Yeremia 29
1 Haya ni maneno katika waraka ambao Yeremia nabii alituma kutoka Yerusalemu kwa wazee waliosalia miongoni mwa mateka na makuhuni, manabii, na watu wote ambao Nebukadreza aliwapeleka utumwani kutoka Yerusalemu hadi Babeli.
And these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders of the exiles, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon;
2 Hii ilikuwa baada ya Yekonia mfalme, mama yake mfalme, na watumishi wakuu, viongozi wa Yuda na Yerusalemu, na wahunzi walikuwa wamepelekwa mbali na Yerusalemu.
(After king Jechonyah and the queen-mother, and the court-officers, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the locksmiths, were departed from Jerusalem; )
3 Aliutuma waraka huu kwa mkono wa Elasa mwana wa Shafani, Gemaria, mwana wa Hilkia, ambaye Sedekia, mfalme wa Yuda, alikuwa amemtuma kwa Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli
By the hand of El'assah the son of Shaphan, and Gemaryah the son of Chilkiyah, [whom Zedekiah the king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, ] saying,
4 Waraka ulisema, Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi kwa mateka ambao niliwasababisha kuwa mateka kutoka Yerusalemu hadi Babeli,
Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all the exiles, whom I have caused to be carried into exile from Jerusalem unto Babylon,
5 'Jengeni nyumba na muishi ndani yake. Pandeni bustani na mle matunda yake.
Build ye houses, and dwell therein; and plant gardens, and eat their fruit;
6 Chukueni wake na mzae wana na mabinti. Kisha Kisha chukueni wake kwa ajili ya wana wenu, na wapatieni waume binti zenu. Wazae wana na mabinti na waongezeke ili msiwe wachache sana.
Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may multiply there, and not be diminished.
7 Itafuteni amani ya mji ambako nimewafanya kuwa watumwa, na mkauombee kwangu kwa niaba yake kwa kuwa kutakuwa na amani kwenu kama mji uko katika amani.'
And seek the welfare of the city whither I have banished you, and pray in its behalf unto the Lord; for in its welfare shall ye fare well.
8 Kwa maana Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi, 'Msiwaache manabii ambao wako katikati yenu na wabashiri wenu kuwadanganya, na msizisikilize ndoto ambazo ninyi wenyewe mnaota.
For thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Let not your prophets, that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you, and do not hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamt;
9 Kwa maana wanatabiri uongo kwenu katika jina langu. Mimi sikuwatuma—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.'
For with falsehood do they prophesy unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
10 Kwa maana Yahwe anasema hivi, 'Babeli atakapokuwa amewatawala kwa muda wa mika sabini, nitawasaidia ninyi na kulitimiza neno langu jema kwa ajili yenu ili kuwarudisha ninyi katika sehemu hii.
For thus hath said the Lord, Because only after the accomplishment of seventy years for Babylon, will I visit you, and fulfill respecting you my good word, in causing you to return to this place.
11 Kwa maana mimi mwenyewe naijua mipangao niliyonayo kwa ajili yenu—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—mipango kwa ajili ya amani na siyo kwa ajili ya mabaya, ili kuwapa ninyi tumaini na siku zenu za mwisho.
For I alone know the thoughts that I entertain respecting you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a [happy] future and hope.
12 Kisha mtaniita, na kwenda na kuniomba mimi, na nitawasikiliza.
And you will call upon me, and ye will go and will pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 Kwa maana mtanitafuta na kunipata, kwa kuwa mtanitafuta kwa moyo wenu wote.
And ye will seek me, and shall find me, for ye will search for me with all your heart.
14 Kisha nitapatikana kwenu—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—na nitawarudisha watu wenu waliofungwa; nitawakusanya kutoka mataifa yote na sehehemu zote ambako nimewatawanya—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—kwa maana nitawarudisha kutoka sehemu ambako niliwasababisha kuwa mateka.
And I will be found of you, saith the Lord; and I will bring back your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will cause you to return unto the place whence I have banished you.
15 Tangu mliposema kwamba Yahwe ameinua manabii kwa ajili yetu katika Babeli,
Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon.
16 Yahwe anasema hivi kwa mfalme aliyeketi katika kiti cha enzi cha Daudi na watu wote wakaao katika mji huo, ndugu zenu ambao hawakwenda pamoja nanyi utumwani—
But thus hath said the Lord concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into exile;
17 Yahwe wa majeshi anasema hivi, ''Ona, niko karibu kutuma upanga, njaa, na ugonjwa juu yao. Kwa maana nitawafanya kuwa kama tini mbovu ambazo ni mbaya sana hazifai kuliwa.
Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will send out against them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence; and I will render them like the detestable figs, that cannot be eaten, from being so bad.
18 Kisha nitawafuata kwa upanga, njaa, na tauni na kuwafanya kuwa kitu cha kushangaza kwa falme zote juu ya dunia—kitu cha kuogofya, kitu cha kulaaniwa na kuzomewa, na kitu cha aibu miongoni mwa mataifa yote ambako nilimtawanya.
And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will make them a horror unto all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse, and an astonishment, and a derision, and a disgrace, among all the nations whither I have driven them;
19 Hii ni kwa sababu hawakulisikiliza neno langu—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—ambalo nililituma kwao kupitia watumishi wangu manabii. Niliwatuma tena na tena, lakini hamkusikiliza—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe. '
For the reason that they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, since I sent unto them my servants the prophets, causing them to rise up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
20 Kwa hiyo ninyi wenyewe sikilizeni neno la Yahwe, ninyi mateka wote ambao amewatuma kutoka Yerusalemu hadi Babeli,
But ye—hear ye the word of the Lord, all ye exiles whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 'Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi kuhusu Ahabu mwana wa Kolaya na Sedekia mwana wa Maaseya, watabirio uongo kwenu katika jina langu: Ona, niko karibu kuwaweka katika mkono wa Nebukadreza mfalme wa Babeli. Atawaua mbele ya macho yenu.
Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Achab the son of Kolayah, and of Zedekiah the son of Ma'asseyah, who prophesy unto you in my name falsehood, Behold, I will give them up into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon: and he shall smite them before your eyes.
22 Kisha laana itatamkwa na wafungwa wote wa Yuda katika Babeli kuhusu watu hawa. Laana itasema: Yahwe awafanye kuwa kama Sedekia na Ahabu, ambao mfalme wa Babeli aliwaoka kwenye moto.
And a curse shall be derived from them for all the exiles of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Achab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;”
23 Hili litatokea kwa sababu ya mambo ya aibu waliyofanya katika Israeli walipofanya uzinzi na wake za majarani zao na kutangaza maneno ya uongo katika jina langu, mambo ambayo sikuwaamuru wayaseme. Kwa maana mimi ndiye nijuaye; mimi ni shahidi—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.”'
Because they have done scandalous deeds in Israel, and have committed adultery with the wives of their neighbors, and have spoken in my name falsehood, which I had not commanded them; whereas I am the one that know, and am the witness, saith the Lord.
24 Kuhusu Shemaya Mnehelami, sema hivi:
And to Shema'yahu the Nechelamite shalt thou say, as followeth,
25 'Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi: Kwa sababu ulituma barua kwa jina lako kwa watu wote katika Yerusalemu, kwa Sefania mwana wa Maaseya kuhani, na kwa makuhani wote, na ulisema,
Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent in thy name letters unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephanyah the son of Ma'asseyah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
26 “Yahwe aliwafanya ninyi kuwa makuhani badala ya Yehoyada kuhani, ili muwe wasimamizi wa nyumba ya Yahwe. Ninyi ni viongozi wa watu wote wajitiao wazimu na kujifanya wenyewe manabii. Mtawaweka katika mkatale na minyororo.
The Lord hath appointed thee priest in the place of Jehoyada' the priest, that ye should be superintendents in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and that prophesieth, that thou shouldst put him in the stocks, and in prison:
27 Kwa hiyo sasa, kwa nini hamkumkemea Yeremia wa Anathothi, ambaye hujifanya mwenyewe nabii juu yenu?
And now, why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah of 'Anathoth, who prophesieth to you?
28 Kwa maana ametutumia sisi katika Babeli, 'Itakuwa muda mrefu. Jengeni nyumba na muishi ndani yake, na pandeni busitani na mule matunda yake.””
For the reason that he hath sent unto us to Babylon saying, It will last a long time: build ye houses, and dwell therein; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit thereof.
29 Sefania kuhani akaisoma barua hii mbele ya Yeremia nabii.
And Zephanyah the priest read the letter before the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
30 Kisha neno la Yahwe likaja kwa Yeremia, likisema,
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
31 “tuma neno kwa mateka wote na sema, 'Yahwe anasema hivi kuhusu Shemaya Mnehelami: Kwa sababu Shemaya amewatabiria ninyi wakati mimi sikumtuma, na amewaongoza kuamini uongo,
Send to all the exiles, saying, Thus hath said the Lord concerning Shema'yah the Nechlamite, Whereas Shema'yah hath prophesied unto you, while I have not sent him, and he hath caused you to rely on a falsehood:
32 kwa hiyo Yahwe anasema hivi: Angalia, niko karibu kumwadhibu Shemaya Mnehelami na uzao wake. Hapatakuwa na mtu wa kukaa miongoni mwa watu hawa kwa ajili yake. Hataona mema nitakayofanya kwa ajili ya watu wangu—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—kwa maana ametangaza uasi dhidi ya Yahwe.””
Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will inflict punishment on Shema'yah the Nechlamite, and on his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell in the midst of this people; and he shall not behold the good that I am doing for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath spoken revolt against the Lord.
