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 inscribed with an iron stylus, engraved with an adamant point, on their minds and on corners of their altars where they worship.
2 Watoto wao wanakumbuka madhabahu zao na miti yao ya Ashera kwa miti ya majani kwenye milima mirefu.
Even their children remember to worship at their pagan altars and Asherah poles, set up by the green trees and 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.
on my mountain in the fields. I will hand over your wealth and all your valuable possessions as plunder, because of the sin committed on your pagan high places inside your country.
4 Utapoteza urithi niliokupa. Nitakutumikisha kwa adui zako katika nchi ambayo hujui, kwa maana umewasha moto katika ghadhabu yangu, ambao utakawaka milele.”
You will have to give up the land I gave you. I will have your enemies make you their slaves in an unfamiliar country for you made my anger blaze, and it will burn forever.
5 Bwana asema, “Mtu anayemtegemea mwanadamu amelaaniwa; amfanyaye mwanadamu kuwa nguvu yake na kugeuza moyo wake mbali na Bwana.
This is what the Lord says: Cursed are those who put their confidence in human beings, who trust in human strength and give up relying on 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.
They will be like a shrub alone in the desert that isn't even aware when good things happen. It just goes on living in the dry desert, in a salt flat that's uninhabited.
7 Lakini mtu anayemtegemea Bwana amebarikiwa, kwa kuwa Bwana ndiye tumaini lake.
Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, who put their confidence in him.
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.
They are like trees planted by water, sending out roots toward the stream. They don't panic when it gets hot; their leaves are always green. They don't worry during a time of drought—they go on producing fruit.
9 Moyo ni mdanganyifu zaidi kuliko kitu kingine chochote. Una mgonjwa; ni nani anayeweza kuelewa?
The mind is more deceptive than anything else—it's incurably sick! Who can possibly understand it?
10 Mimi ni Bwana, ninayechunguza akili, ambaye hujaribu viuno. Ninampa kila mtu kulingana na njia zake, kulingana na matunda ya matendo yake.
But I, the Lord, see what people are thinking. I examine their minds, so I can reward them depending on their attitudes and the way they behave.
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.”
Like a partridge hatching eggs it didn't lay is someone who makes a fortune by cheating others. Their riches will fly away at midday, and in the end they'll look like a fool.
12 “Mahali pa hekalu letu ni kiti cha enzi cha utukufu, kilichoinuliwa tangu mwanzo.
Our Temple is a throne of glory, raised up high from the beginning.
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, you are Israel's hope, anyone who deserts you will be disgraced. Anyone who turns their back on you will vanish like names written in the dust, for they have abandoned the Lord, the source of living water.
14 Niponye, Bwana, na mimi nitaponywa! Niokoe mimi, nami nitaokolewa. Kwa maana wewe ndio wimbo wangu wa sifa.
Please heal me, Lord, and I'll be healed; save me, and I'll be saved, for you are the one I praise.
15 Tazama, wananiambia, 'Neno la Bwana liko wapi? Hebu lije!'
See how they keep on saying to me, “Where is the disaster that the Lord's predicted? Is it ever going to happen?”
16 Mimi sikuwahi kuacha kuwa mchungaji nyuma yako. Sikuitamani siku ya maafa. Unajua yaliyotoka mdomoni mwangu. Yalifanyika mbele ya uwepo wako.
But I haven't been in a hurry to give up being your shepherd. I haven't wanted the time of trouble to come. You know that whatever I said was said in front of you.
17 Usiwe sababu ya hofu kwangu. Wewe ni kimbilio langu siku ya msiba.
Please don't be the one who terrifies me! You are my protection in the time of trouble.
18 Waaibike watu wanaoniudhi, lakini nisiaibike mimi. Wataogopa, lakini usiache nifadhaike. Tuma siku ya maafa dhidi yao na kuwaangamiza maradufu.”
Bring shame on my persecutors, but not on me. Terrify them, but not me, Let them experience the time of trouble, and smash them to pieces.
19 Bwana akaniambia hivi: “Nenda ukasimame katika lango la watu ambako wafalme wa Yuda wanaingia na kutoka, basi katika malango mengine yote ya Yerusalemu.
This is what the Lord told me: Go and stand at the main gate of the city, the one used by kings of Judah, and do the same at all the other 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, Listen to the Lord's message, kings of Judah, and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem who come in through these gates.
21 Bwana asema hivi: “Jihadharini kwa ajili ya maisha yenu na msichukue mzigo siku ya sabato ili muilete katika malango ya Yerusalemu.
This is what the Lord says: Pay attention, if you value your lives! Don't carry a load on the Sabbath day, and don't bring it through 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.'”
Don't carry a load out of your houses, and don't do any work on the Sabbath day. Keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I ordered your forefathers.
23 Hawakusikiliza wala kutaega masikio yao, lakini walifanya shingo zao kuwa ngumu ili wasinisikilize wala kukubali maonyo.
However, they refused to listen or pay attention. Instead they were stubborn and refused to obey or accept 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 -
Listen carefully to me, says the Lord, and don't bring any load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, and keep the Sabbath day holy, and don't do any work on it.
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 kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David. They will ride in chariots and on horses with their officials, accompanied by the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited 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.
People will come from the towns of Judah and everywhere around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowlands the hill country, and the Negev. They will bring burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and thank offerings to the Lord's Temple.
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 refuse to listen to me and keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will set its gates alight with a fire that can't be put out, and it will burn down Jerusalem's fortresses.
