< Yeremia 26 >
1 Mwanzoni mwa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia mfalme wa Yuda, neno hili lilikuja kutoka kwa Bwana:
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying:
2 “Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Simama katika ua wa nyumba ya Bwana na useme na watu wote wa miji ya Yuda wanaokuja kuabudu katika nyumba ya Bwana. Waambie kila kitu nitakachokuamuru, usipunguze neno.
“Thus says the Lord: Stand in the atrium of the house of the Lord, and speak to all the cities of Judah, from which they come to adore in the house of the Lord, all the words that I have commanded you to speak to them. Do not choose to subtract any word.
3 Huenda watasikiliza, na kila mmoja akageuka kutoka njia yake mbaya. Kisha nitawahurumia na kuacha kuwaletea maafa niliyokuwa ninapanga kwa sababu ya maovu waliyofanya.
So may they hear and be converted, each one from his evil way. And then I may repent of the evil that I plan to do to them because of the wickedness of their pursuits.
4 Waambie, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Ikiwa hamtanisikiliza na kuifuata sheria yangu ambayo nimeiweka mbele yenu,
And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, so that you walk in my law, which I have given to you,
5 nanyi ikiwa hamtayasikiliza maneno ya watumishi wangu manabii, ambao nimewatuma kwenu tena na tena (ijapokuwa hamkuwasikiliza),
so that you listen to the words of my servants, the prophets, whom I have sent to you, who arise while it is still night, and though they give guidance, you do not listen,
6 ndipo nitaifanya nyumba hii kama Shilo na mji huu kuwa kitu cha kulaaniwa na mataifa yote ya dunia.’”
then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city into a curse for all the nations of the earth.”
7 Makuhani, manabii na watu wote wakamsikia Yeremia akiyasema maneno haya ndani ya nyumba ya Bwana.
And the priests, and the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord.
8 Lakini mara tu Yeremia alipomaliza kuwaambia watu kila kitu Bwana alichomwamuru kukisema, basi makuhani, manabii na watu wote walimkamata wakisema, “Ni lazima ufe!
And when Jeremiah had completed speaking all that the Lord had instructed him to speak to all the people, then the priests, and the prophets, and all the people apprehended him, saying: “You shall be put to death.”
9 Kwa nini unatoa unabii katika jina la Bwana kwamba nyumba hii itakuwa kama Shilo na mji huu utakuwa ukiwa na kuachwa tupu?” Nao watu wote wakamkusanyikia na kumzunguka Yeremia ndani ya nyumba ya Bwana.
“Why has he prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying: ‘Like Shiloh, so shall this house be,’ and, ‘This city shall be made desolate, even without an inhabitant?’” And all the people were gathered together against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 Maafisa wa Yuda waliposikia kuhusu mambo haya, wakapanda kutoka jumba la kifalme, wakaenda katika nyumba ya Bwana na kushika nafasi zao kwenye ingilio la Lango Jipya la nyumba ya Bwana.
And the leaders of Judah heard these words. And they ascended from the house of the king to the house of the Lord, and they sat at the entrance by the new gate of the house of the Lord.
11 Kisha makuhani na manabii wakawaambia maafisa pamoja na watu wote, “Mtu huyu anastahili ahukumiwe kifo kwa sababu ametoa unabii mbaya dhidi ya mji huu. Mmesikia kwa masikio yenu wenyewe!”
And the priests and the prophets spoke to the leaders and to all the people, saying: “A judgment of death is for this man. For he has prophesied against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears.”
12 Kisha Yeremia akawaambia maafisa wote na watu wote: “Bwana amenituma kutoa unabii dhidi ya nyumba hii na mji huu mambo yote mliyoyasikia.
And Jeremiah spoke to all the leaders and to the entire people, saying: “The Lord has sent me to prophesy, about this house and about this city, all the words that you have heard.
13 Sasa tengenezeni njia zenu na matendo yenu, na kumtii Bwana Mungu wenu. Ndipo Bwana atawahurumia na kuacha kuleta maafa aliyokuwa ameyatamka dhidi yenu.
Now, therefore, make your ways and your intentions good, and heed the voice of the Lord your God. And then the Lord will repent of the evil that he has spoken against you.
14 Lakini kwa habari yangu mimi, niko mikononi mwenu, nifanyieni lolote mnaloona kuwa ni jema na la haki.
But as for me, behold, I am in your hands. Do to me what is good and right in your eyes.
15 Hata hivyo, jueni kwa hakika, ikiwa mtaniua, mtakuwa mmejipatia dhambi kwa damu isiyo na hatia juu yenu wenyewe, na juu ya mji huu na wote wanaoishi ndani yake, kwa maana ni kweli Bwana amenituma kwenu ili niseme maneno haya yote masikioni mwenu.”
Yet truly, know and understand this: if you kill me, you will be bringing innocent blood against yourselves, and against this city and its inhabitants. For in truth, the Lord sent me to you, so as to speak all these words in your hearing.”
16 Kisha maafisa na watu wote wakawaambia makuhani na manabii, “Mtu huyu asihukumiwe kifo! Amesema nasi katika jina la Bwana, Mungu wetu.”
And then the leaders and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: “There is no judgment of death against this man. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Baadhi ya wazee wa nchi wakasogea mbele, wakaliambia kusanyiko lote la watu,
Then some of the elders of the land rose up. And they spoke to the entire assembly of the people, saying:
18 “Mika Mmoreshethi alitoa unabii katika siku za Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda. Akawaambia watu wote wa Yuda, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “‘Sayuni italimwa kama shamba, Yerusalemu itakuwa lundo la kokoto, na kilima cha Hekalu kitakuwa kichuguu kilichofunikwa na vichaka.’
“Micah from Moresheth was a prophet in the days of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and he spoke to all the people of Judah, saying: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: Zion will be ploughed like a field. And Jerusalem will be a pile of stones. And the mountain of the house will be like the forests of high places.’
19 Je, Hezekia mfalme wa Yuda au mtu mwingine yeyote katika Yuda alimhukumu Mika kufa? Je, Hezekia hakumcha Bwana na kuhitaji msaada wake? Je, Bwana hakuwahurumia na akaacha kuleta maafa aliyokuwa ametamka dhidi yao? Tunakaribia sana kujiletea maangamizo ya kutisha sisi wenyewe!”
Did the king of Judah, Hezekiah, with all of Judah, condemn him to death? Did they not fear the Lord, and petition the face of the Lord? And so the Lord repented of the evil that he had spoken against them. Therefore, we are committing a great evil against our own souls.
20 (Wakati huu, Uria mwana wa Shemaya kutoka mji wa Kiriath-Yearimu alikuwa mtu mwingine aliyetoa unabii kwa jina la Bwana. Alitoa unabii juu ya mambo yaliyofanana na haya dhidi ya mji huu na nchi hii kama alivyofanya Yeremia.
Likewise, there was a man prophesying in the name of the Lord: Uriah, the son of Shemaiah, of Kiriath-jearim. And he prophesied against this city and against this land, in accord with all the words of Jeremiah.
21 Mfalme Yehoyakimu na wakuu wake wote na maafisa waliposikia maneno yake, mfalme alitafuta kumuua. Lakini Uria alipata habari, na kwa kuogopa akakimbilia Misri.
And king Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and leaders, heard these words. And so the king sought to put him to death. And Uriah heard, and was afraid, and fled, and he entered into Egypt.
22 Hata hivyo, Mfalme Yehoyakimu alimtuma Elnathani mwana wa Akbori huko Misri, pamoja na watu wengine ili kwenda kumkamata Uria.
And king Jehoiakim sent men into Egypt: Elnathan, the son of Achbor, and the men who went with him into Egypt.
23 Wakamrudisha Uria kutoka Misri na kumpeleka kwa Mfalme Yehoyakimu, ambaye alimuua kwa upanga, na mwili wake kutupwa kwenye eneo la makaburi ya watu wasio na cheo.)
And they led Uriah out of Egypt. And they brought him to king Jehoiakim, and he struck him down with the sword. And he cast his dead body among the graves of the common people.”
24 Zaidi ya hayo, Ahikamu mwana wa Shafani akamuunga mkono Yeremia, kwa hiyo hakutiwa tena mikononi mwa watu ili auawe.
But the hand of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, was with Jeremiah, so that he would not be delivered into the hands of the people, and so that they would not put him to death.