Yeremia 12
1 Wewe daima u mwenye haki, Ee Bwana, niletapo mashtaka mbele yako. Hata hivyo nitazungumza nawe kuhusu hukumu yako: Kwa nini njia ya waovu inafanikiwa? Kwa nini wasio waaminifu wote wanaishi kwa raha?
Righteous [art] Thou, O Jehovah, When I plead towards thee, Only, judgments do I speak with Thee, Wherefore did the way of the wicked prosper? At rest have been all treacherous dealers.
2 Umewapanda, nao wameota, wanakua na kuzaa matunda. Daima u midomoni mwao, lakini mbali na mioyo yao.
Thou hast planted them, yea, they have taken root, They go on, yea, they have made fruit, Near [art] Thou in their mouth, And far off from their reins.
3 Hata hivyo unanijua mimi, Ee Bwana; unaniona na kuyachunguza mawazo yangu kukuhusu wewe. Wakokote kama kondoo wanaokwenda kuchinjwa! Watenge kwa ajili ya siku ya kuchinjwa!
And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known me, Thou seest me, and hast tried my heart with Thee, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a day of slaughter.
4 Je, nchi itakaa katika hali ya kuomboleza mpaka lini, na majani katika kila shamba kunyauka? Kwa sababu wale waishio ndani yake ni waovu, wanyama na ndege wameangamia. Zaidi ya hayo, watu wanasema, “Bwana hataona yatakayotupata sisi.”
Till when doth the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Consumed have been beast and fowl, Because they said, 'He doth not see our latter end.'
5 “Ikiwa umeshindana mbio na watu kwa mguu na wakakushinda, unawezaje kushindana na farasi? Ikiwa unajikwaa kwenye nchi ambayo ni salama, utawezaje kwenye vichaka kando ya Yordani?
For — with footmen thou hast run, And they weary thee, And how dost thou fret thyself with horses! Even in the land of peace, [In which] thou art confident — And how dost thou in the rising of Jordan!
6 Ndugu zako, watu wa jamaa yako mwenyewe: hata wao wamekusaliti; wameinua kilio kikubwa dhidi yako. Usiwaamini, ingawa wanazungumza mema juu yako.
For even thy brethren and the house of thy father, Even they dealt treacherously against thee, Even they — they called after thee fully, Trust not in them, when they speak to thee good things.
7 “Nitaiacha nyumba yangu, nitupe urithi wangu; nitamtia yeye nimpendaye mikononi mwa adui zake.
I have forsaken My house, I have left Mine inheritance, I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.
8 Urithi wangu umekuwa kwangu kama simba wa msituni. Huningurumia mimi, kwa hiyo ninamchukia.
Mine inheritance hath been to Me as a lion in a forest, She gave forth against Me with her voice, Therefore I have hated her.
9 Je, urithi wangu haukuwa kama ndege wa mawindo wa madoadoa ambaye ndege wengine wawindao humzunguka na kumshambulia? Nenda ukawakusanye pamoja wanyama wote wa mwituni; walete ili wale.
A speckled fowl [is] Mine inheritance to Me? Is the fowl round about against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come ye for food.
10 Wachungaji wengi wataliharibu shamba langu la mizabibu na kulikanyaga shamba langu; watalifanya shamba langu zuri kuwa jangwa la ukiwa.
Many shepherds did destroy My vineyard, They have trodden down My portion, They have made My desirable portion Become a wilderness — a desolation.
11 Litafanywa kuwa jangwa, lililokauka na kuachwa ukiwa mbele zangu; nchi yote itafanywa jangwa kwa sababu hakuna hata mmoja anayejali.
He hath made it become a desolation, The desolation hath mourned unto Me, Desolated hath been all the land, But there is no one laying it to heart.
12 Juu ya miinuko yote ilivyo kama jangwani mharabu atajaa, kwa maana upanga wa Bwana utawala, kuanzia ncha moja ya nchi hadi nyingine; hakuna hata mmoja atakayekuwa salama.
On all high places in the plain have spoilers come in, For the sword of Jehovah is consuming, From the end of the land even unto the end of the land, There is no peace to any flesh.
13 Watapanda ngano lakini watavuna miiba; watajitaabisha lakini hawatafaidi chochote. Kwa hiyo beba aibu ya mavuno yako kwa sababu ya hasira kali ya Bwana Mungu.”
They sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick — they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.
14 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Kwa habari ya majirani zangu wote wabaya wanaonyangʼanya urithi ambao ninawapa watu wangu Israeli, nitawangʼoa kutoka nchi zao, nami nitaingʼoa nyumba ya Yuda kutoka katikati yao.
Thus said Jehovah concerning all my evil neighbours, who are striking against the inheritance that I caused my people — Israel — to inherit: 'Lo, I am plucking them from off their ground, And the house of Judah I pluck out of their midst.
15 Lakini baada ya kuwangʼoa, nitawahurumia tena na kumrudisha kila mmoja wao kwenye urithi wake mwenyewe na kwenye nchi yake mwenyewe.
And it hath been, after My plucking them out, I turn back, and have pitied them, And I have brought them back, Each to his inheritance, and each to his land.
16 Ikiwa watajifunza vyema njia za watu wangu na kuapa kwa Jina langu, wakisema, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo,’ hata kama wakati fulani walifundisha watu wangu kuapa kwa Baali, ndipo watakapofanywa imara katikati ya watu wangu.
And it hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, 'Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst of My people.
17 Lakini kama taifa lolote halitasikiliza na kutii, nitalingʼoa kabisa na kuliangamiza,” asema Bwana.
And if they do not hearken, Then I have plucked up that nation, Plucking up and destroying, An affirmation of Jehovah!'
