Yeremia 18
1 Neno la Bwana lilimjia Yeremia, kusema,
The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
2 “Simama, uende kwa nyumba ya mfinyanzi; kwa maana nitakusikilizisha neno langu huko.
Rise, and thou hast gone down [to] the potter's house, and there I cause thee to hear My words;
3 Basi, nikaenda nyumbani kwa mfinyanzi, na tazama! Mfinyanzi alikuwa akifanya kazi kwenye gurudumu la mfinyanzi.
and I go down [to] the potter's house, and lo, he is doing a work on the stones,
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 marred is the vessel that he is making, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he hath turned and he maketh it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.
5 Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
And there is a word of Jehovah 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.
As this potter am I not able to do to you? O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, as clay in the hand of the potter, 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.
The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,
8 Lakini kama taifa ambalo nimefanya tamko hilo linageuka na kuacha maovu yake, basi nitaghairi nisitende maafa niliyokuwa nimepanga.
And that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it.
9 Wakati mwingine, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani kuhusu taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaujenga au kuupanda.
And the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant,
10 Lakini ikiwa watafanya mabaya machoni pangu kwa kutosikiliza sauti yangu, basi nitaghairi mema ambayo nilikuwa nimewaambia nitawafanyia.
And it hath done the evil thing in Mine eyes, So as not to hearken to My voice, Then I have repented of the good That I have spoken of doing to 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.'
And now, speak, I pray thee, unto men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, Saying: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am framing against you evil, And devising against you a device, Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way And amen 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.'
And they have said, It is incurable, For after our own devices we do go, And each the stubbornness of his evil heart we do.
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 said Jehovah: Ask, I pray you, among the nations, Who hath heard like these? A very horrible thing hath the virgin of Israel done.
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 snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow?
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.
But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways — paths of old, To walk in paths — a way not raised 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 become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head.
17 Nitawaangamiza mbele ya adui zao kama upepo wa mashariki. Nitawageuzia kisogo, wala sio uso wangu, siku ya msiba wao.'”
As an east wind I scatter them before an enemy, The neck, and not the face, I shew them, 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.”
And they say, Come, And we devise against Jeremiah devices, For law doth not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we smite him with the tongue, And we do not attend to any of his words.
19 Sikiliza, Ee Bwana! Na kusikiliza sauti ya adui yangu.
Give attention, O Jehovah, unto me, And hearken to the voice of those contending 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.
Is evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back 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, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by 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.
A cry is heard from their houses, For Thou bringest against them suddenly a troop, For they dug a pit to capture me, And snares they have hidden 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.
And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known, All their counsel against me [is] for death, Thou dost not cover over their iniquity, Nor their sin from before Thee blottest out, And they are made to stumble before Thee, In the time of Thine anger work against them!
