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:
The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashur, the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying:
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.”
Inquire, I pray thee, of Jehovah for us; for Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, maketh war against us; whether Jehovah will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may go up from us.
3 Lakini Yeremia akawajibu, “Mwambieni Sedekia,
And Jeremiah said to them, Thus shall ye say to Zedekiah:
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.
Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war which are in your hands, with which ye fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldaeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them in the midst 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 with a strong arm, with anger and fury and great wrath.
6 Nitawaangamiza waishio katika mji huu, watu na wanyama, nao watauawa kwa tauni ya kutisha.
And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast; by a great pestilence shall they die.
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.
And after this, saith Jehovah, I will deliver Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and those in the city who shall be left alive by the pestilence, the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life; and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword. He shall not spare them, nor have pity, nor show mercy.
8 “Zaidi ya hayo, waambie watu hawa, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Tazama, naweka mbele yenu njia ya uzima, na njia ya mauti.
And to this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: 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.
He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence; but he that goeth out and surrendereth himself to the Chaldaeans that besiege you, he shall live, and bear away his life as a prey.
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 for evil, and not for good, saith Jehovah. It shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.
11 “Zaidi ya hayo, ambia nyumba ya mfalme ya Yuda, ‘Sikia neno la Bwana,
And to the house of the king of Judah: Hear ye the word of Jehovah,
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! Thus saith Jehovah: Administer justice in season, and deliver him that is spoiled from the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings!
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 thee, thou inhabitant of the valley, the rock of the plain, who sayest, “Who shall come down against us? Or who shall enter our habitations?”
14 Nitawaadhibu kama istahilivyo matendo yenu, asema Bwana. Nitawasha moto katika misitu yenu ambao utateketeza kila kitu kinachowazunguka.’”
But I will punish you with the fruit of your doings. I will kindle a fire in her forest, which shall consume all around her.
