< Yeremia 11 >
1 Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, saying,
2 “Sikia maneno ya agano hili, nawe uwaambie watu wa Yuda na wale waishio Yerusalemu.
Hear you the words of this covenant, and you shall speak to the men of Juda, and to the dwellers in Jerusalem;
3 Waambie kwamba hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: ‘Amelaaniwa mtu ambaye hatayatii maneno ya agano hili,
and you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Cursed is the man, who shall not listen to the words of this covenant,
4 maneno niliyowaamuru baba zenu nilipowatoa katika nchi ya Misri, kutoka tanuru la kuyeyushia vyuma.’ Nilisema, ‘Nitiini mimi na mfanye kila kitu ninachowaamuru, nanyi mtakuwa watu wangu, nami nitakuwa Mungu wenu.
which I commanded your fathers, in the day wherein I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all things that I shall command you; so shall you be to me a people, and I will be to you a God;
5 Kisha nitatimiza kiapo nilichowaapia baba zenu, kuwapa nchi itiririkayo maziwa na asali,’ nchi ambayo mnaimiliki leo.” Nikajibu, “Amen, Bwana.”
that I may confirm mine oath, which I sware to your fathers, to give them a land flowing [with] milk and honey, as [it is] this day. Then I answered and said, So be it, O Lord.
6 Bwana akaniambia, “Tangaza maneno haya yote katika miji ya Yuda na katika barabara za Yerusalemu: ‘Sikilizeni maneno ya agano hili na kuyafuata.
And the Lord said to me, Read these words in the cities of Juda, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear you the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 Tangu wakati ule niliwapandisha baba zenu kutoka Misri mpaka leo, niliwaonya tena na tena, nikisema “Nitiini mimi.”
8 Lakini hawakusikiliza wala kujali. Badala yake, walifuata ukaidi wa mioyo yao miovu. Hivyo nikaleta juu yao laana zote za agano nililokuwa nimewaamuru wao kulifuata, lakini wao hawakulishika.’”
But they did [them] not.
9 Kisha Bwana akaniambia, “Kuna shauri baya linaloendelea miongoni mwa watu wa Yuda na wale wanaoishi Yerusalemu.
And the Lord said to me, A conspiracy is found amongst the men of Juda, and amongst the dwellers in Jerusalem.
10 Wamerudia dhambi za baba zao, waliokataa kusikiliza maneno yangu. Wameifuata miungu mingine kuitumikia. Nyumba zote mbili za Israeli na Yuda zimelivunja agano nililofanya na baba zao.
They are turned [aside] to the iniquities of their fathers that were of old, who would not listen to my words: and, behold, they go after strange gods, to serve them: and the house of Israel and the house of Juda have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
11 Kwa hivyo, hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: ‘Nitaleta juu yao maafa ambayo hawawezi kuyakimbia. Hata kama wakinililia, sitawasikiliza.
Therefore thus says the Lord, Behold, I bring evils upon this people, out of which they shall not be able to come forth; and they shall presently cry to me, but I will not listen to them.
12 Miji ya Yuda na watu wa Yerusalemu watakwenda kuililia miungu ambayo wameifukizia uvumba, lakini haitawasaidia kamwe wakati maafa yatakapowapiga.
And the cities of Juda and the dwellers in Jerusalem shall go, and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense; which shall not deliver them in the time of their troubles.
13 Mnayo miungu mingi kama miji mliyo nayo, ee Yuda, nazo madhabahu mlizozijenga za kufukizia uvumba huyo mungu wa aibu Baali ni nyingi kama barabara za Yerusalemu.’
For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Juda; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars to burn incense to Baal.
14 “Wewe usiwaombee watu hawa wala kufanya maombezi yoyote au kunisihi kwa ajili yao, kwa sababu sitawasikiliza watakaponiita wakati wa taabu yao.
And you, pray not for this people, and intercede not for them in supplication and prayer: for I will not hear in the day in which they call upon me, in the day of their affliction.
15 “Mpenzi wangu anafanya nini hekaluni mwangu, anapofanya mashauri yake maovu na wengi? Je, nyama iliyowekwa wakfu yaweza kuondolea mbali adhabu yako? Unapojiingiza katika ubaya wako, ndipo unashangilia.”
Why has [my] beloved wrought abomination in my house? will prayers and holy offerings take away your wickedness from you, or shall you escape by these things?
16 Bwana alikuita mti wa mzeituni uliostawi ulio na matunda mazuri kwa sura. Lakini kwa ngurumo ya mawimbi makuu atautia moto, nayo matawi yake yatavunjika.
The Lord called your name a fair olive tree, of a goodly shade in appearance, at the noise of its being lopped, fire was kindled against it; great is the affliction [coming] upon you: her branches are become good for nothing.
17 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, aliyekupanda, ametamka maafa kwa ajili yako, kwa sababu nyumba ya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda mmefanya maovu na kunikasirisha kwa kumfukizia Baali uvumba.
And the Lord that planted you has pronounced evils against you, because of the iniquity of the house of Israel and the house of Juda, whatever they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger by burning incense to Baal.
18 Kwa sababu Bwana alinifunulia hila zao mbaya, nilizifahamu, kwa kuwa wakati ule alinionyesha yale waliyokuwa wanayafanya.
O Lord, teach me, and I shall know: then I saw their practices.
19 Nilikuwa kama mwana-kondoo mpole aliyeongozwa machinjoni; mimi sikutambua kwamba walikuwa wamefanya shauri baya dhidi yangu, wakisema, “Sisi na tuuangamize mti na matunda yake; nasi tumkatilie mbali kutoka nchi ya walio hai, ili jina lake lisikumbukwe tena.”
But I as an innocent lamb led to the slaughter, knew not: against me they devised an evil device, saying, Come and let us put wood into his bread, and let us utterly destroy him from off the land of the living, and let his name not be remembered any more.
20 Lakini, Ee Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, wewe uhukumuye kwa haki, nawe uchunguzaye moyo na akili, wacha nione ukiwalipiza wao kisasi, kwa maana kwako nimeweka shauri langu.
O Lord, that judge righteously, trying the reins and hearts, let me see your vengeance [taken] upon them, for to you I have declared my cause.
21 “Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kuhusu watu wa Anathothi wale wanaotafuta uhai wako wakisema, ‘Usitoe unabii kwa jina la Bwana, la sivyo utakufa kwa mikono yetu’:
Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek my life, that say, You shall not prophesy at all in the name of the Lord, but if you do, you shall die by our hands:
22 kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: ‘Nitawaadhibu. Vijana wao waume watakufa kwa upanga, wana wao na binti zao kwa njaa.
behold, I will visit them: their young men shall die by the sword; and their sons and their daughters shall die of famine:
23 Hawatasaziwa hata mabaki kwao, kwa sababu nitaleta maafa kwa watu wa Anathothi katika mwaka wa adhabu yao.’”
and there shall be no remnant [left] of them; for I will bring evil upon the dwellers in Anathoth, in the year of their visitation.