Yeremia 51
1 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Tazama nitaamsha roho ya mwangamizi dhidi ya Babeli na watu wakaao Leb-Kamai.
This is what Yahweh says: “I will inspire/motivate [an army] to destroy Babylon [like a powerful] wind [MET], and [also] to destroy the people of Babylonia.
2 Nitawatuma wageni Babeli kumpepeta na kuiharibu nchi yake; watampinga kila upande katika siku ya maafa yake.
I will send a foreign army to come to get rid of Babylonia [like a strong wind] that blows away chaff. They will attack from every direction on that day of disaster.
3 Usimwache mpiga upinde afunge kamba upinde wake, wala usimwache avae silaha zake. Usiwaonee huruma vijana wake; angamiza jeshi lake kabisa.
[I will tell them, ] ‘Do not allow the archers [of Babylon] to [have time to] put on their armor or draw their bows. Do not spare the young men of Babylon. Completely destroy their army.’
4 Wataanguka waliouawa katika Babeli, wakiwa na majeraha ya kutisha barabarani zake.
Their soldiers will fall dead in Babylonia; [they will die after being] wounded in the streets.
5 Kwa maana Israeli na Yuda hawajaachwa na Mungu wao, Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, ingawa nchi yao imejaa uovu mbele zake yeye Aliye Mtakatifu wa Israeli.
[I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the Israelis’ God, have not abandoned Israel and Judah. [Even though] their land was full of people who sinned against [me], the Holy God of Israel, I am still their God.
6 “Kimbieni kutoka Babeli! Okoeni maisha yenu! Msiangamizwe kwa sababu ya dhambi zake. Ni wakati wa kisasi cha Bwana, atamlipa kile anachostahili.
[You people of Israel and Judah, ] flee from Babylon! Run away from there! Do not stay there and be killed when I punish [the people of Babylon]! It will be the time when I will get revenge; I will do to them what they deserve.
7 Babeli alikuwa kikombe cha dhahabu katika mkono wa Bwana; aliufanya ulimwengu wote ulewe. Mataifa walikunywa mvinyo wake; kwa hiyo sasa wameingiwa na wazimu.
Babylon has been [like] [MET] a gold cup in my hand, [a cup that is full of wine] that caused people all over the earth [who drank some of it to become] drunk. [It is as though] the [rulers of] the nations drank the wine from Babylon, and it caused them to become crazy.
8 Babeli ataanguka ghafula na kuvunjika. Mwombolezeni! Tafuteni zeri ya kutuliza maumivu yake, labda anaweza kupona.
But suddenly Babylon will be conquered. [You foreigners who live in Babylon, ] weep for its people. Give them medicine for their wounds; perhaps they can be healed.”
9 “‘Tungemponya Babeli, lakini hawezi kuponyeka; tumwacheni, na kila mmoja wetu aende nchi yake mwenyewe, kwa kuwa hukumu yake inafika angani, inapanda juu hadi mawinguni.’
We [foreigners] would have [tried to] heal them, but [now] they cannot be healed. [So we will not try to help them; ] we will abandon them, and return to our own lands, because [it is as though] the punishment they are receiving is so great that it reaches up to the clouds in sky, [so great that no one can measure it].
10 “‘Bwana amethibitisha haki yetu; njooni, tutangaze katika Sayuni kitu ambacho Bwana Mungu wetu amefanya.’
Yahweh has (vindicated us/shown that we were right); [so] let’s proclaim in Jerusalem everything that Yahweh our God has done [for us].
11 “Noeni mishale, chukueni ngao! Bwana amewaamsha wafalme wa Wamedi, kwa sababu nia yake ni kuangamiza Babeli. Bwana atalipiza kisasi, kisasi kwa ajili ya Hekalu lake.
[You enemy soldiers, ] sharpen your arrows! Lift up your shields, [because] Yahweh has incited your kings of Media [and Persia to march with their armies] to Babylon and to destroy it. That is how Yahweh will get revenge on [those foreigners who entered] his temple [in Jerusalem] and defiled it.
12 Twekeni bendera juu ya kuta za Babeli! Imarisheni ulinzi, wekeni walinzi, andaeni waviziao! Bwana atatimiza kusudi lake, amri yake juu ya watu wa Babeli.
Lift up a battle flag close to the walls of Babylon! (Reinforce the/Appoint more) guards, and tell the watchmen to stand [in their positions]! Prepare an ambush, because Yahweh is about to accomplish all that he has planned to do to the people of Babylon.
13 Wewe uishiye kando ya maji mengi na uliye na wingi wa hazina, mwisho wako umekuja, wakati wako wa kukatiliwa mbali.
Babylon is [a city] near the great [Euphrates] River, a city in which there are many rich people, but it is time for Babylon to be finished; the time [for the city] to exist is ended.
14 Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ameapa kwa nafsi yake mwenyewe: ‘Hakika nitakujaza na watu, kama kundi la nzige, nao watapiga kelele za ushindi juu yako.’
The Commander of the armies of angels has solemnly promised, using his own name, “Your cities will be filled with your enemies; I will cause them to be like [SIM] a swarm of locusts; and they will shout triumphantly [when they conquer your city].”
15 “Aliiumba dunia kwa uweza wake; akaweka misingi ya ulimwengu kwa hekima yake na akazitandaza mbingu kwa ufahamu wake.
Yahweh created the earth by his power; he established it by his wisdom, and he stretched out the sky by his understanding.
16 Atoapo sauti yake, maji yaliyo katika mbingu hunguruma, huyafanya mawingu yainuke kutoka miisho ya dunia. Hupeleka umeme wa radi pamoja na mvua, naye huuleta upepo kutoka ghala zake.
When he speaks loudly, there is thunder in the sky; he causes clouds to form in every part of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and releases the winds from his storehouses.
17 “Kila mtu ni mjinga na hana maarifa; kila sonara ameaibishwa na sanamu zake. Vinyago vyake ni vya udanganyifu, havina pumzi ndani yavyo.
People are senseless, and they know very little [HYP]; those who make idols are [always] disappointed, because their idols [do nothing for them]. The images/statues that they make are not real [gods]; they are lifeless.
18 Havifai kitu, ni vitu vya kufanyia mzaha, hukumu yavyo itakapowadia, vitaangamia.
Idols are worthless; they deserve to be ridiculed; there will be a time when they will [all] be destroyed.
19 Yeye Aliye Fungu la Yakobo sivyo alivyo, kwani ndiye Muumba wa vitu vyote, pamoja na kabila la urithi wake: Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote ndilo jina lake.
But the God whom [we] Israelis [worship] is not like those [idols]; he is the one who created everything [that exists]; [we], the people of Israel, belong to him; his name is ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’.
20 “Wewe ndiwe rungu langu la vita, silaha yangu ya vita: kwa wewe navunjavunja mataifa, kwa wewe naangamiza falme,
Yahweh says [about the army of Babylonia] (OR, [about a nation that will attack Babylonia)], “You have been [like] [MET] my battle-axe and war-club; with your [power] I have shattered nations and destroyed [many] kingdoms.
21 kwa wewe navunjavunja farasi na mpanda farasi, kwa wewe navunjavunja gari la vita na mwendeshaji wake,
With your [power] I have shattered armies [of other nations]: I destroyed [their] horses and their riders, [their] chariots and [their] chariot-drivers.
22 kwa wewe napondaponda mwanaume na mwanamke, kwa wewe napondaponda mzee na kijana, kwa wewe napondaponda kijana wa kiume na mwanamwali,
With your [power] I shattered men and women, old people and children, young men and young women.
23 kwa wewe nampondaponda mchungaji na kundi, kwa wewe nampondaponda mkulima na maksai, kwa wewe nawapondaponda watawala na maafisa.
With your [power] I shattered shepherds and their flocks [of sheep], farmers and their oxen, governors and [their] officials.”
24 “Mbele ya macho yako nitamlipiza Babeli na wote waishio Ukaldayo kwa ajili ya makosa yote waliyofanya katika Sayuni,” asema Bwana.
But, Yahweh [also] says, “[Soon] I will repay/punish [you] people in Babylon and in the rest of Babylonia for all the evil things that you have done in Jerusalem.
25 “Mimi niko kinyume nawe, ee mlima unaoharibu, wewe uangamizaye dunia yote,” asema Bwana. “Nitanyoosha mkono wangu dhidi yako, nikuvingirishe kutoka kwenye kilele cha mwamba, na kukufanya mlima ulioteketezwa kwa moto.
[Babylonia is] [APO] like [MET] a great mountain [from which bandits descend] to (plunder/steal things from) people all over the earth. But I, Yahweh, am the enemy of you [people of Babylonia]. I will raise my fist to strike you. I will knock you down from the cliffs and cause you to be [only] a huge pile of burned rubble.
26 Hakuna jiwe litakalochukuliwa kutoka kwako kwa ajili ya kufanywa jiwe la pembeni, wala jiwe lolote kwa ajili ya msingi, kwa maana utakuwa ukiwa milele,” asema Bwana.
Your [city] will be abandoned forever; [even] the stones in your [city] will never [again] be used for buildings. [Your city will be completely destroyed].”
27 “Twekeni bendera katika nchi! Pigeni tarumbeta katikati ya mataifa! Andaeni mataifa kwa ajili ya vita dhidi yake, iteni falme hizi dhidi yake: Ararati, Mini na Ashkenazi. Wekeni jemadari dhidi yake, pelekeni farasi wengi kama kundi la nzige.
[Tell] the nations to lift up a battle flag! [Tell them to] shout the battle-cry! Gather all their armies to fight against Babylon! Prepare the nations to attack Babylon. Summon [the armies of] the kingdoms [north of Babylonia]—from Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander for them, and bring [a great number of] horses; [there must be a huge number of horses]; that [huge number] will resemble [SIM] a swarm of locusts.
28 Andaeni mataifa kwa ajili ya vita dhidi yake, wafalme wa Wamedi, watawala wao na maafisa wao wote, pamoja na nchi zote wanazotawala.
Prepare the [armies of other nations], armies that will be led by the kings of Media [and Persia], their governors and [their] officials.
29 Nchi inatetemeka na kugaagaa, kwa kuwa makusudi ya Bwana dhidi ya Babeli yanasimama: yaani, kuangamiza nchi ya Babeli ili pasiwe na yeyote atakayeishi humo.
[When they attack Babylon, it will be as though] the earth will shake and writhe [in pain], because [those armies] will accomplish everything that Yahweh has planned to do to Babylon; they will destroy it completely, [with the result that] no one will live there [again].
30 Mashujaa wa Babeli wameacha kupigana, wamebaki katika ngome zao. Nguvu zao zimekwisha, wamekuwa kama wanawake. Makazi yake yameteketezwa kwa moto, makomeo ya malango yake yamevunjika.
[When their enemies attack], the strongest warriors in Babylon will not fight. They will remain in their barracks, without any strength. They will be as timid/weak as [SIM] women. [The enemy soldiers] will burn the buildings in the city and pull down the bars [of the city gates].
31 Tarishi mmoja humfuata mwingine, na mjumbe humfuata mjumbe, kumtangazia mfalme wa Babeli kwamba mji wake wote umetekwa,
Messengers will go quickly, one after another, to tell the king that his city has been captured.
32 Vivuko vya mito vimekamatwa, mabwawa yenye mafunjo yametiwa moto, nao askari wameingiwa na hofu kuu.”
The places at which people can cross the river [to escape from the city] will be blocked. The dry reeds in the marshes/swamps will be set on fire, and the soldiers of Babylon will be terrified.
33 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: “Binti Babeli ni kama sakafu ya kupuria wakati inapokanyagwa; wakati wa kumvuna utakuja upesi.”
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says; “Babylon is like [SIM] wheat on the ground where it is about to be threshed by [animals] tramping on it. Very soon [their enemies] will trample on [the city of] Babylon [MET].”
34 “Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli ametula, ametufanya tuchangayikiwe, ametufanya tuwe gudulia tupu. Kama nyoka ametumeza na kujaza tumbo lake kwa vyakula vyetu vizuri, kisha akatutapika.
[The army of] Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, has attacked and crushed us [Israeli people], and we have no strength [left]. [It is as though] they have swallowed us like a [great] monster that filled its belly with all our tasty parts, and then has spit out [what it did not like].
35 Jeuri iliyofanyiwa miili yetu na iwe juu ya Babeli,” ndivyo wasemavyo wakaao Sayuni. “Damu yetu na iwe juu ya wale waishio Babeli,” asema Yerusalemu.
[So] the people of [PRS] Jerusalem say [to Yahweh], “Cause the people of Babylon to suffer like they caused us to suffer! Cause the people of Babylonia to be punished for killing [MTY] our people!”
36 Kwa hiyo, hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: “Tazama, nitatetea shauri lako na kulipiza kisasi kwa ajili yako; nitaikausha bahari yake na kuzikausha chemchemi zake.
And this is what Yahweh replies to the people of Jerusalem: “I will [be like your lawyer to] defend you, and I will avenge you. I will dry up the river in Babylon and [all] the springs of water.
37 Babeli utakuwa lundo la magofu na makao ya mbweha, kitu cha kutisha na kudharauliwa, mahali asipoishi mtu.
Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a place where jackals/wolves live. It will become a place that people are horrified about and will ridicule; it will be a place where no one lives.
38 Watu wake wote wananguruma kama simba wadogo, wanakoroma kama wana simba.
The people of Babylon will [all] roar like young lions; they will growl like baby lions.
39 Lakini wakati wakiwa wameamshwa, nitawaandalia karamu na kuwafanya walewe, ili wapige kelele kwa kicheko, kisha walale milele na wasiamke,” asema Bwana.
But while they are extremely hungry, I will prepare a [different kind of] feast for them. [It is as though] I will cause them to drink wine until they are very drunk, [with the result that] they will fall asleep. But they will never wake up from that sleep!
40 “Nitawateremsha kama wana-kondoo waendao machinjoni, kama kondoo dume na mbuzi.
I will bring them down to a place where they will be slaughtered, like [SIM] [someone who takes] lambs or rams or goats [to where they will be slaughtered for sacrifices].
41 “Tazama jinsi Sheshaki atakamatwa, majivuno ya dunia yote yatakavyonyakuliwa. Babeli atakuwa mwenye hofu kiasi gani kati ya mataifa!
People all over the earth [now] (honor/praise) Babylon; they say that it is a great city. But I will cause it to become a [place about which people of all] nations are horrified.
42 Bahari itainuka juu ya Babeli; mawimbi yake yenye kunguruma yatamfunika.
The [enemies of Babylon] will cover the city [like] huge waves of the sea [DOU].
43 Miji yake itakuwa ukiwa, kame na jangwa, nchi ambayo hakuna yeyote anayeishi ndani yake, ambayo hakuna mtu anayepita humo.
The towns in Babylonia will become ruins, Babylonia will become a dry desert area. It will be a land in which no one lives and which no one walks through.
44 Nitamwadhibu Beli katika Babeli, na kumfanya atapike kile alichokimeza. Mataifa hayatamiminika tena kwake. Nao ukuta wa Babeli utaanguka.
And I will punish Bel, [the god that the people] of Babylon [worship], and I will cause the people to give back what they have stolen [MET]. [People of other] nations will no longer come to [worship] Bel. And the walls of Babylon will collapse.”
45 “Tokeni ndani yake, enyi watu wangu! Okoeni maisha yenu! Ikimbieni hasira kali ya Bwana.
[Yahweh also says, ] “My people, come out of Babylon! Run away from there! Run, because [I], Yahweh, am extremely angry [MTY] [with the people of Babylon, and I will get rid of them]!
46 Msikate tamaa wala msiogope tetesi zitakaposikika katika nchi; tetesi moja inasikika mwaka huu, nyingine mwaka unaofuata; tetesi juu ya jeuri katika nchi, na ya mtawala dhidi ya mtawala.
Do not be discouraged/worried [IDM] or afraid when you hear reports [about what is happening in Babylon]. People will report rumors like that every year, rumors about violent things being done in the land, and rumors about leaders fighting against each other.
47 Kwa kuwa hakika wakati utawadia nitakapoziadhibu sanamu za Babeli; nchi yake yote itatiwa aibu, na watu wake wote waliouawa wataangukia ndani yake.
But it will soon be the time for me to get rid of the idols in Babylon. [People all over] the land will be ashamed [because of being defeated]; and the corpses of their [soldiers] will lie in the streets.
48 Ndipo mbingu na dunia na vyote vilivyomo ndani yake vitapiga kelele za shangwe juu ya Babeli, kwa kuwa kutoka kaskazini waharabu watamshambulia,” asema Bwana.
Then all [the angels in] heaven and all the [people on] [PRS] the earth will rejoice, because from the north will come [armies] that will destroy Babylon.
49 “Babeli ni lazima aanguke kwa sababu ya kuwaua Waisraeli, kama vile waliouawa duniani kote walivyoanguka kwa sababu ya Babeli.
Like [the soldiers of Babylon] killed the people of Israel and [also] killed others all over the world [HYP], [the people of] Babylon must also be killed.
50 Wewe uliyepona upanga, ondoka wala usikawie! Mkumbuke Bwana ukiwa katika nchi ya mbali, na utafakari juu ya Yerusalemu.”
You [Israeli people] who have not been killed [MTY], get out of Babylon! Do not wait! [Even though you are in a land] far away [from Israel], think about Yahweh, and think about Jerusalem!”
51 “Tumetahayari, kwa maana tumetukanwa na aibu imefunika nyuso zetu, kwa sababu wageni wameingia mahali patakatifu pa nyumba ya Bwana.”
[The Israeli people say], “We are ashamed. We are completely disgraced [DOU], because foreigners have entered Yahweh’s temple [and (defiled it/caused it to become unfit for worship)].”
52 “Lakini siku zinakuja,” asema Bwana, “nitakapoadhibu sanamu zake, na katika nchi yake yote waliojeruhiwa watalia kwa maumivu makali.
Yahweh replies, “[That is true], but there will soon be a time when I will destroy the idols in Babylon, and throughout Babylonia there will be wounded people who will groan.
53 Hata kama Babeli ikifika angani na kuziimarisha ngome zake ndefu, nitatuma waharabu dhidi yake,” asema Bwana.
Even if [the walls around] Babylon could extend up to the sky, and if its walls/fortifications were extremely strong, I will send [armies] that will destroy the city. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
54 “Sauti ya kilio inasikika kutoka Babeli, sauti ya uharibifu mkuu kutoka nchi ya Wakaldayo.
Listen to [the people of] Babylon crying [for help]! And listen to the sounds of things being destroyed all over Babylonia!
55 Bwana ataiangamiza Babeli, atanyamazisha makelele ya kishindo chake. Mawimbi ya adui yatanguruma kama maji makuu, ngurumo ya sauti zao itavuma.
Yahweh will be destroying Babylon. He will cause the loud noises in the city to cease.
56 Mharabu atakuja dhidi ya Babeli, mashujaa wake watakamatwa, nazo pinde zao zitavunjwa. Kwa kuwa Bwana ni Mungu wa kisasi, yeye atalipiza kikamilifu.
Enemy troops will surge against the city like [SIM] a great wave. They will capture the city’s mighty soldiers and break their weapons. [That will happen] because Yahweh is a God who punishes [his enemies] justly; he will punish them as they deserve.
57 Nitawafanya maafisa wake na wenye busara walewe, watawala wao, maafisa, pamoja na wapiganaji wao; watalala milele na hawataamka,” asema Mfalme, ambaye jina lake ni Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.
The king, the Commander of the armies of angels says, “I will cause the city officials and wise men, the army captains and soldiers [in Babylon] to become drunk. They will fall asleep, but they will never wake up [again]!”
58 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote asemalo: “Ukuta mnene wa Babeli utasawazishwa, na malango yaliyoinuka yatateketezwa kwa moto; mataifa yanajichosha bure, taabu ya mataifa ni nishati tu ya miali ya moto.”
Yahweh also says, “The thick walls around Babylon will be flattened to the ground. The city gates will be burned. People [from other countries] will work hard [to save the city], but it will be (in vain/useless), because everything [that they have built] will be destroyed by fire.”
59 Huu ndio ujumbe Yeremia aliompa afisa Seraya mwana wa Neria mwana wa Maaseya, alipokwenda Babeli pamoja na Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda, katika mwaka wa nne wa utawala wake.
Seraiah was the man who made arrangements for the King of Babylon [whenever he traveled]. He was the son of Neraiah and grandson of Mahseiah. When he was about to go to Babylon with King Zedekiah, after Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost four years, the prophet Jeremiah gave him a message.
60 Yeremia alikuwa ameandika ndani ya kitabu kuhusu maafa yote yatakayoipata Babeli, yaani yote yaliyokuwa yameandikwa kuhusu Babeli.
Jeremiah had written on a scroll a list of all the disasters that he had written about, disasters that would soon occur in Babylon.
61 Yeremia akamwambia Seraya, “Utakapofika Babeli, hakikisha kwamba umesoma maneno haya yote kwa sauti kubwa.
He said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, read [aloud] everything that I have written [on this scroll].
62 Kisha sema, ‘Ee Bwana, umesema utaangamiza mahali hapa ili mtu wala mnyama asiishi ndani yake, napo patakuwa ukiwa milele.’
Then pray, ‘Yahweh, you said that you will thoroughly destroy Babylon, with the result that people and animals will no [longer] live there. You said that it will be desolate forever.’
63 Utakapomaliza kusoma hiki kitabu, kifungie jiwe kisha ukitupe ndani ya Mto Frati.
[Then], when you have finished reading [what I have written on] the scroll, tie it to a [heavy] stone and throw it into the Euphrates [River].
64 Kisha sema, ‘Hivi ndivyo Babeli utakavyozama na usiinuke tena, kwa sababu ya maafa nitakayoleta juu yake. Nao watu wake wataanguka.’” Maneno ya Yeremia yanaishia hapa.
Then say, ‘In the same way, Babylon [and its people] will disappear and never exist again, because of the disasters that Yahweh will cause to occur there’” That is the end of Jeremiah’s messages.
