Yeremia 3
1 “Kama mtu akimpa talaka mkewe, naye akamwacha na akaolewa na mtu mwingine, je, huyo mume aweza kumrudia tena? Je, hiyo nchi haitanajisika kabisa? Lakini umeishi kama kahaba na wapenzi wengi: je, sasa utanirudia tena?” asema Bwana.
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Yhwh.
2 “Inua macho utazame miinuko iliyo kame na uone. Je, pana mahali ambapo hawajalala nawe? Uliketi kando ya barabara ukiwasubiri wapenzi, ukakaa kama yeye ahamahamaye jangwani. Umeinajisi nchi kwa ukahaba wako na uovu wako.
Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
3 Kwa hiyo mvua imezuiliwa, nazo mvua za vuli hazikunyesha. Hata hivyo, una uso usio na haya kama wa kahaba; unakataa kutahayari kwa aibu.
Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
4 Je, wewe hujaniita hivi punde tu: ‘Baba yangu, rafiki yangu tangu ujana wangu,
Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
5 je, utakasirika siku zote? Je, ghadhabu yako itaendelea milele?’ Hivi ndivyo unavyozungumza, lakini unafanya maovu yote uwezayo.”
Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
6 Wakati wa utawala wa Mfalme Yosia, Bwana aliniambia, “Umeona kile Israeli asiye mwaminifu amekifanya? Amepanda juu ya kila kilima kirefu, na chini ya kila mti uliotanda na amefanya uzinzi huko.
Yhwh said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
7 Mimi nilifikiri kuwa baada ya kuyafanya yote haya angelinirudia, lakini hakurudi, naye dada yake Yuda mdanganyifu aliona hili.
And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
8 Nilimpa Israeli asiye mwaminifu hati yake ya talaka, na kumfukuza kwa ajili ya uzinzi wake wote. Hata hivyo nikaona kuwa Yuda dada yake mdanganyifu hakuogopa. Yeye pia alitoka na kufanya uzinzi.
And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
9 Kwa sababu uasherati wa Israeli haukuwa kitu kwake, Yuda aliinajisi nchi kwa kuzini na mawe na miti.
And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
10 Pamoja na hayo yote, Yuda dada yake mdanganyifu hakunirudia kwa moyo wake wote, bali kwa kujifanya tu,” asema Bwana.
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith Yhwh.
11 Bwana akaniambia, “Israeli asiye mwaminifu ana haki kuliko Yuda mdanganyifu.
And Yhwh said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
12 Nenda, ukatangaze ujumbe huu kuelekea kaskazini: “‘Rudi, Israeli usiye mwaminifu,’ asema Bwana, ‘sitakutazama tena kwa uso uliokunjamana, kwa kuwa mimi ni mwenye huruma,’ asema Bwana, ‘Sitashika hasira yangu milele.
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith Yhwh; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith Yhwh, and I will not keep anger for ever.
13 Ungama dhambi zako tu: kwamba umemwasi Bwana Mungu wako, umetapanya wema wako kwa miungu ya kigeni chini ya kila mti unaotanda, nawe hukunitii mimi,’” asema Bwana.
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against Yhwh thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith Yhwh.
14 “Rudini, enyi watu msio waaminifu, kwa kuwa mimi ni mume wenu,” asema Bwana. “Nitawachagua ninyi, mmoja kutoka kwenye mji, na wawili kutoka kwenye ukoo, nami nitawaleta Sayuni.
Turn, O backsliding children, saith Yhwh; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
15 Kisha nitawapeni wachungaji wanipendezao moyo wangu, ambao watawaongoza kwa maarifa na ufahamu.
And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
16 Katika siku hizo, idadi yenu itakapokuwa imeongezeka sana katika nchi, watu hawatasema tena, ‘Sanduku la Agano la Bwana,’” asema Bwana. “Halitaingia tena kwenye mawazo yao wala kukumbukwa, hawatalihitaji wala halitatengenezwa jingine.
And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith Yhwh, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Yhwh: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
17 Wakati huo, wataita Yerusalemu kuwa Kiti cha Enzi cha Bwana, nayo mataifa yote watakusanyika Yerusalemu kuliheshimu jina la Bwana. Hawatafuata tena ukaidi wa mioyo yao miovu.
At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Yhwh; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Yhwh, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
18 Katika siku hizo, nyumba ya Yuda itaungana na nyumba ya Israeli, wao kwa pamoja watakuja kutoka nchi ya kaskazini hadi nchi niliyowapa baba zenu kama urithi.
In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
19 “Mimi mwenyewe nilisema, “‘Tazama jinsi nitakavyowatunza kwa furaha kama wana na kuwapa nchi nzuri, urithi ulio mzuri kuliko wa taifa jingine lolote.’ Nilidhani mngeniita ‘Baba,’ na msingegeuka, mkaacha kunifuata.
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
20 Lakini kama mwanamke asiye mwaminifu kwa mumewe, vivyo hivyo mmekosa uaminifu kwangu pia, ee nyumba ya Israeli,” asema Bwana.
Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith Yhwh.
21 Kilio kinasikika juu ya miinuko iliyo kame, kulia na kuomboleza kwa watu wa Israeli, kwa sababu wamepotoka katika njia zao na wamemsahau Bwana Mungu wao.
A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten Yhwh their God.
22 “Rudini, enyi watu msio waaminifu, nami nitawaponya ukengeufu wenu.” “Naam, tutakuja kwako, kwa maana wewe ni Bwana Mungu wetu.
Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art Yhwh our God.
23 Hakika zile ghasia za kuabudu sanamu kwenye vilima na milimani ni udanganyifu; hakika katika Bwana, Mungu wetu, uko wokovu wa Israeli.
Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truly in Yhwh our God is the salvation of Israel.
24 Tangu ujana wetu miungu ya aibu imeyala matunda ya kazi za baba zetu: makundi yao ya kondoo na ngʼombe, wana wao na binti zao.
For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
25 Sisi na tulale chini katika aibu yetu, na fedheha yetu itufunike. Tumetenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana Mungu wetu, sisi na mababa zetu; tangu ujana wetu hadi leo hatukumtii Bwana Mungu wetu.”
We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against Yhwh our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of Yhwh our God.
