Jeremia 18
1 Iri ndiro shoko rakauya kuna Jeremia richibva kuna Jehovha richiti,
This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
2 “Buruka uende kuimba yomuumbi wehari, ndigokupa shoko rangu ikoko.”
Go down right away to the potter's house. I will give you my message there.
3 Saka ndakaenda kuimba yomuumbi wehari, ndikamuona achishanda paguyo.
I went down to the potter's house and saw him working at his potter's wheel.
4 Asi hari yaakanga achiumba nevhu yakashatiswa mumaoko ake; saka muumbi akaita imwe hari akaiumba namaumbiro aaiona akanaka.
But the pot that he was making from the clay went wrong. So he made it into something different as he thought best.
5 Ipapo shoko raJehovha rakasvika kwandiri richiti,
The Lord's message came to me, saying,
6 “Haiwa imba yaIsraeri, handingagoni kuita nemi sezvinoita muumbi wehari uyu here?” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha. “Sezvakaita ivhu muruoko rwomuumbi, ndizvo zvamakaita muruoko rwangu, imi imba yaIsraeri.
People of Israel, declares the Lord, can't I deal with you just like this potter does with his clay? I hold you in my hand just like clay in the potter's hand, people of Israel.
7 Kana ndikazivisa panguva ipi zvayo kuti rudzi kana ushe zvidzurwe nokubvarurwa uye zviparadzwe,
At one time it could happen that I announce that a nation or a kingdom is going to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.
8 uye kana rudzi urwo rwandakayambira rukatendeuka pane zvakaipa zvarwo, ipapo ndichazvidemba ndigorega kuisa pamusoro pavo njodzi yandakanga ndavarongera.
However, if that nation I warned gives up its evil ways, then I will change my mind regarding the disaster I was about to bring.
9 Uye kana pane imwe nguva ndikazivisa kuti rudzi kana ushe zvivakwe uye zvisimwe,
At another time I could announce that I'm going to build up and give power to a nation or a kingdom.
10 uye kana rukaita zvakaipa pamberi pangu uye rukasanditeerera, ipapo ndicharangarirazve zvakanaka zvandakanga ndichida kuruitira.
But if it does evil in my sight and refuses to listen to my voice, then I will change my mind regarding the good I had planned for it.
11 “Naizvozvo zvino uti kuvanhu veJudha naavo vanogara muJerusarema, ‘Zvanzi naJehovha: Tarirai, ndiri kugadzirira njodzi uye ndiri kuronga urongwa hwakaipa pamusoro penyu. Saka dzokai mubve panzira dzenyu dzakaipa, mumwe nomumwe wenyu, uye mushandure nzira dzenyu namaitiro enyu.’
So tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: Watch out! I am preparing disaster for you, and working out a plan against you. All of you, give up your evil ways. Live right and act right!
12 Asi vachapindura vachiti, ‘Hazvina maturo. Ticharambira pane zvatakafunga; mumwe nomumwe wedu achatevera kusindimara kwomwoyo wake wakaipa.’”
But they'll say, “We just can't! We'll do whatever we want. Each of us will stubbornly follow our own evil thinking.”
13 Naizvozvo zvanzi naJehovha: “Bvunzai pakati pevedzimwe ndudzi kuti: Ndiani akambonzwa chimwe chinhu chakadai? Chinhu chakaipa kwazvo chakaitwa neMhandara Israeri.
Consequently this is what the Lord says: Ask around the nations—has anybody ever heard anything like this? Virgin Israel has acted really badly.
14 Ko, chando cheRebhanoni chinomboshayikwawo pamawere ematombo here? Ko, mvura yaro inotonhorera inoyerera ichibva kure inombomira kuyerera here?
Does the snow of Lebanon ever disappear from its rocky mountain-tops? Do its cool waters that flow from such distant sources ever dry up?
15 Kunyange zvakadaro, vanhu vangu vakandikanganwa; vanopisira zvinonhuhwira kuzvifananidzo zvisina maturo, izvo zvakaita kuti vagumburwe munzira dzavo, uye napamakwara ekare kare. Vakavaita kuti vafambe mumakwara akatsauka nomumigwagwa isina kugadzirwa.
But my people have rejected me! They burn incense to useless idols which trip them up, making them leave the old roads in order to walk down unmade paths instead of the highway.
16 Nyika yavo ichaitwa dongo, chiseko chisingaperi; vose vanopfuura nemo vachashamiswa uye vachadzungudza misoro yavo.
They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.
17 Semhepo inobva kumabvazuva, ndichavaparadzira pamberi pavavengi vavo; ndichavaratidza musana wangu kwete uso hwangu, pazuva renjodzi yavo.”
Like a strong wind from the east I will scatter them before the enemy. I will turn my back on them and not look at them when their time of trouble comes.
18 Vakati, “Uyai tironge zvatingaita naJeremia; nokuti kudzidziswa kwomurayiro navaprista hakungaraswi, kunyange zano rinobva kuna vakachenjera, kana shoko rinobva kuvaprofita. Saka uyai, timurove nendimi dzedu tirege kuteerera chinhu chipi nechipi chaanoreva.”
Some people decided, “We need a plan to deal with Jeremiah. There'll still be priests to explain the law, there'll still be wise people to give advice, and there'll still be prophets to give prophecies. Let's organize a smear campaign against him so we don't have to listen to a word he says.”
19 Haiwa Jehovha ndinzweiwo; inzwai zvinorehwa navapomeri vangu!
Lord, please pay attention to what's happening to me! Listen to what my accusers are saying!
20 Ko, zvakanaka zvingatsiviwa nezvakaipa here? Kunyange zvakadaro vakandicherera gomba. Rangarirai kuti ndakamira pamberi penyu ndichivareverera, kuti mudzore kutsamwa kwenyu kwavari;
Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to trap me! Remember how I stood before you to plead on their behalf, to stop you being angry with them?
21 Saka sundirai vana vavo kunzara; vaisei kusimba romunondo. Vakadzi vavo ngavarege kuva navana uye ngavave chirikadzi; varume vavo ngavaurayiwe, majaya avo ngaaurayiwe nomunondo muhondo.
But now may their children starve; may they be killed by the sword. May their wives lose their children and their husbands; may their husbands die from disease; may their young men be killed in battle.
22 Kuchema ngakunzwike kuchibva kudzimba dzavo, pamunouyisa vapambi pamusoro pavo pakarepo, nokuti vakachera hunza kuti vandibate, uye vakavanzira tsoka dzangu misungo.
May cries of agony be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders to attack them, because they dug a pit to capture me and hid traps to catch me as I walk along.
23 Asi munoziva, imi Jehovha, rangano dzavo dzose dzokundiuraya. Musavakanganwira mhaka dzavo kana kudzima zvivi zvavo pamberi penyu. Ngavawisirwe pasi pamberi penyu, muvarove panguva yokutsamwa kwenyu.
But Lord, you know about all their plots to try and kill me. Don't forgive their wickedness; don't wipe away their sin. Bring them down! Deal with them when you're angry!
