Yeremia 6

1 Tafuteni mahali salama, enyi watu wa Benjamini, kwa kuondoka Yerusalemu. Pigeni tarumbeta zaTekoa. Simamisheni ishara juu ya Beth- Hakeremu, kwa uovu unaonekana ukitokea kaskazinni; pigo kubwa linakuja.

Strengthen yourselves, ye children of Benjamin, [to flee] out of the midst of Jerusalem, and sound an alarm with the trumpet in Thecue, and set up a signal over Baethacharma: for evil threatens from the north, and a great destruction is coming.

2 Binti za Sayuni, warembo na mwororo, wataangamizwa.

And [thy] pride, O daughter of Sion, shall be taken away.

3 Wachungaji na kondoo wao watawaendea; wataweka hema zao zikiwazunguka pande zote; kila mtu atachunga kwa mkono wake.

The shepherds and their flocks shall come to her; and they shall pitch [their] tents against her round about, and shall feed [their flocks] each with his hand.

4 Jitakaseni wenyewe kwa miungu kwa ajili ya vita. Twendeni tukamvamie wakati wa adhuhuri. Ni vibaya sana kwamba mchana unatoweka na vivuli vya jioni vinakuja.

Prepare yourselves for war against her; rise up, and let us go up against her at noon. Woe to us! for the day has gone down, for the shadows of the day fail.

5 Lakini tumvamieni usiku na na tuharibu ngome zake.

Rise, and let us go up against her by night, and destroy her foundations.

6 Kwa kuwa BWANA wa majeshi asema hivi: Kateni miti yake, na tengenezeni vifusi vya kuitekea Yerualemu. Huu ndio mji sahihi kuuteka, Kwa sababu umejaa ukandamizaji.

For thus saith the Lord, Hew down her trees, array a numerous force against Jerusalem. O false city; [there is] all oppression in her.

7 Kama vile kisima kitoavyo maji, vivyo hivyo mji huu uzaavyo uovu. Uaribifu na jeuri vimesikika kwake. Mateso na tauni viko mbele yangu daima.

As a cistern cools water, so her wickedness cools her, ungodliness and misery shall be heard in her, [as] continually before her.

8 Uadhibiswhe, ee Yerusalemu, vingenevyo nitaondoka kwako na kukufanya ukiwa, na nchi isiyokaliwa na watu.

Thou shalt be chastened, O Jerusalem, with pain and the scourge, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee a desert land, which shall not be inhabited.

9 BWANA wa majeshi asema hivi, “Hakika wataokota mabaki ya Isreli waliobaki kama zabibu. Nyosha mkono wako ili uchume zabibu.

For thus saith the Lord, Glean, glean thoroughly as a vine the remnant of Israel: turn back [your hands] as a grape-gatherer to his basket.

10 Nitamwambia nani na kumwonya nani ili wasikilize? Tazama! Masikio yao hayakutahariwa; hayawezi kutilia manani! Tazama! Neno la BWANA limekuja kuwarudi, lakini hawalitaki.”

To whom shall I speak, and testify, that he may hearken? behold, thine ears are uncircumcised, and they shall not be able to hear: behold, the word of the Lord is become to them a reproach, they will not at all desire it.

11 Lakini nimejazwa na hasira za BWANA. Nimechoka kuizuia. Aliniambia, “Imwage mbele ya watoto mitaani na katika makundi ya vijana. Kwa kuwa kila mume atachukuliwa pamoja na mke wake; na kila mzee mwenye miaka mingi.

And I allowed my wrath to come to full, yet I kept [it] in, and did not utterly destroy them: I will pour it out on the children without, and on the assembly of young men together: for man and woman shall be taken together, the old man with him that is full of days.

12 Nyumba zao watapewa watu wengine, kwa kuwa nitawavamia wakazi wa nchi kwa mkono wangu - asema BWANA wa majeshi.

And their houses shall be turned to others, [with] their fields and their wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of this land, saith the Lord.

13 BWANA amesema hayo kutoka kwa mdogo hadi kwa mkubwa, kila mmoja anatamani mapato ya udanganyifu. Kuanzia kuhani hadi nabii, Kila mmoja anafanya hila.

For from the least of them even to the greatest they have all committed iniquity; from the priest even to the false prophet they have all wrought falsely.

14 Lakini wameponya vidonda vya watu wangu kwa juu juu tu. Wanasema, 'Amani! Amani! na kumbe amani haipo.

And they healed the breach of my people [imperfectly], making light [of it], and saying, Peace, peace, and where is peace?

15 Je, waliona aibu walipofanya machukizo? Hasha, hawakuona aibu! Hawakuwa na aibu. Kwa hiyo wataanguka pamoj na wale watakaoanguka wakati nitakpowaadhibu. Wataangushwa chini,” asema BWANA.

They were ashamed because they failed; yet they were not ashamed as those who are [truly] ashamed, and they knew not their own disgrace: therefore shall they [utterly] fall when they do fall, and in the time of visitation shall they perish, said the Lord.

16 BWANA asema hivi, `Simama kwenye njia panda utazame; uliza nzile njia za zamani, 'Je, hii tabia njema iko wapi?' Kisha endelea nayo na tafuta mahali pa kupumzika. Lakini watu wanasema, 'Hatutaenda.'

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths of the Lord; and see what is the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find purification for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [in them].

17 Niliweka walinzi juu yenu ili wasikilize tarumbeta. Lakini walisema, 'Hatutasikiliza.'

I have set watchmen over you, [saying], Hear ye the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hear [it].

18 Kwa hiyo, sikilizeni, enyi mataifa! Tazameni, enyi mashahidi, muone kile kitakachowapata.

Therefore have the nations heard, and they that feed their flocks.

19 Sikia, wewe dunia! Tazama, niko tayari kuleta janga kwa watu hawa - matunda ya fikra zao. Hawakusikiliza neno langu wala sheria zangu, badala yake walizikataa.

Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evils upon this people, [even] the fruit of their rebellions; for they have not heeded my words, and they have rejected my law.

20 Huu ubani kutoka sheba unaopanda una maana gani kwangu? Au huu uudi kutoka nchi ya mbali? Sadaka zenu za kuteketezwa hazikubaliki kwangu wala dhabihu zenu.

Wherefore do ye bring me frankincense from Saba, and cinnamon from a land afar off? your whole-burnt-offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices have not been pleasant to me.

21 Kwa hiyo BWANA asema hivi, 'Tazama, 'Niko tayari kuweka kikwazo dhidi ya watu hawa. Watajikwaa juu yake - baba na watoto wao kwa pamoja watajikwaa. Wakazi na jirani zao pia watapotea.'

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I [will] bring weakness upon this people, and the fathers and sons shall be weak together; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

22 BWANA asema hivi, 'Tazama watu wanakuja toka nchi ya kaskazini. Kwa kuwa taifa kubwa limechochewa kutoka nchi ya mbali.

Thus saith the Lord, Behold, a people comes from the north, and nations shall be stirred up from the end of the earth.

23 Watachukua pinde na mishale yao. Ni wakatili na hawana huruma. Sauti yao ni kama muungurumo wa bahari, na wapanda farasi katika mfumo wa wanaume wa vita, enyi binti wa Sayuni,”'

They shall lay hold on bow and spear; [the people] is fierce, and will have no mercy; their voice is as the roaring sea; they shall array themselves for war against thee as fire on horses and chariots, O daughter of Sion.

24 Tumesikia habai zao. Mikono yetu inalegea kwa dhiki. Na maumivu yametukamata kama utungu wa mwanamke anayezaa.

We have heard the report of them: our hands are weakened: anguish has seized us, the pangs as of a woman in travail.

25 Usiende nje mashambani, na usitembee barabarani, kwa kuwa upanga wa adui na hofu vimekaribia.

Go not forth into the field, and walk not in the ways; for the sword of the enemy lingers round about.

26 Binti za watu wangu, jivikeni magunia na kugaagaa kwenye majivu ya maombolezo ya mwana pekee. Ombolezeni kwa huzuni kuu, kwa kuwa anayewaangamiza anakuja kwetu ghafula juu yetu.

O daughter of my people, gird thyself with sackcloth: sprinkle [thyself] with ashes; make for thyself pitiable lamentation, [as] the mourning for a beloved [son]: for misery will come suddenly upon you.

27 “Nimekufanya wewe, Yeremia, kuwajaribu watu wangu kama mtu anayepima fedha, kwa hiyo utachunguza na kupima njia zao.

I have caused thee to be tried among tried nations, and thou shalt know me when I have tried their way.

28 Wao ni watu wasumbufu miongoni mwa watu, wanaoenda huko na kule wakisingizia wengine. Wote ni shaba na chuma, wakitenda kwa dhuluma.

[They are] all disobedient, walking perversely: [they are] brass and iron; they are all corrupted.

29 Mifuo inafukuta kwa moto unaoziunguza; risasi inaunguzwa na moto. Risasi tu ndiyo inayotoka kati yake, lakini haifai kitu kwa sababu uovu haujaondolewa.

The bellows have failed from the fire, the lead has failed: the silversmith works at his trade in vain; their wickedness is not consumed.

30 Wataitwa taka za fedha, kwa sababu BWANA amewakataa.

Call ye them reprobate silver, because the Lord has rejected them.