Jeremia 6
1 “Tizai kuti murarame, imi vana veBhenjamini! Tizai mubve muJerusarema! Ridzai hwamanda muTekoa! Simudzai chiratidzo pamusoro peBheti Hakeremu! Nokuti njodzi yava pedyo ichibva kumusoro, iko kuparadza kwakaipisisa.
“You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
2 Ndichaparadza mwanasikana weZioni, akanakisa uye anoyevedza.
Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
3 Vafudzi namapoka amakwai avo vachauya kuzomurwisa; vachadzika matende avo vakamukomba, mumwe nomumwe achifudza chikamu chake.”
[Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
4 Gadzirirai kurwa naye! Simukai, ngatimurwisei masikati! “Asi, yowe-e, zuva rovira, uye mimvuri yamadekwana yoreba.
[The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
5 Naizvozvo simukai, ngatimurwisei usiku, uye tiparadze nhare dzake!”
we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
6 Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose: “Temerai miti pasi, mugovakira Jerusarema mirwi yokurikomba. Guta iri rinofanira kurangwa; rizere nokumanikidza.
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
7 Setsime rinoeredza mvura yaro, saizvozvo Jerusarema rinodurura zvakaipa zvaro. Kuita nechisimba nokuparadza zvinonzwikwa mariri, kurwara kwaro namavanga zvinoramba zviri pamberi pangu.
[It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
8 Inzwa yambiro, iwe Jerusarema, kuti ndisakufuratira ndikaita nyika yako dongo, kuti isava nomunhu angagara mairi.”
Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
9 Zvanzi naJehovha Wamasimba Ose: “Ngavatanhe zvakasara zvaIsraeri vatanhe zvachose samazambiringa; utambanudzirezve ruoko rwako kumatavi, sezvinoita munhu anounganidza mazambiringa.”
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
10 Ndingataura naaniko wandingayambira? Ndianiko achandinzwa? Nzeve dzavo dzakadzivirwa kuti varege kunzwa. Shoko raJehovha chigumbuso kwavari; havawani mufaro mariri.
[Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
11 Asi ini ndizere nehasha dzaJehovha, uye handichagoni kuzvidzora. “Dzidururire pamusoro pavana vari munzira dzomuguta, napamusoro pamajaya akaungana pamwe chete; zvose murume nomukadzi vachabatwa imomo, navatana, vaya vabva zera.
So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
12 Dzimba dzavo dzichapiwa vamwe, minda yavo pamwe chete navakadzi vavo, pandichatambanudza ruoko rwangu pamusoro pavagere panyika,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
[Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
13 “Kubva kumudiki kusvikira kuvakuru, vose vanokarira pfuma; vaprofita navaprista zvimwe chetezvo, vose vanoita zvokunyengera.
Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
14 Vanosunga ronda ravanhu vangu sokunge vasina kukuvara zvikuru. Vanoti, ‘Rugare, rugare,’ ipo pasina rugare.
[They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
15 Ko, vanonyadziswa nokusemesa kwamafambiro avo here? Kwete, havana nyadzi zvachose; havambozivi kuratidza nyadzi. Naizvozvo vachawira pakati pavakawa; vachadzikiswa pandichavaranga,” ndizvo zvinotaura Jehovha.
They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
16 Zvanzi naJehovha: “Mirai pamharadzano dzenzira muone; mubvunze nzira dzekare, mubvunze kune nzira yakanaka, mugofamba mairi, ipapo muchawana zororo remweya yenyu. Asi imi makati, ‘Hatizofambi mairi.’
This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
17 Ndakagadza nharirire pamusoro penyu ndikati, ‘Teererai inzwi rehwamanda!’ Asi imi makati, ‘Hatizoteereri.’
I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
18 Naizvozvo inzwai, imi ndudzi, nemi zvapupu, cherechedzai zvichaitika kwavari.
Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
19 Inzwa, iwe nyika: Ndiri kuuyisa njodzi pamusoro pavanhu ava, icho chibereko chendangariro dzavo, nokuti havana kuteerera mashoko angu, uye vakaramba murayiro wangu.
Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
20 Ndine hanya yeiko nezvinonhuhwira zvinobva kuShebha, kana karamisi inotapira inobva kunyika iri kure? Zvipiriso zvenyu zvinopiswa handizvidi; zvibayiro zvenyu hazvindifadzi.”
[You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
21 Naizvozvo zvanzi naJehovha: “Ndichaisa zvipinganidzo pamberi pavanhu ava. Madzibaba navanakomana vachagumburwa nazvo pamwe chete, vavakidzani neshamwari vachaparara.”
Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
22 Zvanzi naJehovha: “Tarirai, hondo iri kuuya kubva kunyika yokumusoro; rudzi rukuru rwuri kumutswa kubva kumigumo yenyika.
Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
23 Vakapakata uta nepfumo; vane utsinye uye havana ngoni. Vanonzwikwa sokutinhira kwegungwa vakatasva mabhiza avo; vari kuuya savanhu vazvigadzirira kurwa hondo kuti vakurwise, iwe Mwanasikana weZioni.”
They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
24 Takanzwa guhu ravo, uye maoko edu oshayiwa simba. Tabatwa nokurwadziwa, kurwadziwa kwakaita sekwomukadzi ari kusununguka.
[The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
25 Regai kuenda kumunda, kana kufamba mumigwagwa, nokuti muvengi ane munondo, uye kumativi ose kune zvinotyisa.
[So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
26 Haiwa, vanhu vangu, pfekai masaga mugoumburuka mumadota; chemai nokuchema kukuru kwazvo kunge munochemera mwanakomana mumwe chete, nokuti muparadzi achatiwira pakarepo.
[So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
27 “Ndakakuita muedzi wamatare navanhu vangu mhangura, kuti ucherechedze uye uedze nzira dzavo.
[Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
28 Vose vamukiri vakaoma mwoyo, vanongofamba-famba vachiita makuhwa. Ivo indarira nesimbi; vose vanoita zvakaora.
You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
29 Mvuto inovhutira zvinotyisa kuti ipise mutobvu nomoto, asi kunatswa kunongova pasina; nokuti vakaipa havasi kubviswa.
[A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
30 Vanonzi sirivha yakarambwa, nokuti Jehovha akavaramba.”
[I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”
