Yeremia 29
1 Haya ndiyo maneno ya ile barua ambayo nabii Yeremia aliituma kutoka Yerusalemu kwenda kwa wazee waliobaki miongoni mwa wale waliohamishwa, na kwa makuhani, manabii na watu wengine wote ambao Nebukadneza alikuwa amewachukua kwenda uhamishoni Babeli kutoka Yerusalemu.
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:
2 (Hii ilikuwa ni baada ya Mfalme Yekonia na malkia mamaye, maafisa wa mahakama, viongozi wa Yuda na wa Yerusalemu, mafundi na wahunzi kwenda uhamishoni kutoka Yerusalemu.)
(after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen-mother, and the eunuchs, [and] the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem; )
3 Barua ilikabidhiwa kwa Elasa mwana wa Shafani, na kwa Gemaria mwana wa Hilkia, ambao Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda aliwatuma kwa Mfalme Nebukadneza huko Babeli. Barua yenyewe ilisema:
by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, ) saying,
4 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, awaambialo wale wote niliowapeleka kutoka Yerusalemu kwenda uhamishoni Babeli:
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem unto Babylon:
5 “Jengeni nyumba na mstarehe, pandeni bustani na mle mazao yake.
Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
6 Oeni wake na mzae wana na binti, waozeni wana wenu wake, nanyi watoeni binti zenu waolewe, ili nao pia wazae wana na binti. Ongezekeni idadi yenu huko, wala msipungue.
Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply ye there, and be not diminished.
7 Pia tafuteni amani na mafanikio ya mji ambamo nimewapeleka uhamishoni. Mwombeni Bwana kwa ajili ya mji huo, kwa sababu ukistawi, ninyi pia mtastawi.”
And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
8 Naam, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: “Msikubali manabii na wabashiri walioko miongoni mwenu wawadanganye. Msisikilize ndoto ambazo mmewatia moyo kuota.
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that be in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you, neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
9 Wanawatabiria ninyi uongo kwa jina langu. Sikuwatuma,” asema Bwana.
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.
10 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Miaka sabini itakapotimia kwa ajili ya Babeli, nitakuja kwenu na kutimiza ahadi yangu ya rehema ya kuwarudisha mahali hapa.
For thus saith the LORD, After seventy years be accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
11 Kwa maana ninajua mipango niliyo nayo kwa ajili yenu,” asema Bwana, “ni mipango ya kuwafanikisha na wala si ya kuwadhuru, ni mipango ya kuwapa tumaini katika siku zijazo.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.
12 Kisha mtaniita, na mtakuja na kuniomba, nami nitawasikiliza.
And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 Mtanitafuta na kuniona, mtakaponitafuta kwa moyo wenu wote.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all year heart.
14 Nitaonekana kwenu,” asema Bwana, “nami nitawarudisha watu wenu waliotekwa. Nitawakusanya kutoka mataifa yote na mahali pote nilipokuwa nimewafukuzia, nami nitawarudisha mahali ambapo nilikuwa nimewatoa walipochukuliwa uhamishoni,” asema Bwana.
And I will be found of you, saith the LORD, and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
15 Mnaweza mkasema, “Bwana ameinua manabii kwa ajili yetu huku Babeli,”
For ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon.
16 lakini hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kuhusu mfalme aketiaye kiti cha enzi cha Daudi, na watu wa kwenu wote wanaobaki katika mji huu, ndugu zenu ambao hawakwenda pamoja nanyi uhamishoni.
for thus saith the LORD concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
17 Naam, hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nitatuma upanga, njaa na tauni dhidi yao, nami nitawafanya kuwa kama tini dhaifu zile ambazo ni mbovu sana zisizofaa kuliwa.
thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.
18 Nitawafukuza kwa upanga, kwa njaa na kwa tauni, nami nitawafanya kitu cha kuchukiza sana kwa falme zote za dunia, na kuwa kitu cha laana na cha kuogofya, cha dharau na kukemewa, miongoni mwa mataifa yote nitakakowafukuzia.
And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an execration, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
19 Kwa kuwa hawakuyasikiliza maneno yangu,” asema Bwana, “maneno ambayo niliwatumia tena na tena kupitia watumishi wangu manabii. Wala ninyi watu wa uhamisho hamkusikiliza pia,” asema Bwana.
because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, wherewith I sent unto them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.
20 Kwa hiyo, sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi nyote mlio uhamishoni, niliowapeleka Babeli kutoka Yerusalemu.
Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo kuhusu Ahabu mwana wa Kolaya, na Sedekia mwana wa Maaseya, wanaowatabiria uongo kwa jina langu: “Nitawatia mikononi mwa Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli, naye atawaua mbele ya macho yenu hasa.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22 Kwa ajili yao, watu wote wa uhamisho kutoka Yuda walioko Babeli watatumia laana hii: ‘Bwana na akutendee kama Sedekia na Ahabu, ambao mfalme wa Babeli aliwachoma kwa moto.’
and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captives of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king Babylon roasted in the fire:
23 Kwa kuwa wamefanya mambo maovu kabisa katika Israeli, wamezini na wake za majirani zao, tena kwa Jina langu wamesema uongo, mambo ambayo sikuwaambia kuyafanya. Nami nayajua haya, na ni shahidi wa jambo hilo,” asema Bwana.
because they have wrought folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I commanded them not; and I am he that knoweth, and am witness, saith the LORD.
24 Mwambie Shemaya Mnehelami,
And concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou shalt speak, saying,
25 “Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: Ulituma barua kwa jina lako mwenyewe kwa watu wote wa Yerusalemu, kwa Sefania mwana wa kuhani Maaseya na kwa makuhani wengine wote. Ulimwambia Sefania,
Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
26 ‘Bwana amekuweka wewe uwe kuhani badala ya Yehoyada ili uwe msimamizi wa nyumba ya Bwana. Unapaswa kufunga kwa mikatale na mnyororo wa shingoni mwendawazimu yeyote anayejifanya nabii.
The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in the stocks and in shackles.
27 Kwa nini basi hukumkemea Yeremia Mwanathothi, aliyejifanya kama nabii miongoni mwenu?
Now therefore, why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you,
28 Ametutumia ujumbe huu huku Babeli: Mtakuwako huko muda mrefu. Kwa hiyo jengeni nyumba mkakae; pandeni mashamba na mle mazao yake.’”
forasmuch as he hath sent unto us in Babylon, saying, [The captivity] is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them?
29 Kuhani Sefania, hata hivyo, akamsomea nabii Yeremia ile barua.
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
30 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia kusema:
Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,
31 “Tuma ujumbe huu kwa watu wote walio uhamishoni: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kuhusu Shemaya Mnehelami: Kwa sababu Shemaya amewatabiria ninyi, hata ingawa sikumtuma, naye amewafanya kuamini uongo,
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he hath caused you to trust in a lie;
32 hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Hakika nitamwadhibu Shemaya Mnehelami pamoja na uzao wake. Hapatakuwa na yeyote atakayebaki miongoni mwa watu hawa, wala hataona mema nitakayowatendea watu wangu, asema Bwana, kwa sababu ametangaza uasi dhidi yangu.’”
therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do unto my people, saith the LORD: because he hath spoken rebellion against the LORD.
