, and see; and unto Kedar send, and consider well and see if any thing like this hath happened.
11 Waali wabaddewo eggwanga erikyusa bakatonda baalyo, wadde nga si bakatonda, naye nga bitaliimu? Naye abantu bange baawaanyisa ekitiibwa kyabwe n’ebitagasa.
Hath a nation exchanged its gods, which are yet no gods? and [still] my people hath exchanged its glory for that which can not profit.
12 Wewuunye ggwe eggulu, era okankane n’entiisa ey’amaanyi,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and let your hair stand at an end, be ye greatly terrified, saith the Lord.
13 “Kubanga abantu bange bakoze ebibi bibiri, banvuddeko nze ensulo ey’amazzi amalamu ne beesimira ettanka ez’omu ttaka, ettanka ez’omu ttaka ezirimu enjatika ezitanyweeramu mazzi.”
For two evils have my people committed: me have they forsaken, the source of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.
14 “Isirayiri muddu, omuddu omuzaale? Kale lwaki afuuse omuyiggo?
Is Israel a servant? or one born [to servitude] in the house? why hath he been given up to plunder?
15 Bamuwulugumirako ng’empologoma bw’ewuluguma, abalabe bawulugumye nnyo. Ensi ye efuuse matongo, ebibuga bye bigyiridde ddala omuliro birekeddwa ttayo, nga temukyali muntu n’omu.
[That] over him young lions roared, let their voice resound, and changed his land into a waste, that his cities are burnt, left without an inhabitant?
16 Ate era abasajja b’e Noofu n’e Tapeneesi bamaliddewo ddala ekitiibwa kyo.
Even the children of Noph and Thachpanches have crushed the crown of thy head.
17 Si ggwe weeretedde bino ng’ova ku Mukama Katonda wo, eyakukulemberanga akulage ekkubo?
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, through thy forsaking the Lord thy God, while he was leading thee on the [right] way?
18 Kaakano olowooza onooganyulwamu ki okugenda okukolagana ne Misiri? Olowooza kiki ky’onoganyulwa bw’onogenda okukolagana ne Bwasuli?
And now what hast thou to do on the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shichor? and what hast thou to do on the way of Asshur, to drink the waters of the river?
19 Ebibi byo byennyini bye biri kubonereza, n’okudda kwo emabega kwe kulikusalira omusango. Kale lowooza era otegeere nga bwe kiri ekibi era eky’omutawaana gy’oli bw’ova ku Mukama Katonda wo, n’oba nga tokyantya,” bw’ayogera Mukama, Katonda ow’eggye.
Thy own wickedness shall chastise thee, and thy backslidings shall correct thee; and thou shalt know and see that evil and bitter was thy forsaking the Lord thy God, while the dread of me was not upon thee, saith the Lord Eternal of hosts.
20 Mukama ow’eggye agamba nti, “Isirayiri, ebbanga ddene eriyiseewo bukya weggya mu buyinza bwange, n’ogamba nti, ‘Sijja kukugondera.’ Era ddala, ku buli kasozi era na buli wansi w’omuti oguyimiridde wakuba obwamalaaya ng’ovuunamira bakatonda abalala.
Because from yore did I break thy yoke, did I burst asunder thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress: nevertheless upon every high hill and under every green tree thou makest thy bed, as harlot.
21 Songa nnali nkusimbye ng’oli muzabbibu omulungi, ensigo eteriimu kikyamu n’akatono, naye ate lwaki oyonoonese n’ofuuka ng’omuzabbibu ogw’omu nsiko?
Yet I had planted thee as a branch of a noble vine, wholly of the proper seed; but how art thou changed unto me into a degenerate plant of an ignoble vine?
22 Kubanga ne bw’onaaba n’oluvu n’okozesa ne sabbuuni omungi, naye era ebbala lyo n’obutali butuukirivu bwo bisigala bikyalabika,” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda.
For though thou wash thyself with natron, and take for thyself much soap: yet would the stain of thy iniquity remain before me, saith the Lord Eternal.
23 Oyinza otya okugamba nti, “Sseeyonoonanga, sigobereranga ba Baali?” Jjukira bwe weeyisa ng’oli mu kiwonvu; tegeera kye wakola. Oli ng’eŋŋamira enkazi efuumuuka embiro ngeraga eno n’eri,
How canst thou say, I am not become unclean, after the Be'alim have I not gone? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [like] a swift dromedary bound fast to her ways;
24 ng’endogoyi ey’omu nsiko eddukira mu ddungu mw’emanyidde, ng’ewunyiriza mu bbanga eno n’eri mu kwaka kwayo, mu kiseera ekyo ani ayinza okugiziyiza? Ensajja zonna ezigyetaaga tezeetaaga kwekooya; mu biseera by’okulabaganiramu za kugifuna.
[Like] a wild ass used to the wilderness, that at her pleasure snuffeth up the wind; her lust—who can turn this away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month will they find her.
25 Tokooya bigere byo, era tokaza mimiro gyo. Naye n’oddamu nti, “Ebyo bya bwereere, sisobola kukyuka, nayagala bakatonda abalala, nteekwa okubanoonya.”
“Prevent thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from being thirsty;” but thou saidst, It is useless; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
26 Ng’omubbi bw’aswala ng’akwatiddwa, n’ennyumba ya Isirayiri bw’eswala bw’etyo, bakabaka baayo, n’abalangira baayo, ne bakabona baayo, era ne bannabbi baayo,
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so have the house of Israel been made ashamed, they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,
27 nga bagamba emiti nti, “Ggwe kitange,” era n’ejjinja nti, “Ggwe wanzaala.” Bankubye amabega, naye bwe balaba ennaku bankaabirira nti, “Yimuka ojje otulokole.”
Who say to the wood, Thou art my father; and to the stone, Thou hast brought us forth; for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their misfortune will they say, Arise, and save us.
28 Kale bakatonda be weekolera baluwa? Leka bajje, bwe baba basobola okukulokola mu biseera eby’emitawaana. Kubanga obungi bwa bakatonda bammwe bwenkanankana n’ebibuga byo ggwe Yuda.
But where are then thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy misfortune; for equal to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah.
29 “Lwaki munneemulugunyiza? Mwenna mwanneeddiimira,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Wherefore will ye contend with me? all of you have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.
30 Abaana bammwe nababonereza naye nga bwerere, tebakkiriza kugololwa. Mmwe bennyini ne mwettira bannabbi bammwe ng’empologoma bw’etta.
To no purpose have I smitten your children; correction they accepted not: your sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
31 Mmwe ab’omulembe guno muwulirize ekigambo kya Katonda. Mbadde nga ddungu gye muli ng’ensi ejjudde ekizikiza eky’amaanyi? Kale lwaki abantu bange bagamba nti, “Tulina eddembe, tetukyadda gy’oli?”
O [present] generation, regard ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of deep darkness? wherefore say my people, We wander about; we cannot come any more unto thee?
32 Omuwala omuto ayinza okwerabira ebikomo, oba omugole okwerabira ekyambalo kye? Naye ng’ate abantu bange Bannerabidde!
Can a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her decorations? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 Ng’omanyi nnyo okukuba amakubo ag’okunoonya abanaakwagala! N’asembayo okuba omukugu mu bamalaaya aba alina kuyigira ku ggwe.
Why ornamentest thou thy way to seek for love? truly even the worst hast thou used thyself as thy ways.
34 Engoye zo zijjudde omusaayi gw’abaavu n’abatalina musango, awatali kugamba nti bakwatibwa nga babba. Ate nga wadde byonna biri bwe bityo
Also on thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent needy ones: not while breaking in [thy house] didst thou find them; but for all these things.
35 ogamba nti, “Sirina musango, ddala takyanninako busungu!” Laba, ŋŋenda kukusalira omusango olw’okugamba nti, “Sirina kibi kye nkoze.”
Yet thou sayest, Yea, I am innocent, surely his anger is already turned away from me. Behold, I will hold judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
36 Lwaki ogenda ng’okyusakyusa amakubo go! Misiri ejja kukuswaza nga Bwasuli bwe yakuswaza.
Why makest thou thyself so very low to change thy way? also because of Egypt shalt thou be made ashamed, as thou wast put to shame because of Assyria.
37 Era n’eyo olivaayo ng’emikono ogyetisse ku mutwe, kubanga Mukama agaanye abo be weesiga; tagenda kukuyamba.
Also from this one shalt thou go forth, with thy hands [clasped] over thy head; for the Lord hath rejected those on whom thou trustest and thou shalt not prosper with them.

< Yeremiya 2 >