< Yeremia 31 >

1 “Katika wakati huo—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—Nitakuwa Mungu wa familia zote za Israel, na watakuwa watu wangu.”
Yahweh says that at that time, he will be the God [who is worshiped by] all the clans in Israel, and they will be his people.
2 Yahwe anasema hivi, “Watu ambao wamenusurika na upanga wamepata kibali katika nyika; nitatoka nje kuwapa pumziko Israeli.”
This is what Yahweh says: “Those [people] who remained alive and were not killed by [their enemies’] swords were blessed [by me even] in the desert; I enabled them to have peace.
3 Yahwe alionitokea zamani na kusema, “Nimekupenda wewe, Israeli, kwa upendo wa milele. Kwa hiyo nimekuvuta kwang kwa agano la uaminifu.
Long ago [I, ] Yahweh, said to [your ancestors, ] the Israeli people, ‘I have loved you and I will continue to love you forever. By faithfully loving you, I have brought you close to myself.’
4 Nitakujenga tena kwa hiyo utakuwa umejengwa, bikra wa Israeli..... na kwenda nje michezo ya furaha.
And [now I tell you], my Israeli people whom I love [MET], that I will cause you to be a nation again. You will [joyfully] dance as you play your tambourines.
5 Utapanda mizabibu tena juu ya milima Samaria; wakulima watatapanda na kuweka matunda kwa ajili ya matumizi mazuri.
Again you will plant your vineyards on the hills of Samaria, and you will eat the grapes [that grow there].
6 Kwa maana siku itakuja wakati walizi watakapotangaza katika milima ya Efraimu, 'Inuka, twndeni juu kwenye mlimaa wa Yahwe Mungu wetu.'
There will be a time when watchmen will call out from the hills of Samaria [MTY], ‘Come, let’s go up to Jerusalem to [worship] Yahweh, our God!'”
7 Kwa maana Yahwe anasema hivi, Piga kelele za shangwe juu ya Yakobo! Pigeni za furaha kwa ajili ya watu wakuu wa mataifa! Sifa zisikike. Sema, ''Yahwe amewaokoa watu wake, masalia wa Israeli.'
And now Yahweh also says this: “Sing joyfully about [what I have done for] the people of Israel! Shout about [your nation, ] the greatest nation! Shout joyfully, praising me and saying, ‘Yahweh, rescue your people, the ones who are still alive!’
8 Ona, niko karibu kuwaletaa kutoka nchi za kusini. Nitawakusanya kutoka sehemu zaa mbali za dunia. Vipofu na wenye ulemavu watakuwa kati kati yao; wanawake wajawazito na wale waliokaribu kujifungua wataakuwa pamoja nao. Kusanyiko kubwa litarudi hapa.
Do that [because] I will bring them back from the northeast, from the most distant places on the earth. Among them will be blind people and lame people, women who are pregnant and women who are (having labor pains/about to give birth to babies). They will be a huge group of people!
9 Watakuja kwa kuomboleza; nitawaongoza huku wakifanya maoambi yao. Nitawafanya wasafiri kataika mikondo ya maji katika bara bara ilinyoka. Hawatajikwaa juu yake, kwa maana nitakuwa baba kwa Israeli, na Afraimu atakuwa mzaliwa wanagau wwa kwanza
They will be crying as they return, and they will be praying [to me]. I will guide them along streams of water, on level paths where they will not stumble. [I will do this] because I am [like] a father to the Israeli people; [it is as though] Israel is my oldest son.”
10 Sikia neno la Yahwe, mataifa. Litangazeni pembezoni mwa visiwa mbali. Enyi mataifa lazima museme, 'Yule aliyemtawanya Israeli anamkusanya tena na kuwalinda kama mchungaji alindavyo kondoo.'
Yahweh says, “[You people in the] nations of the world, listen to this message from me. Then proclaim it to [people who live along] the coasts far away. I scattered my people, but I will gather them [again] and will take care of them like [SIM] a shepherd takes care of his sheep.
11 Kwa maana Yahwe amemfidia Yakobo na kumkomboa kutoka mkono ambao ulikuwa na nguvu sana kwake.
I will buy [my] Israeli people back from those who [conquered them because] they were more powerful [than my people].
12 Kisha watakuja na kufurahia katika vilele vya Sayuni. Nyuso zao zitamelemeta kwa sababu ya wema wa Yahwe, juu ya nafaka na divai mpya, juu ya mafuta na malimbuko ya kwanza ya makundi na ng'ombe. Kwa maana maisha yao yatakuwa kama busitani iliyomwagiliwa, na hatatajisikia huzuni tena.
My people will return [to Jerusalem] and shout joyfully on the slopes of Zion Hill. They will rejoice about the things that I have abundantly given to them— grain and new wine and [olive] oil and young sheep and cattle. They themselves will be like a well-watered garden, and they will no longer be sad.
13 Kisha wanawali watafurahia kwa kucheza, na vijana na wanaume wazee watakuwa pamaoja. Kwa maana nitayageuza maombolezo yao kuwa sherehe. Nitakuwa na huruma juu yao na kuwafanya kufurahi badala ya kuhuzunika.
The young women will dance joyfully, and [all] the men, young ones and old ones, will join with them. I will cause them to rejoice instead of mourning; I will comfort them and cause them to be happy instead of being sad.
14 Kisha nitayaloanaisha sana maisha ya makuhani. Watu wangu watajijaza wenyewe kwa wema—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.”
The priests will have plenty of things to eat and drink, and [all] my people will be filled with the good things that I give them. [That will certainly happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
15 Yahwe anasema hivi: “Sauti imesikika katika Rama, kilio na maombolezo mengi. Ni Raheli akiomboleza kwa ajili watoto wake. Hataki kufarijiwa tena juu yao, kwa maana hawako hai tena.”
Yahweh [also] says this: “Women were weeping in Ramah [town on the border between Israel and Judah]; they were mourning and crying very loudly. [The women who were the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the two grandsons of] Rachel [the wife of Jacob], were weeping about their children, and no one could comfort them because their children were [all] dead.
16 Yahwe anasema hivi, Zuia sauti yako usilie na macho yako yasitoe machizi; kwa maana kuna fidia kwa ajili ya mateso yako—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—watoto wako watarudi kutoka nchi ya adui.
[But now] this is what [I], Yahweh, say: ‘Do not cry [any more], because I will reward you [for the good things you have done for your children]. Your children will return from the land where their enemies [have taken them].
17 Kuna matumaini kwa ajili ya siku zenu za baadaye—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—uzao wako watarudi ndani ya mipaka yao.”
[I], Yahweh, am telling you that there are things that you can confidently expect [me to do for you] in the future. Your children will return to their own land.’
18 Kwa hakika nimemsikia Efraimu akilia, 'Uliniadhibu, nami nieadhibika kama ndama assiye na mafunzo. Nirudisha na nitarudishwa, kwa maana wewe ni Yahwe Mungu wangu.
I have heard [the people of] Israel grieving very much [and saying to me], ‘You punished us severely, like [SIM] calves are beaten [by their owners to train them for pulling a plow]. [So] bring us back [to obey/worship you again], because we are ready to return to you, because you [alone] are Yahweh, our God.
19 Kwa maana baada ya kurudi kwako, nilikuwa na huzuni; baada ya kufundiswa, nilijipiga kofi sshavu langu. Niliaibika ana dharirika, kwa maana nilizaliwa na hataia ya ujana wangu.'
We turned away [from you], but we repented; [after you] caused us to realize [that we were guilty]. We beat our chests to show that we were very ashamed [DOU] of the sins that we committed when we were young.’
20 Efraimu siyo mtoto wangu wa thamani? Yeye si mpendwa wangu, mwanangu anipendezaye? Kwa maana kila ninaponena juu yake, bado nina mwita kipenzi cha akili yangu. Kwa namna hii moyo wangu unamtamani. Kwa hakika nitaakuwa na huruma ajuu yake—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.”
But [I], Yahweh, say this: The Israeli people certainly are [RHQ] still my dear children [DOU]. It is often necessary for me to threaten [to punish] them, but I still love them. That is why I have not forgotten them, and I will certainly act mercifully toward them.
21 Jiwekee alama za bara bara kwa ajili yako mwenyewe. Weka matangaazo ya maelekezo kwa ajili yako mwenyewe. Iweke akili yako juu ya njia sahihi, njia unayopaswa kufuata. Rudii, bikra Israeli! Rudi kwenye hii miji yako.
[You Israeli people, ] set up road signs; put up posts [along the roads] to mark the road on which you walked [when you were taken from Jerusalem]. My precious/beloved Israeli people, come back to your towns here.
22 Utatanga tanga hadi lini, binti usiye mwaminifu? Kwa maana Yahwe ameumba kitu fulani kipya juu ya dunia—mwanamke anamzunguka mwanaume.
You people who have been like [MET] daughters who have forsaken their parents, how long will you continue to wander [away from me] [RHQ]? I, Yahweh, will cause something to happen on the earth that (is new/has not happened before): The women of Israel will be protecting their husbands as they travel [back here]!”
23 Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi, '“Nitakapowarudisha watu katika nchi yao, watasema hivi katika anchi ya Yuda na miji yake, “Yahwe akubariki, wewe sehemu takatifu ambapo anaishi, ewe mlima mtakatifu.'
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israeli people [worship], says: “When I bring them back from the countries to which they have been exiled, all the people from the towns in Judah will again say, [‘I hope that] Yahweh will bless this my home, the holy place where righteous [people will live]!’
24 Kwa maana Yuda na miji yake yote wataishi pamoja humo, kama vile watakavyoishi wakulima na wachungaji pamaoja na makundi yao.
[The people of] Judah [who live in] the towns, including the farmers and the shepherds, will all live together [peacefully].
25 Kwa maana nitawapa majai ya kunywa waliochoaka, na nitamjaza kila anayeteseka na kiu.”
I will enable weary people to rest, and enable people who are very exhausted to become strong again.”
26 Baada ya haya niliamka, na nikagundua kwamba usingizi wangu ulikuwa unaburudisha.
I, [Jeremiah], woke up [after dreaming all those things], and I looked [around]. I had slept [very] delightfully!
27 Angalia, siku zinakuja—hili ni tangazo la Yaahwe—nitakapoipanda nyumba ua Israeli na Yuda pamoja na wazawa wa wanadamaau na wanyama.
[Then] Yahweh said [to me], “There will be a time when I will greatly increase [MET] the number of people and the number of livestock here in Israel and Judah.
28 Zamani, niliwaweka katika uangalizi ili kuwang'oa na kuwabomoa, kuwaangusha, kuwaharibu, na kuwaletea madhara. Lakini katika siku zijazo, nitawaangalia, ili niwajenge na kuwapanda—hili ji tangazo la Yahwe.
[Previously], I caused [their enemies to] remove the people from their land and to destroy their land and to cause them to experience many disasters [DOU]. But in the future, I will enable them to build houses and to plant crops [here in Israel again]. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.
29 Katika siku hizo hakuna atakayesema tena, “Baba za watu wamekula zabibu kali, bali meno ya watoto ni butu.'
[Previously the people often said, ] ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but it is the children’s teeth that ache.’ [They meant that it was not fair for them to be punished for their ancestors’ sins]. But [when I bring them back to their land], they will no longer say that.
30 Kwa maana kila mtu atakuwa katika uovu wake mwenyewe; kila alaye zabibu kalai, meno yake yataakuwa butu.
But now all people will die because of the sins that they themselves have committed.
31 Angalia, siku zinakuja—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—nitakapoanzisha aganao jipya pamaoja na nyumba aya Israeli na nyumba ya Yuda.
[I], Yahweh, say this: ‘There will be a time when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah.
32 Halitakuwa kama agano ambalo nilianzisha na baba zao nilipowatoa kwa mkono wao nje ya nchi ya Missiri. Hizo zzilikuwa siku ambapo walilivunja aaganao lanaahu, ingawa nilikuwa mme kwao—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.
[This new agreement will] not be like the agreement that I made with their ancestors when I took them by their hands and led them out of Egypt. They broke that agreement, even though I [loved them like] [MET] husbands love their wives.’
33 Lakaini hili ni agano nitakaloanzisha na nyumba ya Israeli baada ya siku hizi—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe: Nitaiweka sheria yangu ndani yao na nitaiandika juu ya mioyo yao, kwa maana nitakuwa Mungu wao, nao watakuwa watau wangu.
This is what I, Yahweh, say: ‘This is the new agreement that I will make with the people of Israel some day: I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their inner beings. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 Kisha kila mtu hatamfundisha jiranai yake, wala mtu hatamfundisha ngugu yake akisema, 'Mjue Yahwe!' Kwa maana wao wote, kuanzia mdogo wao hata mkubwa, watanijua—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe—kwa maana nitawasamehe uovu wao na sitazikumbuka tena dhambi zao.”'
And it will not be [necessary] for them to teach their neighbors or their relatives and say, “[You need to] know Yahweh,” because everyone, including unimportant people and very important people, will [already] know me. And I will forgive them for having been very wicked, and I will never think again about the sins that they have committed.’”
35 Yahwe anasema hivi—Yahwe, yeye afanyaye jua kuangaza mchana na kuzipanga mwezi na nyota kuangaza usiku. Yeye ndiye aiwekaye bahari katika mwendo ili mawimbi yake yaungurume. Yahwe wa majeshi katika ajina lake.
Yahweh is the one who causes the sun to give light during the day, and who causes the moon and the stars to give light during the night. He stirs up the seas, with the result that waves roar. His name is the Commander of the armies of angels, and this is what he says:
36 Anasema hivi, ikiwa tu mambo haya ya akudumu yakitoweka machoni panaagu—hili ni agizo la Yahwe—uzao wa Israeli hawatasimama mbaalai nami wasiwe taiafa.”
“I will not reject my Israeli people any more than I will get rid of the laws [that control the universe].
37 Yahwe anasema hivi, “Kama tu urefu wa mbingu unaweza kupimwa, na kama tu misingi ya dunia chini inaweza kugunduliwa, nitawakataa uzao wote wa Israeli kwa sababu ya yote waliyofanya—hili ni tangazo la Yahwe.”
And this is what I say: ‘No one can measure the sky, and no one can find out what is supporting the earth. Similarly, I cannot reject forever the descendants of Jacob because of all the [evil] things that they have done.’ [That is certain, because] I, Yahweh, have said it!
38 “Angalia, siku zinakuja—hili ni tanagazo la Yahwe—ambapo mji utajengwa tena kwa ajili yanagu, kutoka Mnara wa Hananeli hadi kwenye Lango la Pembeni.
[I], Yahweh, also say that there will be a time when [everything in] Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me, from the tower of Hananel [at the northeast corner, west] to [the gate named] the Corner Gate.
39 Kisha mistari ya kupimia itaenda nje hadi mbali, hadi kwenye kilima cha Garebu na kuzunguka Goa.
[Workers] will stretch a measuring line/string over Gareb Hill all the way [southwest] to Goah.
40 Bonde lote la miili iliyokufa na majivu, na shamaba lenye matuta linalofika hadi Bonde la Kidroni mbali hadi kwenye kona ya Lango la Farasi upande wa mashariki, litateuliwa kwa ajili ya Yahwe. Mji hautang'olewa wala kupinduliwa tena, milele.”
And the whole area, including the place where corpses and ashes are thrown in the [Kidron] Valley, and all the fields to the east as far as the Horse Gate, will become set apart for me. And the city [of Jerusalem] will never again be captured or destroyed.”

< Yeremia 31 >