Yeremia 23
1 “Ole wao wachungaji wanaoharibu na kutawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu!” asema Bwana.
Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter 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, against the shepherds that feed my people: Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; behold, I will visit upon you 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 the remnant of my flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.
4 Nitaweka wachungaji juu yao ambao watawachunga, nao hawataogopa tena au kutishwa, wala hatapotea hata mmoja,” asema Bwana.
And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, 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, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute judgment and justice in the land.
6 Katika siku zake, Yuda ataokolewa na Israeli ataishi salama. Hili ndilo jina atakaloitwa: Bwana Haki Yetu.
In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The LORD is our righteousness.
7 “Hivyo basi, siku zinakuja, wakati ambapo watu hawatasema tena, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewapandisha Waisraeli kutoka Misri,’
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, As the LORD liveth, which 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, As the LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I had driven them; 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.
Concerning the prophets. Mine heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome; because of the LORD, and because 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 land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up; and their course is evil, and their force is not right.
11 “Nabii na kuhani wote si wacha Mungu; hata hekaluni mwangu ninaona uovu wao,” asema Bwana.
for both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I 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.
Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even 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 by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
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.”
In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen an horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in lies, and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them become unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as 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.”
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness 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 unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you; they teach you vanity: 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 continually unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, No evil shall come upon 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 council of the LORD, that he should perceive and hear his word? who hath marked my word, and heard it?
19 Tazama, dhoruba ya Bwana itapasuka kwa ghadhabu, kisulisuli kitazunguka na kuanguka vichwani vya waovu.
Behold, the tempest of the LORD, [even his] fury, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest: it shall burst upon the head of the wicked.
20 Hasira ya Bwana haitageuka mpaka amelitimiza kusudi la moyo wake. Siku zijazo mtalifahamu kwa wazi.
The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall understand it perfectly.
21 Mimi sikuwatuma manabii hawa, lakini bado wamekimbia wakitangaza ujumbe wao. Mimi sikusema nao, lakini wametabiri.
I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I spake not unto 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.”
But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
23 “Je, mimi ni Mungu aliyeko hapa karibu tu,” Bwana asema, “wala si Mungu aliyeko pia mbali?
Am I 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.
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall 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 have said, that prophesy lies in my name, 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 shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies; even the prophets of the deceit 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.
which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers forgat 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 faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? saith the LORD.
29 “Je, neno langu si kama moto,” asema Bwana, “na kama nyundo ivunjayo mwamba vipande vipande?
Is not my word like as fire? saith the LORD; and like 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, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.
31 “Naam, mimi niko kinyume na manabii wanaotikisa ndimi zao wenyewe na kusema, ‘Bwana asema.’
Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith.
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 them that prophesy lying dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither shall they profit 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.’
And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying, What is the burden of the LORD? then shalt thou say unto them, What burden! I will cast you off, 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 even punish that man and his house.
35 Hivyo mnaambiana kila mmoja na mwenzake, au kwa mtu wa nyumba yao: ‘Bwana amejibu nini?’ au ‘Bwana amesema nini?’
Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one 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 ye mention no more: for every man’s own word shall be his burden; for ye 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 ye say, The burden of the LORD; therefore thus saith the LORD: Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not 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.
therefore, behold, I will utterly forget you, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from 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 not be forgotten.
