< Yeremia 17 >
1 “Dhambi ya Yuda imechorwa kwa kalamu ya chuma, imeandikwa kwa ncha ya almasi, kwenye vibao vya mioyo yao na kwenye pembe za madhabahu zao.
“The sin of Judah has been written with a pen of iron and a point of diamond. It has been engraved upon the breadth of their heart and upon the horns of their shrines.
2 Hata watoto wao wanakumbuka madhabahu zao na nguzo za Ashera, kandokando ya miti iliyotanda na juu ya vilima virefu.
And their sons make a remembrance of their shrines, and their sacred groves, and their leafy trees on high mountains,
3 Mlima wangu katika nchi pamoja na utajiri na hazina zako zote nitazitoa ziwe nyara, pamoja na mahali pako pa juu pa kuabudia miungu kwa sababu ya dhambi katika nchi yako yote.
by sacrificing in the field. And so, I will give over your strength and all your treasures to be despoiled, along with your exalted places of sin, within all your borders.
4 Kwa kosa lako mwenyewe utaupoteza urithi niliokupa. Nitakufanya mtumwa wa adui zako katika nchi usiyoijua, kwa kuwa umeiwasha hasira yangu, nayo itawaka milele.”
And you will be left behind without your inheritance, which I gave to you. And I will cause you to serve your enemies in a land that you do not know. For you have kindled a fire in my fury; it shall burn, even unto eternity.”
5 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Amelaaniwa yeye amtegemeaye mwanadamu, ategemeaye mwenye mwili kwa ajili ya nguvu zake, ambaye moyo wake umemwacha Bwana.
Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is a man who trusts in man, and who establishes what is flesh as his right arm, and whose heart withdraws from the Lord.
6 Atakuwa kama kichaka cha jangwani; hataona mafanikio yatakapokuja. Ataishi katika sehemu zisizo na maji, katika nchi ya chumvi ambapo hakuna yeyote aishiye humo.
For he will be like a saltcedar tree in the desert. And he will not perceive it, when what is good has arrived. Instead, he will live in dryness, in a desert, in a land of salt, which is uninhabitable.
7 “Lakini amebarikiwa mtu ambaye tumaini lake ni katika Bwana, ambaye matumaini yake ni katika Bwana.
Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, for the Lord will be his confidence.
8 Atakuwa kama mti uliopandwa kando ya maji uenezao mizizi yake karibu na kijito cha maji. Hauogopi wakati wa joto ujapo; majani yake ni mabichi daima. Hauna hofu katika mwaka wa ukame na hautaacha kuzaa matunda.”
And he will be like a tree planted beside waters, which sends out its roots to moist soil. And it will not fear when the heat arrives. And its leaves will be green. And in the time of drought, it will not be anxious, nor will it cease at any time to bear fruit.
9 Moyo ni mdanganyifu kuliko vitu vyote, ni mwovu kupita kiasi. Ni nani awezaye kuujua?
The heart is depraved above all things, and it is unsearchable, who can know it?
10 “Mimi Bwana huchunguza moyo na kuzijaribu nia, ili kumlipa mtu kwa kadiri ya mwenendo wake, kwa kadiri ya matendo yake yanavyostahili.”
I am the Lord, who examines the heart and tests the temperament, who gives to each one according to his way and according to the fruit of his own decisions.
11 Kama kware aanguaye mayai asiyoyataga, ndivyo alivyo mtu apataye mali kwa njia zisizo za haki. Maisha yake yafikapo katikati, siku zitamwacha, na mwishoni atabainika kuwa mpumbavu.
A partridge has hatched eggs that she did not lay; a man has gathered riches, but without judgment. In the midst of his days, he will leave it all behind, and he will be foolish concerning his very end.”
12 Kiti cha enzi kilichotukuzwa, kilichoinuliwa tangu mwanzo, ndiyo sehemu yetu ya mahali patakatifu.
“A high and glorious throne is the place of our sanctification from the beginning.
13 Ee Bwana, uliye tumaini la Israeli, wote wakuachao wataaibika. Wale wanaogeukia mbali nawe wataandikwa mavumbini kwa sababu wamemwacha Bwana, chemchemi ya maji yaliyo hai.
O Lord, Hope of Israel: all who forsake you will be confounded. Those who withdraw from you will be written into the earth. For they have abandoned the Lord, the Source of living waters.
14 Uniponye, Ee Bwana, nami nitaponyeka; uniokoe nami nitaokoka, kwa maana wewe ndiwe ninayekusifu.
Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved. For you are my praise.
15 Wao huendelea kuniambia, “Liko wapi neno la Bwana? Sasa na litimie!”
Behold, they themselves are saying to me: ‘Where is the word of the Lord? Let it come.’
16 Sijakukimbia na kuacha kuwa mchungaji wako; unajua sijaitamani siku ya kukata tamaa. Kile kipitacho midomoni mwangu ki wazi mbele yako.
But I am not troubled; I am following you as my shepherd. And I have not desired the day of man, as you know. That which has gone forth from my lips has been right in your sight.
17 Usiwe kwangu kitu cha kunitia hofu kuu; wewe ndiwe kimbilio langu katika siku ya maafa.
May you not be a dread to me. You are my hope in the day of affliction.
18 Watesi wangu na waaibishwe, lakini nilinde mimi nisiaibike; wao na watiwe hofu kuu, lakini unilinde mimi na hofu kuu. Waletee siku ya maafa; waangamize kwa maangamizi maradufu.
May those who persecute me be confounded, but may I not be confounded. May they be fearful, and may I not be fearful. Lead over them the day of affliction, and crush them with a double destruction.”
19 Hili ndilo Bwana aliloniambia: “Nenda ukasimame kwenye lango la watu, mahali ambako wafalme wa Yuda huingilia na kutokea, simama pia kwenye malango mengine yote ya Yerusalemu.
Thus says the Lord to me: “Go, and stand at the gate of the sons of the people, through which the kings of Judah enter and depart, and at all the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Waambie, ‘Sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi wafalme wa Yuda, nanyi watu wote wa Yuda, na kila mmoja aishiye Yerusalemu apitaye katika malango haya.
And you shall say to them: Listen to the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah, and all of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter through these gates.”
21 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Jihadharini msije mkabeba mzigo siku ya Sabato, wala kuingiza mzigo kupitia malango ya Yerusalemu.
Thus says the Lord: “Guard your souls, and do not choose to carry heavy things on the day of the Sabbath, nor should you carry these things through the gates of Jerusalem.
22 Msitoe mizigo nje ya nyumba zenu wala kufanya kazi yoyote wakati wa Sabato, lakini itakaseni siku ya Sabato, kama nilivyowaamuru baba zenu.
And do not be willing to cast burdens out of your houses on the day of the Sabbath, nor should you do any work. Sanctify the day of the Sabbath, just as I instructed your fathers.
23 Hata hivyo hawakusikiliza wala kujali, walishupaza shingo zao, na hawakutaka kusikia wala kukubali adhabu.
But they did not listen, nor did they incline their ear. Instead, they hardened their neck, lest they listen to me and receive discipline.
24 Lakini mkiwa waangalifu kunitii, asema Bwana, nanyi msipoleta mzigo wowote kupitia malango ya mji huu wakati wa Sabato, lakini mkaitakasa siku ya Sabato kwa kutofanya kazi siku hiyo,
And this shall be: If you listen to me, says the Lord, so that you do not carry in burdens through the gates of this city on the day of the Sabbath, and if you sanctify the day of the Sabbath, so that you do not do work in it,
25 ndipo wafalme wakaao juu ya kiti cha enzi cha Daudi wataingia kupitia malango ya mji huu, pamoja na maafisa wao. Wao na maafisa wao watakuja wakiwa wamepanda magari na farasi, wakiandamana na watu wa Yuda na wale waishio Yerusalemu, nao mji huu utakaliwa na watu daima.
then there will enter through the gates of this city: kings and princes, sitting on the throne of David, and riding on chariots and horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city will be inhabited forever.
26 Watu watakuja kutoka miji ya Yuda na vijiji vinavyoizunguka Yerusalemu, kutoka nchi ya Benyamini na chini ya vilima vya magharibi, kutoka nchi ya vilima na Negebu, wakileta sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu, sadaka za nafaka, uvumba na sadaka za shukrani kwenye nyumba ya Bwana.
And they will arrive from the cities of Judah and from all around Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plains, and from the mountainous regions, and from the south, carrying holocausts, and victims, and sacrifices, and frankincense. And they will carry an oblation into the house of the Lord.
27 Lakini ikiwa hamtanitii mimi kwa kuitakasa Sabato na kwa kutochukua mzigo wowote mnapoingia katika malango ya Yerusalemu wakati wa Sabato, basi nitawasha moto usiozimika katika malango ya Yerusalemu utakaoteketeza ngome zake.’”
But if you will not listen to me, to sanctify the day of the Sabbath, and not to carry burdens, and not to bring these things through the gates of Jerusalem on the day of the Sabbath, then I will kindle a fire at its gates, and it will devour the houses of Jerusalem, and it will not be extinguished.”