Yeremia 8
1 “‘Wakati huo, asema Bwana, mifupa ya wafalme na maafisa wa Yuda, mifupa ya makuhani na manabii, na mifupa ya watu wa Yerusalemu itaondolewa kutoka makaburi yao.
“At that time,” declares the LORD, “the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of the officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves.
2 Itawekwa wazi kwa jua, na mwezi, na nyota zote za mbingu, ambazo walizipenda na kuzitumikia, na ambazo wamezifuata kutafuta ushauri na kuziabudu. Hawatakusanywa pamoja au kuzikwa, lakini watakuwa kama mavi yaliyotapakaa juu ya ardhi.
They will be exposed to the sun and moon, and to all the host of heaven which they have loved, served, followed, consulted, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered up or buried, but will become like dung lying on the ground.
3 Popote nitakapowafukuzia, mabaki wote wa kizazi hiki kiovu watatamani kufa kuliko kuishi, asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.’
And wherever I have banished them, the remnant of this evil family will choose death over life,” declares the LORD of Hosts.
4 “Waambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “‘Je, watu wanapoanguka hawainuki? Je, mtu anapopotea harudi?
So you are to tell them this is what the LORD says: “Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not return?
5 Kwa nini basi watu hawa walipotea? Kwa nini Yerusalemu inapotea kila mara? Wanangʼangʼania udanganyifu na wanakataa kurudi.
Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return.
6 Nimewasikiliza kwa makini, lakini hawataki kusema lililo sawa. Hakuna anayetubia makosa yake akisema, “Nimefanya nini?” Kila mmoja hufuata njia yake mwenyewe kama farasi anayekwenda vitani.
I have listened and heard; they do not speak what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, asking, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone has pursued his own course like a horse charging into battle.
7 Hata korongo aliyeko angani anayajua majira yake yaliyoamriwa, nao njiwa, mbayuwayu na koikoi hufuata majira yao ya kurudi. Lakini watu wangu hawajui Bwana anachotaka kwao.
Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.
8 “‘Mwawezaje kusema, “Sisi tuna busara kwa sababu tunayo sheria ya Bwana,” wakati ambapo kwa hakika kalamu ya uongo ya waandishi imeandika kwa udanganyifu?
How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when in fact the lying pen of the scribes has produced a deception?
9 Wenye hekima wataaibika, watafadhaika na kunaswa. Kwa kuwa wamelikataa neno la Bwana, hiyo hekima waliyo nayo ni ya namna gani?
The wise will be put to shame; they will be dismayed and trapped. Since they have rejected the word of the LORD, what wisdom do they really have?
10 Kwa hiyo nitawapa watu wengine wake zao, na mashamba yao kwa wamiliki wengine. Kuanzia aliye mdogo kabisa hadi aliye mkubwa kabisa, wote wana tamaa ya kupata zaidi; manabii na makuhani wanafanana, wote wanafanya udanganyifu.
Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.
11 Wanafunga majeraha ya watu wangu bila uangalifu. Wanasema, “Amani, amani,” wakati hakuna amani.
They dress the wound of the daughter of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
12 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 watakapoadhibiwa, asema Bwana.
Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse, says the LORD.
13 “‘Nitayaondoa mavuno yao, asema Bwana. Hapatakuwepo zabibu kwenye mzabibu. Hapatakuwepo na tini kwenye mtini, majani yake yatanyauka. Kile nilichowapa watanyangʼanywa.’”
I will take away their harvest, declares the LORD. There will be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the tree, and even the leaf will wither. Whatever I have given them will be lost to them.”
14 “Kwa nini tunaketi hapa? Kusanyikeni pamoja! Tukimbilie kwenye miji yenye maboma, tukaangamie huko! Kwa kuwa Bwana, Mungu wetu ametuhukumu kuangamia, na kutupa maji yenye sumu tunywe, kwa sababu tumemtenda dhambi.
Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
15 Tulitegemea amani, lakini hakuna jema lililokuja, tulitegemea wakati wa kupona, lakini kulikuwa hofu tu.
We hoped for peace, but no good has come, for a time of healing, but there was only terror.
16 Mkoromo wa farasi za adui umesikika kuanzia Dani, kwa mlio wa madume yao ya farasi, nchi yote inatetemeka. Wamekuja kuangamiza nchi na vyote vilivyomo, mji na wote waishio ndani yake.”
The snorting of enemy horses is heard from Dan. At the sound of the neighing of mighty steeds, the whole land quakes. They come to devour the land and everything in it, the city and all who dwell in it.
17 “Tazama, nitatuma nyoka wenye sumu kali katikati yenu, fira ambao hawawezi kulogwa, nao watawauma,” asema Bwana.
“For behold, I will send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they will bite you,”
18 Ee Mfariji wangu katika huzuni, moyo wangu umezimia ndani yangu.
My sorrow is beyond healing; my heart is faint within me.
19 Sikia kilio cha watu wangu kutoka nchi ya mbali: “Je, Bwana hayuko Sayuni? Je, Mfalme wake hayuko tena huko?” “Kwa nini wamenikasirisha kwa vinyago vyao, kwa sanamu zao za kigeni zisizofaa?”
Listen to the cry of the daughter of my people from a land far away: “Is the LORD no longer in Zion? Is her King no longer there?” “Why have they provoked Me to anger with their carved images, with their worthless foreign idols?”
20 “Mavuno yamepita, kiangazi kimekwisha, nasi hatujaokolewa.”
“The harvest has passed, the summer has ended, but we have not been saved.”
21 Kwa kuwa watu wangu wamepondwa, nami nimepondeka pia; ninaomboleza, nayo hofu kuu imenishika.
For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am crushed. I mourn; horror has gripped me.
22 Je, hakuna zeri ya kuponya katika Gileadi? Je, hakuna tabibu huko? Kwa nini basi hakuna uponyaji wa majeraha ya watu wangu?
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?
