Yeremia 6
1 “Kimbieni kwa usalama wenu, enyi watu wa Benyamini! Kimbieni kutoka Yerusalemu! Pigeni tarumbeta katika Tekoa! Inueni ishara juu ya Beth-Hakeremu! Kwa kuwa maafa yanaonekana yakitoka kaskazini, na uharibifu wa kutisha.
Strengthen yourselves, ye children of Benjamin, [to flee] out of the midst of Jerusalem, and sound an alarm with the trumpet in Thecue, and set up a signal over Baethacharma: for evil threatens from the north, and a great destruction is coming.
2 Nitamwangamiza Binti Sayuni, aliye mzuri sana na mwororo.
And [thy] pride, O daughter of Sion, shall be taken away.
3 Wachungaji pamoja na makundi yao watakuja dhidi yake; watapiga mahema yao kumzunguka, kila mmoja akichunga kundi lake mwenyewe.”
The shepherds and their flocks shall come to her; and they shall pitch [their] tents against her round about, and shall feed [their flocks] each with his hand.
4 “Jiandaeni kwa vita dhidi yake! Inukeni tumshambulie mchana! Lakini, ole wetu, mchana unaisha, na vivuli vya jioni vinazidi kuwa virefu.
Prepare yourselves for war against her; rise up, and let us go up against her at noon. Woe to us! for the day has gone down, for the shadows of the day fail.
5 Kwa hiyo inukeni, tufanye mashambulizi usiku, na kuharibu ngome zake!”
Rise, and let us go up against her by night, and destroy her foundations.
6 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kateni miti mjenge boma kuzunguka Yerusalemu. Mji huu ni lazima uadhibiwe, umejazwa na uonevu.
For thus saith the Lord, Hew down her trees, array a numerous force against Jerusalem. O false city; [there is] all oppression in her.
7 Kama vile kisima kinavyomwaga maji yake, ndivyo anavyomwaga uovu wake. Ukatili na maangamizi yasikika ndani yake, ugonjwa wake na majeraha yake viko mbele yangu daima.
As a cistern cools water, so her wickedness cools her, ungodliness and misery shall be heard in her, [as] continually before her.
8 Pokea onyo, ee Yerusalemu, la sivyo nitageukia mbali nawe na kuifanya nchi yako kuwa ukiwa, asiweze mtu kuishi ndani yake.”
Thou shalt be chastened, O Jerusalem, with pain and the scourge, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee a desert land, which shall not be inhabited.
9 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Wao na wayakusanye mabaki ya Israeli kwa uangalifu kama kwenye mzabibu; pitisha mkono wako kwenye matawi tena, kama yeye avunaye zabibu.”
For thus saith the Lord, Glean, glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel: turn back [your hands] as a grape-gatherer to his basket.
10 Niseme na nani na kumpa onyo? Ni nani atakayenisikiliza mimi? Masikio yao yameziba, kwa hiyo hawawezi kusikia. Neno la Bwana ni chukizo kwao, hawalifurahii.
To whom shall I speak, and testify, that he may hearken? behold, thine ears are uncircumcised, and they shall not be able to hear: behold, the word of the Lord is become to them a reproach, they will not at all desire it.
11 Lakini nimejaa ghadhabu ya Bwana, nami siwezi kuizuia. “Wamwagie watoto walioko barabarani, na juu ya vijana waume waliokusanyika; mume na mke watakumbwa pamoja ndani yake, hata nao wazee waliolemewa na miaka.
And I allowed my wrath to come to full, yet I kept [it] in, and did not utterly destroy them: I will pour it out on the children without, and on the assembly of young men together: for man and woman shall be taken together, the old man with him that is full of days.
12 Nyumba zao zitapewa watu wengine, pamoja na mashamba yao na wake zao, nitakapounyoosha mkono wangu dhidi ya wale waishio katika nchi,” asema Bwana.
And their houses shall be turned to others, [with] their fields and their wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of this land, saith the Lord.
13 “Kuanzia aliye mdogo kabisa hadi aliye mkubwa kabisa, wote wana tamaa ya kupata faida zaidi; manabii na makuhani wanafanana, wote wanafanya udanganyifu.
For from the least of them even to the greatest they have all committed iniquity; from the priest even to the false prophet they have all wrought falsely.
14 Wanafunga majeraha ya watu wangu bila uangalifu. Wanasema, ‘Amani, amani,’ wakati hakuna amani.
And they healed the breach of my people [imperfectly], making light [of it], and saying, Peace, peace, and where is peace?
15 Je, wanaona aibu kwa ajili ya tabia yao inayochukiza mno? Hapana, hawana aibu hata kidogo; hawajui hata kuona haya. Kwa hiyo wataanguka miongoni mwa hao walioanguka, watashushwa chini nitakapowaadhibu,” asema Bwana.
They were ashamed because they failed; yet they were not ashamed as those who are [truly] ashamed, and they knew not their own disgrace: therefore shall they [utterly] fall when they do fall, and in the time of visitation shall they perish, said the Lord.
16 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “Simama kwenye njia panda utazame, ulizia mapito ya zamani, ulizia wapi ilipo njia nzuri, uifuate hiyo, nanyi mtapata raha nafsini mwenu. Lakini ninyi mlisema, ‘Hatutaipita hiyo.’
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths of the Lord; and see what is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find purification for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [in them].
17 Niliweka walinzi juu yenu na kusema, ‘Sikieni sauti ya tarumbeta!’ Lakini mkasema, ‘Hatutasikiliza.’
I have set watchmen over you, [saying], Hear ye the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hear [it].
18 Kwa hiyo sikilizeni, enyi mataifa, angalieni, enyi mashahidi, lile litakalowatokea.
Therefore have the nations heard, and they that feed their flocks.
19 Sikia, ee nchi: Ninaleta maafa juu ya watu hawa, matunda ya mipango yao, kwa sababu hawakusikiliza maneno yangu na wameikataa sheria yangu.
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evils upon this people, [even] the fruit of their rebellions; for they have not heeded my words, and they have rejected my law.
20 Unanifaa nini uvumba kutoka Sheba, au udi wa harufu nzuri kutoka nchi ya mbali? Sadaka zako za kuteketezwa hazikubaliki, dhabihu zako hazinifurahishi mimi.”
Wherefore do ye bring me frankincense from Saba, and cinnamon from a land afar off? your whole-burnt-offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices have not been pleasant to me.
21 Kwa hiyo hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “Nitaweka vikwazo mbele ya watu hawa. Baba na wana wao watajikwaa juu yake, majirani na marafiki wataangamia.”
Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I [will] bring weakness upon this people, and the fathers and sons shall be weak together; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.
22 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “Tazama, jeshi linakuja kutoka nchi ya kaskazini, taifa kubwa linaamshwa kutoka miisho ya dunia.
Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people comes from the north, and nations shall be stirred up from the end of the earth.
23 Wamejifunga pinde na mkuki, ni wakatili na hawana huruma. Wanatoa sauti kama bahari inayonguruma wanapoendesha farasi zao. Wanakuja kama watu waliojipanga tayari kwa vita ili kukushambulia, ee Binti Sayuni.”
They shall lay hold on bow and spear; [the people] is fierce, and will have no mercy; their voice is as the roaring sea; they shall array themselves for war against thee as fire on horses and chariots, O daughter of Sion.
24 Tumesikia taarifa zao, nayo mikono yetu imelegea. Uchungu umetushika, maumivu kama ya mwanamke katika utungu wa kuzaa.
We have heard the report of them: our hands are weakened: anguish has seized us, the pangs as of a woman in travail.
25 Usitoke kwenda mashambani au kutembea barabarani, kwa kuwa adui ana upanga, na kuna vitisho kila upande.
Go not forth into the field, and walk not in the ways; for the sword of the enemy lingers round about.
26 Enyi watu wangu, vaeni magunia mjivingirishe kwenye majivu, ombolezeni kwa kilio cha uchungu kama amliliaye mwana pekee, kwa maana ghafula mharabu atatujia.
O daughter of my people, gird thyself with sackcloth: sprinkle [thyself] with ashes; make for thyself pitiable lamentation, [as] the mourning for a beloved [son]: for misery will come suddenly upon you.
27 “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa kitu cha kujaribu chuma, nao watu wangu kama mawe yenye madini, ili upate kuzijua na kuzijaribu njia zao.
I have caused thee to be tried among tried nations, and thou shalt know me when I have tried their way.
28 Wote ni waasi sugu, wakienda huku na huko kusengenya. Wao ni shaba na chuma, wote wanatenda upotovu.
[They are] all disobedient, walking perversely: [they are] brass and iron; they are all corrupted.
29 Mivuo inavuma kwa nguvu, kinachoungua kwa huo moto ni risasi, lakini pamoja na kusafisha kote huku ni bure; waovu hawaondolewi.
The bellows have failed from the fire, the lead has failed: the silversmith works at his trade in vain; their wickedness is not consumed.
30 Wanaitwa fedha iliyokataliwa, kwa sababu Bwana amewakataa.”
Call ye them reprobate silver, because the Lord has rejected them.
