Yeremia 23
1 “Ole wao wachungaji wanaoharibu na kutawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu!” asema Bwana.
Alas for the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture Declareth Yahweh.
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 Yahweh God of Israel, Concerning the shepherds who are tending my people, —Ye have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and have not visited them, —Behold me! visiting upon you the wickedness of your doings Declareth Yahweh.
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.
I myself, therefore will gather the remnant of my flock, out of all the lands whither I have driven them, —And will bring them back unto their own fold, 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 raise up over them shepherds who will tend them, —So shall they not be afraid any more, nor be dismayed nor be missing, Declareth Yahweh.
5 Bwana asema, “Siku zinakuja, nitakapomwinulia Daudi Tawi lenye haki, Mfalme atakayetawala kwa hekima, na kutenda lililo haki na sawa katika nchi.
Lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh, when I will raise up to David A righteous Bud, And he shall reign as king, and prosper, And shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.
6 Katika siku zake, Yuda ataokolewa na Israeli ataishi salama. Hili ndilo jina atakaloitwa: Bwana Haki Yetu.
In his days, Shall Judah be saved, And Israel abide securely, —And, this, is his name whereby he shall be called Yahweh, our Righteousness.
7 “Hivyo basi, siku zinakuja, wakati ambapo watu hawatasema tena, ‘Hakika kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewapandisha Waisraeli kutoka Misri,’
Therefore, lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh, When it shall not be said any more As Yahweh liveth, who brought up the sons 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 Yahweh liveth who hath brought up and who hath brought in the seed of the house of Israel out of the land of the North, and out of all the lands whither I have driven them, —And they shall remain upon their own soil.
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.
As for the prophets, —Broken is my heart within me Trembled have all my bones, I have become as a drunken man, And as a strong man whom wine hath overcome, —Because of Yahweh, 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 with adulterers, is the land filled, Yea because of cursing, doth the land mourn, Dried up are the oases of the desert, —And, their oppression hath become wicked, And, their might 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, —Even in my house, have I found their wickedness, Declareth Yahweh.
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, shall their way become to them like slippery places in darkness, They shall be driven on and shall fall therein, —For I will bring in upon them calamity—The year of their visitation, Declareth Yahweh.
13 “Miongoni mwa manabii wa Samaria nililiona jambo la kuchukiza: Walitabiri kwa Baali na kuwapotosha Israeli watu wangu.
Even among the prophets of Samaria, had I seen a foolish thing, —They prophesied by Baal, And led astray 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.”
But among the prophets of Jerusalem, have I seen a horrible thing, —Committing adultery, And walking in falsehood, And so strengthening the hands of doers of wickedness, not to return any man from his wickedness: They have all of them become to me as Sodom, And her inhabitants 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 Yahweh of hosts Concerning the prophets, —Behold me! Feeding them with wormwood, And I will cause them to drink poisoned water, —For from the prophets of Jerusalem, hath there gone forth profanity unto 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 Yahweh of hosts, —Do not hearken unto the words of the prophets who are prophesying unto you, They are filling you, with vain hopes, —The vision of their own hearts, do they speak, Not from the mouth of Yahweh!
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 keep on saying to them who despise me, Yahweh, hath spoken, saying, Prosperity, shall ye have! And to every one who is going on in the stubbornness of his own heart, have they said, There shall come on you, no calamity
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 Yahweh, that he should see and hear his word? Who hath given ear to his word and heard it?
19 Tazama, dhoruba ya Bwana itapasuka kwa ghadhabu, kisulisuli kitazunguka na kuanguka vichwani vya waovu.
Lo! the tempest of Yahweh! Indignation, hath come forth, Even a tempest whirling along: On the head of the lawless, shall it hurl itself down.
20 Hasira ya Bwana haitageuka mpaka amelitimiza kusudi la moyo wake. Siku zijazo mtalifahamu kwa wazi.
The anger of Yahweh, wilt not return, Until he hath executed nor Until he hath established The purposes of his heart, —In the afterpart of the days, shall ye understand it perfectly.
21 Mimi sikuwatuma manabii hawa, lakini bado wamekimbia wakitangaza ujumbe wao. Mimi sikusema nao, lakini wametabiri.
I sent not the 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 might they have announced my words unto my people, And have turned them from their wicked way and from the wickedness 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, Demandeth Yahweh, 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? Demandeth Yahweh, —The heavens and the earth, do I not fill? Demandeth Yahweh.
25 “Nimesikia wanayoyasema manabii, hao wanaotabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Wanasema, ‘Nimeota ndoto! Nimeota ndoto!’
I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy in my name falsely, 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 it be in the heart of the prophets, To be prophets of falsehood, —And 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.
Who lay a plot to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they relate every man to his neighbour, —Just 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 with whom is a dream, Let him relate it as a dream, And he with whom is my word, Let him speak my word as truth, —What is the chaff to the wheat? Demandeth Yahweh:
29 “Je, neno langu si kama moto,” asema Bwana, “na kama nyundo ivunjayo mwamba vipande vipande?
Is not my word, like this, Like fire? Demandeth Yahweh, —And like a hammer, that breaketh in pieces a cliff?
30 “Kwa hiyo, niko kinyume na manabii wanaoibiana maneno kana kwamba ni yangu,” asema Bwana.
Therefore! behold me! against the prophets, Declareth Yahweh, —who steal my words, every man from his neighbour:
31 “Naam, mimi niko kinyume na manabii wanaotikisa ndimi zao wenyewe na kusema, ‘Bwana asema.’
Behold me! against the prophets, Declareth Yahweh, who presume with their tongue and declare He declareth:
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 me! against such as prophesy the dreams of falsehood, Declareth Yahweh, who have related them and led astray my people, with their falsehoods and with their recklessness, —whereas, I, had not sent them nor commanded them, so that they could be of no, profit, to this people, Declareth Yahweh.
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.’
But when this people or a prophet or a priest shall ask thee saying What is the oracle of Yahweh? Then shalt thou say unto them Ye, yourselves, are the oracle, Therefore will I reject you Declareth Yahweh;
34 Nabii, kuhani, au mtu yeyote akisema, ‘Huu ndio mzigo wa Bwana,’ nitamwadhibu huyo na nyumba yake.
But the prophet, or the priest or the people who shall say—the oracle of Yahweh, I will bring punishment 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 ye say—every man unto his neighbour and every man unto his brother, —What hath Yahweh, answered? or, What hath Yahweh, 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.
but the oracle of Yahweh, shall ye not mention, any more, —for, every man’s oracle, shall be his own word, because ye have perverted the words of a Living God, Yahweh of hosts our God.
37 Hivi ndivyo utakavyoendelea kumuuliza nabii: ‘Bwana amekujibu nini?’ au ‘Je, Bwana amesema nini?’
Thus, shalt thou say unto the prophet, —What hath Yahweh, answered thee? or What hath Yahweh, 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, since ye keep on saying, The Oracle of Yahweh, therefore, Thus saith Yahweh, Because ye have said this word, The oracle of Yahweh, whereas I had sent unto you saying, Ye shall not say, The oracle of Yahweh
39 Kwa hiyo, hakika nitakusahau na kukutupa mbali na uso wangu pamoja na mji niliowapa ninyi na baba zenu.
therefore, behold me! I will lift you up, —and carry you away, and the city which I gave to you and to your fathers from before my face;
40 Nitaleta juu yako fedheha ya kudumu: yaani aibu ya kudumu ambayo haitasahaulika.”
and will give unto you reproach age-abiding, —and disgrace age-abiding, which shall not be forgotten.
