Yeremiya 51
1 Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, “Laba, ndiyimusa omwoyo gw’omuzikiriza alumbe Babulooni n’abantu ba Lebukamaayi.
This is what Yahweh says: “I will inspire/motivate [an army] to destroy Babylon [like a powerful] wind [MET], and [also] to destroy the people of Babylonia.
2 Ndituma abagwira e Babulooni bamuwewe era bazikirize ensi ye; balimulumba ku buli luuyi ku lunaku olw’okuzikirira kwe.
I will send a foreign army to come to get rid of Babylonia [like a strong wind] that blows away chaff. They will attack from every direction on that day of disaster.
3 Omulasi talikuba busaale bwe, taliyambala wadde ebyambalo bye ebyokulwanyisa. Temusonyiwa batabani be; muzikiririze ddala amaggye ge.
[I will tell them, ] ‘Do not allow the archers [of Babylon] to [have time to] put on their armor or draw their bows. Do not spare the young men of Babylon. Completely destroy their army.’
4 Baligwa nga battiddwa e Babulooni, nga batuusiddwako ebiwundu eby’amaanyi mu nguudo ze.
Their soldiers will fall dead in Babylonia; [they will die after being] wounded in the streets.
5 Kubanga Yuda ne Isirayiri tebinnalekebwa Katonda waabwe, oyo Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye, wadde ng’ensi yaabwe esingiddwa omusango mu maaso g’Omutukuvu wa Isirayiri.
[I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the Israelis’ God, have not abandoned Israel and Judah. [Even though] their land was full of people who sinned against [me], the Holy God of Israel, I am still their God.
6 “Mudduke Babulooni. Mudduke okuwonya obulamu bwammwe. Temusaanawo olw’ebibi bye. Kiseera kya Mukama okwesasuza; alimusasula ekyo ekimusaanira.
[You people of Israel and Judah, ] flee from Babylon! Run away from there! Do not stay there and be killed when I punish [the people of Babylon]! It will be the time when I will get revenge; I will do to them what they deserve.
7 Babulooni yali kikompe kya zaabu mu mukono gwa Mukama; yatamiiza ensi yonna. Amawanga gaanywa wayini we, kyegavudde galaluka.
Babylon has been [like] [MET] a gold cup in my hand, [a cup that is full of wine] that caused people all over the earth [who drank some of it to become] drunk. [It is as though] the [rulers of] the nations drank the wine from Babylon, and it caused them to become crazy.
8 Babulooni kirigwa mangu ago ne kimenyekamenyeka. Mukikungubagire. Munoonye eddagala olw’obulumi bw’akyo oboolyawo anaawonyezebwa.
But suddenly Babylon will be conquered. [You foreigners who live in Babylon, ] weep for its people. Give them medicine for their wounds; perhaps they can be healed.”
9 “‘Twandiwonyezza Babulooni, naye tayinza kuwonyezeka. Leka tumuleke buli muntu adde mu nsi ye, kubanga omusango gwe gutuuse mu bwengula, gusituse gulinnye okutuuka ku bire.’
We [foreigners] would have [tried to] heal them, but [now] they cannot be healed. [So we will not try to help them; ] we will abandon them, and return to our own lands, because [it is as though] the punishment they are receiving is so great that it reaches up to the clouds in sky, [so great that no one can measure it].
10 “‘Mukama atulwaniridde, mujje tukitegeeze mu Sayuuni ekyo Mukama Katonda waffe ky’akoze.’
Yahweh has (vindicated us/shown that we were right); [so] let’s proclaim in Jerusalem everything that Yahweh our God has done [for us].
11 “Muwagale obusaale, mukwate engabo! Mukama ayungudde bakabaka ab’e Bumeedi, kubanga ekigendererwa kye kuzikiriza Babulooni. Mukama aliwalana eggwanga, aliwalana eggwanga olwa yeekaalu ye.
[You enemy soldiers, ] sharpen your arrows! Lift up your shields, [because] Yahweh has incited your kings of Media [and Persia to march with their armies] to Babylon and to destroy it. That is how Yahweh will get revenge on [those foreigners who entered] his temple [in Jerusalem] and defiled it.
12 Muyimuse bendera mwolekere bbugwe wa Babulooni! Mwongereko abakuumi, muteekeko abaserikale, mutegeke okulumba mbagirawo! Mukama alituukiriza ekigendererwa bye, ensala ye okwolekera abantu ba Babulooni.
Lift up a battle flag close to the walls of Babylon! (Reinforce the/Appoint more) guards, and tell the watchmen to stand [in their positions]! Prepare an ambush, because Yahweh is about to accomplish all that he has planned to do to the people of Babylon.
13 Gwe abeera okumpi n’amazzi amangi, omugagga mu bintu eby’omuwendo, enkomerero yo etuuse, ekiseera kyo eky’okuzikirizibwa kituuse.
Babylon is [a city] near the great [Euphrates] River, a city in which there are many rich people, but it is time for Babylon to be finished; the time [for the city] to exist is ended.
14 Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye yeerayiridde ku lulwe; ddala ndikujjuza abasajja, ng’ebibinja by’enzige, era balireekaana nga bakuwangudde.
The Commander of the armies of angels has solemnly promised, using his own name, “Your cities will be filled with your enemies; I will cause them to be like [SIM] a swarm of locusts; and they will shout triumphantly [when they conquer your city].”
15 “Ensi yagikola n’amaanyi ge; yagiteekawo n’amagezi ge, n’ayanjuluza eggulu n’okutegeera kwe.
Yahweh created the earth by his power; he established it by his wisdom, and he stretched out the sky by his understanding.
16 Bw’abwatuka, amazzi ag’omu ggulu gawuluguma; ayimusa ebire okuva ku nkomerero y’ensi. Amyansisa eggulu mu nkuba era n’aggya empewo mu mawanika ge.
When he speaks loudly, there is thunder in the sky; he causes clouds to form in every part of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and releases the winds from his storehouses.
17 “Buli muntu talina magezi wadde okutegeera; Buli muweesi aswadde olw’ebifaananyi bya bakatonda by’akoze n’emikono gye. Ebifaananyi bye bya bulimba; tebirina mukka.
People are senseless, and they know very little [HYP]; those who make idols are [always] disappointed, because their idols [do nothing for them]. The images/statues that they make are not real [gods]; they are lifeless.
18 Tebiriiko kye bigasa, ebisaanye okunyoomebwa ebirizikirizibwa nga Mukama azze okusala omusango.
Idols are worthless; they deserve to be ridiculed; there will be a time when they will [all] be destroyed.
19 Oyo omugabo gwa Yakobo tali nga bano, kubanga yakola ebintu byonna, nga mwotwalidde n’eggwanga ly’omugabo gwe, n’erinnya lye ye Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye.
But the God whom [we] Israelis [worship] is not like those [idols]; he is the one who created everything [that exists]; [we], the people of Israel, belong to him; his name is ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’.
20 “Muli mbazzi yange, ekyokulwanyisa kyange eky’olutalo, mmwe be nkozesa okubetenta amawanga, mmwe be nkozesa okuzikiriza obwakabaka,
Yahweh says [about the army of Babylonia] (OR, [about a nation that will attack Babylonia)], “You have been [like] [MET] my battle-axe and war-club; with your [power] I have shattered nations and destroyed [many] kingdoms.
21 era ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta embalaasi n’omwebagazi, ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta ekigaali n’omuvuzi waakyo,
With your [power] I have shattered armies [of other nations]: I destroyed [their] horses and their riders, [their] chariots and [their] chariot-drivers.
22 era ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta omusajja n’omukazi, era ggwe ndikozesa okubetenta omukadde n’omuvubuka, era ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta omuvubuka n’omuwala omuto.
With your [power] I shattered men and women, old people and children, young men and young women.
23 Ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta omusumba n’ekisibo kye, ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta omulimi n’ente ennume, ggwe gwe ndikozesa okubetenta bagavana n’abakungu.
With your [power] I shattered shepherds and their flocks [of sheep], farmers and their oxen, governors and [their] officials.”
24 “Ndisasula Babulooni ne bonna ababeeramu nga mulaba olw’ebibi byonna bye baakola mu Sayuuni,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
But, Yahweh [also] says, “[Soon] I will repay/punish [you] people in Babylon and in the rest of Babylonia for all the evil things that you have done in Jerusalem.
25 “Mbalinako ensonga, ggwe olusozi oluzikiriza, mmwe abazikiriza ensi yonna,” bw’ayogera Mukama. “Ndikugolererako omukono gwange, nkusuule ku mayinja g’ensozi, nkufuule olusozi olutakyayaka.
[Babylonia is] [APO] like [MET] a great mountain [from which bandits descend] to (plunder/steal things from) people all over the earth. But I, Yahweh, am the enemy of you [people of Babylonia]. I will raise my fist to strike you. I will knock you down from the cliffs and cause you to be [only] a huge pile of burned rubble.
26 Tewali jjinja lirikuggibwako kukola jjinja lya ku nsonda, wadde ejjinja lyonna okukola omusingi, kubanga olibeera matongo emirembe gyonna,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Your [city] will be abandoned forever; [even] the stones in your [city] will never [again] be used for buildings. [Your city will be completely destroyed].”
27 “Yimusa bendera mu ggwanga! Fuuwa omulere mu mawanga! Tegeka amawanga okumulwanyisa; koowoola obwakabaka buno bumulumbe: obwa Alalati ne Mini ne Asukenaazi. Londa omuduumizi amulumba, weereza embalaasi eziri ng’ekibinja ky’enzige.
[Tell] the nations to lift up a battle flag! [Tell them to] shout the battle-cry! Gather all their armies to fight against Babylon! Prepare the nations to attack Babylon. Summon [the armies of] the kingdoms [north of Babylonia]—from Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander for them, and bring [a great number of] horses; [there must be a huge number of horses]; that [huge number] will resemble [SIM] a swarm of locusts.
28 Teekateeka amawanga okumulwanyisa; bakabaka Abameedi, bagavana baabwe era n’abakungu baabwe bonna, n’amawanga ge bafuga.
Prepare the [armies of other nations], armies that will be led by the kings of Media [and Persia], their governors and [their] officials.
29 Ensi ekankana ne yeenyola olw’obulumi, kubanga ebigendererwa bya Mukama eri Babulooni tebikyuka, okuzikiriza ensi ya Babulooni waleme kubaawo agibeeramu.
[When they attack Babylon, it will be as though] the earth will shake and writhe [in pain], because [those armies] will accomplish everything that Yahweh has planned to do to Babylon; they will destroy it completely, [with the result that] no one will live there [again].
30 Abalwanyi ba Babulooni balekedde awo okulwana; basigadde mu bigo byabwe. Baweddemu amaanyi; bafuuse nga bakazi. Ebifo bye mw’abeera byokeddwa omuliro; emitayimbwa gy’oku nzigi ze gimenyeddwa.
[When their enemies attack], the strongest warriors in Babylon will not fight. They will remain in their barracks, without any strength. They will be as timid/weak as [SIM] women. [The enemy soldiers] will burn the buildings in the city and pull down the bars [of the city gates].
31 Matalisi omu agoberera omulala, omubaka omu n’agoberera munne, okulangirira eri kabaka w’e Babulooni nti ekibuga kye kyonna kiwambiddwa,
Messengers will go quickly, one after another, to tell the king that his city has been captured.
32 entindo z’emigga baziwambye, ensenyi ziyidde omuliro, n’abaserikale batidde.”
The places at which people can cross the river [to escape from the city] will be blocked. The dry reeds in the marshes/swamps will be set on fire, and the soldiers of Babylon will be terrified.
33 Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama ow’Eggye, Katonda wa Isirayiri nti, “Muwala wa Babulooni ali ng’egguuliro, mu kiseera w’analinnyiririrwa; ebiseera eby’okumukungula binaatera okutuuka.”
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says; “Babylon is like [SIM] wheat on the ground where it is about to be threshed by [animals] tramping on it. Very soon [their enemies] will trample on [the city of] Babylon [MET].”
34 “Nebukadduneeza kabaka w’e Babulooni atukubyekubye, atutabudde, tufuuse ekikompe ekyereere. Atumize ng’omusota n’olubuto lwe n’alujjuza ebyassava byaffe ebiwooma, ffe n’atusesema.
[The army of] Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, has attacked and crushed us [Israeli people], and we have no strength [left]. [It is as though] they have swallowed us like a [great] monster that filled its belly with all our tasty parts, and then has spit out [what it did not like].
35 Leka okubonaabona okututuuseeko kubeere ku Babulooni,” bwe boogera abatuula mu Sayuuni. “Leka omusaayi gubeere ku abo ababeera mu Babulooni,” bwayogera Yerusaalemi.
[So] the people of [PRS] Jerusalem say [to Yahweh], “Cause the people of Babylon to suffer like they caused us to suffer! Cause the people of Babylonia to be punished for killing [MTY] our people!”
36 Mukama kyava ayogera nti, “Laba ndikulwanirira era ndikuwolerera eggwanga; Ndikaliza ennyanja ye n’ensulo ze.
And this is what Yahweh replies to the people of Jerusalem: “I will [be like your lawyer to] defend you, and I will avenge you. I will dry up the river in Babylon and [all] the springs of water.
37 Babulooni kirifuuka bifunvu, mpuku ya bibe, ekintu ekyenyinyalwa n’okusekererwa, ekifo omutali abeeramu.
Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a place where jackals/wolves live. It will become a place that people are horrified about and will ridicule; it will be a place where no one lives.
38 Abantu baakyo bonna bawuluguma ng’empologoma ento, bavuumira wamu ng’abaana b’empologoma.
The people of Babylon will [all] roar like young lions; they will growl like baby lions.
39 Naye nga bakyabuguumirira, ndibategekera ekijjulo, mbatamiize balyoke balekaane nga baseka, olwo beebake emirembe gyonna nga tebazuukuse,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
But while they are extremely hungry, I will prepare a [different kind of] feast for them. [It is as though] I will cause them to drink wine until they are very drunk, [with the result that] they will fall asleep. But they will never wake up from that sleep!
40 “Ndibaserengesa ng’abaana b’endiga, battibwe, ng’endiga n’embuzi.
I will bring them down to a place where they will be slaughtered, like [SIM] [someone who takes] lambs or rams or goats [to where they will be slaughtered for sacrifices].
41 “Sesaki nga kiriwambibwa, okujaguza kw’ensi yonna kugwewo. Babulooni kifuuse matongo eri amawanga!
People all over the earth [now] (honor/praise) Babylon; they say that it is a great city. But I will cause it to become a [place about which people of all] nations are horrified.
42 Ennyanja eribuutikira Babulooni; amayengo gaayo agawuluguma galigisaanikira.
The [enemies of Babylon] will cover the city [like] huge waves of the sea [DOU].
43 Ebibuga bye birisigala matongo, ensi enkalu ey’eddungu, ensi eteriimu muntu, eteyitamu muntu yenna.
The towns in Babylonia will become ruins, Babylonia will become a dry desert area. It will be a land in which no one lives and which no one walks through.
44 Ndibonereza Beri mu Babulooni, mmusesemye bye yali amize. Amawanga nga tegakyesomba kugenda gyali. Ne bbugwe wa Babulooni aligwa.
And I will punish Bel, [the god that the people] of Babylon [worship], and I will cause the people to give back what they have stolen [MET]. [People of other] nations will no longer come to [worship] Bel. And the walls of Babylon will collapse.”
45 “Mukiveemu, abantu bange! Mudduke muwonye obulamu bwammwe! Mudduke muwone obusungu bwa Mukama obubuubuuka.
[Yahweh also says, ] “My people, come out of Babylon! Run away from there! Run, because [I], Yahweh, am extremely angry [MTY] [with the people of Babylon, and I will get rid of them]!
46 Temutya wadde okuggwaamu amaanyi ng’eŋŋambo ziyitiŋŋana mu nsi; olugambo olumu lujja omwaka guno, olulala omwaka ogujja, eŋŋambo z’entalo mu ggwanga, era ez’omufuzi ng’alwana ne mufuzi munne.
Do not be discouraged/worried [IDM] or afraid when you hear reports [about what is happening in Babylon]. People will report rumors like that every year, rumors about violent things being done in the land, and rumors about leaders fighting against each other.
47 Kubanga ekiseera kijja lwe ndibonereza ebifaananyi bya bakatonda ba Babulooni abaakolebwa n’emikono; ensi eyo yonna eritabanguka, n’emirambo gy’abantu baayo abattiddwa gyonna gibeere omwo.
But it will soon be the time for me to get rid of the idols in Babylon. [People all over] the land will be ashamed [because of being defeated]; and the corpses of their [soldiers] will lie in the streets.
48 Eggulu n’ensi ne byonna ebibirimu birireekana olw’essanyu olwa Babulooni, abalimuzikiriza balimulumba okuva mu bukiikakkono,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Then all [the angels in] heaven and all the [people on] [PRS] the earth will rejoice, because from the north will come [armies] that will destroy Babylon.
49 “Babulooni kirigwa olw’Abayisirayiri abaafa, nga bonna abaafa mu nsi yonna bwe baweddewo olwa Babulooni.
Like [the soldiers of Babylon] killed the people of Israel and [also] killed others all over the world [HYP], [the people of] Babylon must also be killed.
50 Mmwe abawonye ekitala, mwanguwe okugenda! Mujjukire Mukama nga muli mu nsi ey’ewala, mulowooze ku Yerusaalemi.”
You [Israeli people] who have not been killed [MTY], get out of Babylon! Do not wait! [Even though you are in a land] far away [from Israel], think about Yahweh, and think about Jerusalem!”
51 “Tuweddemu amaanyi kubanga tuvumiddwa era tukwatiddwa ensonyi, kubanga abagwira bayingidde mu bifo ebitukuvu eby’ennyumba ya Mukama.”
[The Israeli people say], “We are ashamed. We are completely disgraced [DOU], because foreigners have entered Yahweh’s temple [and (defiled it/caused it to become unfit for worship)].”
52 “Naye ennaku zijja,” bw’ayogera Mukama, “lwe ndibonereza ebifaananyi bya bakatonda be, be yakola n’emikono, era mu nsi ye yonna, abaliko ebisago balisinda.
Yahweh replies, “[That is true], but there will soon be a time when I will destroy the idols in Babylon, and throughout Babylonia there will be wounded people who will groan.
53 Newaakubadde nga Babulooni atuuka ku bire era ne yeenyweza n’ebigo bye eby’amaanyi, ndimusindikira abazikiriza,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
Even if [the walls around] Babylon could extend up to the sky, and if its walls/fortifications were extremely strong, I will send [armies] that will destroy the city. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
54 “Eddoboozi ly’okukaaba liva mu Babulooni, eddoboozi ery’okuzikirira okunene okuva mu nsi y’Abakaludaaya.
Listen to [the people of] Babylon crying [for help]! And listen to the sounds of things being destroyed all over Babylonia!
55 Mukama alizikiriza Babulooni, alizikiza oluyoogaano lwakyo olunene. Amayengo g’abalabe galijja ng’amazzi amangi; okuwuluguma kw’amaloboozi kuliwulirwa.
Yahweh will be destroying Babylon. He will cause the loud noises in the city to cease.
56 Omuzikiriza alirumba Babulooni; abalwanyi be baliwambibwa, n’emitego gyabwe girimenyebwa. Kubanga Mukama Katonda asasula, alisasula mu bujjuvu.
Enemy troops will surge against the city like [SIM] a great wave. They will capture the city’s mighty soldiers and break their weapons. [That will happen] because Yahweh is a God who punishes [his enemies] justly; he will punish them as they deserve.
57 Nditamiiza abakungu be n’abasajja be abajjudde amagezi, ne bagavana, ab’ebitongole awamu n’abalwanyi; balyebaka emirembe gyonna era tebalizuukuka,” bw’ayogera Kabaka ayitibwa Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye.
The king, the Commander of the armies of angels says, “I will cause the city officials and wise men, the army captains and soldiers [in Babylon] to become drunk. They will fall asleep, but they will never wake up [again]!”
58 Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda ow’Eggye nti, “Bbugwe wa Babulooni omunene alisendebwa era n’emiryango gye emiwanvu gyokebwe; abantu beetawanyiza bwerere nga bafuba, okutawaana kw’eggwanga kuliba nku za muliro.”
Yahweh also says, “The thick walls around Babylon will be flattened to the ground. The city gates will be burned. People [from other countries] will work hard [to save the city], but it will be (in vain/useless), because everything [that they have built] will be destroyed by fire.”
59 Buno bwe bubaka Yeremiya bwe yawa omukungu Seraya mutabani wa Neriya, mutabani wa Maseya, bwe yagenda e Babulooni ne Zeddekiya kabaka wa Yuda, nga Zeddekiya afuga mu mwaka gwe ogwokuna. Seraya ye yali omu ku bakungu abakulu.
Seraiah was the man who made arrangements for the King of Babylon [whenever he traveled]. He was the son of Neraiah and grandson of Mahseiah. When he was about to go to Babylon with King Zedekiah, after Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost four years, the prophet Jeremiah gave him a message.
60 Yeremiya yali awandiise mu muzingo ebikangabwa byonna ebyali bigenda okutuuka ku Babulooni, byonna ebyali biwandiikiddwa ebyali bikwata ku Babulooni.
Jeremiah had written on a scroll a list of all the disasters that he had written about, disasters that would soon occur in Babylon.
61 Yagamba Seraya nti, “Bw’otuuka mu Babulooni, laba ng’osoma mu ddoboozi ery’omwanguka ebigambo bino byonna.
He said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, read [aloud] everything that I have written [on this scroll].
62 Olwo ogambe nti, ‘Ayi Mukama, ogambye nti olizikiriza ekifo kino, nti tewali nsolo oba muntu alikibeeramu; kibeere matongo emirembe gyonna.’
Then pray, ‘Yahweh, you said that you will thoroughly destroy Babylon, with the result that people and animals will no [longer] live there. You said that it will be desolate forever.’
63 Bw’omalanga okusoma omuzingo guno gusibeeko ejjinja ogukanyuge mu mugga Fulaati.
[Then], when you have finished reading [what I have written on] the scroll, tie it to a [heavy] stone and throw it into the Euphrates [River].
64 Olyoke ogambe nti, ‘Bw’ati Babulooni bwalisaanawo aleme kubbulukuka olw’akabi ke ndimuleetako. N’abantu be balizikirira.’” Ebigambo bya Yeremiya bikoma awo.
Then say, ‘In the same way, Babylon [and its people] will disappear and never exist again, because of the disasters that Yahweh will cause to occur there’” That is the end of Jeremiah’s messages.
