Jeremia 23
1 “Vane nhamo vafudzi vari kuparadza uye vari kuparadzira makwai amafuro angu!” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Yahweh declares, “Terrible things will happen to [the leaders] [MET] [of my people—those who are like] shepherds of [the people who are like] my sheep—because they have scattered my people and sent them away, and have not taken care of them.
2 Naizvozvo zvanzi naJehovha, Mwari waIsraeri, kuvafudzi vanofudza vanhu vangu: “Nemhaka yokuti makaparadzira makwai angu mukaadzingira kure uye mukasava nehanya nawo, ndichaisa rushamhu pamusoro penyu nokuda kwezvakaipa zvamakaita,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
So, this is what [I, ] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli [people worship], say to those leaders: ‘Instead of taking care of my people and [leading them to places where they are safe, like a shepherd does for] his sheep, you have scattered them. So I will punish you for the evil things that you have done.
3 “Ini pachangu ndichaunganidza akasara amakwai angu kubva kunyika dzose dzandakanga ndaadzingira uye ndichaadzosera kumafuro awo, kwaachava nezvibereko uye kwaachawanda.
But later I will gather those who are still alive, from the countries where I have forced them to go. I will bring them back to their own country, where they will have many children, and their number/population will increase.
4 Ndichagadza vafudzi pamusoro pavo vachaafudza, uye havazotyi kana kuvhunduka, uye hakuna rimwe rawo ringashayikwa,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
[Then] I will appoint [other] leaders for my people, leaders who will take care of them. And my people will never be afraid [DOU] of anything again, and none of them will be [like a] lost [sheep].’”
5 “Mazuva achauya,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “pandichamutsira Dhavhidhi Davi rakarurama, Mambo achatonga nouchenjeri nokururamisira uye nokuita zvakarurama munyika.
Yahweh [also] says, “Some day I will appoint for you a righteous man who will be a descendant of King David. He will be a king who rules wisely. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
6 Pamazuva ake Judha achaponeswa uye Israeri achagara norugare. Zita rake raachatumidzwa ndirori rokuti: Jehovha Ndiye Kururama Kwedu.
At that time, all the Israeli people [DOU] will be saved [from their enemies], and they will be safe. And his name will be ‘Yahweh, the one who vindicates/defends us.’”
7 Naizvozvo zvino mazuva achauya,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “avasingazoti, ‘NaJehovha mupenyu iye akabudisa vaIsraeri kubva muIjipiti,’
Yahweh [also] says that at that time, people [who are solemnly promising to do something] will no longer say, “[I will do it as surely] as Yahweh lives, who rescued the Israeli people from Egypt.”
8 asi vachazoti, ‘NaJehovha mupenyu, akabudisa vana vaIsraeri kubva kunyika yokumusoro nokunyika dzose kwaakanga avadzingira.’ Ipapo vachagara munyika yavo.”
Instead, they will say, “[I will do it] as surely as Yahweh lives, who brought [us] Israeli people back to our own land, from the land to the northeast and from all the [other] countries to which he had exiled us.” And they will live in their own land [again].
9 Kana vari vaprofita: Mwoyo wangu waputsika mukati mangu; mapfupa angu ose anodedera. Ndakaita somunhu akadhakwa, somunhu akundwa newaini, nokuda kwaJehovha uye nokuda kwamashoko ake matsvene.
I am very shocked because of the sacred message that Yahweh has spoken about [what will happen to] the [false] prophets; [it is as though] all my bones shake. I stagger like a man who is drunk after drinking a lot of wine.
10 Nyika izere nemhombwe; nyika yaoma nokuda kwokutukwa uye mafuro omugwenga aoma. Vaprofita votevera nzira yakaipa uye vanoshandisa simba ravo nokusarurama.
The land is full of [people who commit] adultery; and [Yahweh] has cursed the land. Even the pastures in the desert are all dried up, because the people do what is evil, and [the false prophets] use their power to do things that are not just/fair.
11 “Muprofita nomuprista vose havana umwari; kunyange mutemberi yangu ndinowana kuipa kwavo,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Yahweh says, “[Yes, even] the priests and the prophets are ungodly; they do wicked things even in my temple.
12 “Naizvozvo nzira yavo ichatsvedza; vachadzingirwa kurima uye ikoko ndiko kwavachawira. Ndichauyisa njodzi pamusoro pavo mugore ravacharangwa,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Therefore, [it will be as though] the paths that they walk on are slippery. [It will be as though] they are being chased in the darkness, and there they will fall down, because I will cause them to experience disasters at the time that I will punish them. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
13 “Pakati pavaprofita veSamaria ndakaona chinhu chinonyangadza ichi: Vakaprofita naBhaari, uye vakatungamirira vanhu vangu vaIsraeri mukurasika.
[Previously] I saw that the prophets in Samaria were doing something that was wrong; they were prophesying, saying that Baal [gave them the messages that they were proclaiming], and they were deceiving my people.
14 Uye pakati pavaprofita veJerusarema ndakaona chimwe chinhu chinonyangadza: Vanoita upombwe uye vanoreva nhema. Vanosimbisa maoko evaiti vezvakaipa, zvokuti hakuna anodzoka pazvakaipa zvake. Vose vakaita seSodhomu kwandiri; vanhu veJerusarema vakaita seGomora.”
And [now] I have seen the prophets in Jerusalem doing terrible things. They commit adultery and habitually tell lies. They encourage evil people to continue to do evil things, with the result that the people do not stop sinning. Those prophets are as wicked as the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were.
15 Naizvozvo, zvanzi naJehovha Mwari Wamasimba Ose, pamusoro pavaprofita: “Ndichaita kuti vadye kudya kunovava, uye kuti vanwe mvura ine muchetura, nokuti zvichibva nokumuprofita weJerusarema, kushaya umwari kwapararira panyika yose.”
So, this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says about those [false] prophets: “I will give those prophets bitter things to eat and poison to drink, because it is because of them that this land is filled with [people who do] wicked things.”
16 Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose: “Regai kuteerera zvamunoprofitirwa navaprofita; vanokuzadzai netariro dzenhema. Vanotaura zviratidzo zvinobva pandangariro dzavo, zvisingabvi mumuromo maJehovha.
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Do not pay any attention to what those [false] prophets say to you, because they are just deceiving you. They tell you about visions that they have thought/created [only] in their own minds, not about visions that I have given them.
17 Vanoramba vachiti kuna avo vanondizvidza, ‘Jehovha anoti: Muchava norugare.’ Uye kuna vaya vose vanotevera kusindimara kwemwoyo yavo, vanoti, ‘Hakuna chakaipa chichakuwirai.’
They habitually say to those who hate me, ‘[Yahweh says that] you will have peace.’ And they say to those who stubbornly do what they want to do, ‘Nothing bad will happen to you [because of your doing those things].’
18 Asi ndiani pakati pavo akamira parangano yaJehovha, kuti aone kana kunzwa shoko rake? Ndiani akateerera akanzwa shoko rake?
But none of them has ever been in a council [meeting] in heaven in order to listen to a message from me. None of them has paid attention to anything that [I], Yahweh, have said.
19 Tarirai, dutu raJehovha richaputika muhasha dzake, chamupupuri chichimona chakananga pamisoro yavakaipa.
So, listen to this: I will punish them; it will be [like] a great storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of those wicked people.
20 Kutsamwa kwaJehovha hakungadzoki, kusvikira apedza zvinovavarirwa nomwoyo wake. Pamazuva achauya muchazvinzwisisa zvakanyatsojeka.
I will not stop being angry until I completely accomplish all that I have planned. In the future, you will understand [all of] this clearly.”
21 Handina kutuma vaprofita ava, kunyange zvakadaro vakamhanya neshoko ravo; ini handina kutaura navo, kunyange zvakadaro vakaprofita.
[Yahweh also says, ] “I have not appointed those prophets, but they run [around telling people their messages]. I did not speak to them, but they [continue to] prophesy.
22 Asi dai vakamira parangano yangu, vangadai vakaparidza mashoko angu kuvanhu vangu, uye vangadai vakavadzora panzira dzavo dzakaipa, napamabasa avo akaipa.
If they had been in my council [meetings], they would have been able to speak messages from me, and they would have caused people to turn away from committing evil things.”
23 “Ko, ini ndinongori Mwari ari pedyo here,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “ndisati ndiri Mwari ari kure?
Yahweh [also] says, “Am I a God who is only nearby? No, I am a God who is far away, also.
24 Pano munhu angavanda, panzvimbo dzakavanzika zvokuti handingamuoni here?” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha. “Ko, handizadzi denga nenyika here?” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
So, no one can hide in some secret place with the result that I cannot see him. I am everywhere, in heaven and on the earth! [That is what I], Yahweh, say!
25 “Ndakanzwa zvakataurwa navaprofita vanoprofita nhema muzita rangu. Vanoti, ‘Ndakarota! Ndakarota!’
I have heard those prophets prophesy lies, saying that they are telling people messages from me. They say, ‘[Listen to me tell you] the dream that God gave me last night! I [really] had this dream!’
26 Ko, izvi zvicharamba zviri mumwoyo yavaprofita venhema ava kusvikira rinhi ivo vanoprofita zvokunyengera kwendangariro dzavo?
How long will they continue to do this? How long will those lying prophets continue to prophesy things that come only from their own minds?
27 Vanofunga kuti zviroto zvavanoudzana zvichaita kuti vanhu vangu vakanganwe zita rangu sezvakaita madzibaba avo akakanganwa zita rangu nokuda kwokunamata Bhaari.
They think that because of the dreams that they tell to each other, people will forget me, like their ancestors forgot about me when they started to worship Baal.
28 Muprofita ane chiroto ngaataure kurota kwake, asi ane shoko rangu ngaataure nokutendeka. Nokuti mashanga ane basa rei pazviyo?” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
Allow those [false] prophets to tell people their dreams, but those who have messages that [really] come from me should proclaim those messages faithfully. I, Yahweh, say [that like] straw and grain are certainly very different, [my messages and the messages from those false prophets are certainly very different].
29 “Shoko rangu harina kufanana nomoto here,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “uye nenyundo inoputsanya dombo?”
[It is as though] my messages [burn] like a fire; they [strike people’s inner beings like] someone strikes a rock with a hammer and smashes it into pieces.
30 “Naizvozvo,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “handina ukama navaprofita vanobirana mashoko anofungidzirwa kuti anobva kwandiri.
Therefore, [I, ] Yahweh say, 'I oppose all those prophets who steal messages from each other and claim that those messages came from me.
31 Hongu,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha, “handina ukama navaprofita vanoshandisa ndimi dzavo vachiti, ‘Jehovha ari kutaura.’
I oppose those prophets who speak their own messages but claim that those messages came from me.
32 Zvirokwazvo handina ukama neavo vanoprofita zviroto zvenhema,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha. “Vanovaudza uye vanotsausa vanhu vangu nenhema dzavo dzisina maturo, asi handina kuvatuma kana kuvagadza. Havambobatsiri vanhu ava napaduku pose,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
I oppose those prophets who falsely say that I told them something in a vision, but they are [only] telling lies that cause my people to sin. I did not send those prophets. I did not even appoint them [to be prophets]. And they have no messages that will benefit my people at all.' [That is what I, ] Yahweh, declare.”
33 “Paunobvunzwa navanhu ava, vaprofita kana vaprista, vachiti, ‘Chirevo ichi chaJehovha ndecheiko?’ uti kwavari, ‘Chirevo cheiko? Ndichakurasai, ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.’
[Yahweh said to me], “If one of those prophets or priests or one of the [other] people asks you, ‘What problem has Yahweh told you about [now]?’, you must reply, ‘You are the problem! And Yahweh says that he will abandon you!’
34 Kana muprofita kana muprista kana ani zvake achiti, ‘Ichi ndicho chirevo chaJehovha,’ ndicharanga munhu uyo nemhuri yake.
And if any prophet or priest or anyone [else falsely] says, ‘[I have] a prophecy from Yahweh,’ I will punish that person and his family.
35 Izvi ndizvo zvamunoramba muchitaura mumwe nomumwe wenyu kushamwari kana kuhama yake muchiti: ‘Mhinduro yaJehovha inoti kudiniko?’ kana kuti ‘Jehovha akataureiko?’
What you should continually ask each other is, ‘[When you spoke to Yahweh, ] what did he reply? What is he saying [to us]?’
36 Hamufaniri kutaura ‘chirevo chaJehovha’ zvakare, nokuti shoko romunhu mumwe nomumwe richava chirevo chake, uye saizvozvo munominamisa mashoko aMwari mupenyu, Jehovha Wamasimba Ose, Mwari wedu.
But stop saying ‘[I have] a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ because those who say that are doing it only because they want people to accept their ideas, and by doing that they distort/change the messages that are from our God, the Commander of the armies of angels.
37 Izvi ndizvo zvamucharamba muchitaura kumuprofita muchiti: ‘Jehovha akakupindurei?’ kana kuti ‘Jehovha akataurei?’
This is what you should ask each prophet: ‘What did Yahweh reply [when you talked to him]? What is he saying [to us]?’
38 Kunyange muchiti, ‘Ichi ndicho chirevo chaJehovha,’ izvi ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha: Makashandisa mashoko anoti, ‘Ichi ndicho chirevo chaJehovha,’ kunyange ndakanga ndakuudzai kuti musati, ‘Ichi ndicho chirevo chaJehovha’.
If he replies, ‘[What I told you] is a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ you should say to him, ‘You have continued to say, “[I received] a prophecy/message from Yahweh” even though I told you to not claim that you have received prophecies/messages from Yahweh.’
39 Naizvozvo, zvirokwazvo ndichakukanganwai uye ndichakurasai mubve pamberi pangu imi neguta randakakupai uye namadzibaba enyu.
So I [, Yahweh, ] will get rid of you [false prophets]. I will expel you from my presence. And I will get rid of this city that I gave to you and to your ancestors.
40 Ndichauyisa pamusoro penyu kunyadziswa kusingaperi, nyadzi dzisingaperi dzisingazokanganwiki.”
I will cause people to make fun of you forever. People will never forget that you were disgraced.”
