Yeremia 13
1 Bwana aliniambia hivi, “Nenda ukape nguo ya kitani na kuiweka karibu na kiuno chako, lakini usiiweke kwenye maji kwanza.”
[One day] Yahweh said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistcloth. Put it on, but do not wash it.”
2 Kwa hiyo nilinunua vazi kama vile Bwana alivyoagiza, na nikafunga karibu na kiuno changu.
So I bought a [very nice] waistcloth, which is what Yahweh told me to do, and I put it on.
3 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia mara ya pili, kusema,
Then [later] Yahweh gave me another message.
4 “Twaa vazi lako ulilolinunua lililo karibu na kiuno chako, uinuke, ukasafiri mpaka Frati. Ukaifiche huko katika mwamba wa jabali.
He said, “Go to the small Perath Stream [near Jerusalem] and hide your waistcloth in a crevice/hole in the rocks.”
5 Basi nikaenda na kuificha katika Frati kama vile Bwana alivyoniamuru.
So I went to the stream and did what Yahweh told me to do.
6 Baada ya siku nyingi, Bwana akaniambia, “Simama, urudi Frati. Ukaichukue nguo ambayo nilikuambia ufiche.”
A long time later, Yahweh said to me, “Go [back] to that stream and get the waistcloth that I told you to hide there.”
7 Kwa hiyo nikarudi Frati na kuchimba na kuchukua nguo mahali pale nilipoificha. Lakini tazama! Nguo hiyo ilikuwa imeharibika; haikuwa nzuri kabisa.
So I went to the Perath Stream and dug out the waistcloth from the crevice/hole in which I had hidden it. But it was ruined, and useless.
8 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia tena, kusema,
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
9 “Bwana asema hivi, Nitakiangamiza kiburi cha Yuda na Yerusalemu.
“[What happened to your waistcloth] shows that I will destroy the things that [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah are very proud of.
10 Watu hawa waovu wanaokataa kusikia neno langu, ambao huenda katika ugumu wa mioyo yao, ambao hufuata miungu mingine ili kuabudu na kuinama-watakuwa kama hii nguo isiyofaa kwa lolote.
Those wicked people refuse to pay attention to what I say. They stubbornly do just what they desire to do; they worship other gods. Therefore, they will become completely useless, like your waistcloth.
11 Kwa maana kama vile vazi lililofungwa kwenye viuno vya mtu, ndivyo nimefainya nyumba yote ya Israeli na nyumba yote ya Yuda zimefungwa kwangu- hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-wawe watu wangu, ili kunifanya jina, sifa, na heshima. Lakini hawakunisikiliza.
Just like a waistcloth clings closely/tightly to a man’s waist, I wanted the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah to cling closely to me. I wanted them to be my people, people who would praise me and honor me. But they would not pay attention [to me]. “
12 Basi uwaambie neno hili, 'Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi Kila chupa itajazwa divai.' Watakuambia, 'Je, hatujui kwamba kila chupa itajazwa divai?'
“[So], tell this to them: ‘Yahweh, the God whom you Israeli [people worship], says that every leather wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And [when you tell that to them], they will reply, ‘(Of course/Certainly) we know [RHQ] that all wineskins should be filled with wine!’
13 Basi uwaambie,' Bwana asema hivi: Tazama, nitawajaza kila mkaaji wa nchi hii ulevi, na wafalme wanaokaa kiti cha Daudi, na makuhani, na manabii, na wenyeji wote wa Yerusalemu.
And then you must tell them, ‘No, that is not what Yahweh means. What he said means that he will cause this land to be filled with people who are drunk. [That will include all of you]—the king who sits on the throne that King David previously sat on, the priests and the prophets, and even the common people of Jerusalem.’
14 Ndipo nitawagonganisha kila mtu na mwenzake baba na watoto wao pamoja; hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-sitawahurumia au kuwa na huruma, wala sitawarehemu kutoka kwenye uharibifu.
[He is saying], ‘I will cause you to bash each other. [Even] parents will bash their children. I will not pity you or act mercifully toward you at all; pitying you will not prevent me from getting rid of you.’”
15 Sikilizeni na makini. Msiwe na kiburi, kwa kuwa Bwana amesema.
[You people of Judah], pay very careful attention [DOU]. Do not be proud, because Yahweh has spoken to you.
16 Mtukuze Bwana, Mungu wako, kabla ya hajaleta giza, na kabla ya kuifanya miguu yako kuwa na mashaka juu ya milima wakati wa jioni. Kwa maana unatarajia mwanga, lakini ataugeuza kuwa mahali pa giza, na kuwa giza nene.
[It is as though] he is ready to bring darkness on you and to cause you to stumble and fall [as you walk] on the hills when it is becoming dark. [So] praise/honor Yahweh your God before that happens. If you do not do that, you will look for light, but all you will see is darkness and gloom.
17 Kwa hiyo ikiwa husikilizi, nitaomboleza peke yangu kwa sababu ya kiburi chako. Hakika macho yangu yatalia na kutoa machozi, kwa sababu kundi la Bwana limechukuliwa mateka.
And if you [still] refuse to heed what he says, [what will happen to you because of] your being proud will cause me to cry when I am alone. My eyes will be filled with tears because [you], Yahweh’s people, [whom he takes care of like a shepherd takes care of] [MET] his flock, will [all] be [captured by your enemies and] taken to other countries.
18 “Mwambieni mfalme na mama wa malkia, 'Jinyenyekezeni, na kukaa chini, kwa maana taji juu ya kichwa chako, kiburi chako na utukufu wako, umeanguka.'
[You people of Judah], say to the king and to his mother, “Come down from sitting on your thrones and [humbly] sit in the dust, because [your enemies] will soon snatch from your heads your glorious crowns.”
19 Miji ya Negebu itafungwa, bila mtu wa kufungua. Yuda watachukuliwa mateka, wote uhamishoni.
The towns in the southern part of Judah will be surrounded by your enemies, and no one will be able to get through their lines [to rescue the people in those towns]. [You people of] Judah will be captured and taken away; you will all be (exiled/taken [to foreign countries)].
20 Inua macho yako na angalia wale wanaokuja kutoka kaskazini. Je, ni kundi gani alilokupa, kundi ambalo lilikuwa zuri sana kwako?
[You leaders of Jerusalem], open your eyes and look: [The enemy armies are ready to] march down from the north. [When that happens], what will happen to [RHQ] the [people of Judah who are like] a beautiful flock of sheep, people that he gave to you to take care of?
21 Je, unasema nini wakati Mungu anawaweka wale ambao uliwafundisha kuwa marafiki? Je, huu si mwanzo wa maumivu ya utungu ambayo yatakuchukua kama mwanamke aliye katika kuzaa?
What will you say [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you, people who you [mistakenly] thought were your friends? You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain, like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.
22 Kisha unaweza kusema moyoni mwako, 'Kwa nini mambo haya yanatokea kwangu?' Itakuwa kwa uovu wa maovu yako ambapo marinda yako yamefunuliwa na umeumizwa.
You will ask yourselves, “Why is this happening to us?” [I will reply that] it is because of your many sins. That is why [soldiers of the invading armies] will lift up the skirts [of your women] and rape them.
23 Je, watu wa Kushi hubadilisha rangi yao ya ngozi, au chui hubadilisha madoa yake? Ikiwa ndivyo, basi wewe mwenyewe, ingawa unazoea uovu, utaweza kufanya mema.
A man from Ethiopia certainly cannot [RHQ] change the color of his [black] skin, and a leopard certainly cannot [RHQ] change its spots. Similarly, you cannot start doing what is good, because you have always done what is evil.
24 Kwa hiyo nitawaangamiza kama makapi ambayo yanaangamia katika upepo wa jangwa.
[Yahweh says], “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the wind from the desert.
25 Hii ndiyo niliyokupa, sehemu ambayo nimekuagiza kwako-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana - kwa sababu umenisahau na kuamini katika udanganyifu.
That is what is certainly going to happen to you; the things that I have determined will happen to you, because you have forgotten me, and you are trusting in false [gods].
26 Kwa hiyo mimi mwenyewe nitaondoa nguo zako, na sehemu zako za siri zitaonekana.
[It is as though] I myself will pull your skirts up over your faces and cause you to be very ashamed because everyone will be able to see your sex organs.
27 Uzinzi na ubembe wako, aibu ya tabia yako ya uasherati kwenye milima na katika mashamba! Nitayafanya yaonekane, mambo haya ya machukizo! Ole wako, Yerusalemu! Hutaki kuwa safi. Je! Hili litaendelea kwa muda gani?”
I have seen that you [act like men who are eager to commit adultery]; you are like male horses that whinny when they desire [to have sex with] a female horse. I have seen that you worship disgusting idols in the fields and on the hills. [You people of] Jerusalem, terrible things will happen to you! How long will it be [RHQ] until you are acceptable to me [again]?”
