Yeremia 13
1 Hili ndilo Bwana aliloniambia: “Nenda ununue mkanda wa kitani, ujivike kiunoni mwako, lakini usiuache uguse maji.”
Thus said Jehovah unto me: Go and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins; but dip it not in water.
2 Kwa hiyo nikanunua mkanda, kama Bwana alivyoniagiza, nikajivika kiunoni.
And I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.
3 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kwa mara ya pili:
And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,
4 “Chukua mkanda ulionunua ambao umeuvaa kiunoni mwako, uende sasa Frati uufiche ndani ya ufa mdogo kwenye mwamba.”
Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5 Ndipo nikaenda na kuuficha ule mkanda huko Frati, kama Bwana alivyoniamuru.
So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah had commanded me.
6 Baada ya siku nyingi Bwana akaniambia, “Nenda sasa Frati ukauchukue ule mkanda niliokuambia uufiche huko.”
And it came to pass at the end of many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence which I commanded thee to hide there.
7 Hivyo nikaenda Frati na kuuchimbua ule mkanda kutoka pale nilipokuwa nimeuficha, lakini sasa ulikuwa umeharibika na haufai tena kabisa.
And I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and behold, the girdle was spoiled, it was good for nothing.
8 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia:
And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
9 “Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: ‘Vivyo hivyo ndivyo nitakavyokiharibu kiburi cha Yuda na kiburi kikuu cha Yerusalemu.
Thus saith Jehovah: After this manner will I spoil the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 Watu hawa waovu, wanaokataa kusikiliza maneno yangu, wafuatao ukaidi wa mioyo yao na kufuata miungu mingine kuitumikia na kuiabudu, watakuwa kama mkanda huu ambao haufai kabisa!
This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and go after other gods, to serve them and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle which is good for nothing.
11 Kwa maana kama vile mkanda ufungwavyo kiunoni mwa mtu, ndivyo nilivyojifunga nyumba yote ya Israeli na nyumba yote ya Yuda,’ asema Bwana, ‘ili wawe watu wangu kwa ajili ya utukufu wangu, sifa na heshima yangu. Lakini hawajasikiliza.’
For as a girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith Jehovah; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
12 “Waambie: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: kila kiriba inapasa kijazwe mvinyo.’ Kama wao wakikuambia, ‘Kwani hatujui kwamba kila kiriba inapasa kijazwe mvinyo?’
And thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Every skin shall be filled with wine. And they will say unto thee, Do we not very well know that every skin shall be filled with wine?
13 Kisha uwaambie, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: nitawajaza ulevi wote waishio katika nchi hii, pamoja na wafalme waketio juu ya kiti cha enzi cha Daudi, makuhani, manabii na wale wote waishio Yerusalemu.
And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings that sit for David upon his throne, and the priests and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
14 Nitawagonganisha kila mmoja na mwenzake, baba na wana wao, asema Bwana. Sitawarehemu wala kuwahurumia ili niache kuwaangamiza.’”
And I will dash them one against another, both the fathers and the sons together, saith Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy so as not to destroy them.
15 Sikieni na mzingatie, msiwe na kiburi, kwa kuwa Bwana amenena.
Hear ye, and give ear, be not lifted up; for Jehovah hath spoken.
16 Mpeni utukufu Bwana Mungu wenu, kabla hajaleta giza, kabla miguu yenu haijajikwaa juu ya vilima vitakavyotiwa giza. Mlitarajia nuru, lakini ataifanya kuwa giza nene na kuibadili kuwa huzuni kubwa.
Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight; and ye shall look for light, but he will turn it into the shadow of death, and make [it] gross darkness.
17 Lakini kama hamtasikiliza, nitalia sirini kwa ajili ya kiburi chenu; macho yangu yatalia kwa uchungu, yakitiririka machozi, kwa sababu kundi la kondoo la Bwana litachukuliwa mateka.
And if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for [your] pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is gone into captivity.
18 Mwambie mfalme na mamaye, “Shukeni kutoka kwenye viti vyenu vya enzi, kwa kuwa taji zenu za utukufu zitaanguka kutoka vichwani mwenu.”
Say unto the king and to the queen: Humble yourselves, sit down low; for from your heads shall come down the crown of your magnificence.
19 Miji iliyoko Negebu itafungwa, wala hapatakuwa na mtu wa kuifungua. Watu wa Yuda wote watapelekwa uhamishoni, wakichukuliwa kabisa waende mbali.
The cities of the south are shut up, and there is none to open [them]; all Judah is carried away captive: it is wholly carried away captive.
20 Inua macho yako uone wale wanaokuja kutoka kaskazini. Liko wapi lile kundi ulilokabidhiwa, kondoo wale uliojivunia?
Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north. Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
21 Utasema nini Bwana atakapowaweka juu yako wale ulioungana nao kama marafiki wako maalum? Je, hutapatwa na utungu kama mwanamke aliye katika utungu wa kuzaa?
What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee, since thou thyself hast trained them to be princes in chief over thee? Shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
22 Nawe kama ukijiuliza, “Kwa nini haya yamenitokea?” Ni kwa sababu ya dhambi zako nyingi ndipo marinda yako yameraruliwa na mwili wako umetendewa vibaya.
And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, [and] thy heels have suffered violence.
23 Je, Mkushi aweza kubadili ngozi yake au chui kubadili madoadoa yake? Vivyo hivyo nawe huwezi kufanya mema wewe uliyezoea kutenda mabaya.
Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
24 “Nitawatawanya kama makapi yapeperushwayo na upepo wa jangwani.
And I will scatter them as stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 Hii ndiyo kura yako, fungu nililokuamuria,” asema Bwana, “kwa sababu umenisahau mimi na kuamini miungu ya uongo.
This shall be thy lot, thy measured portion from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and confided in falsehood.
26 Nitayafunua marinda yako mpaka juu ya uso wako ili aibu yako ionekane:
Therefore will I also turn thy skirts over thy face, and thy shame shall be seen.
27 uzinzi wako na kulia kwako kama farasi kulikojaa tamaa, ukahaba wako usio na aibu! Nimeyaona matendo yako ya machukizo juu ya vilima na mashambani. Ole wako, ee Yerusalemu! Utaendelea kuwa najisi mpaka lini?”
Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy fornication, on the hills, in the fields, — thine abominations, have I seen. Woe unto thee, Jerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? after how long a time yet?
