Yeremia 31
1 “Wakati huo, nitakuwa Mungu wa koo zote za Israeli nao watakuwa watu wangu,” asema Bwana.
At that time, says Jehovah, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.
2 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Watu watakaopona upanga watapata upendeleo jangwani; nitakuja niwape Israeli pumziko.”
Thus says Jehovah: The people who were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness, even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
3 Bwana alitutokea wakati uliopita, akisema: “Nimekupenda kwa upendo wa milele, nimekuvuta kwa wema.
Jehovah appeared of old to me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love. Therefore with loving kindness I have drawn thee.
4 Nitakujenga tena nawe utajengeka upya, ewe Bikira Israeli. Utachukua tena matari yako na kwenda kucheza na wenye furaha.
Again I will build thee, and thou shall be built, O virgin of Israel. Again thou shall be adorned with thy tambourine, and shall go forth in the dances of those who make merry.
5 Utapanda tena shamba la mizabibu juu ya vilima vya Samaria, wakulima watapanda na kufurahia matunda yake.
Again thou shall plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria. The planters shall plant, and shall enjoy it.
6 Itakuja siku wakati walinzi watakapowapigia kelele juu ya vilima vya Efraimu wakisema, ‘Njooni, twendeni juu Sayuni, kwake Bwana Mungu wetu.’”
For there shall be a day that the watchmen upon the hills of Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion to Jehovah our God.
7 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Mwimbieni Yakobo kwa furaha, mpigieni kelele aliye mkuu wa mataifa. Zifanyeni sifa zenu zisikike, nanyi mseme, ‘Ee Bwana, okoa watu wako, mabaki ya Israeli.’
For thus says Jehovah: Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout for the chief of the nations. Publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Jehovah, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.
8 Tazama, nitawaleta kutoka nchi ya kaskazini na kuwakusanya kutoka miisho ya dunia. Miongoni mwao watakuwepo vipofu na viwete, mama wajawazito na wenye utungu wa kuzaa. Umati mkubwa wa watu utarudi.
Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the outermost parts of the earth, and with them the blind man and the lame man, the woman with child, and she who travails with child together. They shall return here a great company.
9 Watakuja wakilia; wataomba wakati ninawarudisha. Nitawaongoza kando ya vijito vya maji katika mapito yaliyo tambarare ambapo hawatajikwaa, kwa sababu mimi ndimi baba wa Israeli, naye Efraimu ni mzaliwa wangu wa kwanza.
They shall come with weeping. And I will lead them with supplications. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they shall not stumble. For I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
10 “Sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi mataifa, litangazeni katika nchi za pwani ya mbali: ‘Yeye aliyewatawanya Israeli atawakusanya na atalichunga kundi lake la kondoo kama mchungaji.’
Hear the word of Jehovah, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He who scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.
11 Kwa kuwa Bwana atamlipia fidia Yakobo na kuwakomboa mkononi mwa walio na nguvu kuliko wao.
For Jehovah has ransomed Jacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.
12 Watakuja na kupiga kelele kwa furaha katika miinuko ya Sayuni; watashangilia ukarimu wa Bwana: nafaka, divai mpya na mafuta, wana-kondoo wachanga na ndama wa makundi ya ngʼombe nitakaowapa. Watakuwa kama bustani iliyonyeshewa vizuri, wala hawatahuzunika tena.
And they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow to the goodness of Jehovah, to the grain, and to the new wine, and to the oil, and to the young of the flock and of the herd. And their soul shall be as a watered garden, and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
13 Kisha wanawali watacheza na kufurahi, vijana waume na wazee pia. Nitageuza maombolezo yao kuwa furaha, nitawapa faraja na furaha badala ya huzuni.
Then the virgin shall rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together, for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
14 Nitawashibisha makuhani kwa wingi, nao watu wangu watajazwa kwa ukarimu wangu,” asema Bwana.
And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, says Jehovah.
15 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Sauti imesikika huko Rama, maombolezo na kilio kikubwa, Raheli akiwalilia watoto wake na anakataa kufarijiwa, kwa sababu watoto wake hawako tena.”
Thus says Jehovah: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping. Rachel weeping for her children, she refused to be comforted for her children, because they are not.
16 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Izuie sauti yako kulia, na macho yako yasitoe machozi, kwa kuwa kazi yako itapata thawabu,” asema Bwana. “Watarudi kutoka nchi ya adui.
Thus says Jehovah: Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears, for thy work shall be rewarded, says Jehovah, and they shall come again from the land of the enemy.
17 Kwa hiyo kuna tumaini kwa siku zijazo,” asema Bwana. “Watoto wako watarudi nchi yao yenyewe.
And there is hope for thy latter end, says Jehovah, and thy sons shall come again to their own border.
18 “Hakika nimeyasikia maombolezo ya Efraimu: ‘Ulinirudi kama ndama mkaidi, nami nimekubali kutii. Unirudishe, nami nitarudi, kwa sababu wewe ndiwe Bwana, Mungu wangu.
I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself saying, Thou have chastised me, and I was chastised as a calf unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn thou me back, and I shall be turned back, for thou are Jehovah my God.
19 Baada ya kupotea, nilitubu; baada ya kuelewa, nilijipiga kifua. Niliaibika na kuona haya kwa sababu niliibeba aibu ya ujana wangu.’
Surely after that I was turned back. I repented, and after I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I bore the reproach of my youth.
20 Je, Efraimu si mwanangu mpendwa, mtoto ninayependezwa naye? Ingawa mara kwa mara ninanena dhidi yake, bado ninamkumbuka. Kwa hiyo moyo wangu unamwonea shauku, nina huruma kubwa kwa ajili yake,” asema Bwana.
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy upon him, says Jehovah.
21 “Weka alama za barabara, weka vibao vya kuelekeza. Zingatia vyema njia kuu, barabara ile unayoipita. Rudi, ee Bikira Israeli, rudi kwenye miji yako.
Set thee up road marks. Make thee guideposts. Set thy heart toward the highway, even the way by which thou went. Turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
22 Utatangatanga hata lini, ee binti usiye mwaminifu? Bwana ameumba kitu kipya duniani: mwanamke atamlinda mwanaume.”
How long will thou go here and there, O thou backsliding daughter? For Jehovah has created a new thing in the earth: a woman shall encompass a man.
23 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo, “Nitakapowarudisha toka nchi ya kutekwa kwenu, watu walio katika nchi ya Yuda na miji yake kwa mara nyingine tena watatumia maneno haya: ‘Bwana akubariki, ee makao ya haki, ee mlima mtakatifu.’
Thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Yet again they shall use this speech in the land of Judah and in the cities thereof when I shall bring again their captivity: Jehovah bless thee, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness.
24 Watu wataishi pamoja katika Yuda na miji yake yote, wakulima na wote wanaohamahama na mifugo yao.
And Judah and all the cities thereof shall dwell in there together, the husbandmen, and those who go about with flocks.
25 Nitawaburudisha waliochoka na kuwatuliza walio na huzuni.”
For I have satiated the weary soul, and every sorrowful soul I have replenished.
26 Kwa jambo hili niliamka na kuangalia pande zote. Usingizi wangu ulikuwa mtamu kwangu.
Upon this I awoke, and beheld, and my sleep was sweet to me.
27 Bwana asema, “Siku zinakuja, nitakapoongeza idadi ya watu, na kuzidisha hesabu ya mifugo katika nyumba ya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda.
Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.
28 Kama vile nilivyowaangalia ili kungʼoa na kubomoa, kuharibu, kuangamiza na kuleta maafa juu yao, vivyo hivyo nitawaangalia ili kujenga na kupanda,” asema Bwana.
And it shall come to pass that, just as I have watched over them to pluck up and to break down and to overthrow and to destroy and to afflict, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says Jehovah.
29 “Katika siku hizo, watu hawatasema tena, “‘Baba wamekula zabibu chachu, nayo meno ya watoto yakatiwa ganzi.’
In those days they shall no more say, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the son's teeth are set on edge.
30 Badala yake, kila mmoja atakufa kwa ajili ya dhambi zake mwenyewe; yeyote alaye zabibu chachu, meno yake mwenyewe yatatiwa ganzi.
But everyone shall die for his own iniquity. Every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
31 “Siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “nitakapofanya agano jipya na nyumba ya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda.
Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah,
32 Halitafanana na agano nililofanya na baba zao wakati nilipowashika mkono kuwaongoza watoke Misri, kwa sababu walivunja agano langu, ijapokuwa nilikuwa mume kwao,” asema Bwana.
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them, says Jehovah.
33 “Hili ndilo agano nitakalofanya na nyumba ya Israeli baada ya siku zile,” asema Bwana. “Nitaweka sheria yangu katika nia zao, na kuiandika mioyoni mwao. Nitakuwa Mungu wao, nao watakuwa watu wangu.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says Jehovah: I will give my laws into their mind, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 Mtu hatamfundisha tena jirani yake, wala mtu kumfundisha ndugu yake akisema, ‘Mjue Bwana Mungu,’ kwa sababu wote watanijua mimi, tangu aliye mdogo kabisa kwao, hadi aliye mkuu sana,” asema Bwana. “Kwa sababu nitasamehe uovu wao, wala sitazikumbuka dhambi zao tena.”
And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says Jehovah. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
35 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, yeye aliyeweka jua liwake mchana, yeye anayeamuru mwezi na nyota kungʼaa usiku, yeye aichafuaye bahari ili mawimbi yake yangurume; Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndilo jina lake:
Thus says Jehovah, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar. Jehovah of hosts is his name.
36 “Ikiwa amri hizi zitaondoka machoni pangu,” asema Bwana, “ndipo wazao wa Israeli watakoma kuwa taifa mbele yangu daima.”
If these ordinances depart from before me, says Jehovah, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me forever.
37 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Ikiwa mbingu zilizo juu zitaweza kupimika na misingi ya dunia chini ikaweza kuchunguzwa, ndipo nitakapowakataa wazao wote wa Israeli kwa sababu ya yote waliyoyatenda,” asema Bwana.
Thus says Jehovah: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, says Jehovah.
38 “Siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “wakati mji huu utajengwa upya kwa ajili yangu, kuanzia mnara wa Hananeli hadi Lango la Pembeni.
Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that the city shall be built to Jehovah from the tower of Hananel to the gate of the corner.
39 Kamba ya kupimia itaanzia hapo kuendelea hadi kwenye kilima cha Garebu, na kisha kugeuka kuelekea Goa.
And the measuring line shall go out further straight onward to the hill Gareb, and shall turn about to Goah.
40 Bonde lote watupwapo maiti na majivu pia na matuta yote kutoka Bonde la Kidroni upande wa mashariki hadi pembe ya Lango la Farasi, itakuwa takatifu kwa Bwana. Kamwe mji huu hautangʼolewa tena wala kubomolewa.”
And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields, to the brook Kidron, to the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy to Jehovah. It shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more forever.
