Yeremia 18
1 Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:
2 “Shuka uende mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nami huko nitakupa ujumbe wangu.”
“Rise up and descend into the house of the potter, and there you will hear my words.”
3 Kwa hiyo nikashuka mpaka kwenye nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nikamkuta akifinyanga kwa gurudumu lake.
And I descended into the house of the potter, and behold, he was making a work on the wheel.
4 Lakini chombo alichokuwa akikifinyanga kutokana na udongo kilivunjika mikononi mwake, hivyo mfinyanzi akakifanya kuwa chombo kingine, umbo jingine kama vile ilivyoonekana vyema kwake yeye.
And the vessel, which he was making with his hands out of clay, broke. And turning away, he made another vessel, for it had been pleasing in his eyes to make it.
5 Kisha neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
6 “Ee nyumba ya Israeli, je, siwezi kuwafanyia kama huyu mfinyanzi afanyavyo?” asema Bwana. “Kama vile udongo ulivyo katika mikono ya mfinyanzi, ndivyo mlivyo katika mkono wangu, ee nyumba ya Israeli.
“Am I not able to do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done, says the Lord? Behold, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
7 Ikiwa wakati wowote nikitangaza kuwa taifa au ufalme utangʼolewa, utaangushwa na kuangamizwa,
Suddenly, I will speak against a nation and against a kingdom, so that I may uproot, and destroy, and scatter it.
8 ikiwa lile taifa nililolionya litatubia uovu wake, ndipo nitakapokuwa na huruma, wala sitawapiga kwa maafa niliyokuwa nimewakusudia.
If that nation, against which I have spoken, will repent from their evil, I too will repent from the evil that I have decided I would do to them.
9 Ikiwa wakati mwingine nitatangaza kuwa taifa ama utawala ujengwe na kuwekwa wakfu,
And soon, I will speak about a nation and about a kingdom, so that I may build and plant it.
10 ikiwa utafanya maovu mbele zangu na hukunitii, ndipo nitakapoghairi makusudio yangu mema niliyokuwa nimeyakusudia.
If it does evil in my sight, so as not to listen to my voice, I will repent of the good that I have said I would do to it.
11 “Basi kwa hiyo waambie watu wa Yuda na wale waishio Yerusalemu, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tazama! Ninaandaa maafa kwa ajili yenu, nami ninabuni mabaya dhidi yenu. Kwa hiyo geukeni kutoka njia zenu mbaya, kila mmoja wenu, tengenezeni njia zenu na matendo yenu.’
Now, therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am forming an evil against you, and I am considering a plan against you. Let each one of you return from his evil way, and direct your ways and your intentions well.”
12 Lakini wao watajibu, ‘Hakuna faida. Tutaendelea na mipango yetu wenyewe, kila mmoja wetu atafuata ukaidi wa moyo wake mbaya.’”
And they said: “We have lost hope. And so we will follow our own thoughts, and each of us will act according to the depravity of his own evil heart.”
13 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Ulizia miongoni mwa mataifa: Ni nani alishasikia jambo kama hili? Jambo la kutisha sana limefanywa na Bikira Israeli.
For this reason, thus says the Lord: “Inquire among the Gentiles. Who has heard of such horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done to excess?
14 Je, barafu ya Lebanoni iliwahi kutoweka kwenye miteremko yake ya mawe wakati wowote? Je, maji yake baridi yatokayo katika vyanzo vilivyo mbali yaliwahi kukoma kutiririka wakati wowote?
Do the snows of Lebanon fail to fall on the rocks of the field? Or are the cold waters, which burst forth and flow down, able to be rooted out?
15 Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi, wanafukizia uvumba sanamu zisizofaa kitu, zilizowafanya wajikwae katika njia zao na katika mapito ya zamani. Zimewafanya wapite kwenye vichochoro na kwenye barabara ambazo hazikujengwa.
Yet my people have forgotten me, offering useless libations, and stumbling in their ways, in the paths of the world, so that they walk by these on an unmarked route.
16 Nchi yao itaharibiwa, itakuwa kitu cha kudharauliwa daima; wote wapitao karibu nayo watashangaa na kutikisa vichwa vyao.
And so their land has been given over to desolation and to perpetual hissing. Each one who passes by will be astonished and will shake his head.
17 Kama upepo utokao mashariki, nitawatawanya mbele ya adui zao; nitawapa kisogo wala sio uso, katika siku ya maafa yao.”
Like a burning wind, I will disperse them in the sight the enemy. I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their perdition.”
18 Wakasema, “Njooni, tutunge hila dhidi ya Yeremia; kwa kuwa kufundisha sheria kwa kuhani hakutapotea, wala shauri litokalo kwa mwenye hekima, wala neno la manabii. Hivyo njooni, tumshambulie kwa ndimi zetu na tusijali chochote asemacho.”
And they said: “Come, and let us devise a plan against Jeremiah. For the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor a sermon from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us pay no attention to any of his words.”
19 Nisikilize, Ee Bwana, sikia wanayosema washtaki wangu!
Attend to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries.
20 Je, mema yalipwe kwa mabaya? Lakini wao wamenichimbia shimo. Kumbuka kwamba nilisimama mbele yako na kunena mema kwa ajili yao, ili wewe ugeuze hasira yako kali mbali nao.
Should evil be rendered for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul! Remember that I have stood in your sight, so as to speak on their behalf for good, and to avert your indignation from them.
21 Kwa hiyo uwaache watoto wao waone njaa; uwaache wauawe kwa makali ya upanga. Wake zao wasiwe na watoto, na wawe wajane; waume wao wauawe, nao vijana wao waume wachinjwe kwa upanga vitani.
Because of this, give their sons over to famine, and bring them to the hand of the sword. Let their wives be widows without children. And let their husbands be slain by death. Let their youths be stabbed with the sword in battle.
22 Kilio na kisikike kutoka kwenye nyumba zao ghafula uwaletapo adui dhidi yao, kwa kuwa wamechimba shimo ili kunikamata na wameitegea miguu yangu mitego.
Let an outcry be heard from their houses. For you will lead the robber upon them suddenly. For they have dug a pit, so that they may seize me, and they have hidden snares for my feet.
23 Lakini unajua, Ee Bwana, hila zao zote za kuniua. Usiyasamehe makosa yao wala usifute dhambi zao mbele za macho yako. Wao na waangamizwe mbele zako; uwashughulikie wakati wa hasira yako.
But you, O Lord, know all their plans against me unto death. May you not forgive their iniquity, and do not allow their sin be taken away from your face. Let them be thrown down in your sight, in the time of your fury, so that you may destroy them.
