Yeremia 4
1 “Ikiwa utataka kurudi, ee Israeli, nirudie mimi,” asema Bwana. “Ikiwa utaondoa sanamu zako za kuchukiza mbele ya macho yangu na usiendelee kutangatanga,
If thou will return, O Israel, says Jehovah, if thou will return to me, and if thou will put away thine abominations out of my sight, then thou shall not be removed.
2 ikiwa kwa kweli, kwa haki na kwa unyofu utaapa, ‘Kwa hakika kama vile Bwana aishivyo,’ ndipo mataifa yatakapobarikiwa naye na katika yeye watajitukuza.”
And thou shall swear, As Jehovah lives, in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. And the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him they shall glory.
3 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kwa watu wa Yuda na kwa Yerusalemu: “Vunjeni mabonge kwenye mashamba yenu, wala msipande katikati ya miiba.
For thus says Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.
4 Jitahirini katika Bwana, tahirini mioyo yenu, enyi wanaume wa Yuda na watu wa Yerusalemu, la sivyo ghadhabu yangu itatoka kwa nguvu na kuwaka kama moto kwa sababu ya uovu mliotenda, ikiwaka pasipo wa kuizima.
Circumcise yourselves to Jehovah, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
5 “Tangaza katika Yuda na upige mbiu katika Yerusalemu na kusema: ‘Piga tarumbeta katika nchi yote!’ Piga kelele na kusema: ‘Kusanyikeni pamoja! Tukimbilie katika miji yenye maboma!’
Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem, and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land. Cry aloud and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.
6 Onyesheni ishara ili kwenda Sayuni! Kimbilieni usalama pasipo kuchelewa! Kwa kuwa ninaleta maafa kutoka kaskazini, maangamizi ya kutisha.”
Set up a standard toward Zion. Flee for safety, do not stay. For I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.
7 Simba ametoka nje ya pango lake, mharabu wa mataifa amejipanga. Ametoka mahali pake ili aangamize nchi yenu. Miji yenu itakuwa magofu pasipo mtu wa kuishi humo.
A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way, he has gone forth from his place, to make thy land desolate, that thy cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
8 Hivyo vaeni nguo za magunia, ombolezeni na kulia kwa huzuni, kwa kuwa hasira kali ya Bwana haijaondolewa kwetu.
For this gird you with sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of Jehovah is not turned back from us.
9 “Katika siku ile,” asema Bwana “mfalme na maafisa watakata tamaa, makuhani watafadhaika, na manabii watashangazwa mno.”
And it shall come to pass at that day, says Jehovah, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the rulers, and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonder.
10 Ndipo niliposema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, umewadanganyaje kabisa watu hawa na Yerusalemu kwa kusema, ‘Mtakuwa na amani,’ wakati upanga uko kwenye koo zetu!”
Then I said, Ah, lord Jehovah! Surely thou have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace, whereas the sword reaches to the life.
11 Wakati huo watu hawa na Yerusalemu wataambiwa, “Upepo wa moto kutoka miinuko iliyo kame katika jangwa unavuma kuelekea watu wangu, lakini sio kupepeta au kutakasa,
At that time it shall be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse,
12 upepo wenye nguvu sana kuliko wa kupepeta na kutakasa utakuja kwa amri yangu. Sasa natangaza hukumu zangu dhidi yao.”
a full wind from these shall come for me. Now I will also utter judgments against them.
13 Tazama! Anakuja kama mawingu, magari yake yanakuja kama upepo wa kisulisuli, farasi wake wana mbio kuliko tai. Ole wetu! Tunaangamia!
Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
14 Ee Yerusalemu, usafishe uovu kutoka moyoni mwako na uokolewe. Utaendelea kuficha mawazo mapotovu mpaka lini?
O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou may be saved. How long shall thine evil thoughts lodge within thee?
15 Sauti inatangaza kutoka Dani, ikipiga mbiu ya maafa kutoka vilima vya Efraimu.
For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
16 “Waambie mataifa jambo hili, piga mbiu hii dhidi ya Yerusalemu: ‘Jeshi la kuzingira linakuja kutoka nchi ya mbali, likipiga kelele ya vita dhidi ya miji ya Yuda.
Make ye mention to the nations. Behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 Wamemzunguka kama watu walindao shamba, kwa sababu amefanya uasi dhidi yangu,’” asema Bwana.
They are as keepers of a field against her round about, because she has been rebellious against me, says Jehovah.
18 “Mwenendo wako na matendo yako mwenyewe yameleta haya juu yako. Hii ndiyo adhabu yako. Tazama jinsi ilivyo chungu! Tazama jinsi inavyochoma moyo!”
Thy way and thy doings have procured these things to thee. This is thy wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to thy heart.
19 Ee mtima wangu, mtima wangu! Ninagaagaa kwa maumivu. Ee maumivu makuu ya moyo wangu! Moyo wangu umefadhaika ndani yangu, siwezi kunyamaza. Kwa sababu nimesikia sauti ya tarumbeta, nimesikia kelele ya vita.
My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart. My heart is disquieted in me. I cannot hold my peace, because thou have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
20 Maafa baada ya maafa, nchi yote imekuwa magofu. Kwa ghafula mahema yangu yameangamizwa, makazi yangu kwa muda mfupi.
Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains in a moment.
21 Hata lini nitaendelea kuona bendera ya vita na kusikia sauti za tarumbeta?
How long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “Watu wangu ni wapumbavu, hawanijui mimi. Ni watoto wasio na akili, hawana ufahamu. Ni hodari kutenda mabaya, hawajui kutenda yaliyo mema.”
For my people are foolish. They do not know me. They are sottish sons, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.
23 Niliitazama dunia, nayo haikuwa na umbo tena ni tupu; niliziangalia mbingu, mianga ilikuwa imetoweka.
I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 Niliitazama milima, nayo ilikuwa ikitetemeka, vilima vyote vilikuwa vikiyumbayumba.
I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved to and fro.
25 Nilitazama, wala watu hawakuwepo; kila ndege wa angani alikuwa ameruka zake.
I beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.
26 Nilitazama, hata nchi iliyokuwa imestawi vizuri imekuwa jangwa, miji yake yote ilikuwa magofu mbele za Bwana, mbele ya hasira yake kali.
I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of Jehovah, and before his fierce anger.
27 Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: “Nchi yote itaharibiwa, ingawa sitaiangamiza kabisa.
For thus says Jehovah: The whole land shall be a desolation, yet I will not make a full end.
28 Kwa hiyo dunia itaomboleza na mbingu zilizo juu zitakuwa giza, kwa sababu nimesema nami sitarudi nyuma, nimeamua na wala sitageuka.”
For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and I have not relented, nor will I turn back from it.
29 Kwa sauti ya wapanda farasi na wapiga upinde kila mji unakimbia. Baadhi wanakimbilia vichakani, baadhi wanapanda juu ya miamba. Miji yote imeachwa, hakuna aishiye ndani yake.
Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen. They go into the thickets, and climb up upon the rocks. Every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells in it.
30 Unafanya nini, ewe uliyeharibiwa? Kwa nini unajivika vazi jekundu na kuvaa vito vya dhahabu? Kwa nini unapaka macho yako rangi? Unajipamba bure. Wapenzi wako wanakudharau, wanautafuta uhai wako.
And thou, when thou are made desolate, what will thou do? Though thou clothe thyself with scarlet, though thou deck thee with ornaments of gold, though thou enlarge thine eyes with paint, in vain thou make thyself fair. Thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life.
31 Nasikia kilio kama cha mwanamke katika utungu wa kuzaa, kilio cha uchungu kama cha anayemzaa mtoto wake wa kwanza: kilio cha Binti Sayuni akitweta ili aweze kupumua, akiinua mikono yake, akisema, “Ole wangu! Ninazimia; maisha yangu yamekabidhiwa kwa wauaji.”
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.
