< Yeremia 9 >
1 Laiti kichwa changu kingekuwa chemchemi ya maji na macho yangu yangekuwa kisima cha machozi! Ningelia usiku na mchana kwa kuuawa kwa watu wangu.
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eye a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2 Laiti ningekuwa na nyumba ya kukaa wasafiri jangwani, ningewaacha watu wangu na kwenda mbali nao, kwa kuwa wote ni wazinzi, kundi la watu wadanganyifu.
Oh that I had in the wilderness a traveller's lodging-place, that I might leave my people, and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3 “Huweka tayari ndimi zao kama upinde, ili kurusha uongo; wamekuwa na nguvu katika nchi lakini si katika ukweli. Wanatoka dhambi moja hadi nyingine, hawanitambui mimi,” asema Bwana.
And they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood, and not for fidelity are they valiant in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith Jehovah.
4 “Jihadhari na rafiki zako; usiwaamini ndugu zako. Kwa kuwa kila ndugu ni mdanganyifu, na kila rafiki ni msingiziaji.
Take ye heed every one of his friend, and confide not in any brother; for every brother only supplanteth, and every friend goeth about with slander.
5 Rafiki humdanganya rafiki, hakuna yeyote asemaye kweli. Wamefundisha ndimi zao kudanganya, wanajichosha wenyewe katika kutenda dhambi.
And they act deceitfully every one with his neighbour, and speak not the truth: they teach their tongue to speak falsehood, they weary themselves with perverse dealing.
6 Unakaa katikati ya udanganyifu; katika udanganyifu wao wanakataa kunitambua mimi,” asema Bwana.
Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith Jehovah.
7 Kwa hiyo hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Tazama, nitawasafisha na kuwajaribu, kwani ni nini kingine niwezacho kufanya kwa sababu ya dhambi ya watu wangu?
Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how else could I do for the daughter of my people?
8 Ndimi zao ni mshale wenye sumu, hunena kwa udanganyifu. Kwa kinywa chake kila mmoja huzungumza maneno mazuri na jirani yake, lakini moyoni mwake humtegea mtego.
Their tongue is a murderous arrow; it speaketh deceit. [A man] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in his heart he layeth his ambush.
9 Je, nisiwaadhibu kwa ajili ya jambo hili?” asema Bwana. “Je, nisijilipizie kisasi kwa taifa kama hili?”
Shall I not visit them for these [things]? saith Jehovah; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Nitalia na kuomboleza kwa ajili ya milima na kuomboleza kuhusu malisho ya jangwani. Yamekuwa ukiwa, wala hakuna apitaye humo, milio ya ngʼombe haisikiki. Ndege wa angani wametoroka na wanyama wamekimbia.
For the mountains will I take up weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness, a lamentation; for they are burnt up, so that none passeth through them; and the voice of the cattle is not heard. Both the fowl of the heavens and the beasts are fled; they are gone.
11 “Nitaifanya Yerusalemu lundo la magofu, makao ya mbweha; nami nitaifanya miji ya Yuda kuwa ukiwa ili asiwepo atakayeishi humo.”
And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.
12 Ni mtu yupi aliye na hekima ya kutosha ayaelewe haya? Ni nani aliyefundishwa na Bwana awezaye kuyaeleza haya? Kwa nini nchi imeharibiwa na kufanywa ukiwa kama jangwa ambapo hakuna awezaye kupita?
Who is a wise man, that he may understand this? and he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land perished, burnt up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?
13 Bwana akasema, “Ni kwa sababu wameiacha sheria yangu, niliyoiweka mbele yao: hawajaniheshimu mimi wala kufuata sheria yangu.
And Jehovah saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not hearkened unto my voice, nor walked in it,
14 Badala yake wamefuata ukaidi wa mioyo yao, wamefuata Mabaali, kama vile baba zao walivyowafundisha.”
but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baals, as their fathers taught them;
15 Kwa hiyo, hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli: “Tazama, nitawafanya watu hawa wale chakula kichungu na kunywa maji yenye sumu.
therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink,
16 Nitawatawanya katika mataifa ambayo wao wala baba zao hawakuwajua, nikiwafuata kwa upanga mpaka niwe nimewaangamiza kabisa.”
and will scatter them among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.
17 Hivi ndivyo asemavyo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Fikiri sasa! Waite wanawake waombolezao waje, waite wale walio na ustadi kuliko wote.
Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come;
18 Nao waje upesi na kutuombolezea, mpaka macho yetu yafurike machozi na vijito vya maji vitoke kwenye kope zetu.
and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids pour forth waters.
19 Sauti ya kuomboleza imesikika kutoka Sayuni: ‘Tazama jinsi tulivyoangamizwa! Tazama jinsi aibu yetu ilivyo kubwa! Ni lazima tuihame nchi yetu kwa sababu nyumba zetu zimekuwa magofu.’”
For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled, sorely put to shame! For we have forsaken the land, for they have cast down our dwellings.
20 Basi, enyi wanawake, sikieni neno la Bwana; fungueni masikio yenu msikie maneno ya kinywa chake. Wafundisheni binti zenu kuomboleza; fundishaneni kila mmoja na mwenzake maombolezo.
Hear then the word of Jehovah, ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and each one her companion lamentation.
21 Mauti imeingia ndani kupitia madirishani, imeingia kwenye majumba yetu ya fahari; imewakatilia mbali watoto katika barabara na vijana waume kutoka viwanja vya miji.
For death is come up through our windows, is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from the street, the young men from the broadways.
22 Sema, “Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “‘Maiti za wanaume zitalala kama mavi katika mashamba, kama malundo ya nafaka nyuma ya mvunaji, wala hakuna anayekusanya.’”
Speak, Thus saith Jehovah: Yea, the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the reaper, and there shall be none to gather.
23 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Mwenye hekima asijisifu katika hekima yake, au mwenye nguvu ajisifu katika nguvu zake, wala tajiri ajisifu katika utajiri wake,
Thus saith Jehovah: Let not the wise glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty glory in his might; let not the rich glory in his riches:
24 lakini yeye ajisifuye, na ajisifu kwa sababu hili: kwamba ananifahamu na kunijua mimi, kwamba mimi ndimi Bwana, nitendaye wema, hukumu na haki duniani, kwa kuwa napendezwa na haya,” asema Bwana.
but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] Jehovah, who exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith Jehovah.
25 “Siku zinakuja, nitakapowaadhibu wale wote ambao wametahiriwa kimwili tu, asema Bwana,
Behold, days are coming, saith Jehovah, when I will visit all [them that are] circumcised with the uncircumcised;
26 yaani Misri, Yuda, Edomu, Amoni, Moabu na wote wanaoishi jangwani sehemu za mbali. Kwa maana mataifa haya yote hayakutahiriwa mioyo yao, nayo nyumba yote ya Israeli haikutahiriwa.”
Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners [of their beard] cut off, that dwell in the wilderness: for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.