Yeremia 7
1 Hili ndilo neno lililomjia Yeremia kutoka kwa Bwana:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 “Simama kwenye lango la nyumba ya Bwana, na huko upige mbiu ya ujumbe huu: “‘Sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi watu wote wa Yuda mliokuja kupitia malango haya ili kumwabudu Bwana.
Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all [ye of] Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
3 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli: Tengenezeni njia zenu na matendo yenu, nami nitawaacha mkae mahali hapa.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
4 Msitumainie maneno ya udanganyifu na kusema, “Hili ni Hekalu la Bwana, Hekalu la Bwana, Hekalu la Bwana!”
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, [are] these.
5 Kama kweli mkibadili njia zenu na matendo yenu, mkatendeana haki kila mmoja na mwenzake,
For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
6 kama msipomwonea mgeni, yatima wala mjane, na kumwaga damu isiyo na hatia mahali hapa, nanyi kama msipofuata miungu mingine kwa madhara yenu wenyewe,
[If] ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
7 ndipo nitawaacha mkae mahali hapa, katika nchi niliyowapa baba zenu milele na milele.
Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
8 Lakini tazama, mnatumainia maneno ya udanganyifu yasiyo na maana.
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
9 “‘Je, mtaiba na kuua, mtazini na kuapa kwa uongo, na kufukiza uvumba kwa Baali, na kufuata miungu mingine ambayo hamkuijua,
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
10 kisha mje na kusimama mbele yangu katika nyumba hii inayoitwa kwa Jina langu, mkisema, “Tuko salama.” Salama kwa kufanya mambo haya yote ya kuchukiza?
And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
11 Je, nyumba hii, iitwayo kwa Jina langu, imekuwa pango la wanyangʼanyi kwenu? Lakini nimekuwa nikiona yanayotendeka! asema Bwana.
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen [it], saith the LORD.
12 “‘Nendeni sasa mahali pangu palipokuwa huko Shilo, mahali ambapo nilipafanya pa kwanza kuwa makao ya Jina langu, nanyi mwone lile nililopafanyia kwa ajili ya uovu wa watu wangu Israeli.
But go ye now unto my place which [was] in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
13 Mlipokuwa mnafanya yote haya, asema Bwana, nilisema nanyi tena na tena, lakini hamkusikiliza; niliwaita, lakini hamkujibu.
And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
14 Kwa hiyo, nililolifanyia Shilo, nitalifanya sasa kwa nyumba hii iitwayo kwa Jina langu, Hekalu mnalolitumainia, mahali nilipowapa ninyi na baba zenu.
Therefore will I do unto [this] house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
15 Nitawafukuza mbele yangu, kama nilivyowafanyia ndugu zenu, watu wa Efraimu.’
And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, [even] the whole seed of Ephraim.
16 “Kwa hiyo usiombe kwa ajili ya watu hawa, wala usinililie, na usifanye maombi kwa ajili yao; usinisihi, kwa sababu sitakusikiliza.
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
17 Je, huyaoni hayo wanayoyatenda katika miji ya Yuda na katika barabara za Yerusalemu?
Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
18 Watoto wanakusanya kuni, baba zao wanawasha moto, na wanawake wanakanda unga na kuoka mikate kwa ajili ya Malkia wa Mbinguni. Wanamimina sadaka za vinywaji kwa miungu mingine ili kunikasirisha.
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead [their] dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
19 Lakini je, mimi ndiye wanayenikasirisha? asema Bwana. Je, hawajiumizi wenyewe na kujiaibisha?
Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: [do they] not [provoke] themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
20 “‘Kwa hiyo hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenyezi: Hasira yangu na ghadhabu yangu itamwagwa mahali hapa, juu ya mwanadamu na mnyama, juu ya miti ya shambani na juu ya matunda ya ardhini, nayo itaungua pasipo kuzimwa.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
21 “‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli: Endeleeni, ongezeni sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa juu ya dhabihu zenu nyingine, mle nyama hiyo wenyewe!
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
22 Kwa kuwa nilipowaleta baba zenu kutoka Misri na kusema nao, sikuwapa amri kuhusu sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu tu,
For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
23 lakini niliwapa amri hii nikisema: Nitiini mimi, nami nitakuwa Mungu wenu nanyi mtakuwa watu wangu. Enendeni katika njia zote ninazowaamuru ili mpate kufanikiwa.
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
24 Lakini hawakusikiliza wala kujali. Badala yake, walifuata ukaidi wa mioyo yao miovu. Walirudi nyuma badala ya kusonga mbele.
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels [and] in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
25 Tangu wakati ule baba zenu walipotoka Misri hadi sasa, siku baada ya siku, tena na tena nimewatumia watumishi wangu manabii.
Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending [them: ]
26 Lakini hawakunisikiliza wala hawakujali. Walikuwa na shingo ngumu na kufanya maovu kuliko baba zao.’
Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
27 “Utakapowaambia haya yote, hawatakusikiliza; utakapowaita, hawatajibu.
Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
28 Kwa hiyo waambie, ‘Hili ni taifa ambalo halimtii Bwana, Mungu wao, wala kukubali maonyo. Kweli imekufa, imetoweka midomoni mwao.
But thou shalt say unto them, This [is] a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
29 Nyoeni nywele zenu na kuzitupa, ombolezeni katika miinuko iliyo kame, kwa kuwa Bwana amekikataa na kukiacha kizazi hiki kilichomkasirisha.
Cut off thine hair, [O Jerusalem], and cast [it] away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
30 “‘Watu wa Yuda wamefanya maovu machoni pangu, asema Bwana. Wameziweka sanamu zao za machukizo ndani ya nyumba iitwayo kwa Jina langu, na wameitia unajisi.
For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
31 Wamejenga mahali pa juu pa kuabudia sanamu pa Tofethi kwenye Bonde la Ben-Hinomu ili kuwateketeza wana wao na binti zao kwenye moto, kitu ambacho sikuamuru, wala hakikuingia akilini mwangu.
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which [is] in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded [them] not, neither came it into my heart.
32 Kwa hiyo mjihadhari, siku zinakuja, asema Bwana, wakati watu watakapokuwa hawapaiti Tofethi au Bonde la Ben-Hinomu, lakini watapaita Bonde la Machinjo, kwa sababu watawazika wafu huko Tofethi mpaka pasiwe tena nafasi.
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
33 Ndipo mizoga ya watu hawa itakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani na wanyama wa nchi, wala hapatakuwepo na yeyote wa kuwafukuza.
And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray [them] away.
34 Nitazikomesha sauti za shangwe na furaha, na sauti za bwana arusi na bibi arusi katikati ya miji ya Yuda na barabara za Yerusalemu, kwa sababu nchi itakuwa ukiwa.
Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
