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 you will return, O Israel, says the LORD, return unto me: and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight, then shall you not remove.
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 you shall swear, The LORD lives, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they 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 the LORD to the men of Judah and 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 the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, all of you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn 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 all of you in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, Blow all of you the trumpet in the land: cry, gather together, and say, Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the defenced cities.
6 Onyesheni ishara ili kwenda Sayuni! Kimbilieni usalama pasipo kuchelewa! Kwa kuwa ninaleta maafa kutoka kaskazini, maangamizi ya kutisha.”
Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: 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.
The lion has come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make your land desolate; and your cities shall be laid waste, without an 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 the LORD 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 the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; 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 said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, All of you shall have peace; whereas the sword reachs unto the soul.
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 shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse,
12 upepo wenye nguvu sana kuliko wa kupepeta na kutakasa utakuja kwa amri yangu. Sasa natangaza hukumu zangu dhidi yao.”
Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence 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 shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.
14 Ee Yerusalemu, usafishe uovu kutoka moyoni mwako na uokolewe. Utaendelea kuficha mawazo mapotovu mpaka lini?
O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your vain thoughts lodge within you?
15 Sauti inatangaza kutoka Dani, ikipiga mbiu ya maafa kutoka vilima vya Efraimu.
For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes affliction from mount 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 all of you 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.
As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she has been rebellious against me, says 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!”
Your way and your doings have procured these things unto you; this is your wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reachs unto your 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 bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because you 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 spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, 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 is foolish, they have not known me; they are foolish children, and they have none 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 without form, 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 lightly.
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 place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.
27 Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: “Nchi yote itaharibiwa, ingawa sitaiangamiza kabisa.
For thus has the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate; yet will I 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 shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black; because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither 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.
The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.
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 when you are spoiled, what will you do? Though you cloth yourself with crimson, though you deck you with ornaments of gold, though you rent your face with painting, in vain shall you make yourself fair; your lovers will despise you, they will seek your 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, and the anguish as of her that brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewails herself, that spreads her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.
