< 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, saith Jehovah, they shall bring forth the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of 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.
and they shall spread them out to the sun and to the moon and to all the host of the heavens, which they have loved, and which they have served, and after which they have walked, and which they have sought, and which they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the ground.
3 Popote nitakapowafukuzia, mabaki wote wa kizazi hiki kiovu watatamani kufa kuliko kuishi, asema Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote.’
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, in all the places whither I have driven those that remain, saith Jehovah of hosts.
4 “Waambie, ‘Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana: “‘Je, watu wanapoanguka hawainuki? Je, mtu anapopotea harudi?
And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Do [men] fall, and not rise up? Doth 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 hath this people of Jerusalem slidden back with a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast 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 hearkened and heard: they speak not what is right; there is no man who repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his course, like a horse rushing into the 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 a stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of Jehovah.
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 do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? Behold, certainly the lying pen of the scribes hath made it falsehood.
9 Wenye hekima wataaibika, watafadhaika na kunaswa. Kwa kuwa wamelikataa neno la Bwana, hiyo hekima waliyo nayo ni ya namna gani?
The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: behold, they have rejected Jehovah's word; and what wisdom is in them?
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 will I give their wives unto others, their fields to those that shall possess [them]; for every one, from the least even unto the greatest, is given to covetousness; from the prophet even unto the priest, every one dealeth falsely.
11 Wanafunga majeraha ya watu wangu bila uangalifu. Wanasema, “Amani, amani,” wakati hakuna amani.
And they have healed the breach of the daughter of my people lightly, saying, Peace, peace! when there is no peace.
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 that they have committed abomination? Nay, they are not at all ashamed, and they know not how to blush. Therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall stumble, saith Jehovah.
13 “‘Nitayaondoa mavuno yao, asema Bwana. Hapatakuwepo zabibu kwenye mzabibu. Hapatakuwepo na tini kwenye mtini, majani yake yatanyauka. Kile nilichowapa watanyangʼanywa.’”
I will utterly take them away, saith Jehovah: there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree; and the leaf is faded: and I will give them up to those that shall pass over 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 do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fenced cities, and let us be silent there: for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah.
15 Tulitegemea amani, lakini hakuna jema lililokuja, tulitegemea wakati wa kupona, lakini kulikuwa hofu tu.
Peace is looked for, and there is no good; a time of healing, and behold, 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 his horses is heard from Dan: the whole land trembleth at the sound of the neighing of his steeds, and they come, and devour the land, and all it contains, the city and those that dwell therein.
17 “Tazama, nitatuma nyoka wenye sumu kali katikati yenu, fira ambao hawawezi kulogwa, nao watawauma,” asema Bwana.
For behold, I send among you serpents, vipers against which there is no charm, and they shall bite you, saith Jehovah.
18 Ee Mfariji wangu katika huzuni, moyo wangu umezimia ndani yangu.
My comfort in my sadness! my heart is faint in 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?”
Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people, from a very far country: Is not Jehovah in Zion? Is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, with foreign vanities?
20 “Mavuno yamepita, kiangazi kimekwisha, nasi hatujaokolewa.”
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.
21 Kwa kuwa watu wangu wamepondwa, nami nimepondeka pia; ninaomboleza, nayo hofu kuu imenishika.
— For the breach of the daughter of my people am I crushed; I go mourning; astonishment hath taken hold of 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 there no physician there? Why then is there no dressing applied for the healing of the daughter of my people?