Yeremia 5
1 “Pandeni na kushuka katika mitaa ya Yerusalemu, tazameni pande zote na mtafakari, tafuteni katika viwanja vyake. Kama mtaweza kumpata hata mtu mmoja tu atendaye kwa uaminifu na kutafuta kweli, nitausamehe mji huu.
Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that doeth justly, that seeketh truth; and I will pardon her.
2 Ingawa wanasema, ‘Kwa hakika kama Bwana aishivyo,’ bado wanaapa kwa uongo.”
And though they say: 'As the LORD liveth', surely they swear falsely.
3 Ee Bwana, je, macho yako hayaitafuti kweli? Uliwapiga, lakini hawakusikia maumivu, uliwapondaponda, lakini walikataa maonyo. Walifanya nyuso zao kuwa ngumu kuliko jiwe nao walikataa kutubu.
O LORD, are not Thine eyes upon truth? Thou hast stricken them, but they were not affected; Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
4 Ndipo nikasema, “Hawa ni maskini tu; wao ni wapumbavu, kwa maana hawaijui njia ya Bwana, sheria ya Mungu wao.
And I said: 'Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the ordinance of their God;
5 Kwa hiyo nitakwenda kwa viongozi na kuzungumza nao, hakika wao wanaijua njia ya Bwana, sheria ya Mungu wao.” Lakini kwa nia moja nao pia walikuwa wameivunja nira na kuvivunja vifungo.
I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of the LORD, and the ordinance of their God.' But these had altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bands.
6 Kwa hiyo simba kutoka mwituni atawashambulia, mbwa mwitu kutoka jangwani atawaangamiza, chui atawavizia karibu na miji yao, ili kumrarua vipande vipande yeyote atakayethubutu kutoka nje, kwa maana maasi yao ni makubwa, na kukengeuka kwao kumekuwa ni kwingi.
Wherefore a lion out of the forest doth slay them, a wolf of the deserts doth spoil them, a leopard watcheth over their cities, every one that goeth out thence is torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, their backslidings are increased.
7 “Kwa nini niwasamehe? Watoto wenu wameniacha na kuapa kwa miungu ambayo si miungu. Niliwapatia mahitaji yao yote, lakini bado wamefanya uzinzi na kusongana katika nyumba za makahaba.
Wherefore should I pardon thee? The children have forsaken Me, and sworn by no-gods; and when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlots' houses.
8 Wamelishwa vizuri, kama farasi waume wenye tamaa nyingi, kila mmoja akimlilia mke wa mwanaume mwingine.
They are become as well-fed horses, lusty stallions; every one neigheth after his neighbour's wife.
9 Je, nisiwaadhibu kwa ajili ya hili?” asema Bwana. “Je, nisijilipizie kisasi juu ya taifa kama hili?
Shall I not punish for these things? saith the LORD; and shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 “Piteni katika mashamba yake ya mizabibu na kuyaharibu, lakini msiangamize kabisa. Pogoeni matawi yake, kwa kuwa watu hawa sio wa Bwana.
Go ye up into her rows, and destroy, but make not a full end; take away her shoots; for they are not the LORD'S.
11 Nyumba ya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda wamekuwa si waaminifu kwangu kamwe,” asema Bwana.
For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against Me, saith the LORD.
12 Wamedanganya kuhusu Bwana. Wamesema, “Yeye hatafanya jambo lolote! Hakuna dhara litakalotupata; kamwe hatutaona upanga wala njaa.
They have belied the LORD, and said: 'It is not He, neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine;
13 Manabii ni upepo tu, wala neno halimo ndani yao, kwa hiyo hayo wayasemayo na yatendeke kwao.”
And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them; thus be it done unto them.'
14 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mungu Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kwa sababu watu hawa wamesema maneno haya, nitayafanya maneno yangu vinywani mwenu kuwa moto, na watu hawa wawe kuni zinazoliwa na huo moto.
Wherefore thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts: Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make My words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Ee nyumba ya Israeli,” asema Bwana, “Ninaleta taifa toka mbali dhidi yako, taifa la kale na linaloendelea kudumu, taifa ambalo lugha yao huijui, wala msemo wao huwezi kuuelewa.
Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD; it is an enduring nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
16 Podo zao ni kama kaburi lililo wazi, wote ni mashujaa hodari wa vita.
Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17 Watayaangamiza mazao yenu na chakula chenu, wataangamiza wana wenu na mabinti zenu; wataangamiza makundi yenu ya kondoo na ya ngʼombe, wataangamiza mizabibu yenu na mitini yenu. Kwa upanga wataangamiza miji yenye maboma mliyoitumainia.
And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy bread, they shall eat up thy sons and thy daughters, they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds, they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees; they shall batter thy fortified cities, wherein thou trusteth, with the sword.
18 “Hata hivyo katika siku hizo, sitakuangamiza kabisa,” asema Bwana.
But even in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
19 “Nao watu watakapouliza, ‘Kwa nini Bwana, Mungu wetu ametufanyia mambo haya yote?’ utawaambia, ‘Kama vile mlivyoniacha mimi na kutumikia miungu migeni katika nchi yenu wenyewe, ndivyo sasa mtakavyowatumikia wageni katika nchi ambayo si yenu.’
And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say: 'Wherefore hath the LORD our God done all these things unto us?' then shalt Thou say unto them: 'Like as ye have forsaken Me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'
20 “Itangazie nyumba ya Yakobo hili na ulipigie mbiu katika Yuda:
Declare ye this in the house of Jacob, and announce it in Judah, saying:
21 Sikieni hili, enyi watu wapumbavu, msio na akili, mlio na macho lakini hamwoni, mlio na masikio lakini hamsikii:
Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding, that have eyes, and see not, that have ears, and hear not:
22 Je, haiwapasi kuniogopa mimi?” asema Bwana. “Je, haiwapasi kutetemeka mbele zangu? Niliufanya mchanga kuwa mpaka wa bahari, kizuizi cha milele ambacho haiwezi kupita. Mawimbi yanaweza kuumuka, lakini hayawezi kuupita; yanaweza kunguruma, lakini hayawezi kuuvuka.
Fear ye not Me? saith the LORD; Will ye not tremble at My presence? Who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, an everlasting ordinance, which it cannot pass; and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it.
23 Lakini watu hawa wana mioyo ya ukaidi na ya uasi, wamegeukia mbali na kwenda zao.
But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted, and gone.
24 Wao hawaambiani wenyewe, ‘Sisi na tumwogope Bwana Mungu wetu, anayetupatia mvua za masika na za vuli kwa majira yake, anayetuhakikishia majuma ya mavuno kwa utaratibu.’
Neither say they in their heart: 'Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth the former rain, and the latter in due season; that keepeth for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.'
25 Matendo yenu mabaya yamezuia haya yote, dhambi zenu zimewazuia msipate mema.
Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good from you.
26 “Miongoni mwa watu wangu wamo walio waovu wanaovizia kama watu wanaotega ndege, na kama wale wanaoweka mitego kuwakamata watu.
For among My people are found wicked men; they pry, as fowlers lie in wait; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 Kama vitundu vilivyojaa ndege, nyumba zao zimejaa udanganyifu; wamekuwa matajiri na wenye nguvu,
As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit; therefore they are become great, and waxen rich;
28 wamenenepa na kunawiri. Matendo yao maovu hayana kikomo; hawatetei mashauri ya yatima wapate kushinda, hawatetei haki za maskini.
They are waxen fat, they are become sleek; yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness; they plead not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they might make it to prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Je, nisiwaadhibu kwa ajili ya hili?” asema Bwana. “Je, nisijilipizie kisasi juu ya taifa kama hili?
Shall I not punish for these things? saith the LORD; Shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 “Jambo la kutisha na kushtusha limetokea katika nchi hii:
An appalling and horrible thing is come to pass in the land:
31 Manabii wanatabiri uongo, makuhani wanatawala kwa mamlaka yao wenyewe, nao watu wangu wanapenda hivyo. Lakini mtafanya nini mwisho wake?
The prophets prophesy in the service of falsehood, and the priests bear rule at their beck; and My people love to have it so; What then will ye do in the end thereof?
