Yeremia 21
1 Neno lilimjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana wakati Mfalme Sedekia alipowatuma Pashuri mwana wa Malkiya, na kuhani Sefania mwana wa Maaseya kwake, kusema:
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said,
2 “Tuulizie sasa kwa Bwana, kwa sababu Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli anatushambulia. Labda Bwana atatenda maajabu kwa ajili yetu kama nyakati zilizopita, ili Nebukadneza atuondokee.”
“Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is waging war against us. Perhaps the LORD will perform for us something like all His past wonders, so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”
3 Lakini Yeremia akawajibu, “Mwambieni Sedekia,
But Jeremiah answered, “You are to tell Zedekiah that
4 ‘Hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: Ninakaribia kuwageuzia silaha za vita zilizo mikononi mwenu, ambazo mnatumia kupigana na mfalme wa Babeli na Wakaldayo ambao wako nje ya ukuta wakiwazunguka kwa jeshi. Nami nitawakusanya ndani ya mji huu.
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will turn against you the weapons of war in your hands, with which you are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall, and I will assemble their forces in the center of this city.
5 Mimi mwenyewe nitapigana dhidi yenu kwa mkono wangu ulionyooshwa na mkono wa nguvu, kwa hasira na ghadhabu kali na ukali mwingi.
And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm, with anger, fury, and great wrath.
6 Nitawaangamiza waishio katika mji huu, watu na wanyama, nao watauawa kwa tauni ya kutisha.
I will strike down the residents of this city, both man and beast. They will die in a terrible plague.’
7 Baada ya hayo, nitamtia Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda, maafisa wake na watu wa mji huu ambao walinusurika tauni, upanga na njaa, mkononi mwa Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli, na kwa adui zao wale wanaotafuta uhai wao. Atawaua kwa upanga; hatakuwa na rehema juu yao au huruma wala kuwasikitikia,’ asema Bwana.
‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will not spare them or show pity or compassion.’
8 “Zaidi ya hayo, waambie watu hawa, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tazama, naweka mbele yenu njia ya uzima, na njia ya mauti.
Furthermore, you are to tell this people that this is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
9 Yeyote atakayekaa katika mji huu atakufa kwa upanga, njaa au tauni. Lakini yeyote atakayetoka na kujisalimisha kwa Wakaldayo ambao wameuzunguka mji huu kwa jeshi, atanusurika, naye ataishi.
Whoever stays in this city will die by sword and famine and plague, but whoever goes out and surrenders to the Chaldeans who besiege you will live; he will retain his life like a spoil of war.
10 Nimekusudia kuufanyia mji huu jambo baya, wala si jema. Utatiwa mikononi mwa mfalme wa Babeli, naye atauteketeza kwa moto, asema Bwana.’
For I have set My face against this city to bring disaster and not good, declares the LORD. It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.’
11 “Zaidi ya hayo, ambia nyumba ya mfalme ya Yuda, ‘Sikia neno la Bwana,
Moreover, tell the house of the king of Judah to hear the word of the LORD.
12 Ewe nyumba ya Daudi, hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: “‘Hukumuni kwa haki kila asubuhi, mwokoeni mikononi mwa mdhalimu yeye aliyetekwa nyara, la sivyo ghadhabu yangu italipuka na kuwaka kama moto kwa sababu ya uovu mlioufanya: itawaka na hakuna wa kuizima.
O house of David, this is what the LORD says: ‘Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.
13 Niko kinyume nawe, ee Yerusalemu, wewe uishiye juu ya bonde hili kwenye uwanda wa juu wa miamba, asema Bwana, wewe usemaye, “Ni nani awezaye kuja kinyume chetu? Nani ataingia mahali pa kimbilio letu?”
Behold, I am against you who dwell above the valley, atop the rocky plateau— declares the LORD— you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our dwellings?”
14 Nitawaadhibu kama istahilivyo matendo yenu, asema Bwana. Nitawasha moto katika misitu yenu ambao utateketeza kila kitu kinachowazunguka.’”
I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares the LORD. I will kindle a fire in your forest that will consume everything around you.’”
