Yeremia 46
1 Hili ni neno la Bwana lililomjia nabii Yeremia kuhusu mataifa:
That which has been the word of YHWH to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations,
2 Kuhusu Misri: Huu ni ujumbe dhidi ya jeshi la Farao Neko mfalme wa Misri, lililoshindwa huko Karkemishi kwenye Mto Frati na Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli, katika mwaka wa nne wa utawala wa Yehoyakimu mwana wa Yosia mfalme wa Yuda:
for Egypt, concerning the force of Pharaoh-Necho king of Egypt, that has been by the Euphrates River, in Carchemish, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has struck, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:
3 “Wekeni tayari ngao zenu, kubwa na ndogo, mtoke kwa ajili ya vita!
“Set shield and buckler in array, And draw near to battle.
4 Fungieni farasi lijamu, pandeni farasi! Shikeni nafasi zenu mkiwa mmevaa chapeo! Isugueni mikuki yenu, vaeni dirii vifuani!
Gird the horses, and go up, you horsemen, And station yourselves with helmets, Polish the javelins, put on the coats of mail.
5 Je, ninaona nini? Wametiwa hofu, wanarudi nyuma, askari wao wameshindwa. Wanakimbia kwa haraka pasipo kutazama nyuma, tena kuna hofu kuu kila upande,” asema Bwana.
Why have I seen them dismayed [and] turned backward? And their mighty ones are beaten down, And they have fled [to] a refuge, And did not turn their face, Fear [is] all around—a declaration of YHWH.
6 Walio wepesi na wenye mbio hawawezi kukimbia, wala wenye nguvu hawawezi kutoroka. Kaskazini, kando ya Mto Frati, wanajikwaa na kuanguka.
The swift do not flee, nor do the mighty escape, Northward, by the side of the Euphrates River, They have stumbled and fallen.
7 “Ni nani huyu ajiinuaye kama Mto Naili, kama mito yenye maji yanayofanya mawimbi?
Who is this? He comes up as a flood, His waters shake themselves as rivers!
8 Misri hujiinua kama Mto Naili, kama mito yenye maji yanayofanya mawimbi. Husema, ‘Nitainuka na kufunika dunia, nitaiangamiza miji na watu wake.’
Egypt comes up as a flood, And the waters shake themselves as rivers. And he says, I go up; I cover the land, I destroy the city and the inhabitants in it.
9 Songeni mbele, enyi farasi! Endesheni kwa ukali, enyi magari ya farasi, Endeleeni mbele, enyi mashujaa: watu wa Kushi na Putu wachukuao ngao, watu wa Ludi wavutao upinde.
Go up, you horses; and boast yourselves, you chariots, And go forth, you mighty, Cush and Phut handling the shield, And Lud handling—treading the bow.
10 Lakini ile siku ni ya Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, siku ya kulipiza kisasi, kisasi juu ya adui zake. Upanga utakula hata utakapotosheka, hadi utakapozima kiu yake kwa damu. Kwa maana Bwana, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, atatoa dhabihu kwenye nchi ya kaskazini, kando ya Mto Frati.
And that day [is] to Lord YHWH of Hosts A day of vengeance, To be avenged of His adversaries, And the sword has devoured, and been satisfied, And it has been watered from their blood, For a sacrifice [is] to Lord YHWH of Hosts, In the land of the north, by the Euphrates River.
11 “Panda hadi Gileadi ukapate zeri, ee Bikira Binti wa Misri. Lakini umetumia dawa nyingi bila mafanikio; huwezi kupona.
Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt, You have multiplied medicines in vain, There is no healing for you.
12 Mataifa yatasikia juu ya aibu yako, kilio chako kitaijaza dunia. Shujaa mmoja atajikwaa juu ya mwingine, nao wataanguka chini pamoja.”
Nations have heard of your shame, And your cry has filled the land, For the mighty stumbled on the mighty, Together they have fallen—both of them!”
13 Huu ndio ujumbe Bwana aliomwambia nabii Yeremia kuhusu kuja kwa Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli ili kuishambulia Misri:
The word that YHWH has spoken to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the coming in of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to strike the land of Egypt:
14 “Tangaza hili katika Misri, nawe ulihubiri katika Migdoli, hubiri pia katika Memfisi na Tahpanhesi: ‘Shikeni nafasi zenu na mwe tayari, kwa kuwa upanga unawala wale wanaokuzunguka.’
“Declare in Egypt, and sound in Migdol, And sound in Noph, and in Tahpanhes, say, Stand firm and prepare yourself, For a sword has devoured around you,
15 Kwa nini mashujaa wako wamesombwa na kupelekwa mbali? Hawawezi kusimama, kwa maana Bwana atawasukuma awaangushe chini.
Why has your bull been swept away? He has not stood, because YHWH thrust him away.
16 Watajikwaa mara kwa mara, wataangukiana wao kwa wao. Watasema, ‘Amka, turudi kwa watu wetu na nchi yetu, mbali na upanga wa mtesi.’
He has multiplied the stumbling, Indeed, one has fallen on his neighbor, And they say: Rise, and we return to our people, And to the land of our birth, Because of the oppressing sword.
17 Huko watatangaza, ‘Farao mfalme wa Misri ni makelele tu, amekosa wasaa wake.’
They have cried there: Pharaoh king of Egypt [is] a desolation, The appointed time has passed by.
18 “Kwa hakika kama niishivyo,” asema Mfalme, ambaye jina lake ni Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, “mmoja atakuja ambaye ni kama Tabori miongoni mwa milima, kama Karmeli kando ya bahari.
[As] I live—an affirmation of the King, YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name, Surely as Tabor [is] among mountains, And as Carmel by the sea—he comes in,
19 Funga mizigo yako kwenda uhamishoni, wewe ukaaye Misri, kwa kuwa Memfisi utaangamizwa na kuwa magofu pasipo mkazi.
Make goods for yourself for removal, O inhabitant, daughter of Egypt, For Noph becomes a desolation, And has been burned up, without inhabitant.
20 “Misri ni mtamba mzuri, lakini kipanga anakuja dhidi yake kutoka kaskazini.
Egypt [is] a very beautiful heifer, Destruction comes into her from the north.
21 Askari wake waliokodiwa katika safu zake wako kama ndama walionenepeshwa. Wao pia watageuka na kukimbia pamoja, hawataweza kuhimili vita, kwa maana siku ya msiba inakuja juu yao, wakati wao wa kuadhibiwa.
Even her hired ones in her midst [are] as calves of the stall, For even they have turned, They have fled together, they have not stood, For the day of their calamity has come on them, The time of their inspection.
22 Misri atatoa sauti kama ya nyoka anayekimbia kadiri adui anavyowasogelea na majeshi, watakuja dhidi yake wakiwa na mashoka, kama watu wakatao miti.
Its voice goes on as a serpent, For they go with a force, And they have come in to her with axes, As hewers of trees.
23 Wataufyeka msitu wake,” asema Bwana, “hata kama umesongamana kiasi gani. Ni wengi kuliko nzige, hawawezi kuhesabika.
They have cut down her forest, A declaration of YHWH, For it is not searched, For they have been more than the grasshopper, And they have no numbering.
24 Binti wa Misri ataaibishwa, atatiwa mikononi mwa watu wa kaskazini.”
The daughter of Egypt has been ashamed, She has been given into the hand of the people of the north.
25 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asema: “Nakaribia kuleta adhabu juu ya Amoni mungu wa Thebesi, na juu ya Farao, Misri na miungu yake, na wafalme wake, pamoja na wale wanaomtegemea Farao.
YHWH of Hosts, God of Israel, has said: Behold, I am seeing after Amon of No, And after Pharaoh, and after Egypt, And after her gods, and after her kings, And after Pharaoh, and after those trusting in him,
26 Nitawatia mikononi mwa wale wanaotafuta uhai wao, yaani Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli na maafisa wake. Hatimaye, hata hivyo, Misri itakaliwa kama nyakati zilizopita,” asema Bwana.
And I have given them into the hand of those seeking their life, And into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, And into the hand of his servants, And afterward it is inhabited, As [in] days of old—a declaration of YHWH.
27 “Usiogope, ee Yakobo mtumishi wangu, usifadhaike, ee Israeli. Hakika nitakuokoa kutoka nchi za mbali, uzao wako kutoka nchi ya uhamisho wao. Yakobo atakuwa tena na amani na salama, wala hakuna hata mmoja atakayewatia hofu.
And you, you do not fear, My servant Jacob, Nor [are] you dismayed, O Israel, For behold, I am saving you from afar—And your seed from the land of their captivity, And Jacob has turned back, And has been at rest, and been at ease, And there is none disturbing.
28 Usiogope, ee Yakobo mtumishi wangu, kwa maana mimi niko pamoja nawe,” asema Bwana. “Ingawa nitayaangamiza kabisa mataifa yote ambayo miongoni mwake nimekutawanya, sitakuangamiza wewe kabisa. Nitakurudi, lakini kwa haki tu, wala sitakuacha kabisa bila kukuadhibu.”
You do not fear, My servant Jacob, A declaration of YHWH, For I [am] with you, For I make an end of all the nations To where I have driven you, And I do not make an end of you, And I have reproved you in judgment, And do not entirely acquit you!”
