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:
The word which came to Jeremiah from YHWH, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and all his army, and all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of it, saying:
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.
"Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel, 'Go, and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah, and tell him, "Thus says YHWH, 'Look, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire:
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.
and you shall not escape out of his hand, but shall surely be taken, and delivered into his hand; and your eyes shall see the eyes of the king of Babylon, and he shall speak with you mouth to mouth, and you shall go to Babylon.'
4 “‘Lakini sikia ahadi ya Bwana, ee Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda. Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kukuhusu: Hutakufa kwa upanga,
Yet hear the word of YHWH, O Zedekiah king of Judah: thus says YHWH concerning you, 'You shall not die by the sword;
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 shall die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so shall they make a burning for you; and they shall lament you, saying, "Ah Lord." for I have spoken the word,' says YHWH."'"
6 Ndipo nabii Yeremia akamwambia Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda mambo haya yote huko Yerusalemu,
Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah 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.
when the king of Babylon's army was fighting against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah; for these alone remained of the cities of Judah as fortified cities.
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.
The word that came to Jeremiah from YHWH, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them;
9 Kila mmoja alipaswa kuwaacha huru watumwa wake wa Kiebrania, wanawake na wanaume. Hakuna yeyote aliyeruhusiwa kumshikilia Myahudi mwenzake kama mtumwa.
that every man should let his male servant, and every man his female servant, who is a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, go free; that none should keep a fellow Judean in bondage.
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.
And all the officials and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his male servant, and everyone his female servant, go free, that none should make bondservants of them any more; they obeyed, and let them go:
11 Lakini baadaye wakabadili mawazo yao, na kuwarudisha wale watumwa waliokuwa wamewaacha huru, wakawafanya tena watumwa.
but afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
12 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia kusema:
Therefore the word of YHWH came to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying,
13 “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli: Nilifanya agano na baba zenu nilipowatoa Misri, kutoka nchi ya utumwa. Nilisema,
"Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel: 'I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, 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.
"At the end of seven years you shall let go every man his brother who is a Hebrew, who has been sold to you, and has served you six years, you shall let him go free from you": but your fathers did not listen to me, neither inclined their ear.
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.
You had now turned, and had done that which is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor; and you had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name:
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 you turned and profaned my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return; and you brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.
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.
Therefore thus says YHWH: "You have not listened to me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: look, I proclaim to you a liberty, says YHWH, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth.
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.
I will give the men who have transgressed my covenant, who have not performed the words of the covenant which they made before me, when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts;
19 Viongozi wa Yuda na Yerusalemu, maafisa wa mahakama, makuhani na watu wote wa nchi waliopita kati ya vile vipande vya ndama,
the officials of Judah, and the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf;
20 nitawatia mikononi mwa adui zao wanaotafuta uhai wao. Maiti zao zitakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani na wanyama wa nchi.
I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life; and their dead bodies shall be for food to the birds of the sky, and to the animals of the earth.
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.
And Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, who have gone away from 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.”
Look, I will command, says YHWH, and cause them to return to this city; and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire: and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant."'"
