< Yeremia 23 >

1 “Ole wao wachungaji wanaoharibu na kutawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu!” asema Bwana.
Woe to the pastors, that destroy and tear the sheep of my pasture, saith 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.
Therefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel to the pastors that feed my people: You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold I will visit upon you for the evil of your doings, saith 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, out of all the lands into which I have cast them out: and I will make them return to their own fields, and they shall 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 set up pastors over them, and they shall feed them: they shall fear no more, and they shall not be dismayed: and none shall be wanting of their number, saith 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 come, saith the Lord, and I will raise up to David a just branch: and a king shall reign, and shall be wise, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth.
6 Katika siku zake, Yuda ataokolewa na Israeli ataishi salama. Hili ndilo jina atakaloitwa: Bwana Haki Yetu.
In those days shall Juda be saved, and Israel shall dwell confidently: and this is the name that they shall 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,’
Therefore behold the days to come, saith the Lord, and they shall say no more: The Lord liveth, who brought up the children of Israel out of 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 the Lord liveth, who hath brought out, and brought hither the seed of the house of Israel from the land of the north, and out of all the lands, to which I had cast them forth: and they shall dwell 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 broken within me, all my bones tremble: I am become as a drunken man, and as a man full of wine, at the presence of the Lord, and at the presence 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.
Because the land is full of adulterers, because the land hath mourned by reason of cursing, the fields of the desert are dried up: and their course is become evil, and their strength unlike.
11 “Nabii na kuhani wote si wacha Mungu; hata hekaluni mwangu ninaona uovu wao,” asema Bwana.
For the prophet and the priest are defiled: and in my house I have found their wickedness, saith 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.
Therefore their way shall be as a slippery way in the dark: for they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evils upon them, the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.
13 “Miongoni mwa manabii wa Samaria nililiona jambo la kuchukiza: Walitabiri kwa Baali na kuwapotosha Israeli watu wangu.
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: they prophesied in Baal, and 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 I have seen the likeness of adulterers, and the way of lying in the prophets of Jerusalem: and they strengthened the hand of the wicked, that no man should return from his evil doings: that are all become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrha.
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.”
Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts to the prophets: Behold I will feed them with wormwood, and I will give them gall to drink: for from the prophets of Jerusalem corruption has gone forth into all the land.
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 saith the Lord of hosts: Hearken not to the words of the prophets that prophesy to you, and deceive you: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of 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.’
They say to them that blaspheme me: The Lord hath said: You shall have peace: and to every one that walketh in the perverseness of his own heart, they have said: No evil shall come to 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 hath stood in the counsel of the Lord, and hath seen and heard his word? Who hath 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 shall come forth, and a tempest shall break out and come upon the head of the wicked.
20 Hasira ya Bwana haitageuka mpaka amelitimiza kusudi la moyo wake. Siku zijazo mtalifahamu kwa wazi.
The wrath of the Lord shall not return till he execute it, and till he accomplish the thought of his heart: in the latter days you shall understand his counsel.
21 Mimi sikuwatuma manabii hawa, lakini bado wamekimbia wakitangaza ujumbe wao. Mimi sikusema nao, lakini wametabiri.
I did not send prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
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 stood in my counsel, and had made my words known to my people, I should have turned them from their evil way and from their wicked doings.
23 “Je, mimi ni Mungu aliyeko hapa karibu tu,” Bwana asema, “wala si Mungu aliyeko pia mbali?
Am I, think ye, a God at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off?
24 Je, mtu yeyote aweza kujificha mahali pa siri ili nisiweze kumwona?” Bwana asema. “Je, mimi sikuijaza mbingu na nchi?” Bwana asema.
Shall a man be hid in secret places, and I not see him, saith the Lord? do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?
25 “Nimesikia wanayoyasema manabii, hao wanaotabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Wanasema, ‘Nimeota ndoto! Nimeota ndoto!’
I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, and say: 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 shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, and that prophesy the delusions of 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.
Who seek to make my people forget my name through their dreams, which they tell every man to his neighbor: as their fathers forgot my name for 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 that hath a dream, let him tell a dream: and he that hath my word, let him speak my word with truth: what hath the chaff to do with the wheat, saith the Lord?
29 “Je, neno langu si kama moto,” asema Bwana, “na kama nyundo ivunjayo mwamba vipande vipande?
Are not my words as a fire, saith the Lord: and as a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?
30 “Kwa hiyo, niko kinyume na manabii wanaoibiana maneno kana kwamba ni yangu,” asema Bwana.
Therefore behold I am against the prophets, saith the Lord: who steal my words every 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, saith the Lord: who use their tongues, and say: The Lord saith 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 that have lying dreams, saith the Lord: and tell them, and cause my people to err by their lying, and by their wonders: when I sent them not, nor commanded them, who have not profited this people at all, saith 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.’
If therefore this people, or the prophet, or the priest shall ask thee, saying: What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt say to them: You are the burden: for I will cast you away, saith 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 that shall 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?’
Thus shall you say every one to his neighbor, and to his brother: What hath the Lord answered? and what hath the Lord spoken?
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 shall be mentioned no more, for every man’s word shall be his 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?’
Thus shalt thou say to the prophet: What hath the Lord answered thee? and what hath 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 shall say: The burden of the Lord: therefore thus saith the Lord: Because you have said this word: The burden of the Lord: and I have sent to you saying: Say not, The burden of the Lord:
39 Kwa hiyo, hakika nitakusahau na kukutupa mbali na uso wangu pamoja na mji niliowapa ninyi na baba zenu.
Therefore behold I will take you away carrying you, and will forsake you, and the city which I gave to you, and to your fathers, out of my presence.
40 Nitaleta juu yako fedheha ya kudumu: yaani aibu ya kudumu ambayo haitasahaulika.”
And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame which shall never be forgotten.

< Yeremia 23 >