< 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 is written with a pen of iron, With the point of a diamond, Engraved on the tablet of their heart, And on the horns of your altars,
2 Hata watoto wao wanakumbuka madhabahu zao na nguzo za Ashera, kandokando ya miti iliyotanda na juu ya vilima virefu.
As their sons remember their altars and their Asherim, By the green tree, by the high hills.
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.
O My mountain in the field—your strength, All your treasures—I give for a prey, Your high places for sin in 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 have let go—even through yourself, Of your inheritance that I gave to you, And I have caused you to serve your enemies, In a land that you have not known, For you have kindled a fire in My anger, It burns for all time.”
5 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Amelaaniwa yeye amtegemeaye mwanadamu, ategemeaye mwenye mwili kwa ajili ya nguvu zake, ambaye moyo wake umemwacha Bwana.
Thus said YHWH: “Cursed [is] the man who trusts in man, And has made flesh his arm, And whose heart turns from YHWH.
6 Atakuwa kama kichaka cha jangwani; hataona mafanikio yatakapokuja. Ataishi katika sehemu zisizo na maji, katika nchi ya chumvi ambapo hakuna yeyote aishiye humo.
And he has been as a naked thing in a desert, And does not see when good comes, And has inhabited parched places in a wilderness, A salt land, and not inhabited.
7 “Lakini amebarikiwa mtu ambaye tumaini lake ni katika Bwana, ambaye matumaini yake ni katika Bwana.
Blessed [is] the man who trusts in YHWH, And whose confidence has been YHWH.
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 has been as a tree planted by waters, And he sends forth his roots by a stream, And he does not see when heat comes, And his leaf has been green, And he is not sorrowful in a year of scarcity, Nor does he cease from making fruit.
9 Moyo ni mdanganyifu kuliko vitu vyote, ni mwovu kupita kiasi. Ni nani awezaye kuujua?
The heart [is] deceitful above all things, And it [is] incurable—who knows it?
10 “Mimi Bwana huchunguza moyo na kuzijaribu nia, ili kumlipa mtu kwa kadiri ya mwenendo wake, kwa kadiri ya matendo yake yanavyostahili.”
I, YHWH, search the heart, try the reins, Even to give to each according to his way, According to the fruit of his doings.
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 hatching, and not bringing forth, [Is] one making wealth, and not by right, In the midst of his days he forsakes it, And in his latter end—he is a fool.”
12 Kiti cha enzi kilichotukuzwa, kilichoinuliwa tangu mwanzo, ndiyo sehemu yetu ya mahali patakatifu.
A throne of glory on high from the beginning, The place of our sanctuary,
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.
The hope of Israel [is] YHWH, All forsaking You are ashamed. “And My apostates are written in the earth, For they have forsaken YHWH, A fountain of living waters.”
14 Uniponye, Ee Bwana, nami nitaponyeka; uniokoe nami nitaokoka, kwa maana wewe ndiwe ninayekusifu.
Heal me, O YHWH, and I am healed, Save me, and I am saved, For You [are] my praise.
15 Wao huendelea kuniambia, “Liko wapi neno la Bwana? Sasa na litimie!”
Behold, they are saying to me: “Where [is] the word of YHWH? Pray, let it come.”
16 Sijakukimbia na kuacha kuwa mchungaji wako; unajua sijaitamani siku ya kukata tamaa. Kile kipitacho midomoni mwangu ki wazi mbele yako.
And I did not hurry from feeding after You, And I have not desired the desperate day, You have known the produce of my lips, It has been before Your face,
17 Usiwe kwangu kitu cha kunitia hofu kuu; wewe ndiwe kimbilio langu katika siku ya maafa.
Do not be to me for a terror, You [are] my hope in a day of calamity.
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.
Let my pursuers be ashamed, And do not let me be ashamed—me! Let them be frightened, And do not let me be frightened—me! Bring in on them a day of calamity, And destroy them a second time [with] 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 said YHWH to me: “Go, and you have stood in the gate of the sons of the people, by which kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all 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 have said to them: Hear a word of YHWH, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all inhabitants of Jerusalem, who are coming in by these gates,”
21 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Jihadharini msije mkabeba mzigo siku ya Sabato, wala kuingiza mzigo kupitia malango ya Yerusalemu.
Thus said YHWH: “Take heed to yourselves, And you do not bear a burden on the day of rest, Nor have you brought [it] in by 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.
Nor do you take out a burden from your houses on the day of rest, Indeed, you do not do any work, And you have sanctified the day of rest, As I have commanded your fathers.
23 Hata hivyo hawakusikiliza wala kujali, walishupaza shingo zao, na hawakutaka kusikia wala kukubali adhabu.
And they have not listened nor inclined their ear, And they stiffen their neck not to hear, And not to receive instruction.
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 it has been, if you certainly listen to Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “So as not to bring in a burden by the gates of this city on the day of rest, And to sanctify the day of rest, So as not to do any 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 kings and princes have entered by the gates of this city, Sitting on the throne of David, Riding in a chariot, and on horses, They, and their princes, the man of Judah, And inhabitants of Jerusalem, And this city has remained for all time.
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 have come in from cities of Judah, And from outskirts of Jerusalem, And from the land of Benjamin, And from the low country, And from the hill-country, And from the south, Bringing in burnt-offering, and sacrifice, And present, and frankincense, And bringing praise [to] the house of YHWH.
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.’”
And if you do not listen to Me to sanctify the day of rest, And so as not to bear a burden, And to come in at the gates of Jerusalem on the day of rest, Then I have kindled a fire in its gates, And it has consumed the high places of Jerusalem, And it is not quenched!”