Yeremia 21
1 Hili ndilo neno lililotoka kwa Bwana kwa Yeremia wakati mfalme Sedekia alimtuma Pashuri mwana wa Malkiya na Sefania mwana wa Maaseya, kuhani. Wakamwambia,
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchijah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying,
2 “Pata ushauri kutoka kwa Bwana kwa ajili yetu, kwa kuwa Nebukadreza, mfalme wa Babeli, analeta vita. Labda Bwana atafanya miujiza kwetu, kama ilivyokuwa zamani, na kumfanya aondoke kwetu.”
“Please enquire of the LORD for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Perhaps the LORD will deal with us according to all his wondrous works, that he may withdraw from us.”
3 Basi Yeremia akawaambia, “Hivi ndivyo mtakavyomwambia Sedekia
Then Jeremiah said to them, “Tell Zedekiah:
4 'Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi: Tazama, niageuza nyuma vyombo vya vita vilivyo mkononi mwenu, ambavyo mnapigana dhidi ya mfalme wa Babeli na Wakaldayo wanaokufunga kutoka nje ya kuta! Kwa maana nitawakusanya katikati ya jiji hili.
‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.
5 Nami nitapigana nanyi kwa mkono ulioinuka na mkono wenye nguvu, na ukali, ghadhabu, na hasira kubwa.
I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation.
6 Kwa maana nitawaangamiza wenyeji wa mji huu, wanadamu na wanyama, watakufa kwa tauni kali.
I will strike the inhabitants of this city, both man and animal. They will die of a great pestilence.
7 Baada ya hayo- hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana-Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda, watumishi wake, watu, na kila mtu aishiye katika mji huu baada ya tauni, upanga na njaa, nitawatia wote mkononi mwa Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli, na mikononi mwa adui zao, na katika mkono wa wale wanaotaka uhai wao. Ndipo atawaua kwa makali ya upanga. Hatawahurumia, hatawaokoa, au kuwa na rehema.'
Afterward,” says the LORD, “I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, his servants, and the people, even those who are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life. He will strike them with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them, have pity, or have mercy.”’
8 Basi uwaambie watu hawa, 'Bwana asema hivi Angalia, nitaweka mbele yako njia ya uzima na njia ya mauti.
“You shall say to this people, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death.
9 Mtu yeyote anayeishi katika mji huu atakufa kwa upanga, njaa, na tauni; lakini mtu yeyote atakayetoka na kuanguka kwa magoti mbele ya Wakaldayo ambao wamefungwa dhidi yako ataishi. Yeye ataokoka na maisha yake.
He who remains in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, but he who goes out and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he will live, and he will escape with his life.
10 Kwa maana nimeweka uso wangu juu ya mji huu ili kuleta maafa na sio kuleta mema-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana. Utatiwa mkononi mwa mfalme wa Babeli naye atauteketeza.'
For I have set my face on this city for evil, and not for good,” says the LORD. “It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.”’
11 Kuhusu nyumba ya mfalme wa Yuda, sikiliza neno la Bwana.
“Concerning the house of the king of Judah, hear the LORD’s word:
12 Nyumba ya Daudi, Bwana asema, “Hukumuni kwa haki asubuhi. Umuokoe yule aliyeibiwa kwa mkono wa mwenye kuonea, au ghadhabu yangu itatoka kama moto na kuchoma, na hakuna mtu anayeweza kuizima, kwa sababu ya matendo yako mabaya.
House of David, the LORD says, ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
13 Angalia, mwenyeji wa bonde na mwamba wa nchi ya wazi! Mimi niko juu yako, - hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana- Mimi ni juu ya mtu yeyote anayesema, 'Ni nani atashuka kutupiga?' au 'Ni nani atakayeingia kwenye nyumba zetu?'
Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain,’ says the LORD. ‘You that say, “Who would come down against us?” or, “Who would enter into our homes?”
14 Nitawaadhibu kutokana na matunda ya matendo yako-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana- na nitawasha moto katika misitu, na utateketeza kila kitu.'”
I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,’ says the LORD; ‘and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it will devour all that is around her.’”
