Yeremia 18
1 Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
The word that has been to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying,
2 “Shuka uende mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nami huko nitakupa ujumbe wangu.”
“Rise, and you have gone down [to] the potter’s house, and there I cause you to hear My words”;
3 Kwa hiyo nikashuka mpaka kwenye nyumba ya mfinyanzi, nikamkuta akifinyanga kwa gurudumu lake.
and I go down [to] the potter’s house, and behold, he is doing a work on the stones,
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 that he is making is marred, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he has turned and he makes it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.
5 Kisha neno la Bwana likanijia kusema:
And there is a word of YHWH 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.
“O house of Israel, am I not able to do to you as this potter?” A declaration of YHWH. “Behold, as 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,
The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,
8 ikiwa lile taifa nililolionya litatubia uovu wake, ndipo nitakapokuwa na huruma, wala sitawapiga kwa maafa niliyokuwa nimewakusudia.
And that nation has turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have relented of the calamity that I thought to do to it.
9 Ikiwa wakati mwingine nitatangaza kuwa taifa ama utawala ujengwe na kuwekwa wakfu,
And the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant,
10 ikiwa utafanya maovu mbele zangu na hukunitii, ndipo nitakapoghairi makusudio yangu mema niliyokuwa nimeyakusudia.
And it has done evil in My eyes, So as not to listen to My voice, Then I have relented of the good That I have spoken of doing 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.’
And now, speak now to men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am framing calamity against you, And devising a scheme against you; Please turn back, each from his evil way, And amend your ways and your doings.”
12 Lakini wao watajibu, ‘Hakuna faida. Tutaendelea na mipango yetu wenyewe, kila mmoja wetu atafuata ukaidi wa moyo wake mbaya.’”
And they have said, “It is incurable, For we go after our own plans, And each of us does the stubbornness of his 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.
Therefore, thus said YHWH: “Now ask among the nations, Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.
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?
Does snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Will the cold strange [waters] that are flowing be forsaken?
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.
But My people have forgotten Me, they make incense to a vain thing, And they cause them to stumble in their ways—paths of old, To walk in paths—a way not raised up,
16 Nchi yao itaharibiwa, itakuwa kitu cha kudharauliwa daima; wote wapitao karibu nayo watashangaa na kutikisa vichwa vyao.
To make their land become a desolation, A continuous hissing, Everyone passing by it is astonished, And bemoans with his head.
17 Kama upepo utokao mashariki, nitawatawanya mbele ya adui zao; nitawapa kisogo wala sio uso, katika siku ya maafa yao.”
I scatter them before an enemy as with an east wind, I show them the neck and not the face, In the day of their calamity.”
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 say, “Come, And we devise schemes against Jeremiah, For law does not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we strike him with the tongue, And we do not attend to any of his words.”
19 Nisikilize, Ee Bwana, sikia wanayosema washtaki wangu!
Give attention, O YHWH, to me, And listen to the voice of those contending with me.
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.
Is evil repaid instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before You to speak good of them, To turn back Your wrath 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.
Therefore, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men [are] struck by 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.
A cry is heard from their houses, For You suddenly bring a troop against them, For they dug a pit to capture 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.
And You, O YHWH, You have known, All their counsel against me [is] for death, You do not cover over their iniquity, Nor blot out their sin from before You, And they are made to stumble before You, Work against them in the time of Your anger!
