Yeremia 18

1 Neno la Bwana lilimjia Yeremia, kusema,

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:

2 “Simama, uende kwa nyumba ya mfinyanzi; kwa maana nitakusikilizisha neno langu huko.

'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear My words.'

3 Basi, nikaenda nyumbani kwa mfinyanzi, na tazama! Mfinyanzi alikuwa akifanya kazi kwenye gurudumu la mfinyanzi.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was at his work on the wheels.

4 Lakini chombo cha udongo ambacho alikuwa akikifinyanga kiliharibika mkononi mwake, kwa hiyo alibadili mawazo yake na akafanya kitu kingine ambacho kilionekana kuwa kizuri machoni pake.

And whensoever the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

6 “Je, siwezi kuwa kama huyu mfinyanzi kwenu, nyumba ya Israeli? Angalia! Kama udongo katika mkono wa mfinyanzi-ndivyo ulivyo mkononi mwangu, nyumba ya Israeli.

'O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

7 Kwa wakati mmoja, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani juu ya taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaufukuza, kuuvunja, au kuuharibu.

At one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

8 Lakini kama taifa ambalo nimefanya tamko hilo linageuka na kuacha maovu yake, basi nitaghairi nisitende maafa niliyokuwa nimepanga.

but if that nation turn from their evil, because of which I have spoken against it, I repent of the evil that I thought to do unto it.

9 Wakati mwingine, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani kuhusu taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaujenga au kuupanda.

And at one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

10 Lakini ikiwa watafanya mabaya machoni pangu kwa kutosikiliza sauti yangu, basi nitaghairi mema ambayo nilikuwa nimewaambia nitawafanyia.

but if it do evil in My sight, that it hearken not to My voice, then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit it.

11 Basi sasa, waambie watu wa Yuda na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu, ukisema, 'Bwana asema hivi: Tazameni, nitawaangamiza. Mimi ni karibu kufinyanga mabaya dhidi yenu. Tubuni, kila mtu kutoka njia yake mbaya, hivyo njia zako na matendo yako yatakuletea mema.'

Now therefore do thou speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

12 Lakini watasema, 'Hili halina maana. Tutafanya kulingana na mipango yetu wenyewe. Kila mmoja wetu atafanya mabaya kwa kuufuata uchupavu wa moyo wake.'

But they say: There is no hope; but we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'

13 Kwa hiyo Bwana asema hivi, 'Uliza watu wa mataifa, ambao wamewahi kusikia habari kama hii? Bikira wa Israeli amefanya kitendo cha kutisha.

Therefore thus saith the LORD: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

14 Je, theluji ya Lebanoni imetoka milima yenye miamba juu ya pande zake? Je, mito ya mlima inayotoka mbali iliharibiwa, mito hiyo ya baridi?

Doth the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or are the strange cold flowing waters plucked up?

15 Hata hivyo watu wangu wamesahau. Wamefanya sadaka kwa sanamu zisizo na maana na wamefanya mashaka katika njia zao; wameacha njia za kale za kutembea katika njia ndogo.

For My people hath forgotten Me, they offer unto vanity; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;

16 Nchi yao itakuwa ya hofu, kitu cha kuzomewa milele. Kila mtu atakayepita karibu naye atashuhudia na kutingisha kichwa chake.

To make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

17 Nitawaangamiza mbele ya adui zao kama upepo wa mashariki. Nitawageuzia kisogo, wala sio uso wangu, siku ya msiba wao.'”

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will look upon their back, and not their face, in the day of their calamity.

18 Basi watu wakasema, “Njoni, tufanye njama dhidi ya Yeremia, maana sheria haitapotea kabisa kwa makuhani, wala ushauri kutoka kwa wenye hekima, au maneno ya manabii. Njoo, mshambulie kwa maneno yetu na tusisikilize tena chochote anachosema.”

Then said they: 'Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for instruction shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.'

19 Sikiliza, Ee Bwana! Na kusikiliza sauti ya adui yangu.

Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

20 Je, maafa kutoka kwao itakuwa malipo yangu kwa kuwa mema kwao? Kwa maana wamenichimbia shimo. Kumbuka jinsi nilivyosimama mbele yako ili niseme mema kwa ajili yao na kugeuza ghadhabu yako isiwapate.

Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before Thee to speak good for them, to turn away Thy wrath from them.

21 Basi uwape watoto wao njaa, na uwatie mikononi mwa wale wanaotumia upanga. Basi, waache wanawake wao wafiwe na kuwa wajane, na watu wao watauawa, na vijana wao wauawe kwa upanga wa vita.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and hurl them to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

22 Kelele ya kusikitisha isikiwe kutoka katika nyumba zao, kama utakapoleta washambuliaji ghafla juu yao. Kwa kuwa wamechimba shimo kunikamata na wameficha mitego katika miguu yangu.

Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

23 Lakini wewe, Bwana, unajua mipango yao yote dhidi yangu ya kuniua. Usisamehe uovu na dhambi zao. Usiondoe dhambi zao mbali nawe. Badala yake, waache waangamizwe mbele yako. Tenda juu yao wakati wa ghadhabu yako.

Yet, LORD, Thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from Thy sight; but let them be made to stumble before Thee; Deal Thou with them in the time of Thine anger.