Yeremia 34
1 Wakati Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli na jeshi lake lote, pamoja na falme zote na mataifa katika himaya aliyotawala walipokuwa wakipigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu pamoja na miji yote inayoizunguka, neno hili lilimjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, all his army, along with troops from all the countries he ruled and other nations were attacking Jerusalem and all its nearby towns:
2 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, kusema: Nenda kwa Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda umwambie, ‘Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Ninakaribia kuutia mji huu mikononi mwa mfalme wa Babeli, naye atauteketeza kwa moto.
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go and talk to Zedekiah king of Judah and tell him that this is what the Lord says: Listen! I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he is going to burn it down.
3 Hutaweza kuepuka mkono wake, bali hakika utatekwa na kukabidhiwa kwake. Utamwona mfalme wa Babeli kwa macho yako mwenyewe, naye atazungumza nawe ana kwa ana. Nawe utakwenda Babeli.
You yourself won't escape being captured by him. You will certainly be taken prisoner and brought before him to speak with him personally and see him face to face. You will be taken to Babylon.
4 “‘Lakini sikia ahadi ya Bwana, ee Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda. Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kukuhusu: Hutakufa kwa upanga,
Listen to what the Lord is telling you, Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the Lord says about you: You won't be killed;
5 utakufa kwa amani. Kama vile watu walivyowasha moto wa maziko kwa heshima ya baba zako, wafalme waliokutangulia, ndivyo watu watakavyowasha moto kwa heshima yako na kuomboleza, wakisema: “Ole, Ee Bwana!” Mimi mwenyewe ninaweka ahadi hii, asema Bwana.’”
you will die in peace. You will have a proper funeral with incense burned for you as they did for your forefathers, the kings who ruled before you. They will weep for you, crying, “The king is dead.” I myself am telling you this, declares the Lord.
6 Ndipo nabii Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda mambo haya yote huko Yerusalemu,
Jeremiah the prophet told Zedekiah king of Judah all this there in Jerusalem.
7 wakati jeshi la mfalme wa Babeli lilipokuwa likipigana dhidi ya Yerusalemu na miji mingine ya Yuda ambayo bado ilikuwa imara, yaani Lakishi na Azeka. Hii ilikuwa miji pekee yenye ngome iliyobaki katika Yuda.
At this time the king of Babylon's army was attacking the city and the Judean towns of Lachish and Azekah. These were the only fortified cities that had not yet been conquered in Judah.
8 Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana, baada ya Mfalme Sedekia kufanya agano na watu wote huko Yerusalemu ili kutangaza uhuru kwa watumwa.
A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a agreement with everyone in Jerusalem to announce a proclamation of freedom.
9 Kila mmoja alipaswa kuwaacha huru watumwa wake wa Kiebrania, wanawake na wanaume. Hakuna yeyote aliyeruhusiwa kumshikilia Myahudi mwenzake kama mtumwa.
This meant that every slave owner should free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female. No one was to force their fellow citizens to remain slaves any longer.
10 Kwa hiyo maafisa wote na watu walioingia katika agano hili wakakubali kwamba watawaacha huru watumwa wao wa kiume na wa kike, na hawatawashikilia tena kama watumwa. Wakakubali na wakawaacha huru.
All the officials and all the people who accepted this agreement did what they said. They freed their male and female slaves, not forcing them to remain slaves any longer. They obeyed and let them go free.
11 Lakini baadaye wakabadili mawazo yao, na kuwarudisha wale watumwa waliokuwa wamewaacha huru, wakawafanya tena watumwa.
However, later on they changed their minds and took back the male and female slaves they'd freed, forcing them back into slavery.
12 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia kusema:
A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,
13 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Nilifanya agano na baba zenu nilipowatoa Misri, kutoka nchi ya utumwa. Nilisema,
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a agreement with your forefathers when I led them out of Egypt, out of the prison-house of slavery, saying:
14 ‘Kila mwaka wa saba, kila mmoja wenu ni lazima amwache huru mtumwa ambaye ni Mwebrania mwenzenu aliyejiuza kwenu. Baada ya kukutumikia kwa miaka sita, ni lazima umwache huru aende zake.’ Hata hivyo baba zenu hawakunisikiliza wala kunijali.
Every seventh year, each of you are to set free all fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. They can serve you for six years, but then you must set them free. But your forefathers didn't pay attention and didn't obey what I told them.
15 Hivi karibuni tu mlitubu na kufanya yaliyo sawa machoni pangu: Kila mmoja wenu aliwatangazia uhuru Waebrania wake. Hata mlifanya agano mbele zangu ndani ya nyumba iitwayo kwa Jina langu.
A little while ago you decided to do what's right, which made me happy. You all announced that you would free your slaves. You made a agreement before me in my Temple.
16 Lakini sasa mmegeuka na kulinajisi jina langu. Kila mmoja wenu amemrudisha mtumwa wa kiume na wa kike ambao mlikuwa mmewaacha huru waende zao walikotaka. Mmewalazimisha kuwa watumwa wenu tena.
But now you've changed your minds and dishonored me. Each of you took back the male and female slaves you'd set free to do whatever they wanted. You forced them to become your slaves again.
17 “Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Hamkunitii mimi. Hamkutangaza uhuru kwa ndugu zenu. Hivyo sasa, ninawatangazia ninyi ‘uhuru,’ asema Bwana: ‘uhuru’ ili kuanguka kwa upanga, tauni na njaa. Nitawafanya mwe chukizo kwa falme zote za dunia.
So this is what the Lord says: You haven't obeyed me. You haven't announced freedom for your slaves, your own people. So now I announce “freedom” for you, declares the Lord: Freedom to be killed by war, by disease, and by famine! I will make all the kingdoms of the world horrified by you.
18 Watu waliovunja agano langu, na ambao hawakutunza masharti ya agano walilofanya mbele zangu, nitawafanya kama ndama waliyemkata vipande viwili, kisha wakatembea kati ya vile vipande vya huyo ndama.
They have broken my agreement, and have not kept the terms of the agreement they promised before me. So I'm going to cut them up just like the calf they cut in half to pass between its two pieces.
19 Viongozi wa Yuda na Yerusalemu, maafisa wa mahakama, makuhani na watu wote wa nchi waliopita kati ya vile vipande vya ndama,
I will hand them over to their enemies who are trying to kill them. This includes the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials, the priests, and everyone else who passed between the pieces of the calf.
20 nitawatia mikononi mwa adui zao wanaotafuta uhai wao. Maiti zao zitakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani na wanyama wa nchi.
Their dead bodies will become food for birds of prey and wild animals.
21 “Nitamtia Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda na maafisa wake mikononi mwa adui zao wanaotafuta uhai wao, kwa jeshi la mfalme wa Babeli, lililokuwa limeondoka kwenu.
I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials to their enemies who are trying to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon which had paused its attack on you.
22 Nitatoa amri, asema Bwana, nami nitawarudisha tena katika mji huu. Watapigana dhidi yake, wautwae na kuuteketeza kwa moto. Nami nitaiangamiza miji ya Yuda hivyo pasiwe na yeyote atakayeweza kuishi humo.”
Listen! I will give the order, declares the Lord, and bring them back to Jerusalem. They will attack it, capture it, and burn it. I'm going to destroy the towns of Judah so nobody will live there.
