Yeremia 14
1 Hili ndilo neno la Bwana kwa Yeremia kuhusu ukame:
That which hath been the word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah concerning the matters of the dearths:
2 “Yuda anaomboleza, miji yake inayodhoofika; wanaomboleza kwa ajili ya nchi, nacho kilio kinapanda kutoka Yerusalemu.
Mourned hath Judah, and her gates have languished, They have mourned to the earth, And the cry of Jerusalem hath gone up.
3 Wakuu wanawatuma watumishi wao maji; wanakwenda visimani lakini humo hakuna maji. Wanarudi na vyombo bila maji; wakiwa na hofu na kukata tamaa, wanafunika vichwa vyao.
And their honourable ones have sent their little ones to the water, They have come unto ditches, They have not found water, They have turned back — their vessels empty! They have been ashamed, And have blushed and covered their head.
4 Ardhi imepasuka nyufa kwa sababu hakuna mvua katika nchi; wakulima wana hofu na wanafunika vichwa vyao.
Because the ground hath been broken, For there hath been no rain in the land, Ashamed have been husbandmen, They have covered their head.
5 Hata kulungu mashambani anamwacha mtoto wake aliyezaliwa wakati huo huo kwa sababu hakuna majani.
For even the hind in the field hath brought forth — to forsake [it!] For there hath been no grass.
6 Punda-mwitu wanasimama juu ya miinuko iliyo kame na kutweta kama mbweha; macho yao yanakosa nguvu za kuona kwa ajili ya kukosa malisho.”
And wild asses have stood on high places, They have swallowed up wind like dragons, Consumed have been their eyes, for there is no herb.
7 Ingawa dhambi zetu zinashuhudia juu yetu, Ee Bwana, tenda jambo kwa ajili ya jina lako. Kwa kuwa kukengeuka kwetu ni kukubwa, nasi tumetenda dhambi dhidi yako.
Surely our iniquities have testified against us, O Jehovah, work for Thy name's sake, For many have been our backslidings, Against Thee we have sinned.
8 Ee Tumaini la Israeli, Mwokozi wake wakati wa taabu, kwa nini unakuwa kama mgeni katika nchi, kama msafiri anayekaa kwa usiku mmoja tu?
O Hope of Israel — its saviour in time of trouble, Why art Thou as a sojourner in the land? And as a traveller turned aside to lodge?
9 Mbona unakuwa kama mtu aliyeshtukizwa, kama shujaa asiye na uwezo wa kuokoa? Wewe uko katikati yetu, Ee Bwana, nasi tunaitwa kwa jina lako; usituache!
Why art Thou as one dumb? As a mighty one not able to save? And Thou [art] in our midst, O Jehovah, And Thy name over us is called, leave us not.
10 Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kuhusu watu hawa: “Wanapenda sana kutangatanga, hawaizuii miguu yao. Hivyo Bwana hawakubali; sasa ataukumbuka uovu wao na kuwaadhibu kwa ajili ya dhambi zao.”
Thus said Jehovah concerning this people: Well they have loved to wander, Their feet they have not restrained, And Jehovah hath not accepted them, Now doth He remember their iniquity, And inspect their sin.
11 Kisha Bwana akaniambia, “Usiombe kwa ajili ya mafanikio ya watu hawa.
And Jehovah saith unto me: Thou dost not pray for this people for good,
12 Ingawa wanafunga, sitasikiliza kilio chao; hata wakitoa dhabihu za kuteketezwa na dhabihu za nafaka, sitazikubali. Badala yake, nitawaangamiza kwa upanga, njaa na tauni.”
When they fast, I hearken not unto their cry, And when they cause to ascend burnt-offering and present, I accept them not, For by sword, and by famine, And by pestilence, I am consuming them.
13 Lakini nikasema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, manabii wanaendelea kuwaambia, ‘Hamtaona upanga wala kukabiliwa na njaa. Naam, nitawapa amani ya kudumu mahali hapa.’”
And I say, 'Ah, Lord Jehovah, Lo, the prophets are saying to them: Ye do not see a sword, yea, famine is not to you, For true peace I give to you in this place.'
14 Ndipo Bwana akaniambia, “Manabii wanatabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Sikuwatuma, wala sikuwaweka, wala sikusema nao. Wanawatabiria maono ya uongo, maaguzi, maono ya sanamu zisizofaa kitu, na madanganyo ya mawazo yao wenyewe.
And Jehovah saith unto me: Falsehood the prophets are prophesying in My name, I did not send them, nor command them, Nor have I spoken unto them: A false vision, and divination, and vanity, And the deceit of their own heart, they are prophesying to you.
15 Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kuhusu manabii wanaotabiri kwa jina langu: Mimi sikuwatuma, lakini wanasema, ‘Hakuna upanga wala njaa itakayoigusa nchi hii.’ Manabii hao hao watakufa kwa upanga na njaa.
Therefore, thus said Jehovah concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My name, and I have not sent them, and they are saying, Sword and famine is not in this land: By sword and by famine are these prophets consumed.
16 Nao watu hao wanaowatabiria watatupwa nje katika barabara za Yerusalemu kwa sababu ya njaa na upanga. Hapatakuwepo yeyote wa kuwazika wao au wake zao, wana wao au binti zao. Nitawamwagia maafa wanayostahili.
And the people to whom they are prophesying, Are cast into out-places of Jerusalem, Because of the famine, and of the sword, And they have none burying them, Them, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, And I have poured out upon them this evil.
17 “Nena nao neno hili: “‘Macho yangu na yatiririkwe na machozi usiku na mchana bila kukoma; kwa kuwa binti yangu aliye bikira, yaani watu wangu, amepata jeraha baya, pigo la kuangamiza.
And thou hast said unto them this word: Tears come down mine eyes night and day, And they do not cease, For, [with] a great breach, Broken hath been the virgin daughter of my people, A very grievous stroke.
18 Kama nikienda mashambani, ninaona wale waliouawa kwa upanga; kama nikienda mjini, ninaona maangamizi ya njaa. Nabii na kuhani kwa pamoja wamekwenda katika nchi wasiyoijua.’”
If I have gone forth to the field, Then, lo, the pierced of the sword! And if I have entered the city, Then, lo, the diseased of famine! For both prophet and priest have gone up and down Unto a land that they knew not.
19 Je, umemkataa Yuda kabisa? Umemchukia Sayuni kabisa? Kwa nini umetuumiza hata hatuwezi kuponyeka? Tulitarajia amani, lakini hakuna jema lililotujia; tulitarajia wakati wa kupona lakini kuna hofu kuu tu.
Hast Thou utterly rejected Judah? Zion hath Thy soul loathed? Wherefore hast Thou smitten us, And there is no healing to us? Looking for peace, and there is no good, And for a time of healing, and lo, terror.
20 Ee Bwana, tunatambua uovu wetu na kosa la baba zetu; kweli tumetenda dhambi dhidi yako.
We have known, O Jehovah, our wickedness, The iniquity of our fathers, For we have sinned against Thee.
21 Kwa ajili ya jina lako usituchukie kabisa; usikidharau kiti chako cha enzi kilichotukuka. Kumbuka agano lako nasi na usilivunje.
Do not despise, for Thy name's sake, Dishonour not the throne of Thine honour, Remember, break not Thy covenant with us.
22 Je, kuna sanamu yoyote isiyofaa kitu ya mataifa iwezayo kuleta mvua? Je, anga peke yake zaweza kutoa mvua? La hasha, ni wewe peke yako, Ee Bwana, Mungu wetu. Kwa hiyo tumaini letu liko kwako, kwa kuwa wewe ndiwe ufanyaye haya yote.
Are there among the vanities of the nations any causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Art not Thou He, O Jehovah our God? And we wait for thee, for Thou — Thou hast done all these!
