Yeremia 13
1 Hili ndilo Bwana aliloniambia: “Nenda ununue mkanda wa kitani, ujivike kiunoni mwako, lakini usiuache uguse maji.”
Thus saith Jehovah to me: Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it on thy loins, and put it not into water!
2 Kwa hiyo nikanunua mkanda, kama Bwana alivyoniagiza, nikajivika kiunoni.
So I got a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it on my loins.
3 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia kwa mara ya pili:
Then the word of Jehovah came to 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 which thou hast gotten, 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 near the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 Baada ya siku nyingi Bwana akaniambia, “Nenda sasa Frati ukauchukue ule mkanda niliokuambia uufiche huko.”
And after many days Jehovah said to me. Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take thence the girdle 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.
Then I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hidden it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, so that it was good for nothing.
8 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia:
Then the word of Jehovah came to 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 mar 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 hearken to my words, Who walk after the obstinacy of their heart, And walk after strange gods, To serve them and to worship them, Shall be like 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 to me the whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, saith Jehovah, That they might be to me a people, And a name, and a praise, and a glory; But they hearkened not 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?’
Then shalt thou speak to them in this manner. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Every flagon shall be filled with wine. And they will say to thee, “Do we not know that every flagon 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.
Then shalt thou say to them, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, And the kings that sit upon David's 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, Even fathers and children together, saith Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, Nor show mercy, so as not to destroy them.
15 Sikieni na mzingatie, msiwe na kiburi, kwa kuwa Bwana amenena.
Hear ye, and attend! be not lifted up! For Jehovah speaketh.
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 bring darkness, And your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, And, while ye look for light, He turn it into deathlike shade, 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.
But if ye will not hear, I will mourn in secret places for your pride, I will weep continually, And my eyes shall run down with tears, Because the flock of Jehovah is carried away captive.
18 Mwambie mfalme na mamaye, “Shukeni kutoka kwenye viti vyenu vya enzi, kwa kuwa taji zenu za utukufu zitaanguka kutoka vichwani mwenu.”
Say to the king and to the queen, Sit ye down upon the ground, For your beautiful crown shall fall from your heads.
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 none openeth them; Judah is carried away captive, all of it, Every man of it is 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 punish thee? For thou thyself hast taught them to be lords over thee. Shall not sorrows seize 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 thine heart, “Wherefore are these things coming upon me?” For the greatness of thy iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, And thy heels made bare.
23 Je, Mkushi aweza kubadili ngozi yake au chui kubadili madoadoa yake? Vivyo hivyo nawe huwezi kufanya mema wewe uliyezoea kutenda mabaya.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, Or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, Who have been accustomed to do evil.
24 “Nitawatawanya kama makapi yapeperushwayo na upepo wa jangwani.
Therefore will I scatter you like stubble, Which passeth away before the wind of the desert.
25 Hii ndiyo kura yako, fungu nililokuamuria,” asema Bwana, “kwa sababu umenisahau mimi na kuamini miungu ya uongo.
This is thy lot, The portion measured out for thee by me, saith Jehovah, Because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.
26 Nitayafunua marinda yako mpaka juu ya uso wako ili aibu yako ionekane:
Therefore will I lift up thy skirts over thy head, So that 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, thy neighings, The lewdness of thy whoredom on the hills, in the fields, All thy abominations, have I seen. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem! How long ere thou wilt become pure!
