Yeremiya 23
1 “Zibasanze abasumba abazikiriza era abasaasaanya endiga z’ekisibo kyange!” bw’ayogera Mukama.
What trouble is coming to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord.
2 Noolwekyo, bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama, Katonda wa Isirayiri ebikwata ku basumba abalabirira abantu bange nti, “Kubanga musaasaanyizza abantu bange ne mubagoba ne mutabalabirira, nzija kubaleetako ebibonerezo olw’ebibi bye mukoze,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who were meant to look after my people: You have scattered my flock. You have chased them away You didn't take care of them, so now I will take care of you for all the evil you've done, declares the Lord.
3 “Nze kennyini nzija kukuŋŋaanya abaasigalawo ku kisibo kyange okuva mu mawanga gonna gye nabagobera, mbakomyewo mu kisibo kyabwe, gye banaabalira ebibala beeyongere obungi.
I myself will gather what's left of my flock from all the countries where I exiled them, and I will bring them back to their pasture, where they will increase in number.
4 Ndibawa abasumba abanaabalabirira, era tebaliddayo kutya oba kuggwaamu maanyi, era tewaabe n’omu abula,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
I will put shepherds in charge of them who will take care of them, and they won't be afraid or discouraged anymore, and none of them will be missing, declares the Lord.
5 “Ennaku zijja, lwe ndiyimusiza Dawudi Ettabi ettukuvu, Kabaka alikulembera n’amagezi akole ebituufu eby’obwenkanya mu nsi,” bwayogera Mukama.
Look, the time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will choose a descendant of David who does what is right. As king he will rule with wisdom and do what is just and right throughout the country.
6 Mu mirembe gye, Yuda alirokolebwa ne Isirayiri alibeera mu mirembe. Lino lye linnya lye balimuyita: Mukama Obutukuvu Bwaffe.
When he is king, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name he will be called: The Lord Who Makes Us Right.
7 “Noolwekyo ennaku zijja, abantu lwe batalyogera nate nti, ‘Ddala nga Mukama bwali omulamu eyaggya Abayisirayiri mu Misiri,’ bwayogera Mukama,
Look, the time is coming, declares the Lord, when people won't say anymore, “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites out of Egypt.”
8 naye bagambe nti, ‘Ddala nga Mukama bw’ali omulamu, eyaggya abaana ba Isirayiri mu nsi ey’omu bukiikakkono era ne mu nsi zonna gye yali abagobedde.’ Olwo balibeera mu nsi yaabwe ku bwabwe,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
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.” Then they'll live in their own country.
9 Ebikwata ku bannabbi: omutima gwange gwennyise mu nda yange amagumba gange gonna gakankana, nninga omusajja omutamiivu, ng’omusajja afugiddwa omwenge, ku lwa Mukama n’ebigambo bye ebitukuvu.
When it comes to the prophets: I'm really disturbed—I'm shaking inside! I stagger like a drunk, like someone who's had too much wine, because of what the Lord is like, because of his holy words.
10 Ensi ejjudde abenzi; olw’ekikolimo ensi esigadde nkalu era n’amalundiro g’omu ddungu meereere. Bannabbi bagoberera amakubo amabi era bakozesa obuyinza bwabwe mu butali bwenkanya.
For the country is full of people committing adultery so it's under a curse. The land mourns and the desert pastures have dried up. The people live evil lives, using their energy to do wrong.
11 “Nnabbi ne kabona bombi tebalina Katonda, ne mu yeekaalu yange mbasanze nga bakoleramu ebibi,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Both prophets and priests show no respect for me. I see wickedness even in my Temple, declares the Lord.
12 “Noolwekyo amakubo gaabwe gajja kuseerera era bajja kusuulibwa mu kizikiza era eyo gye baligwira. Ndibaleetako okuzikirira mu mwaka gwe balibonerezebwamu,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
That's why their path will become slippery; they will be chased away in the dark and fall down. I'm going to bring disaster on them at the time when they're punished, declares the Lord.
13 “Mu bannabbi b’e Samaliya nalaba ekintu kino ekyenyinyalwa. Balagulira wansi wa Baali ne babuza abantu bange Isirayiri.
I saw the prophets of Samaria doing something really offensive: They prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people Israel to sin.
14 Era ne mu bannabbi ba Yerusaalemi ndabye ekintu ekibi ennyo. Bakola eby’obwenzi ne batambulira mu bulimba. Bagumya abo abakozi b’ebibi ne wataba n’omu ava mu kwonoona kwe. Bonna bali nga Sodomu gye ndi; abantu ba Yerusaalemi bali nga Ggomola.”
But now I see the prophets of Jerusalem doing something even more disgusting: They commit adultery and their lives are a lie. They support the wicked, so no one stops sinning. To me they're all like Sodom; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.
15 Noolwekyo, bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye ebikwata ku bannabbi nti, “Nzija kubaliisa emmere ekaawa banywe amazzi ag’obutwa, kubanga okuva mu bannabbi ba Yerusaalemi, obutatya Katonda bubunye mu nsi yonna.”
So this is what the Lord Almighty says about the prophets: I will give them wormwood to eat and poisoned water to drink, because evil has spread across the country from the prophets of Jerusalem.
16 Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda ow’eggye nti, “Temuwuliriza bannabbi bye babategeeza: babajjuza essuubi ekyamu. Boogera ebirooto ebiva mu mitima gyabwe, so si ebiva mu kamwa ka Mukama Katonda.
This is what the Lord Almighty says: Don't pay attention to what these prophets say when they prophesy to you. They're fooling you with visions they make up in their own minds. They're not from me.
17 Bagamba abo abannyooma nti, ‘Mukama Katonda agamba onoobeera n’emirembe.’ Abo abagoberera obukakanyavu bw’emitima gyabwe babagamba nti, ‘Tewali kabi kanaakujjira.’
They keep on telling people who don't respect me, “The Lord says that you'll live in peace,” and to everyone following their own stubborn attitude, “Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”
18 Naye ani ku bo eyali abadde mu lukiiko lwa Mukama Katonda okulaba oba okuwulira ekigambo kye?
But who of them has attended the Lord's council to hear and understand what he's saying? Who has paid attention to his instructions and followed them?
19 Laba, omuyaga gwa Mukama gujja kubwatuka n’ekiruyi, empewo ey’akazimu eyetooloolera ku mitwe gy’abakozi b’ebibi.
Watch out! The Lord has sent out a furious storm, a tornado swirling around the heads of the wicked.
20 Obusungu bwa Mukama tebujja kukoma okutuusa ng’amaze okutuukiriza ekigendererwa ky’omutima gwe. Mu nnaku ezijja, mujja kukitegeera bulungi.
The Lord's anger won't fade until he's finished doing everything he wants. Only then will you really understand.
21 Situmanga bannabbi bano, songa bagenda badduka n’obubaka buno, era sogeranga nabo, songa bategeeza obunnabbi.
I didn't send these prophets, but they run to deliver their messages. I didn't tell them to say anything, but they still go on prophesying.
22 Naye singa bayimirira mu maaso gange, bandibuulidde abantu bange ebigambo byange, era bandibaggye mu makubo gaabwe amabi era ne mu bikolwa byabwe ebibi.
Now if they had attended my council, they would have delivered my instructions to my people and brought them back from their evil way of life, from their evil actions.
23 “Ndi Katonda abeera okumpi wokka, so si abeera ewala?” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Am I only a local God and not a God who operates widely? asks the Lord.
24 “Omuntu ayinza okwekweka mu bifo eby’ekyama ne sisobola kumulaba?” bw’ayogera Mukama. “Sijjuza eggulu n’ensi?” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Can people hide in secret places where I can't see them? asks the Lord. Don't I operate everywhere in heaven and on earth? asks the Lord.
25 “Mpulidde bannabbi aboogera eby’obulimba mu linnya lyange. Bagamba nti, ‘Naloose! Naloose!’
I've listened to the prophets who prophesy lies in my name. They say, “I've had a dream! I've had a dream!”
26 Kino kinaakoma ddi mu mitima gy’abo bannabbi b’obulimba, abategeeza eby’obulimba ebiva ku mitima gyabwe?
How long will this continue? How long will these prophets go on prophesying these lies which are just the product of their own deluded minds?
27 Balowooza nti ebirooto bye balootolola bannaabwe bijja kuleetera abantu bange okwerabira erinnya lyange, nga bakitaabwe bwe beerabira erinnya lyange nga basinza Baali.
They think the dreams that they repeat to one another will lead my people to forget me, just like their forefathers forgot me by worshiping Baal.
28 Nnabbi alina ekirooto ayogere ekirooto kye, n’oyo alina ekigambo kyange akyogere mu bwesigwa. Kubanga ebisusunku birina nkolagana ki n’eŋŋaano?” bw’ayogera Mukama.
A prophet who has a dream should say it's just a dream, but anyone I've spoken to should deliver my message faithfully. What is straw in comparison to grain? asks the Lord.
29 “Ekigambo kyange tekiri nga muliro, ng’ennyondo eyasaayasa olwazi?” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Doesn't my word burn like fire? asks the Lord. Isn't it like a hammer smashing a rock?
30 “Noolwekyo, ndi mulabe wa bannabbi ababbiŋŋanako ebigambo ebiva gye ndi,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Pay attention to this, declares the Lord. I'm opposed to those prophets who steal words from one another and then say it's a message from me.
31 “Weewaawo,” bw’ayogera Mukama, “saagalira ddala bannabbi abayogerayogera nga bagamba nti, ‘Bw’atyo Mukama bw’agamba.’
Pay attention to this declares the Lord. I'm opposed to those prophets who make up their own stories and then announce, “This is what the Lord says.”
32 Ddala ddala ndi mulabe w’abo abawa obunnabbi bw’ebirooto ebikyamu. Babyogera ne babuza abantu bange n’obulimba bwabwe obutaliimu, ate nga saabatuma wadde okubateekawo. Tebalina kye bayamba bantu bano n’akatono,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Pay attention to this declares the Lord, I'm opposed to those who prophesy fictional dreams. They tell them in order to lead my people into sin with their wild lies. I didn't send them or give them any instructions, and they don't do anybody any good, declares the Lord.
33 “Abantu bano, oba nnabbi oba kabona bw’abuuza nti, ‘Bubaka ki Mukama bw’atutumye?’ Bagambe nti, ‘Bubaka ki? Nzija kubabuulira, bw’ayogera Mukama.’
So when a prophet or priest or anyone else comes and asks you, “What is ‘the burden of the Lord?’” tell them, I'm not giving you a burden. I'm giving up on you, declares the Lord.
34 Nnabbi, oba kabona oba omuntu yenna bw’agamba nti, ‘Buno bwe bubaka bwa Mukama,’ Nzija kubonereza omusajja oyo n’ab’omu maka ge.
If a prophet or priest or anyone else claims, “This is the burden of the Lord,” I will punish that person and their family.
35 Kino buli omu ky’anagamba mikwano gye oba ab’eŋŋanda ze. ‘Mukama, azeemu ki? Oba kiki Mukama ky’ayogedde?’
This is what everybody should say to their friends and relatives: “What answer has the Lord given?” or, “What has the Lord said?”
36 Naye temuddayo kugamba nti, ‘Buno bwe bubaka bwa Mukama,’ kubanga buli kigambo kya muntu kifuuka bubaka bwe era mukyusa ebigambo bya Katonda omulamu, Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda waffe.
Don't talk about “the burden of the Lord” anymore, because everybody has different ideas about this “burden,” perverting the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.
37 Kino kye munaabuuza nnabbi nti, ‘Kiki Mukama kyakuzzeemu?’ Oba nti, ‘Mukama, agambye ki?’
This is what you are to say ask any prophet: “What message has the Lord given you?” and “What has the Lord told you?”
38 Naye era mujja kugamba nti, ‘Buno bwe bubaka Mukama bwatutumye,’ wadde nga nabagamba nti, Temusaanye kwogera nti, ‘Buno bwe bubaka bwa Mukama,’
If they say, “This is the burden of the Lord,” then this is the Lord's response: Because you said, “This is the burden of the Lord,” and I warned you not to,
39 kyenaava mbagobera ddala mu maaso gange ne mu kibuga ekyo kye nabawa, mmwe ne bakitammwe.
now I'm going to pick you up like a burden and throw you away, you and the city that I gave to you and your forefathers.
40 Ndibaleetako ekivume ekitaliggwaawo, n’ensonyi ez’olubeerera ebitagenda kwerabirwa.”
I will disgrace you forever, you shame will never be forgotten.
