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,
Israel, if you want to come back, then come back to me, declares the Lord. If you get rid of these disgusting idols I see, and don't wander away,
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 if when you make your vows, you do so only to me, sincerely, truly, and honestly, then the nations will be blessed by me, and they will praise me.
3 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kwa watu wa Yuda na kwa Yerusalemu: “Vunjeni mabonge kwenye mashamba yenu, wala msipande katikati ya miiba.
This is what the Lord is saying to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: Plow your unplowed ground, and don't sow among the 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.
Dedicate yourselves to the Lord; be totally committed to him, people of Judah and Jerusalem. Otherwise, my anger will blaze like fire, burning so hard that no one can put it out because of the evil you've done.
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!’
Announce this warning throughout Judah and Jerusalem! Tell them: Blow the trumpet everywhere in the country! Shout out, “Hurry! Let's run to the fortified towns for protection!”
6 Onyesheni ishara ili kwenda Sayuni! Kimbilieni usalama pasipo kuchelewa! Kwa kuwa ninaleta maafa kutoka kaskazini, maangamizi ya kutisha.”
Raise the danger flag; go to Zion! Find somewhere safe! Don't hesitate! I'm bringing enemies from the north who will cause terrible 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 left his hiding place; a destroyer of nations has started out. He has left his den to come and turn your country into a wasteland. Your towns will be demolished, and no one will live there.
8 Hivyo vaeni nguo za magunia, ombolezeni na kulia kwa huzuni, kwa kuwa hasira kali ya Bwana haijaondolewa kwetu.
Wear clothes made of sackcloth, weep and wail, crying out, “The Lord's furious anger against us hasn't stopped.”
9 “Katika siku ile,” asema Bwana “mfalme na maafisa watakata tamaa, makuhani watafadhaika, na manabii watashangazwa mno.”
When that happens declares the Lord, the king and officials will lose heart, the priests will be devastated, and the prophets will be shocked.
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, “Oh, Lord God, you have completely fooled the people of Jerusalem by telling them, ‘You will have peace,’ while holding a sword to our throats.”
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 the people of Jerusalem will be told, “A burning wind from the bare hills of the desert is blowing toward the Jerusalem, but not to blow away the chaff or the dust.
12 upepo wenye nguvu sana kuliko wa kupepeta na kutakasa utakuja kwa amri yangu. Sasa natangaza hukumu zangu dhidi yao.”
No, this wind is too strong for that, and it comes from me. Now I'm also going to tell them how I will punish them.”
13 Tazama! Anakuja kama mawingu, magari yake yanakuja kama upepo wa kisulisuli, farasi wake wana mbio kuliko tai. Ole wetu! Tunaangamia!
Look, he's rushing in like stormclouds; his chariots are like a whirlwind. His horses fly faster than eagles. “What a disaster! We're ruined!”
14 Ee Yerusalemu, usafishe uovu kutoka moyoni mwako na uokolewe. Utaendelea kuficha mawazo mapotovu mpaka lini?
Clean the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you can be saved. How long will you hold onto your evil thoughts?
15 Sauti inatangaza kutoka Dani, ikipiga mbiu ya maafa kutoka vilima vya Efraimu.
News is shouted out from Dan, announcing disaster 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.
“Let the nations know! Look what's happening! Announce this to Jerusalem: An army is coming to besiege you from a distant country; shouting war-cries against the towns of Judah.
17 Wamemzunguka kama watu walindao shamba, kwa sababu amefanya uasi dhidi yangu,’” asema Bwana.
They encircle her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord.
18 “Mwenendo wako na matendo yako mwenyewe yameleta haya juu yako. Hii ndiyo adhabu yako. Tazama jinsi ilivyo chungu! Tazama jinsi inavyochoma moyo!”
You've brought this on yourself by your own attitudes and actions. This is your punishment, and it's so painful, it's like being stabbed in the 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.
“I'm in agony, absolute agony! My heart is breaking! It's beating wildly in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I can't keep quiet because I've heard the trumpet, the signal for battle.
20 Maafa baada ya maafa, nchi yote imekuwa magofu. Kwa ghafula mahema yangu yameangamizwa, makazi yangu kwa muda mfupi.
News of one disaster after another comes flooding in, for the whole country is in ruins. My own home is destroyed in a moment, and everything inside.
21 Hata lini nitaendelea kuona bendera ya vita na kusikia sauti za tarumbeta?
How long do I have to see the flags of war and hear the trumpets of battle?”
22 “Watu wangu ni wapumbavu, hawanijui mimi. Ni watoto wasio na akili, hawana ufahamu. Ni hodari kutenda mabaya, hawajui kutenda yaliyo mema.”
“My people are stupid; they don't know me. They are foolish children who just don't understand. They're experts at doing evil, but they don't know how to do good.”
23 Niliitazama dunia, nayo haikuwa na umbo tena ni tupu; niliziangalia mbingu, mianga ilikuwa imetoweka.
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; I looked to the heavens, and its light was gone.
24 Niliitazama milima, nayo ilikuwa ikitetemeka, vilima vyote vilikuwa vikiyumbayumba.
I looked at the mountains, and saw that they were shaking; all the hills were swaying to and fro.
25 Nilitazama, wala watu hawakuwepo; kila ndege wa angani alikuwa ameruka zake.
I looked, and nobody was left; all the birds had flown away.
26 Nilitazama, hata nchi iliyokuwa imestawi vizuri imekuwa jangwa, miji yake yote ilikuwa magofu mbele za Bwana, mbele ya hasira yake kali.
I looked, and the productive fields were a desert. All the towns were demolished because of the Lord's furious anger.
27 Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: “Nchi yote itaharibiwa, ingawa sitaiangamiza kabisa.
This is what the Lord says: “The whole country will be devastated, but I won't do so completely.
28 Kwa hiyo dunia itaomboleza na mbingu zilizo juu zitakuwa giza, kwa sababu nimesema nami sitarudi nyuma, nimeamua na wala sitageuka.”
The earth will mourn and the heavens above will go dark. I have spoken; this is what I have ordered. I'm not going to stop or change my mind.”
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.
People from every town: run away when they hear the enemy horsemen and archers coming. They hide in the forest and among the rocks. All the towns are abandoned; no one lives in them.
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.
You, Jerusalem, now desolate, what are you going to do? Even though you dress in scarlet clothes, and put on gold jewelry, and paint your eyes with make-up, all your dressing-up is pointless! Your lovers hate you; they want to kill you!
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.”
I hear the cries like a woman in labor, the agonizing moans of a woman giving birth to her first child. These are the cries of the Daughter of Zion gasping for air, holding out her hands, saying, “Please help me, I'm being murdered!”
