Yeremia 12
1 Wewe ni mwenye haki, Bwana, wakati wowote ninapoleta mashitaka kwako. Lazima nikuambie sababu yangu ya kulalamika: Kwa nini njia za waovu hufanikiwa? Watu wote wasiokuwa na imani wanafanikiwa.
O Lord, if I dispute with thee, thou art righteous: yet let mee talke with thee of thy iudgements: wherefore doeth the way of the wicked prosper? why are all they in wealth that rebelliously transgresse?
2 Wewe uliwapanda nao wakawa na mizizi. Wanaendelea kuzaa matunda. Wewe upo karibu nao katika vinywa vyao, lakini mbali na mioyo yao.
Thou hast planted them, and they haue taken roote: they grow, and bring forth fruite: thou art neere in their mouth, and farre from their reines.
3 Lakini wewe mwenyewe unanijua, Bwana. Umeona mimi na kuchunguza moyo wangu. Waondoe kama kondoo wa kuchinjwa. Ukakaweke tayari kwa siku ya kuchinjwa.
But thou, Lord, knowest me: thou hast seene me, and tried mine heart towarde thee: pull them out like sheepe for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 Je! Nchi itakauka kwa muda gani, na mimea katika kila shamba itaota kwa sababu ya uovu wa wenyeji wake? Wanyama na ndege wameondolewa. Hakika, watu wanasema, “Mungu hajui nini kitatokea kwetu.”
Howe long shall the lande mourne, and the herbes of euery fielde wither, for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein? the beastes are consumed and the birdes, because they sayd, He wil not see our last ende.
5 Bwana akasema, “Kweli, wewe, Yeremia, umetembea na askari wa miguu na wamechoka, unawezaje kushindana dhidi ya farasi? Ikiwa unashuka chini ya nchi iliyo salama, utafanyaje katika misitu karibu na Yordani?
If thou hast runne with the footemen and they haue wearied thee, then howe canst thou match thy selfe with horses? and if thou thoughtest thy selfe safe in a peaceable lande, what wilt thou do in the swelling of Iorden?
6 Kwa maana hata ndugu zako na familia ya baba yako wamekudharau na kukukemea kwa sauti kubwa. Usiwaamini, hata kama wanasema mambo mazuri kwako.
For euen thy brethren, and the house of thy father, euen they haue delt vnfaithfully with thee, and they haue cryed out altogether vpon thee: but beleeue them not, though they speake faire to thee.
7 Nimeiacha nyumba yangu; Nimeacha urithi wangu. Nimewatia watu wangu wapendwa mikononi mwa adui zake.
I haue forsaken mine house: I haue left mine heritage: I haue giuen the dearely beloued of my soule into the hands of her enemies.
8 Urithi wangu umekuwa kwangu kama simba katika tundu; yeye hujiweka juu yangu kwa sauti yake mwenyewe, hivyo nimemchukia.
Mine heritage is vnto mee, as a lion in the forest: it crieth out against mee, therefore haue I hated it.
9 Malipo yangu ya thamani ni fisi, na ndege wenye madoadoa karibu na kichwa chake. Nenda, ukakusanye viumbe vyote vilivyomo katika mashamba, na uwalete ili wale.
Shall mine heritage bee vnto mee, as a bird of diuers colours? are not the birdes about her, saying, Come, assemble all ye beastes of the fielde, come to eate her?
10 Wachungaji wengi wameharibu shamba langu la mizabibu. Wameipoteza sehemu yangu yote ya ardhi; Waligeuza sehemu yangu nzuri kuwa jangwa, ukiwa.
Many pastors haue destroyed my vineyarde, and troden my portion vnder foote: of my pleasant portion they haue made a desolate wildernesse.
11 Wamemfanya kuwa ukiwa. Ninaomboleza kwa ajili yake; yeye ni ukiwa. Nchi yote imefanywa kuwa ukiwa, kwa maana hakuna mtu aliyeweka haya moyoni mwake.
They haue layde it waste, and it, being waste, mourneth vnto me: and the whole lande lyeth waste, because no man setteth his minde on it.
12 Waangamizi wamekuja juu ya maeneo yote yaliyo wazi jangwani, kwa maana upanga wa Bwana unakula kutoka upande mmoja wa nchi hadi mwingine. Hakuna usalama katika nchi kwa kiumbe chochote kilicho hai.
The destroyers are come vpon all the high places in the wildernesse: for the sworde of the Lord shall deuoure from the one end of the land, euen to the other ende of the lande: no flesh shall haue peace.
13 Walipanda ngano lakini mavuno ya miiba. Wao wamechoka kutokana na kazi lakini hawajapata chochote. Basi muaibike kwa faida yenu kwa sababu ya ghadhabu ya Bwana.”
They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes: they were sicke, and had no profite: and they were ashamed of your fruites, because of the fierce wrath of the Lord.
14 Bwana asema hivi dhidi ya majirani zangu wote, waovu wanaopiga milki niliyowarithisha watu wangu Israeli, “Tazama, mimi ndimi ambaye nitawafukuza kutoka nchi yao wenyewe, nami nitaifuta nyumba ya Yuda kutoka kati yao.
Thus sayeth the Lord against all mine euill neighbours, that touch the inheritance, which I haue caused my people Israel to inherite, Beholde, I will plucke them out of their lande, and plucke out the house of Iudah from among them.
15 Ndipo baada ya kuangamiza mataifa hayo, itatokea kwamba nitakuwa na huruma juu yao na kuwaleta tena; Nitawarudi-kila mtu kwa urithi wake na nchi yake.
And after that I haue plucked them out, I will returne, and haue compassion on them, and will bring againe euery man to his heritage, and euery man to his land.
16 Kisha itakuwa ikiwa mataifa hayo yatajifunza kwa makini njia za watu wangu, kuapa kwa jina langu 'Kama Bwana anaishivyo!' vile vile kama walivyowafundishwa watu wangu kuapa kwa Baali, basi watajengwa katikati ya watu wangu.
And if they will learne the wayes of my people, to sweare by my Name, (The Lord liueth, as they taught my people to sweare by Baal) then shall they be built in the middes of my people.
17 Lakini kama hakuna yeyote anayesikiliza, basi nitaling'oa taifa hilo. Kwa hakika litang'olewa na kuharibiwa-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana.”
But if they will not obey, then will I vtterly plucke vp, and destroy that nation, sayeth the Lord.
