< Jeremia 2 >

1 Shoko raJehovha rakauya kwandiri richiti,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 “Enda unoparidza munzeve dzeJerusarema uchiti: “‘Ndinorangarira kunamata kwouduku hwako, kuti somwenga waindida sei uye uchinditevera nomukati merenje, uye nomunyika isina munhu anogaramo.
“Go, and cry out to the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the Lord: I have remembered you, taking pity on your youth and on the charity of your betrothal, when you followed me into the desert, into a land which is not sown.
3 Israeri akanga ari mutsvene kuna Jehovha, ari chibereko chokutanga chokukohwa kwake; vose vakanga vachimudya vaipiwa mhosva, uye njodzi yakavawira,’” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Israel is holy to the Lord, the first of his fruits. All those who devour him commit an offense. Evils will overwhelm them, says the Lord.”
4 Inzwai shoko raJehovha imi imba yaJakobho, nemi mose vorudzi rweimba yaIsraeri.
Listen to the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.
5 Zvanzi naJehovha: “Madzibaba enyu akawana mhosva yei kwandiri, zvavakaenda kure neni? Vakatevera zvifananidzo zvisina maturo ivo vakava vasina maturo pachavo.
Thus says the Lord: “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they would draw far away from me, and would walk after emptiness, and would become empty?
6 Havana kubvunza kuti, ‘Jehovha aripiko, iye akatibudisa kubva munyika yeIjipiti akatitungamirira nomugwenga risina miti, nomunyika yamarenje namakoronga, iyo nyika yakaoma uye yerima, nyika isina munhu anofambamo uye isina munhu anogaramo?’
And they have not said: ‘Where is the Lord, who caused us to ascend from the land of Egypt; who led us through the desert, through an uninhabited and impassable land, through a land of drought and of the image of death, through a land in which no one walked and in which no man lived?’
7 Ndakakupinzai munyika yakaorera kuti mudye zvibereko zvayo nezvakanaka zvayo. Asi makasvika mukasvibisa nyika yangu, mukaita nhaka yangu kuti ive chinhu chinonyangadza.
And I led you into the land of Carmel, so that you would eat from its fruit and from its excellence. And having entered it, you defiled my land, and you turned my inheritance into an abomination.
8 Vaprista havana kubvunza kuti, ‘Jehovha aripiko?’ Vakanga vachifambisa murayiro havana kundiziva; vatungamiri vakandimukira. Vaprofita vakaprofita naBhaari, vachitevera zvifananidzo zvisina maturo.
The priests have not said: ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who held the law did not know me. And the pastors betrayed me. And the prophets prophesied in Baal and followed idols.
9 “Naizvozvo ndinokupai mhosva zvakare,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha. “Ndichapazve mhosva vana vavana venyu.
Because of this, I will still contend in judgment against you, says the Lord, and I will dispute with your sons.
10 Yambukirai kumiganhu yeKitimi muone, tumai vanhu kuKedhari mugonyatsocherechedza; muone kana pakambova nechimwe chinhu chakadai:
Cross over to the isles of Kittim, and gaze. And send to Kedar, and consider diligently. And see if anything like this has ever been done.
11 Ko, rudzi rwakambotsinhanisa vamwari varwo here? Uye havasi vamwari zvachose. Asi vanhu vangu vakatsinhanisa kukudzwa kwavo nezvifananidzo zvisina maturo.
See if a nation has ever changed their gods, though certainly those are not gods. Yet truly, my people have exchanged their glory for an idol.
12 Haiwa, imi matenga, shamiswai nechinhu ichi, uye mudedere nokutya kukuru,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Be astonished at this, O heavens, and be utterly desolate, O gates of heaven, says the Lord.
13 “Vanhu vangu vakaita zvakaipa zviviri: Vakandisiya ini, tsime remvura mhenyu, vakazvicherera zvirongo zvisingachengeti mvura.
For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the Fountain of living water, and they have dug for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that are unable to hold water.
14 Ko, Israeri muranda here, kana nhapwa pakuberekwa? Nemhaka yeiko apambwa zvino?
Is Israel a servant, or one born into slavery? Then why has he become a prey?
15 Shumba dzakaomba; dzikanguruma kwaari. Dzakaparadza nyika yake; maguta ake akapiswa uye haachina vanhu.
The lions have roared over him, and they have uttered their voice. They have set his land in solitude; his cities have been burned up, and there is no one who lives in them.
16 Uyezve, vanhu veNofi neveTapanesi vakaveura musoro wako.
Likewise, the sons of Memphis and of Tahpanhes have defiled you, even to the top of the head.
17 Ko, hauna kuzvivigira izvozvo pachako here pawakasiya Jehovha Mwari wako paakanga achikutungamirira munzira?
Has this not been done to you because you abandoned the Lord your God, in that time when he was leading you by the way?
18 Zvino, unoendereiko kuIjipiti kundonwa mvura inobva muShihori? Uye unodireiko kuenda kuAsiria kundonwa mvura inobva murwizi?
And now what do you want from the way of Egypt, but to drink their turbid water? And what do you want from the way of the Assyrians, but to drink the water of their river?
19 Zvakaipa zvako zvichakuranga; kudzokera shure kwako kuchakutuka. Rangarira uye uyeuke zvino kuti zvakaipa sei uye zvinovava sei kwauri, ukange wasiya Jehovha Mwari wako, uye usingandityi,” ndizvo zvinotaura Ishe, Jehovha Wamasimba Ose.
Your own malice will reprove you, and your own apostasy will rebuke you! But know and perceive this: it is an evil and bitter thing for you to forsake the Lord your God, and to be without my fear within you, says the Lord, the God of hosts.
20 “Wakavhuna joko rako kare kare uye wakadambura makashu ako; ukati, ‘Handidi kukushumirai!’ Zvirokwazvo, pamusoro pechikomo chirefu choga choga, uye pasi pomuti woga woga wakapfumvutira, wakarara pasi pawo sechifeve.
From ancient times, you have broken my yoke; you have torn apart my bonds, and you have said, ‘I will not serve.’ For on every high hill, and under every leafy tree, you have been debased, O harlot.
21 Ndakanga ndakusima somuzambiringa wakanakisa, uri mbeu kwayo inovimbika. Ko, zvino wakazondishandukira sei ukava muzambiringa webundo wakaora?
Yet I planted you as an elect vineyard, with only true seed. Then how have you been turned away from me, toward that which is depraved, O strange vineyard?
22 Kunyange ukazvishambidza nesoda uchishandisa sipo yakawanda, gwapa remhosva yako rinoramba riri mberi kwangu,” ndizvo zvinotaura Ishe Jehovha.
Even if you wash yourself with soap, and increase your use of herbal soaps, you are still stained by your iniquity in my sight, says the Lord God.
23 “Unoreva sei, uchiti, ‘Handina kusvibiswa; handina kutevera Bhaari’? Tarisa zvawakaita mumupata; funga zvawakaita. Iwe uri ngamera yehadzi inomhanya apa nepapo,
How can you say: ‘I have not been polluted. I have not walked after Baal?’ Consider your ways in the steep valley. Acknowledge what you have done, so that you may be like a swift runner, following his course.
24 uri mbizi yakarovedzwa mugwenga, inofembedza mhepo mukushuva kwayo; ndiani angaidzora pakupfumvura kwayo? Mukono upi noupi unoitevera haufaniri kuzvinetesa; panguva yokusangana uchaiwana.
A wild donkey accustomed to solitude, out of the desire in his soul, caught the scent of his lover. Now nothing will turn him away from her. All those who seek her will not cease. But they will find her in her menstruation.
25 Usamhanya kusvikira tsoka dzako dzisisina shangu nehuro yako yava nenyota. Asi iwe wakati, ‘Hazvibatsiri! Ndinoda vamwari vokumwe, uye ndinofanira kuvatevera.’
You should keep your foot from being naked, and your throat from being thirsty. But you have said: ‘I have lost hope. I will not do it. For certainly, I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.’
26 “Sokunyadziswa kwembavha yabatwa, saizvozvo imba yaIsraeri yanyadziswa, ivo namadzimambo avo uye namachinda avo, vaprista vavo navaprofita vavo.
In the same way that a thief is confounded when he has been apprehended, so the house of Israel has been confounded, they and their kings, their leaders and priests and prophets.
27 Vanoti kudanda, ‘Ndiwe baba vangu,’ uye kuibwe, ‘Ndiwe wakandibereka.’ Vakandifuratira ini asi zviso zvavo hazvina, nyamba pavanenge vava munhamo, vanoti kwandiri, ‘Uyai mutiponese!’
For they say to a piece of wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You have conceived me.’ They have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their affliction, they will say: ‘Rise up and deliver us.’
28 Ko, zvino vamwari vamakazviitira varipi? Ngavauye kana vachigona kukuponesai pamunenge mava munhamo! Nokuti muna vamwari vakawanda kupfuura maguta amunawo, imi Judha.
Where are your gods that you made for yourselves? Let them rise up and deliver you in the time of your affliction. For certainly, your gods were like the number of your cities, O Judah.
29 “Seiko muchindipa mhosva? Imi mose makandimukira,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Why do you want to contend against me in judgment? You have all forsaken me, says the Lord.
30 “Ndakaranga vana venyu pasina; havana kuteerera kurangwa. Munondo wenyu wakamedza vaprofita, kufanana neshumba inoparadza.
I have struck your children to no effect; they have not accepted discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets. Your generation is like a raging lion.
31 “Haiwa, imi vechizvarwa ichi, rangarirai Shoko raJehovha rinoti: “Ndanga ndiri renje kuna Israeri here kana nyika yerima guru? Ko, vanhu vangu vanotaurireiko vachiti, ‘Takasununguka kuenda kwatada; hatichazouyizve kwamuri?’
Consider the word of the Lord. Have I become like a wilderness to Israel, or like a land late to bear fruit? Then why have my people said, ‘We are withdrawing; we will no longer approach you’?
32 Ko, murandakadzi angakanganwa zvishongo zvake here, nomwenga angakanganwa nguo dzake dzomuchato here? Asi vanhu vangu vakandikanganwa ini, mazuva asingaverengeki.
Can a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride the covering across her breast? Yet truly, my people have forgotten me, for innumerable days.
33 Mune ruzivo rwakadii pakutevera rudo! Kunyange vakadzi vakaipisisa vangadzidza kubva panzira dzenyu.
Why are you striving to claim that your way is good, as if to seek my love, when all the while you are also displaying your malice by your own way,
34 Panguo dzako vanhu vanowanapo ropa ravarombo vasina mhaka, kunyange usina kuvabata vachipaza. Asi kunyange zvakadaro
and in your armpits there is found the blood of poor and innocent souls? I have found them, not in ditches, but everywhere that I mentioned previously.
35 unoti, ‘Handina mhosva; uye haana kunditsamwira.’ Asi ndichatema mutongo wangu pauri nokuti unoti, ‘Handina kutadza.’
And you have said: ‘I am innocent and without sin. And because of this, let your fury be turned away from me.’ Behold, I will contend with you in judgment, because you have said: ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Ko, unofambireiko pose pose zvakadai, uchishandura nzira dzako? Iwe uchagumburwa neIjipiti, sezvawakaitwa neAsiria.
How exceedingly vile you have become, repeating your ways again and again! And so, you will be ashamed of Egypt, just as you were ashamed of Assur.
37 Uchabvawo panzvimbo iyoyo wakaisa maoko ako pamusoro pako, nokuti Jehovha akaramba vose vaunovimba navo; iwe hauchazobatsirwi navo.
For you will also depart from that place, and your hand will be upon your head. For the Lord has crushed your confidence, and you will have nothing prosperous by it.”

< Jeremia 2 >