Yeremia 2
1 Neno la Bwana lilinijia kusema,
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Nenda ukahubiri masikioni mwa watu wa Yerusalemu: “‘Nakumbuka moyo wako wa uchaji katika ujana wako, jinsi ulivyonipenda kama bibi arusi na kunifuata katika jangwa lile lote, katika nchi isiyopandwa mbegu.
Go and say in the ears of Jerusalem, The Lord says, I still keep the memory of your kind heart when you were young, and your love when you became my bride; how you went after me in the waste of sand, in an unplanted land.
3 Israeli alikuwa mtakatifu kwa Bwana, kama malimbuko ya kwanza ya mavuno yake; wote waliowaangamiza walihesabiwa kuwa na hatia, nayo maafa yaliwakumba,’” asema Bwana.
Israel was holy to the Lord, the first-fruits of his increase: all who made attacks on him were judged as wrongdoers, evil came on them, says the Lord.
4 Sikia neno la Bwana, ee nyumba ya Yakobo, nanyi nyote jamaa za nyumba ya Israeli.
Give ear to the words of the Lord, O sons of Jacob and all the families of Israel:
5 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “Je, baba zenu waliona kosa gani kwangu, hata wakatangatanga mbali nami hivyo? Walifuata sanamu zisizofaa, nao wenyewe wakawa hawafai.
These are the words of the Lord: What evil have your fathers seen in me that they have gone far from me, and, walking after what is false, have become false?
6 Hawakuuliza, ‘Yuko wapi Bwana, aliyetupandisha kutoka Misri na kutuongoza kupitia nyika kame, kupitia nchi ya majangwa na mabonde, nchi ya ukame na giza, nchi ambayo hakuna mtu asafiriye ndani yake wala hakuna mtu aishiye humo?’
And they never said, Where is the Lord, who took us up out of the land of Egypt; who was our guide through the waste of sand, through an unplanted land full of deep holes, through a dry land of deep shade, which no one went through and where no man was living?
7 Niliwaleta katika nchi yenye wingi wa vitu ili mpate kula matunda yake na utajiri wa mazao yake. Lakini mkaja na kuinajisi nchi yangu, na kuufanya urithi wangu chukizo.
And I took you into a fertile land, where you were living on its fruit and its wealth; but when you came in, you made my land unclean, and made my heritage a disgusting thing.
8 Makuhani hawakuuliza, ‘Yuko wapi Bwana?’ Wale wanaoshughulikia sheria hawakunijua mimi; viongozi waliasi dhidi yangu. Manabii walitabiri kwa jina la Baali, wakifuata sanamu zisizofaa.
The priests did not say, Where is the Lord? and those who were expert in the law had no knowledge of me: and the rulers did evil against me, and the prophets became prophets of the Baal, going after things without value.
9 “Kwa hiyo naleta tena mashtaka dhidi yako,” asema Bwana. “Nami nitaleta mashtaka dhidi ya watoto wa watoto wako.
For this reason, I will again put forward my cause against you, says the Lord, even against you and against your children's children.
10 Vuka, nenda ngʼambo mpaka pwani ya Kitimu nawe uangalie, tuma watu waende Kedari, wachunguze kwa makini, uone kama kumekuwepo kitu kama hiki.
For go over to the sea-lands of Kittim and see; send to Kedar and give deep thought to it; and see if there has ever been such a thing.
11 Je, taifa limebadili miungu yake wakati wowote? (Hata ingawa hao si miungu kamwe.) Lakini watu wangu wamebadili Utukufu wao kwa sanamu zisizofaa kitu.
Has any nation ever made a change in their gods, though they are no gods? but my people have given up their glory in exchange for what is of no profit.
12 Shangaeni katika hili, ee mbingu, nanyi tetemekeni kwa hofu kuu,” asema Bwana.
Be full of wonder, O heavens, at this; be overcome with fear, be completely waste, says the Lord.
13 “Watu wangu wametenda dhambi mbili: Wameniacha mimi, niliye chemchemi ya maji yaliyo hai, nao wamejichimbia visima vyao wenyewe, visima vilivyobomoka, visivyoweza kuhifadhi maji.
For my people have done two evils; they have given up me, the fountain of living waters, and have made for themselves water-holes, cut out from the rock, broken water-holes, of no use for storing water.
14 Je, Israeli ni mtumishi, yaani mtumwa kwa kuzaliwa? Kwa nini basi amekuwa mateka?
Is Israel a servant? has he been a house-servant from birth? why has he been made waste?
15 Simba wamenguruma; wamemngurumia. Wameifanya nchi yake kuwa ukiwa; miji yake imeteketezwa, nayo imeachwa haina watu.
The young lions have made an outcry against him with a loud voice: they have made his land waste; his towns are burned up, with no one living in them.
16 Pia watu wa Memfisi na Tahpanhesi wamevunja taji ya kichwa chako.
Even the children of Noph and Tahpanhes have put shame on you.
17 Je, hukujiletea hili wewe mwenyewe kwa kumwacha Bwana, Mungu wako alipowaongoza njiani?
Has not this come on you because you have given up the Lord your God, who was your guide by the way?
18 Sasa kwa nini uende Misri kunywa maji ya Shihori? Nawe kwa nini kwenda Ashuru kunywa maji ya Mto Frati?
And now, what have you to do on the way to Egypt, to get your drink from the waters of the Nile? or what have you to do on the way to Assyria, to get your drink from the waters of the River?
19 Uovu wako utakuadhibu; kurudi nyuma kwako kutakukemea. Basi kumbuka, utambue jinsi lilivyo ovu na chungu kwako unapomwacha Bwana Mungu wako na kutokuwa na hofu yangu,” asema Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
The evil you yourselves have done will be your punishment, your errors will be your judge: be certain then, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing to give up the Lord your God, and no longer to be moved by fear of me, says the Lord, the Lord of armies.
20 “Zamani nilivunja nira yako na kukatilia mbali vifungo vyako; ukasema, ‘Sitakutumikia!’ Naam kweli, kwenye kila kilima kirefu na chini ya kila mti uliotanda matawi yake ulijilaza kama kahaba.
For in the past, your yoke was broken by your hands and your cords parted; and you said, I will not be your servant; for on every high hill and under every branching tree, your behaviour was like that of a loose woman
21 Nilikupanda ukiwa mzabibu ulio bora sana, mkamilifu na wa mbegu nzuri. Ilikuwaje basi ukawa kinyume nami, ukaharibika na kuwa mzabibu mwitu?
But when you were planted by me, you were a noble vine, in every way a true seed: how then have you been changed into the branching plant of a strange vine?
22 Hata ujisafishe kwa magadi na kutumia sabuni nyingi, bado doa la hatia yako liko mbele zangu,” asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
For even if you are washed with soda and take much soap, still your evil-doing is marked before me, says the Lord God.
23 “Wawezaje kusema, ‘Mimi si najisi, sijawafuata Mabaali’? Kumbuka jinsi ulivyotenda kule bondeni; fikiri uliyoyafanya. Wewe ni ngamia jike mwenye mbio ukikimbia hapa na pale,
How are you able to say, I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals? see your way in the valley, be clear about what you have done: you are a quick-footed camel twisting her way in and out;
24 punda-mwitu aliyezoea jangwa, anayenusa upepo katika tamaa yake kubwa: katika wakati wake wa kuhitaji mbegu ni nani awezaye kumzuia? Madume yoyote yanayomfuatilia hayana haja ya kujichosha; wakati wa kupandwa kwake watampata tu.
An untrained ass, used to the waste land, breathing up the wind in her desire; at her time, who is able to send her away? all those who are looking for her will have no need to make themselves tired; in her month they will get her.
25 Usikimbie hadi miguu yako iwe haina viatu, na koo lako liwe limekauka. Lakini ulisema, ‘Haina maana! Ninaipenda miungu ya kigeni, nami lazima niifuatie.’
Do not let your foot be without shoes, or your throat dry from need of water: but you said, There is no hope: no, for I have been a lover of strange gods, and after them I will go.
26 “Kama vile mwizi aaibikavyo wakati amekamatwa, hivyo ndivyo nyumba ya Israeli inavyoaibishwa: wao wenyewe, wafalme wao na maafisa wao, makuhani wao na manabii wao.
As the thief is shamed when he is taken, so is Israel shamed; they, their kings and their rulers, their priests and their prophets;
27 Wanaiambia miti, ‘Wewe ndiwe baba yangu,’ nalo jiwe, ‘Wewe ndiwe uliyenizaa.’ Wamenipa visogo vyao wala hawakunigeuzia nyuso zao; lakini wakiwa katika taabu, wanasema, ‘Njoo utuokoe!’
Who say to a tree, You are my father; and to a stone, You have given me life: for their backs have been turned to me, not their faces: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Up! and be our saviour.
28 Iko wapi basi ile miungu mliyojitengenezea? Yenyewe na ije kama inaweza kuwaokoa wakati mko katika taabu! Kwa maana mna miungu mingi kama mlivyo na miji, ee Yuda.
But where are the gods you have made for yourselves? let them come, if they are able to give you salvation in the time of your trouble: for the number of your gods is as the number of your towns, O Judah.
29 “Kwa nini mnaleta mashtaka dhidi yangu? Ninyi nyote mmeniasi,” asema Bwana.
Why will you put forward your cause against me? You have all done evil against me, says the Lord.
30 “Nimeadhibu watu wako bure tu, hawakujirekebisha. Upanga wako umewala manabii wako kama simba mwenye njaa.
I gave your children blows to no purpose; they got no good from training: your sword has been the destruction of your prophets, like a death-giving lion.
31 “Enyi wa kizazi hiki, tafakarini neno la Bwana: “Je, nimekuwa jangwa kwa Israeli au nchi ya giza kuu? Kwa nini watu wangu wanasema, ‘Sisi tuko huru kuzurura, hatutarudi kwako tena’?
O generation, see the word of the Lord. Have I been a waste land to Israel? or a land of dark night? why do my people say, We have got loose, we will not come to you again?
32 Je, mwanamwali husahau vito vyake, au bibi arusi mapambo yake ya arusi? Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi, tena kwa siku zisizo na hesabu.
Is it possible for a virgin to put out of her memory her ornaments, or a bride her robes? but my people have put me out of their memories for unnumbered days.
33 Je, wewe una ustadi kiasi gani katika kufuatia mapenzi! Hata wale wanawake wabaya kuliko wote wanaweza kujifunza kutokana na njia zako.
With what care are your ways ordered when you are looking for love! so ... your ways.
34 Katika nguo zako watu huona damu ya uhai ya maskini wasio na hatia, ingawa hukuwakamata wakivunja nyumba. Lakini katika haya yote
And in the skirts of your robe may be seen the life-blood of those who have done no wrong: ...
35 unasema, ‘Sina hatia; Mungu hajanikasirikia.’ Lakini nitakuhukumu kwa sababu unasema, ‘Mimi sijatenda dhambi.’
And still you said, I have done no wrong; truly, his wrath is turned away from me. See, I will take up the cause against you, because you say, I have done no wrong.
36 Kwa nini unatangatanga sana, kubadili njia zako? Utakatishwa tamaa na Misri kama ulivyokatishwa na Ashuru.
Why do you go about so much for the purpose of changing your way? you will be shamed on account of Egypt, as you were shamed on account of Assyria.
37 Pia utaondoka mahali hapo ukiwa umeweka mikono kichwani, kwa kuwa Bwana amewakataa wale unaowatumainia; hutasaidiwa nao.
Truly, you will go out from him with your hands on your head: for the Lord has given up those in whom you have put your faith, and they will be of no help to you.
