Yeremia 13
1 Hili ndilo Bwana aliloniambia: “Nenda ununue mkanda wa kitani, ujivike kiunoni mwako, lakini usiuache uguse maji.”
Thus says the Lord, Go and procure for yourself a linen girdle, and put it about your loins, and let it not be put in water.
2 Kwa hiyo nikanunua mkanda, kama Bwana alivyoniagiza, nikajivika kiunoni.
So I procured the girdle according to the word of the Lord, and put it about my loins.
3 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kwa mara ya pili:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
4 “Chukua mkanda ulionunua ambao umeuvaa kiunoni mwako, uende sasa Frati uufiche ndani ya ufa mdogo kwenye mwamba.”
Take the girdle that is upon your loins, and arise, and 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 the Lord commanded me.
6 Baada ya siku nyingi Bwana akaniambia, “Nenda sasa Frati ukauchukue ule mkanda niliokuambia uufiche huko.”
And it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take thence the girdle, which I commanded you to hide there.
7 Hivyo nikaenda Frati na kuuchimbua ule mkanda kutoka pale nilipokuwa nimeuficha, lakini sasa ulikuwa umeharibika na haufai tena kabisa.
So I went to the river Euphrates, and dug, and took the girdle out of the place where I [had] buried it: and, behold, it was rotten, utterly good for nothing.
8 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, Thus says the Lord,
9 “Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: ‘Vivyo hivyo ndivyo nitakavyokiharibu kiburi cha Yuda na kiburi kikuu cha Yerusalemu.
Thus will I mar the pride of Juda, and the 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!
[even] this great pride [of the men] that will not listen to my words, and have gone after strange gods, to serve them, and to worship them: and they shall be as this girdle, which can be used 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 cleaves about the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave to myself the house of Israel, and the whole house of Juda; that they might be to me a famous people, and a praise, and a glory: but they did not listen to me.
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 you shall say to this people, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and it shall come to pass, if they shall say to you, Shall we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine? that you shall say to them,
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.
Thus says the Lord, Behold, I [will] fill the inhabitants of this land, and their kings the sons of David that sit upon their throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and Juda and all the dwellers in Jerusalem, with strong drink.
14 Nitawagonganisha kila mmoja na mwenzake, baba na wana wao, asema Bwana. Sitawarehemu wala kuwahurumia ili niache kuwaangamiza.’”
And I will scatter them a man and his brother, and their fathers and their sons together: I will not have compassion, says the Lord, and I will not spare, neither will I pity [to save them] from destruction.
15 Sikieni na mzingatie, msiwe na kiburi, kwa kuwa Bwana amenena.
Hear you, and give ear, and be not proud: for the Lord has 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 the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and you shall wait for light, and behold the shadow of death, and they shall be brought into 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.
But if you will not listen, your soul shall weep in secret because of pride, and your eyes shall pour down tears, because the Lord's flock is sorely bruised.
18 Mwambie mfalme na mamaye, “Shukeni kutoka kwenye viti vyenu vya enzi, kwa kuwa taji zenu za utukufu zitaanguka kutoka vichwani mwenu.”
Say you to the king and the princes, Humble yourselves, and sit down; for your crown of glory is removed from your head.
19 Miji iliyoko Negebu itafungwa, wala hapatakuwa na mtu wa kuifungua. Watu wa Yuda wote watapelekwa uhamishoni, wakichukuliwa kabisa waende mbali.
The cities toward the south were shut, and there was none to open [them]: Juda is removed [into captivity, ]they have suffered a complete removal.
20 Inua macho yako uone wale wanaokuja kutoka kaskazini. Liko wapi lile kundi ulilokabidhiwa, kondoo wale uliojivunia?
Lift up your eyes, O Jerusalem, and behold them that come from the north; where is the flock that was given you, the sheep of your glory?
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 will you say when they shall visit you, for you did teach them lessons for rule against yourself; shall not pangs seize you 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 you should say in your heart, Therefore have these things happened to me? Because of the abundance of your iniquity have your skirts been discovered, that your heels might be exposed.
23 Je, Mkushi aweza kubadili ngozi yake au chui kubadili madoadoa yake? Vivyo hivyo nawe huwezi kufanya mema wewe uliyezoea kutenda mabaya.
If the Ethiopian shall change his skin, or the leopardess her spots, then shall you be able to do good, having learned evil.
24 “Nitawatawanya kama makapi yapeperushwayo na upepo wa jangwani.
So I scattered them as sticks carried by the wind into the wilderness.
25 Hii ndiyo kura yako, fungu nililokuamuria,” asema Bwana, “kwa sababu umenisahau mimi na kuamini miungu ya uongo.
Thus is your lot, and the reward of your disobedience to me, says the Lord; as you did forget me, and trust in lies,
26 Nitayafunua marinda yako mpaka juu ya uso wako ili aibu yako ionekane:
I also will expose your skirts upon your face, and your 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?”
your adultery also, and your neighing, and the looseness of your fornication: on the hills and in the fields I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem, for you have not been purified so as to follow me; how long yet [shall it be]?
