< Yeremia 17 >
1 “Dhambi ya Yuda imeandikwa kwa kalamu ya chuma yenye ncha ya almasi. Imechongwa kwenye kibao cha mioyo yao na kwenye pembe za madhabahu zako.
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars.
2 Watoto wao wanakumbuka madhabahu zao na miti yao ya Ashera kwa miti ya majani kwenye milima mirefu.
Even their children remember their altars and their Asherah poles by the green trees on the high hills.
3 Mlima wangu katika nchi ya wazi na mali yako yote pamoja na hazina zako zote, nitakupa kama nyara kwa wengine. Hiyo ndiyo thamani ya maeneo yako ya juu na dhambi iliyo katika maeneo yako yote.
My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.
4 Utapoteza urithi niliokupa. Nitakutumikisha kwa adui zako katika nchi ambayo hujui, kwa maana umewasha moto katika ghadhabu yangu, ambao utakawaka milele.”
You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you do not know, for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.”
5 Bwana asema, “Mtu anayemtegemea mwanadamu amelaaniwa; amfanyaye mwanadamu kuwa nguvu yake na kugeuza moyo wake mbali na Bwana.
The LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from the LORD.
6 Kwa maana atakuwa kama msitu mdogo katika Araba na hawezi kuona kitu kizuri kikija. Atakaa katika maeneo ya mawe jangwani, nchi isiyokuwa na wakazi.
For he will be like a bush in the desert, and will not see when good comes, but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, an uninhabited salt land.
7 Lakini mtu anayemtegemea Bwana amebarikiwa, kwa kuwa Bwana ndiye tumaini lake.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose confidence is in the LORD.
8 Kwa maana atakuwa kama mmea karibu na maji kando ya mto; mizizi yake itaenea. Hawezi kuona joto likija, kwa kuwa majani yake yatakuwa mabichi. Kisha mwaka wa ukame hawezi kuwa na wasiwasi, wala hataacha kuzalisha matunda.
For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It will not cease from yielding fruit.
9 Moyo ni mdanganyifu zaidi kuliko kitu kingine chochote. Una mgonjwa; ni nani anayeweza kuelewa?
The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
10 Mimi ni Bwana, ninayechunguza akili, ambaye hujaribu viuno. Ninampa kila mtu kulingana na njia zake, kulingana na matunda ya matendo yake.
“I, the LORD, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
11 kama Kware akusanyaye mayai asiyotaga. Mtu anaweza kuwa tajiri kwa udhalimu, lakini wakati nusu ya siku zake ukipita, utajiri huo utamuacha, na mwishowe atakuwa mpumbavu.”
As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool.
12 “Mahali pa hekalu letu ni kiti cha enzi cha utukufu, kilichoinuliwa tangu mwanzo.
A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Bwana ni tumaini la Israeli. Wote ambao wanakuacha watakuwa na aibu. Wale walio katika nchi ambao wanageuka kutoka kwako watauliwa. Kwa maana wamwacha Bwana, chemchemi ya maji yaliyo hai.
LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be disappointed. Those who depart from me will be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living waters.
14 Niponye, Bwana, na mimi nitaponywa! Niokoe mimi, nami nitaokolewa. Kwa maana wewe ndio wimbo wangu wa sifa.
Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved; for you are my praise.
15 Tazama, wananiambia, 'Neno la Bwana liko wapi? Hebu lije!'
Behold, they ask me, “Where is the LORD’s word? Let it be fulfilled now.”
16 Mimi sikuwahi kuacha kuwa mchungaji nyuma yako. Sikuitamani siku ya maafa. Unajua yaliyotoka mdomoni mwangu. Yalifanyika mbele ya uwepo wako.
As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I have not desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.
17 Usiwe sababu ya hofu kwangu. Wewe ni kimbilio langu siku ya msiba.
Do not be a terror to me. You are my refuge in the day of evil.
18 Waaibike watu wanaoniudhi, lakini nisiaibike mimi. Wataogopa, lakini usiache nifadhaike. Tuma siku ya maafa dhidi yao na kuwaangamiza maradufu.”
Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but do not let me be disappointed. Let them be dismayed, but do not let me be dismayed. Bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19 Bwana akaniambia hivi: “Nenda ukasimame katika lango la watu ambako wafalme wa Yuda wanaingia na kutoka, basi katika malango mengine yote ya Yerusalemu.
The LORD said this to me: “Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem.
20 Uwaambie, 'Sikieni neno la Bwana, wafalme wa Yuda, na ninyi watu wote wa Yuda, na kila mtu wa Yerusalemu atakayeingia kwa njia ya malango haya.
Tell them, ‘Hear the LORD’s word, you kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
21 Bwana asema hivi: “Jihadharini kwa ajili ya maisha yenu na msichukue mzigo siku ya sabato ili muilete katika malango ya Yerusalemu.
The LORD says, “Be careful, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem.
22 Wala msilete mzigo nje ya nyumba zenu siku ya sabato. Msifanye kazi yoyote, lakini muitenge siku ya Sabato, kama nilivyowaagiza wazee wako kufanya.'”
Do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day. Do not do any work, but make the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers.
23 Hawakusikiliza wala kutaega masikio yao, lakini walifanya shingo zao kuwa ngumu ili wasinisikilize wala kukubali maonyo.
But they did not listen. They did not turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.
24 Itatokea kwamba ikiwa mtanisikiliza kweli-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-na msilete mzigo kwenye malango ya jiji hili siku ya sabato lakini badala yake mkatenga siku ya sabato kwa Bwana na msifanye kazi yoyote juu yake -
It will happen, if you diligently listen to me,” says the LORD, “to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein;
25 basi wafalme, wakuu, na wale wanaokaa kiti cha Daudi wataingia malango ya mji huu kwa magari na farasi, wao na viongozi wao, watu wa Yuda na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu. Na mji huu utakaa milele.
then there will enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on David’s throne, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city will remain forever.
26 Watakuja kutoka miji ya Yuda na kutoka pande zote za Yerusalemu, kutoka nchi ya Benyamini na visiwa vya chini, kutoka milimani na kutoka kaskazini, wakileta sadaka za kuteketezwa, dhabihu, sadaka za nafaka na ubani, sadaka za shukrani kwenye nyumba ya Bwana.
They will come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the South, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, meal offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the LORD’s house.
27 Lakini ikiwa hamtasikiliza-kutakasa siku ya Sabato, kutochukua mizigo nzito, wala msiingie milango ya Yerusalemu siku ya sabato, nitawasha moto katika malango yake, nao utaangamiza majumba kuteketeza ngome za Yerusalemu, na hauwezi kuzimika.
But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem. It will not be quenched.”’”