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.
Righteous [art] Thou, O Jehovah, When I plead towards thee, Only, judgments do I speak with Thee, Wherefore did the way of the wicked prosper? At rest have been all treacherous dealers.
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, yea, they have taken root, They go on, yea, they have made fruit, Near [art] Thou in their mouth, And far off from their reins.
3 Lakini wewe mwenyewe unanijua, Bwana. Umeona mimi na kuchunguza moyo wangu. Waondoe kama kondoo wa kuchinjwa. Ukakaweke tayari kwa siku ya kuchinjwa.
And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known me, Thou seest me, and hast tried my heart with Thee, Draw them away as sheep to slaughter, And separate them for a 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.”
Till when doth the earth mourn, And the herb of the whole field wither? For the wickedness of those dwelling in it, Consumed have been beast and fowl, Because they said, 'He doth not see our latter end.'
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?
For — with footmen thou hast run, And they weary thee, And how dost thou fret thyself with horses! Even in the land of peace, [In which] thou art confident — And how dost thou in the rising of Jordan!
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 even thy brethren and the house of thy father, Even they dealt treacherously against thee, Even they — they called after thee fully, Trust not in them, when they speak to thee good things.
7 Nimeiacha nyumba yangu; Nimeacha urithi wangu. Nimewatia watu wangu wapendwa mikononi mwa adui zake.
I have forsaken My house, I have left Mine inheritance, I have given the beloved of My soul Into the hand of her enemies.
8 Urithi wangu umekuwa kwangu kama simba katika tundu; yeye hujiweka juu yangu kwa sauti yake mwenyewe, hivyo nimemchukia.
Mine inheritance hath been to Me as a lion in a forest, She gave forth against Me with her voice, Therefore I have hated her.
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.
A speckled fowl [is] Mine inheritance to Me? Is the fowl round about against her? Come, assemble, every beast of the field, Come ye for food.
10 Wachungaji wengi wameharibu shamba langu la mizabibu. Wameipoteza sehemu yangu yote ya ardhi; Waligeuza sehemu yangu nzuri kuwa jangwa, ukiwa.
Many shepherds did destroy My vineyard, They have trodden down My portion, They have made My desirable portion Become a wilderness — a desolation.
11 Wamemfanya kuwa ukiwa. Ninaomboleza kwa ajili yake; yeye ni ukiwa. Nchi yote imefanywa kuwa ukiwa, kwa maana hakuna mtu aliyeweka haya moyoni mwake.
He hath made it become a desolation, The desolation hath mourned unto Me, Desolated hath been all the land, But there is no one laying it to heart.
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.
On all high places in the plain have spoilers come in, For the sword of Jehovah is consuming, From the end of the land even unto the end of the land, There is no peace to any flesh.
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 sowed wheat, and have thorns reaped, They have become sick — they profit not, And they have been ashamed of your increases, Because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.
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 said Jehovah concerning all my evil neighbours, who are striking against the inheritance that I caused my people — Israel — to inherit: 'Lo, I am plucking them from off their ground, And the house of Judah I pluck out of their midst.
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 it hath been, after My plucking them out, I turn back, and have pitied them, And I have brought them back, Each to his inheritance, and each 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 it hath come to pass, If they learn well the ways of My people, To swear by My name, 'Jehovah liveth,' As they taught My people to swear by Baal, Then they have been built up in the midst 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.”
And if they do not hearken, Then I have plucked up that nation, Plucking up and destroying, An affirmation of Jehovah!'
