< Yeremia 23 >
1 “Ole wao wachungaji ambao huangamiza na kuwatawanya kondoo wa malisho yangu-hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana.”
Woe to shepherds destroying, And scattering the flock of My pasture, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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 said Jehovah, God of Israel, Against the shepherds who feed My people, Ye have scattered My flock, and drive them away, And have not inspected them, Lo, I am charging on you the evil of your doings, An affirmation of Jehovah.
3 Mimi mwenyewe nitakusanya mabaki ya kondoo wangu kutoka nchi zote nilizowafukuza, nami nitawarejesha kwenye eneo la malisho, ambako watazaa na kuongezeka.
And I do gather the remnant of My flock Out of all the lands whither I drove them, And have brought them back unto their fold, And they have been fruitful, and multiplied.
4 Ndipo nitawainua wachungaji juu yao ambao watawachunga hivyo hawataogopa tena au kupotezwa. Hakuna hata mmoja atakayepotea-hili ni tamko la Bwana.
And I have raised for them shepherds, And they have fed them, And they fear no more, nor are affrighted, Nor are they lacking — an affirmation of Jehovah.
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.
Lo, days are coming — an affirmation of Jehovah, And I have raised to David a righteous shoot, And a king hath reigned and acted wisely, And done judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 Katika siku zake Yuda ataokolewa, na Israeli wataishi kwa usalama. Na jina lake atakayeitwa Bwana ni haki yetu.
In his days is Judah saved, and Israel dwelleth confidently, And this his name that Jehovah proclaimeth him, '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, lo, days are coming, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they do not say any more, Jehovah liveth who brought up The sons 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 — Jehovah liveth, who brought up, And who brought in, the seed of the house of Israel, From the land of the north, And from all the lands whither I drove them, And they have dwelt on their own ground!
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.
In reference to the prophets: Broken hath been my heart in my midst, Fluttered have all my bones, I have been as a man — a drunkard, And as a man — wine hath passed over him, Because of Jehovah, and 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 of adulterers hath the land been full, For because of these hath the land mourned, Dried up hath been the pleasant places of the wilderness, And their course is evil, and their might — 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 have been profane, Yea, in My house I found their wickedness, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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 is their way to them as slippery places, Into thick darkness they are driven, And they have fallen in it, For I bring in against them evil, The year of their inspection, An affirmation of Jehovah.
13 kwa maana nimeona uchungu kati ya manabii huko Samaria. Walitabiri kwa Baali na wakawaongoza watu wangu Israeli kwenye njia sahihi.
And in prophets of Samaria I have seen folly, They have prophesied by Baal, And cause 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!”
And in prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing, Committing adultery, and walking falsely, Yea, they strengthened the hands of evil doers, So that they have not turned back Each from his wickedness, They have been to me — all of them — 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, thus said Jehovah of Hosts, concerning the prophets: Lo, I am causing them to eat wormwood, And have caused them to drink water of gall, For, from prophets of Jerusalem Hath profanity gone forth to 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 said Jehovah of Hosts: Ye do not hearken unto the words Of the prophets who are prophesying to you, They are making you vain things, A vision of their own heart they speak, Not from the mouth of Jehovah.
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.'
Saying diligently to those despising The word of Jehovah: Peace is for you, And [to] every one walking in the stubbornness of his heart they have said: Evil doth not come in unto 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 counsel of Jehovah, And seeth and heareth His word? Who hath regarded My word, and hearkeneth?
19 Tazama, kuna dhoruba inayotoka kwa Bwana! Hasira yake inatoka, na dhoruba inazunguka. Inazunguka vichwa vya waovu.
Lo, a whirlwind of Jehovah — Fury hath gone out, even a piercing whirlwind, On the head of the wicked it stayeth.
20 Hasira za Bwana hazitarejea mpaka zitakapotimiza nia ya moyo wake. Katika siku za mwisho, utaelewa.
The anger of Jehovah doth not turn back Till His doing, and till His establishing, The thoughts of His heart, In the latter end of the days ye attend to it With understanding.
21 Sikuwatuma manabii hawa. Wao tu walionekana. Sikuwahubiri jambo lolote kwao, lakini bado wanatabiri.
I have not sent the prophets, and they have run, I have not spoken unto them, and they have 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 stood in My counsel, Then they cause My people to hear My words, And they turn them back 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?
A God near [am] I — an affirmation of Jehovah, 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.
Is any one hidden in secret places, And I see him not? an affirmation of Jehovah, Do not I fill the heavens and the earth? An affirmation of Jehovah.
25 Nimesikia yale waliyosema manabii, wale waliokuwa wanatabiri uongo kwa jina langu. Wakisema, 'Nilikuwa na ndoto!
I have heard that which the prophets said, Who prophesy in My name falsehood, 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?
Till when is it in the heart of the prophets? The prophets of falsehood, Yea, prophets of the deceit of their 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.
Who are devising to cause My people To forget My name by their dreams, That they recount each 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 with whom [is] a dream, Let him recount the dream, And he with whom [is] My word, Let him truly speak My word. What — to the straw with the corn? An affirmation of Jehovah.
29 Na neno langu si kama moto? -Hili ni tamko la Bwana-na kama mwamba wenye kupiga nyundo?
Is it not thus? My word [is] as a fire, An affirmation of Jehovah. And as a hammer — it breaketh in pieces a rock.
30 Tazameni, ninapingana na nabii-hii ndiyo ahadi ya Bwana-yeyote anayeiba maneno kutoka kwa mtu mwingine na anasema yanatoka kwangu.
Therefore, lo, I [am] against the prophets, An affirmation of Jehovah, Stealing My words each from his neighbour.
31 Tazama, ninapingana na manabii-hili ndilo tamko la Bwana-ambao hutumia lugha zao kutabiri maneno.
Lo, I [am] against the prophets, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are making smooth their tongue, And they affirm — an affirmation.
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.
Lo, I [am] against the prophets of false dreams, An affirmation of Jehovah, And they recount them, and cause my people to err, By their falsehoods, and by their instability, And I — I have not sent them, Nor have I commanded them, And they are not at all profitable to this people, An affirmation of Jehovah.
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, doth ask thee, saying, What [is] the burden of Jehovah? Then thou hast said unto them: Ye [are] the burden, and I have left you, An affirmation of Jehovah.
34 Kwa habari ya manabii, makuhani, na watu wanaosema, 'Hili ndilo tamko la Bwana,' nitamuadhibu mtu huyo na nyumba yake.
And the prophet, and the priest, and the people, That saith, The burden of Jehovah, I have seen after that man, and after his house.
35 Endelea kusema, kila mtu kwa jirani yake na kila mtu kwa ndugu yake, 'Bwana alijibu nini?' na 'Bwana alitangaza nini?'
Thus do ye say each unto his neighbour, And each unto his brother: What hath Jehovah answered? And what hath Jehovah 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 Jehovah ye do not mention any more, For the burden to each is — His word, And ye have overturned the words of the living God, Jehovah of Hosts, our God.
37 Utamuuliza nabii hivi, 'Bwana alikujibu nini? Je, Bwana alisema nini? Kisha unasema tamko kutoka kwa Bwana;
Thus dost thou say unto the prophet What hath Jehovah answered thee? And what hath Jehovah spoken?
38 lakini Bwana asema hivi, Sema hivi, “Hili ni tamko la Bwana” ingawa nimekuagiza na kusema, “Usiseme: Hili ni tamko kutoka kwa Bwana.”
And if the burden of Jehovah ye say, Therefore thus said Jehovah: Because of your saying this word, The burden of Jehovah, And I do send unto you, saying, Ye do not say, The burden of Jehovah.
39 Kwa hiyo, angalia, nitawachukua na kukutupa mbali na mimi, pamoja na jiji ambalo nilikupa wewe na baba zako.
Therefore, lo, I — I have taken you utterly away, And I have sent you out, And the city that I gave to you, And to your fathers, from before My face,
40 Ndipo nitaweka aibu ya milele na fedheha juu yenu ambayo haitasahauliwa.'”
And I have put on you reproach age-during, And shame age-during that is not forgotten!