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 back and forth through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places of it, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.
2 Ingawa wanasema, ‘Kwa hakika kama Bwana aishivyo,’ bado wanaapa kwa uongo.”
Though they say, 'As Jehovah lives;' 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.
Jehovah, do your eyes not look on truth? You have stricken them, but they were not grieved. You have 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.
Then I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know the way of Jehovah, nor the law 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 go to the great men, and will speak to them; for they know the way of Jehovah, and the law of their God." But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
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.
Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; everyone who goes out there shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backsliding is 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.
"How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and sworn by what are no gods. When I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the prostitutes' houses.
8 Wamelishwa vizuri, kama farasi waume wenye tamaa nyingi, kila mmoja akimlilia mke wa mwanaume mwingine.
They were as fed horses roaming at large: everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife.
9 Je, nisiwaadhibu kwa ajili ya hili?” asema Bwana. “Je, nisijilipizie kisasi juu ya taifa kama hili?
Shouldn't I punish them for these things?" says Jehovah; "and shouldn't 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 up on her walls, and destroy; but do not make a full end. Take away her branches; for they are not Jehovah'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," says Jehovah.
12 Wamedanganya kuhusu Bwana. Wamesema, “Yeye hatafanya jambo lolote! Hakuna dhara litakalotupata; kamwe hatutaona upanga wala njaa.
They have denied Jehovah, and said, "It is not he; neither shall evil come on 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.”
The prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to 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.
Therefore thus says Jehovah, the God of hosts, "Because you speak this word, look, I will make my words in your 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.
Look, I will bring a nation on you from far, house of Israel," says Jehovah. "It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, neither understand what they say.
16 Podo zao ni kama kaburi lililo wazi, wote ni mashujaa hodari wa vita.
Their quiver is an open tomb, 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.
They shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds. They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees. They shall beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.
18 “Hata hivyo katika siku hizo, sitakuangamiza kabisa,” asema Bwana.
"But even in those days," says Jehovah, "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.’
It will happen, when you say, 'Why has Jehovah our God done all these things to us?' Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says Jehovah, Just like you have forsaken me, and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'
20 “Itangazie nyumba ya Yakobo hili na ulipigie mbiu katika Yuda:
"Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish 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, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and do not see; who have ears, and do not hear:
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.
Do you not fear me?' says Jehovah 'Won't you tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it can't pass it? And though its waves toss themselves, yet they can't prevail; though they roar, yet they can't pass over it.'
23 Lakini watu hawa wana mioyo ya ukaidi na ya uasi, wamegeukia mbali na kwenda zao.
"But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they have 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 do they say in their heart, 'Let us now fear Jehovah our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to 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 withheld 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 watch, 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 have become great, and grew rich.
28 wamenenepa na kunawiri. Matendo yao maovu hayana kikomo; hawatetei mashauri ya yatima wapate kushinda, hawatetei haki za maskini.
They have grown fat. They shine; yes, they excel in deeds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper; and they do not judge the right of the needy.
29 Je, nisiwaadhibu kwa ajili ya hili?” asema Bwana. “Je, nisijilipizie kisasi juu ya taifa kama hili?
"Shall I not punish for these things?" says Jehovah. "Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 “Jambo la kutisha na kushtusha limetokea katika nchi hii:
"An astonishing and horrible thing has happened 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 falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?
