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 to the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, 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 Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had 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 to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon). It said:
4 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, awaambialo wale wote niliowapeleka kutoka Yerusalemu kwenda uhamishoni Babeli:
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the captives whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 “Jengeni nyumba na mstarehe, pandeni bustani na mle mazao yake.
“Build houses and dwell in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit.
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 wives and father sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there, and don’t be 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.”
Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will 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 the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you. Don’t listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed.
9 Wanawatabiria ninyi uongo kwa jina langu. Sikuwatuma,” asema Bwana.
For they prophesy falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them,” says 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 the LORD says, “After seventy years are 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,” says the LORD, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future.
12 Kisha mtaniita, na mtakuja na kuniomba, nami nitawasikiliza.
You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
13 Mtanitafuta na kuniona, mtakaponitafuta kwa moyo wenu wote.
You shall seek me and find me, when you search for me with all your 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.
I will be found by you,” says the LORD, “and I will turn again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you,” says the LORD. “I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.”
15 Mnaweza mkasema, “Bwana ameinua manabii kwa ajili yetu huku Babeli,”
Because you have said, “The LORD has 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.
the LORD says concerning the king who sits on David’s throne, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who haven’t gone 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.
the LORD of Hosts says: “Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that can’t 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.
I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of horror, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where 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 listened to my words,” says the LORD, “with which I sent to them my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear,” says the LORD.
20 Kwa hiyo, sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi nyote mlio uhamishoni, niliowapeleka Babeli kutoka Yerusalemu.
Hear therefore the LORD’s word, all you captives 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.
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: “Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he will kill 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.’
A curse will be taken up about them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘The LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of 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 done foolish things in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn’t command them. I am he who knows, and am witness,” says the LORD.
24 Mwambie Shemaya Mnehelami,
Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall 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,
“The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who 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 has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the LORD’s house, for every man who is crazy and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.
27 Kwa nini basi hukumkemea Yeremia Mwanathothi, aliyejifanya kama nabii miongoni mwenu?
Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes 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.’”
because he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long. Build houses, and dwell in them. Plant gardens, and eat their fruit?”’”
29 Kuhani Sefania, hata hivyo, akamsomea nabii Yeremia ile barua.
Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet.
30 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia kusema:
Then the LORD’s word came to 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 of the captives, saying, ‘The LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn’t send him, and he has 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 the LORD says, “Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring. He will not have a man to dwell among this people. He won’t see the good that I will do to my people,” says the LORD, “because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.”’”
