Yeremia 23
1 “Ole wao wachungaji wanaoharibu na kutawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu!” asema Bwana.
“Woe to the shepherds who scatter and tear apart the sheep of my pasture, says the Lord.
2 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, analowaambia wachungaji wanaowachunga watu wangu: “Kwa sababu mmelitawanya kundi langu na kuwafukuzia mbali, wala hamkuwatunza, basi mimi nitawaadhibu kwa ajili ya uovu mliofanya,” asema Bwana.
Because of this, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to the shepherds who pasture my people: You have scattered my flock, and you have driven them away, and you have not visited them. Behold, I will visit upon you because of your evil pursuits, says the Lord.
3 “Mimi mwenyewe nitayakusanya mabaki ya kundi langu kutoka nchi zote ambazo nimewafukuzia, nami nitawarudisha katika malisho yao, mahali ambapo watazaa na kuongezeka idadi yao.
And I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the entire earth, from the places to which I had cast them out. And I will return them to their own fields. And they will increase and be multiplied.
4 Nitaweka wachungaji juu yao ambao watawachunga, nao hawataogopa tena au kutishwa, wala hatapotea hata mmoja,” asema Bwana.
And I will raise up shepherds over them, and they will pasture them. They will no longer dread, and they will no longer fear. And no one among their number will be seeking more, says the Lord.
5 Bwana asema, “Siku zinakuja, nitakapomwinulia Daudi Tawi lenye haki, Mfalme atakayetawala kwa hekima, na kutenda lililo haki na sawa katika nchi.
Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous branch. And a king will reign, and he will be wise. And he will exercise judgment and justice upon the earth.
6 Katika siku zake, Yuda ataokolewa na Israeli ataishi salama. Hili ndilo jina atakaloitwa: Bwana Haki Yetu.
In those days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in confidence. And this is the name that they will call him: ‘The Lord, our Just One.’
7 “Hivyo basi, siku zinakuja, wakati ambapo watu hawatasema tena, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewapandisha Waisraeli kutoka Misri,’
Because of this, behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when they will no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives, who led the sons of Israel away from the land of Egypt,’
8 bali watasema, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewatoa wazao wa Israeli kutoka nchi ya kaskazini na nchi zote alizokuwa amewafukuzia,’ asema Bwana. Ndipo wataishi katika nchi yao wenyewe.”
but instead, ‘As the Lord lives, who led away and brought back the offspring of the house of Israel from the land of the north and from the entire earth,’ from the places to which I had cast them out. And they will live in their own land.”
9 Kuhusu manabii: Moyo wangu umevunjika ndani yangu; mifupa yangu yote inatetemeka. Nimekuwa kama mtu aliyelewa, kama mtu aliyelemewa na divai, kwa sababu ya Bwana na maneno yake matakatifu.
To the prophets: “My heart is crushed within me. All my bones are trembling. I have become like an inebriated man, and like a man maddened by wine, before the face of the Lord, and before the face of his holy words.
10 Nchi imejaa wazinzi; kwa sababu ya laana, nchi imekauka na malisho yaliyoko nyikani yamekauka. Mwenendo wa manabii ni mbaya na mamlaka yao si ya haki.
For the earth is full of adulterers! And the earth has mourned before the face of evil talk. The plains of the desert have dried up, and their course has become hazardous, and their firmness has become uneven.”
11 “Nabii na kuhani wote si wacha Mungu; hata hekaluni mwangu ninaona uovu wao,” asema Bwana.
“For both the prophet and the priest have become polluted, and I have found their wickedness within my own house, says the Lord.
12 “Kwa hiyo mapito yao yatakuwa utelezi, watafukuziwa mbali gizani na huko wataanguka. Nitaleta maafa juu yao katika mwaka wa kuadhibiwa kwao,” asema Bwana.
For this reason, their way will be like a slippery path in the dark. For they will be impelled forward, and they will fall in it. For I will bring evils over them, in the year of their visitation, says the Lord.
13 “Miongoni mwa manabii wa Samaria nililiona jambo la kuchukiza: Walitabiri kwa Baali na kuwapotosha Israeli watu wangu.
And I have seen the foolishness of the prophets of Samaria. They have prophesied in Baal, and they have deceived my people Israel.
14 Nako miongoni mwa manabii wa Yerusalemu nimeona jambo baya sana: Wanafanya uzinzi na kuenenda katika uongo. Wanatia nguvu mikono ya watenda mabaya, kwa ajili hiyo hakuna yeyote anayeachana na uovu wake. Wote wako kama Sodoma kwangu; watu na Yerusalemu wako kama Gomora.”
And in the prophets of Jerusalem, I have seen the likeness of adulterers and the path of falsehood. And they have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that each one would not convert from his malice. They have all become to me like Sodom, and its inhabitants have become like Gomorrah.”
15 Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo kuhusu manabii: “Nitawafanya wale chakula kichungu na kunywa maji yaliyotiwa sumu, kwa sababu kutokana na manabii wa Yerusalemu kutokumcha Mungu kumeenea katika nchi yote.”
Because of this, thus says the Lord of hosts to the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them absinthe, and I will give them gall to drink. For from the prophets of Jerusalem corruption has gone forth over the entire earth.”
16 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: “Msisikilize wanachowatabiria manabii, wanawajaza matumaini ya uongo. Wanasema maono kutoka akili zao wenyewe, hayatoki katika kinywa cha Bwana.
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not choose to listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you and deceive you. They speak a vision from their own heart, and not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 Huendelea kuwaambia wale wanaonidharau mimi, ‘Bwana asema: Mtakuwa na amani.’ Kwa wale wote wafuatao ugumu wa mioyo yao, wao husema, ‘Hakuna dhara litakalowapata.’
To those who blaspheme me, they say: ‘The Lord has said: You shall have peace.’ And to everyone who walks in the depravity of his own heart, they have said: ‘No evil will overwhelm you.’”
18 Lakini ni yupi miongoni mwao aliyesimama katika baraza la Bwana ili kuona au kusikia neno lake? Ni nani aliyesikiliza na kusikia neno lake?
For who has been present in the counsel of the Lord, and who has seen and heard his word? Who has considered his word and heard it?
19 Tazama, dhoruba ya Bwana itapasuka kwa ghadhabu, kisulisuli kitazunguka na kuanguka vichwani vya waovu.
Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord’s indignation will go forth, and a tempest will break out; it will overwhelm the head of the impious.
20 Hasira ya Bwana haitageuka mpaka amelitimiza kusudi la moyo wake. Siku zijazo mtalifahamu kwa wazi.
The fury of the Lord will not return until it succeeds, and until it completes the plan of his heart. In the last days, you will understand this counsel.
21 Mimi sikuwatuma manabii hawa, lakini bado wamekimbia wakitangaza ujumbe wao. Mimi sikusema nao, lakini wametabiri.
“I did not send these prophets, yet they hurry forward. I was not speaking to them, yet they were prophesying.
22 Lakini kama wangesimama barazani mwangu, wangetangaza maneno yangu kwa watu wangu, nao wangewageuza kutoka njia zao mbaya na kutoka matendo yao maovu.”
If they had stood in my counsel, and if I had made my words known to my people, certainly I would have turned them away from their evil ways and from their most wicked plans.
23 “Je, mimi ni Mungu aliyeko hapa karibu tu,” Bwana asema, “wala si Mungu aliyeko pia mbali?
Do you not realize that I am a God close by, says the Lord, and not a God far away?
24 Je, mtu yeyote aweza kujificha mahali pa siri ili nisiweze kumwona?” Bwana asema. “Je, mimi sikuijaza mbingu na nchi?” Bwana asema.
If a man is hidden in concealed places, do I not see him, says the Lord? Do I not fill up heaven and earth, says the Lord?
25 “Nimesikia wanayoyasema manabii, hao wanaotabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Wanasema, ‘Nimeota ndoto! Nimeota ndoto!’
I have heard what the prophets have said, prophesying falsehoods in my name, and also saying: ‘I have dreamed! I have dreamed!’
26 Mambo haya yataendelea mpaka lini ndani ya mioyo ya hawa manabii wa uongo, ambao hutabiri maono ya uongo ya akili zao wenyewe?
How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who predict what is false, and who prophesy deceptions from their own heart?
27 Wanadhani ndoto wanazoambiana wao kwa wao zitawafanya watu wangu walisahau jina langu, kama baba zao walivyolisahau jina langu kwa kumwabudu Baali.
They want to cause my people to forget my name, by means of their dreams, which each of them describes to his neighbor, just as their fathers forgot my name for the sake of Baal.
28 Mwache nabii aliye na ndoto aseme ndoto yake, lakini yule aliye na neno langu na aliseme kwa uaminifu. Kwa maana jani kavu lina uhusiano gani na ngano?” asema Bwana.
The prophet who has had a dream, let him describe the dream. And he who receives my word, let him speak my word in truth. For what has the chaff to do with the wheat, says the Lord?
29 “Je, neno langu si kama moto,” asema Bwana, “na kama nyundo ivunjayo mwamba vipande vipande?
Are not my words like a fire, says the Lord, and like a hammer crushing rock?
30 “Kwa hiyo, niko kinyume na manabii wanaoibiana maneno kana kwamba ni yangu,” asema Bwana.
Therefore, behold: I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who steal my words, each one from his neighbor.
31 “Naam, mimi niko kinyume na manabii wanaotikisa ndimi zao wenyewe na kusema, ‘Bwana asema.’
Behold, I am against the prophets, says the Lord, who take up their tongues and say: ‘The Lord says it.’
32 Kweli, niko kinyume na hao wanaotabiri ndoto za uongo,” asema Bwana. “Wanazisimulia na kuwapotosha watu wangu kwa uongo wao bila kujali, lakini sikuwatuma wala sikuwaamuru. Hawawafaidi watu hawa hata kidogo,” asema Bwana.
Behold, I am against the prophets, who dream what is false, says the Lord; who explain and so seduce my people with their falsehoods and with their miracles, though I did not send them, nor did I command them. They have offered nothing beneficial to this people, says the Lord.
33 “Wakati watu hawa, au nabii, au kuhani watakapokuuliza, ‘Mzigo wa Bwana ni nini?’ wewe utawaambia, ‘Ninyi ndio mzigo. Nami nitawavua kama vazi, asema Bwana.’
Therefore, if this people, or a prophet, or a priest questions you, saying, ‘What is the burden of the Lord?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden. And certainly I will cast you away, says the Lord.’
34 Nabii, kuhani, au mtu yeyote akisema, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ nitamwadhibu huyo na nyumba yake.
And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people who say, ‘The burden of the Lord!’ I will visit upon that man and upon his house.
35 Hivyo mnaambiana kila mmoja na mwenzake, au kwa mtu wa nyumba yao: ‘Bwana amejibu nini?’ au ‘Bwana amesema nini?’
And then you will speak in this way, each one to his neighbor and to his brother: ‘What has the Lord answered? And what has the Lord said?’
36 Lakini kamwe msiseme tena, ‘Nina mzigo wa Bwana,’ kwa sababu kila neno la mtu binafsi linakuwa mzigo wake mwenyewe, na hivyo kupotosha maneno ya Mungu aliye hai, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wetu.
And the burden of the Lord will no longer be called to mind. For each one’s own word will be a burden. For you have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts, our God.
37 Hivi ndivyo utakavyoendelea kumuuliza nabii: ‘Bwana amekujibu nini?’ au ‘Je, Bwana amesema nini?’
And then you will speak in this way to the prophet: ‘What has the Lord answered you? And what has the Lord spoken?’
38 Ingawa unadai, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Ulitumia maneno, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ hata ingawa nilikuambia kuwa kamwe usiseme, ‘Huu ni mzigo wa Bwana.’
But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord!’ then because of this, thus says the Lord: Since you have spoken this word, ‘The burden of the Lord!’ though I sent to you telling you not to say: ‘The burden of the Lord,’
39 Kwa hiyo, hakika nitakusahau na kukutupa mbali na uso wangu pamoja na mji niliowapa ninyi na baba zenu.
because of this, behold, I will take you away, like a burden, and I will forsake you, as well as the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, before my face.
40 Nitaleta juu yako fedheha ya kudumu: yaani aibu ya kudumu ambayo haitasahaulika.”
And I will give you over to an everlasting reproach and an eternal disgrace, which shall never be wiped away into oblivion.”
