Yeremia 23
1 “Ole wao wachungaji ambao huangamiza na kuwatawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu-hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana.”
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” says 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 the LORD, the God of Israel, says against the shepherds who feed my people: “You have scattered my flock, driven them away, and have not visited them. Behold, I will visit on you the evil of your doings,” says the LORD.
3 Mimi mwenyewe nitakusanya mabaki ya kondoo wangu kutoka nchi zote nilizowafukuza, nami nitawarejesha kwenye eneo la malisho, ambako watazaa na kuongezeka.
“I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they will 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.
I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, neither will any be lacking,” says 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,” says the LORD, “that I will raise to David a righteous Branch; and he will reign as king and deal wisely, and will 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 will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. This is his name by which he will be called: The LORD 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,” says the LORD, “that they will no more say, ‘As the LORD lives, who 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 lives, who brought up and who led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will 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 has 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 the curse the land mourns. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their might 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 profane. Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness,” says 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.
Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness. They will be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation,” says the LORD.
13 kwa maana nimeona uchungu kati ya manabii huko Samaria. Walitabiri kwa Baali na wakawaongoza watu wangu Israeli kwenye njia sahihi.
“I have seen folly 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!”
In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants 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 the LORD of Armies says concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poisoned water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out 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.
The LORD of Armies says, “Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They teach you 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 to those who despise me, ‘The LORD has said, “You will have peace;”’ and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, ‘No evil will come on 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 has stood in the council of the LORD, that he should perceive and hear his word? Who has listened to my word, and heard it?
19 Tazama, kuna dhoruba inayotoka kwa Bwana! Hasira yake inatoka, na dhoruba inazunguka. Inazunguka vichwa vya waovu.
Behold, the LORD’s storm, his wrath, has gone out. Yes, a whirling storm! It will burst on the head of the wicked.
20 Hasira za Bwana hazitarejea mpaka zitakapotimiza nia ya moyo wake. Katika siku za mwisho, utaelewa.
The LORD’s anger will not return until he has executed and performed the intents of his heart. In the latter days, you will understand it perfectly.
21 Sikuwatuma manabii hawa. Wao tu walionekana. Sikuwahubiri jambo lolote kwao, lakini bado wanatabiri.
I didn’t send these prophets, yet they ran. I didn’t speak 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 had stood in my council, then they would have caused my people to hear my words, and would have turned 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 at hand,” says 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 anyone hide himself in secret places so that I can’t see him?” says the LORD. “Don’t I fill heaven and earth?” says 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, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’
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 will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even 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.
They intend to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they each tell his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name because of 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 who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says the LORD.
29 Na neno langu si kama moto? -Hili ni tamko la Bwana-na kama mwamba wenye kupiga nyundo?
“Isn’t my word like fire?” says the LORD; “and like a hammer that breaks 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,” says the LORD, “who each steal my words from his neighbor.
31 Tazama, ninapingana na manabii-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-ambao hutumia lugha zao kutabiri maneno.
Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the LORD, “who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says.’
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 those who prophesy lying dreams,” says the LORD, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says 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.
“When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, asks you, saying, ‘What is the message from the LORD?’ Then you shall tell them, ‘“What message? I will cast you off,” says the LORD.’
34 Kwa habari ya manabii, makuhani, na watu wanaosema, 'Hili ndilo tamko la Bwana,' nitamuadhibu mtu huyo na nyumba yake.
As for the prophet, the priest, and the people, who say, ‘The message from the LORD,’ I will even punish that man and his household.
35 Endelea kusema, kila mtu kwa jirani yake na kila mtu kwa ndugu yake, 'Bwana alijibu nini?' na 'Bwana alitangaza nini?'
You will say everyone to his neighbor, and everyone to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ and, ‘What has the LORD said?’
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.
You will mention the message from the LORD no more, for every man’s own word has become his message; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of the LORD of Armies, our God.
37 Utamuuliza nabii hivi, 'Bwana alikujibu nini? Je, Bwana alisema nini? Kisha unasema tamko kutoka kwa Bwana;
You will say to the prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has 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.”
Although you say, ‘The message from the LORD,’ therefore the LORD says: ‘Because you say this word, “The message from the LORD,” and I have sent to you, telling you not to say, “The message from 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 forget you, and I will cast you off with the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, away from my presence.
40 Ndipo nitaweka aibu ya milele na fedheha juu yenu ambayo haitasahauliwa.'”
I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which will not be forgotten.’”
