Yeremia 23

1 “Ole wao wachungaji ambao huangamiza na kuwatawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu-hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana.”

Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! saith the LORD.

2 Kwa hiyo, Bwana, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi juu ya wachungaji ambao wanawachunga watu wake, “Ninyi mnawatawanya kundi langu na kuwafukuza. Hamuwajali hata kidogo. Tambueni hili! Mimi nitawalipiza uovu wa matendo yenu-hili ni tamko la Bwana.

Therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, against the shepherds that feed My people: Ye have scattered My flock, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them; behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

3 Mimi mwenyewe nitakusanya mabaki ya kondoo wangu kutoka nchi zote nilizowafukuza, nami nitawarejesha kwenye eneo la malisho, ambako watazaa na kuongezeka.

And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

4 Ndipo nitawainua wachungaji juu yao ambao watawachunga hivyo hawataogopa tena au kupotezwa. Hakuna hata mmoja atakayepotea-hili ni tamko la Bwana.

And I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking, saith the LORD.

5 Angalia, siku zinakuja-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-nitakapomuinulia Daudi tawi la haki. Atatawala kama mfalme; atatenda kwa busara na kusababisha hukumu na haki katika nchi.

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous shoot, and he shall reign as king and prosper, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

6 Katika siku zake Yuda ataokolewa, na Israeli wataishi kwa usalama. Na jina lake atakayeitwa Bwana ni haki yetu.

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The LORD is our righteousness.

7 Kwa hiyo, tazama, siku zinakuja-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-hawatasema tena, 'Kama Bwana aishivyo, aliyewatoa wana wa Israeli kutoka nchi ya Misri.'

Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say: 'As the LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt';

8 Badala yake watasema, 'Kama Bwana aishivyo, ambaye aliwaleta na ambaye aliwaongoza wana wa nyumba ya Israeli kutoka nchi ya kaskazini na nchi zote walizofukuzwa.' Nao watakaa katika nchi yao wenyewe.”

but: 'As the LORD liveth, that brought up and that led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries whither I had driven them'; and they shall dwell in their own land.

9 Kuhusu manabii, moyo wangu umevunjika ndani yangu, na mifupa yangu yote imetetemeka. Nimekuwa kama mlevi, kama mtu ambaye ameshindwa na divai, kwa sababu ya Bwana na maneno yake matakatifu.

Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome; because of the LORD, and because of His holy words.

10 Kwa maana nchi imejaa wazinzi. Kwa sababu ya hayo nchi imeuka. Milima katika jangwa imekauka. Njia hizi za manabii ni mbaya; nguvu zao hazitumiwi kwa namna sahihi.

For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourneth, the pastures of the wilderness are dried up; and their course is evil, and their force is not right.

11 Kwa maana manabii na makuhani wote wamekufuru. Nimeona uovu wao ndani ya nyumba yangu! - hili ndilo tamko la Bwana;

For both prophet and priest are ungodly; yea, in My house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

12 kwa hiyo njia yao itakuwa kama mahali pa kupumzika katika giza. Watasukumwa chini. Wao wataanguka ndani yake. Kwa maana nitawatuma mabaya juu yao katika mwaka wa adhabu yao; hili ndilo tamko la Bwana.

Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery places in the darkness, they shall be thrust, and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.

13 kwa maana nimeona uchungu kati ya manabii huko Samaria. Walitabiri kwa Baali na wakawaongoza watu wangu Israeli kwenye njia sahihi.

And I have seen unseemliness in the prophets of Samaria: they prophesied by Baal, and caused My people Israel to err.

14 Na miongoni mwa manabii huko Yerusalemu nimeona mambo ya kutisha: wanafanya uzinzi na huenda kwa udanganyifu. Wanaimarisha mikono ya waovu; hakuna mtu anarejea na kuacha uovu wake. Wote wamekuwa kama Sodoma kwangu na wenyeji wake kama Gomora!”

But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies, and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them become unto Me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.

15 Kwa hiyo, Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi juu ya manabii, “Tazameni, nitawafanya wale magugu na kunywa maji yenye sumu, kwa maana kufuru imetoka kwa manabii wa Yerusalemu na kuingia katika nchi yote.”

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.

16 Bwana wa majeshi asema hivi, “Usisikilize maneno ya manabii wanaokuhubiri. Wamekudanganya! Wanatangaza maono kutoka kwenye mawazo yao wenyewe, si kwa kinywa cha Bwana.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you, they lead you unto vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

17 Wanasema daima kwa wale wanaonidharau mimi, 'Bwana asema kutakuwa na amani kwako.' Na kila mtu anayetembea katika ukaidi wa moyo wake anasema, 'mabaya hayatakuja kwenu.'

They say continually unto them that despise Me: 'The LORD hath said: Ye shall have peace'; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart they say: 'No evil shall come upon you';

18 Lakini nani amesimama katika mkutano wa baraza la Bwana? Ni nani anayeona na kusikia neno lake? Ni nani anayezingatia maneno yake na kusikiliza?

For who hath stood in the council of the LORD, that he should perceive and hear His word? Who hath attended to His word, and heard it?

19 Tazama, kuna dhoruba inayotoka kwa Bwana! Hasira yake inatoka, na dhoruba inazunguka. Inazunguka vichwa vya waovu.

Behold, a storm of the LORD is gone forth in fury, yea, a whirling storm; it shall whirl upon the head of the wicked.

20 Hasira za Bwana hazitarejea mpaka zitakapotimiza nia ya moyo wake. Katika siku za mwisho, utaelewa.

The anger of the LORD shall not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the purposes of His heart; in the end of days ye shall consider it perfectly.

21 Sikuwatuma manabii hawa. Wao tu walionekana. Sikuwahubiri jambo lolote kwao, lakini bado wanatabiri.

I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 Kwa kuwa kama walisimama katika mkutano wangu wa baraza, wangeweza kuwasababisha watu wangu kusikia neno langu; wangewafanya wapate kuacha maneno yao mabaya na mazoea mabaya.

But if they have stood in My council, then let them cause My people to hear My words, and turn them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

23 Mimi ni Mungu aliye karibu-hili ni tamko la Bwana-mimi sio Mungu aliye mbali?

Am I a God near at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

24 Je, kuna mtu yeyote anayejificha mahali penye siri ili nisiweze kumwona? -Hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-Je mbingu na nchi hazikujawa nami? -hili Ndilo tamko la Bwana.

Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

25 Nimesikia yale waliyosema manabii, wale waliokuwa wanatabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Wakisema, 'Nilikuwa na ndoto!

I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy lies in My name, saying: 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'

26 Nilikuwa na ndoto!' Je, hii itaendelea mpaka lini, manabii wanaotabiri uongo kutoka kwa akili zao, na wanasema nini kutokana na udanganyifu mioyoni mwao?

How long shall this be? Is it in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, and the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?

27 Wana mpango wa kuwafanya watu wangu kusahau jina langu kwa ndoto ambazo wanazoripoti, kila mmoja kwa jirani yake, kama vile babu zao walivyosahau jina langu kwa ajili ya jina la Baali.

That think to cause My people to forget My name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.

28 Nabii aliye na ndoto, aseme ndoto hiyo. Lakini yule ambaye nimemwambia kitu fulani, basi aseme neno langu kwa kweli. Je, majani yanahusiana na nafaka? - hili ni tamko la Bwana-

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath My word; let him speak My word faithfully. What hath the straw to do with the wheat? saith the LORD.

29 Na neno langu si kama moto? -Hili ni tamko la Bwana-na kama mwamba wenye kupiga nyundo?

Is not My word like as fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

30 Tazameni, ninapingana na nabii-hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana-yeyote anayeiba maneno kutoka kwa mtu mwingine na anasema yanatoka kwangu.

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal My words every one from his neighbour.

31 Tazama, ninapingana na manabii-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-ambao hutumia lugha zao kutabiri maneno.

Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues and say: 'He saith.'

32 Tazameni, ninapingana na manabii wanaoota ndoto-hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana-na kisha kuwahubiri na kwa njia hii kuwadanganya watu wangu kwa udanganyifu wao na kujivunia. Mimi ni juu yao, kwa kuwa sikuwatuma wala kuwapa amri. Kwa hivyo hawatawasaidia watu hawa - hili ndilo tamko la Bwana.

Behold, I am against them that prophesy lying dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies, and by their wantonness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them; neither can they profit this people at all, saith the LORD.

33 Watu hawa au nabii au kuhani wakakuuliza, 'Je, ni nini tamko la Bwana?' basi lazima uwaambie, 'Ni tamko gani? Kwa maana nimekuacha wewe-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana.

And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee, saying: 'What is the burden of the LORD?' then shalt thou say unto them: 'What burden! I will cast you off, saith the LORD.'

34 Kwa habari ya manabii, makuhani, na watu wanaosema, 'Hili ndilo tamko la Bwana,' nitamuadhibu mtu huyo na nyumba yake.

And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say: 'The burden of the LORD', I will even punish that man and his house.

35 Endelea kusema, kila mtu kwa jirani yake na kila mtu kwa ndugu yake, 'Bwana alijibu nini?' na 'Bwana alitangaza nini?'

Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother: 'What hath the LORD answered?' and: 'What hath the LORD spoken?'

36 Lakini usizungumze tena juu ya tamko la Bwana, kwa kuwa kila tamko kutoka kwa kila mtu limekuwa ujumbe wake mwenyewe, na umepotosha maneno ya Mungu aliye hai, Bwana wa majeshi, Mungu wetu.

And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more; for every man's own word shall be his burden; and would ye pervert the words of the living God, of the LORD of hosts our God?

37 Utamuuliza nabii hivi, 'Bwana alikujibu nini? Je, Bwana alisema nini? Kisha unasema tamko kutoka kwa Bwana;

Thus shalt thou say to the prophet: 'What hath the LORD answered thee?' and: 'What hath the LORD spoken?'

38 lakini Bwana asema hivi, Sema hivi, “Hili ni tamko la Bwana” ingawa nimekuagiza na kusema, “Usiseme: Hili ni tamko kutoka kwa Bwana.”

But if ye say: 'The burden of the LORD'; therefore thus saith the LORD: Because ye say this word: 'The burden of the LORD', and I have sent unto you, saying: 'Ye shall not say: The burden of the LORD';

39 Kwa hiyo, angalia, nitawachukua na kukutupa mbali na mimi, pamoja na jiji ambalo nilikupa wewe na baba zako.

therefore, behold, I will utterly tear you out, and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave unto you and to your fathers, away from My presence;

40 Ndipo nitaweka aibu ya milele na fedheha juu yenu ambayo haitasahauliwa.'”

and I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.