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.
O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
2 Nitamwangamiza Binti Sayuni, aliye mzuri sana na mwororo.
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.
3 Wachungaji pamoja na makundi yao watakuja dhidi yake; watapiga mahema yao kumzunguka, kila mmoja akichunga kundi lake mwenyewe.”
The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place.
4 “Jiandaeni kwa vita dhidi yake! Inukeni tumshambulie mchana! Lakini, ole wetu, mchana unaisha, na vivuli vya jioni vinazidi kuwa virefu.
Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
5 Kwa hiyo inukeni, tufanye mashambulizi usiku, na kuharibu ngome zake!”
Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
6 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Kateni miti mjenge boma kuzunguka Yerusalemu. Mji huu ni lazima uadhibiwe, umejazwa na uonevu.
For thus hath YHWH of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of 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 fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds.
8 Pokea onyo, ee Yerusalemu, la sivyo nitageukia mbali nawe na kuifanya nchi yako kuwa ukiwa, asiweze mtu kuishi ndani yake.”
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not 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.”
Thus saith YHWH of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets.
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 give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of YHWH is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in 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.
Therefore I am full of the fury of YHWH; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged 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 unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith YHWH.
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 unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.
14 Wanafunga majeraha ya watu wangu bila uangalifu. Wanasema, ‘Amani, amani,’ wakati hakuna amani.
They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no 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.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith YHWH.
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 YHWH, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
17 Niliweka walinzi juu yenu na kusema, ‘Sikieni sauti ya tarumbeta!’ Lakini mkasema, ‘Hatutasikiliza.’
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
18 Kwa hiyo sikilizeni, enyi mataifa, angalieni, enyi mashahidi, lile litakalowatokea.
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them.
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 evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it.
20 Unanifaa nini uvumba kutoka Sheba, au udi wa harufu nzuri kutoka nchi ya mbali? Sadaka zako za kuteketezwa hazikubaliki, dhabihu zako hazinifurahishi mimi.”
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto 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 YHWH, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; 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 YHWH, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides 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; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.
24 Tumesikia taarifa zao, nayo mikono yetu imelegea. Uchungu umetushika, maumivu kama ya mwanamke katika utungu wa kuzaa.
We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, 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, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
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 thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.
27 “Nimekufanya wewe kuwa kitu cha kujaribu chuma, nao watu wangu kama mawe yenye madini, ili upate kuzijua na kuzijaribu njia zao.
I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.
28 Wote ni waasi sugu, wakienda huku na huko kusengenya. Wao ni shaba na chuma, wote wanatenda upotovu.
They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
29 Mivuo inavuma kwa nguvu, kinachoungua kwa huo moto ni risasi, lakini pamoja na kusafisha kote huku ni bure; waovu hawaondolewi.
The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 Wanaitwa fedha iliyokataliwa, kwa sababu Bwana amewakataa.”
Reprobate silver shall men call them, because YHWH hath rejected them.
