< Yeremia 7 >
1 Hili ndilo neno la BWANA lililomjia Yermia,
The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,
2 Simama katika lango la nyumba ya BWANA na utangaze ujumbe huu! Sikiilizeni neno la BWANA, ninyi nyote watu wa Yuda, ninyi mnaoingia katika malango haya kumwabudu BWANA.
Stand in the gate of the house of Jehovah, and thou hast proclaimed there this word, and hast said, Hear a word of Jehovah, all ye of Judah, who are coming in at these gates, to bow before Jehovah:
3 BWANA wsa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, anasema hivi: Tengenezeni njia zenu na kufanya mema, nami nitawaacha muishi hapa.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Amend your ways, and your doings, And I cause you to dwell in this place.
4 Msitumainie maneno ya uongo mkisema, “Hekalu la BWANA!, Hekalu la BWANA! Hekalu la BWANA!”
Do not trust for yourselves Unto the words of falsehood, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, The temple of Jehovah [are] they!
5 Bali kama mtazitengeneza njia zenu na kufanya mema, kama mtatoa hukumu ya haki kati ya mtu na jirani yake
For, if ye do thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, If ye do judgment thoroughly Between a man and his neighbour,
6 -kama hamtanyonya anayekaa katika nchi, yatima, mjane, na kama hamtamwaga damu ya mtu asiye na hatia mahali hapa, na kama hataenda kwa miungu mingine kwa ajili ya maumivu yenu
Sojourner, fatherless, and widow, ye oppress not, And innocent blood do not shed in this place, And after other gods do not walk, for evil to yourselves,
7 -ndipo nitakapowaacha mkae mahali hapa, katika nchi ambayo niliwapia mababu zenu toka zamani na hata milele.
Then I have caused you to dwell in this place, In the land that I gave to your fathers, From age even unto age.
8 Tazama! Mnatumainia maneno ya uongo ambayo hayawasaidii.
Lo, ye are trusting for yourselves On the words of falsehood, so as not to profit.
9 Je, mnaiba. mnaua, manafanya uzinzi? na mnaapa kwa uongo na kufukiza uvumba kwa Baali na kwenda kwa miungu mingine ambao hamkuwajua?
Stealing, murdering, and committing adultery, And swearing to falsehood, and giving perfume to Baal, And going after other gods whom ye knew not.
10 Je, mnakuja na kusimama mbele yangu katika nyumba hii ambapo jina langu linatangazwa na kusema, “Tumeokoka.” hivyo mnaweza kufanya machukizo yote haya?
And ye have come in and stood before Me, In this house on which My name is called, And have said, 'We have been delivered,' In order to do all these abominations.
11 Je, hii ndiyo nyumba inayobeba jina langu, pango la wanyang'anyi mbele ya macho yenu? Lakini tazama, Nimeiona - BWANA asema.'
A den of burglars hath this house, On which My name is called, been in your eyes? Even I, lo, I have seen, an affirmation of Jehovah.
12 Kwa hiyo uende mahali pangu kule Shiloh, Kule ambako mwanzoni niliruhusu jina langu kukaa, na tazama kile nilichofanya pale kwa sababu ya maovu ya watu wangu Israeli.
But go ye, I pray you, Unto My place that [is] in Shiloh, Where I caused My name to dwell at first, And see that which I have done to it, For the wickedness of My people Israel.
13 Kwa hiyo sasa, kwa sababu ya matendo yako haya yote - asema BWANA - Nilikuambia mara kadhaa, lakini hukusikiliza. Nilikuita, lakini hukuitika.
And now, because of your doing all these works, An affirmation of Jehovah, And I speak unto you, rising early and speaking, And ye have not hearkened, And I call you, and ye have not answered,
14 Kwa hiyo kile nilichofanya Shilo, ndicho ambacho pia nitakachofanya kwa nyumba yangu hii inayoitwa kwa jina langu, nyumba amabyo ninyi mmeitumainia, mahali hapa ambapo niliwapa ninyi na mababu zenu.
I also to the house on which My name is called, In which ye are trusting, And to the place that I gave to you, and to your fathers, Have done, as I have done to Shiloh.
15 Kwa kuwa nitawafukuza mtoke kwangu kama vile nilivyowafukuza ndugu zenu wote, uzao wote wa Efraimu.'
And I have cast you from before My face, As I have cast out all your brethren, The whole seed of Ephraim.
16 Na wewe, Yeremia, usiwaombee watu hawa, na usiinue maombolezo ya kilio au kuomba sala kwa niaba yao, na usinishi, kwa kuwa sitakusikiliza.
And thou dost not pray for this people, Nor lift up for them crying and prayer, Nor intercede with Me, for I hear thee not.
17 Kwani huoni kile wanachofanya katika miji ya Yuda na katika mitaa ya Yerusalemu?
Art thou not seeing what they are doing In cities of Judah, and in streets of Jerusalem?
18 Watoto wanakusanya kuni na baba zao huwasha moto! Wanawake hukanda unga ili kuoka mikate kwa ajili ya malikia wa mbinguni na kumimina sadaka ya vinywaji kwa miungu mingine ili kunikasirisha mimi.
The sons are gathering wood, And the fathers are causing the fire to burn, And the women are kneading dough, To make cakes to the queen of the heavens, And to pour out libations to other gods, So as to provoke Me to anger.
19 Ni kweli wananikasirisha mimi? - asema BWANA - Je, si wao wanaojikasirisha, ili kwamba aibu iwe juu yao?
Me are they provoking to anger? an affirmation of Jehovah, Is it not themselves, For the shame of their own faces?
20 Kwa hiyo BWANA, Mungu asema hivi, 'Tazama, hasira na ghahdabu yangu zitamwagwa juu ya mahali hapa, kwa watu wote na wanyama, juu ya miti katika mashamba na mazao ya ardhi, Itawaka nayo haitazimishwa.
Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah, Lo, Mine anger and My fury is poured out on this place, On man, and beast, and on tree of the field, And on fruit of the ground, And it hath burned, and it is not quenched.
21 BWANA wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli asema hivi, Jiongezeeni sadaka za kuteketezwa katika dhabihu zenu na nyama zake.
Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Your burnt-offerings add to your sacrifices, And eat ye flesh.
22 Kwani wakati nilipowatoa mababu zenu kutoka nchi ya Misri, Sikuhitaji chochote kutoka kwao. Sikuwapa amri juu ya maswala ya sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu.
For I did not speak with your fathers, Nor did I command them in the day of My bringing them out of the land of Egypt, Concerning the matters of burnt-offering and sacrifice,
23 Niliwapa amri hii tu, “Sikilizeni sauti yangu, nami nitakuwa Mungu wenu nanyi mtakuwa watu wangu. Kwa hiyo muishi katika njia ambazo ninawaamuru, ili mambo yenu yawe mazuri.”
But this thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to My voice, And I have been to you for God, And ye — ye are to Me for a people, And have walked in all the way that I command you, So that it is well for you.
24 Lakini hawkunisikiliza wala kuzingatia. Walishi kwa kufuata mipango yao ya uasi ya mioyo ya maovu, kwa hiyo walirudi nyuma badala ya kuendelea mbele.
And they have not hearkened, nor inclined their ear, And they walk in the counsels, In the stubbornness, of their evil heart, And are for backward, and not for forward.
25 Tangu siku ambayo mababu zenu walitoka katika nchi ya Misri mpaka leo, Nimetuma watumishi wangu, manabii wangu, kwenu. Niliendelea kuwatuma.
Even from the day when your fathers Went out of the land of Egypt till this day, I send to you all my servants the prophets, Daily rising early and sending,
26 Lakini hawakuwasikiliza. Hawakuzingatia. Badala yake walishupaza shingo zao. Walikuwa waovu zaidi ya mababu zao.
And they have not hearkened unto Me, Nor inclined their ear, and harden their neck, They have done evil above their fathers.
27 Kwa hiyo yatangaze maneno haya yote kwao, japo hawatakusikiliza. Yatangaze mambo haya kwao, lakini hawatakujibu.
And thou hast spoken unto them all these words, And they do not hearken to thee, And thou hast called unto them, And they do not answer thee.
28 Waambie kuwa hili ni taifa ambalo haliisikilizi sauti ya BWANA, Mungu wake na lisilopokea mafundisho. Ukweli uneharibiwa na kukatwa kutoka kwenye vinywa vyao.
And thou hast said unto them: This [is] the nation that hath not hearkened, To the voice of Jehovah its God, Nor have they accepted instruction, Perished hath stedfastness, Yea, it hath been cut off from their mouth.
29 Zikate nywele zako na kujinyoa, na kuzitupa. Imba wimbo wa maombolezo katika maeneo yaliyo wazi. Kwa kuwa BWANA amekikataa na kukitupa kizazi hiki cha hasira yake.
Cut off thy crown, and cast [it] away, And lift up on high places lamentation, For Jehovah hath rejected, And He leaveth the generation of His wrath.
30 Kwa kuwa wana wa Yuda wamefanya maovu mbele ya macho yangu - asema BWANA - wameweka machukizo yao katika nyumba ambayo jina langu hunenwa, ili kulinajisi.
For the sons of Judah Have done the evil thing in Mine eyes, An affirmation of Jehovah, They have set their abominations in the house On which My name is called — to defile it,
31 Kisha wamejenga mahali palipoinuka pa Tofethi ambapo pako kwenye bonde la Ben Hinomu. Walifanya hivi ili kuwachoma wana na binti zao kwenye moto - kitu ambacho mimi sikuamuru, wala kuweka jambo hilo katika akili zangu.
And have built the high places of Tophet, That [are] in the valley of the son of Hinnom, To burn their sons and their daughters with fire, Which I did not command, Nor did it come up on My heart.
32 Kwa hiyo, tazama siku zinakuja - asema BWANA - ambapo hapataitwa tena Tofethi au bonde la Ben Hinomu. Litakuwa bonde la machinjio; watazika maiti hapo Tofethi mpaka eneo lote lienee.
Therefore, lo, days are coming, An affirmation of Jehovah, And it is not said any more, 'The Tophet,' And 'Valley of the son of Hinnom,' But 'Valley of the slaughter,' And they have buried in Tophet — without place.
33 Mizoga ya watu hawa itakuwa chakula cha ndege wa angani na wanyama wa duniani, na hakutakuwa na mtu wa kuwafukuza.
And the carcase of this people hath been for food To a fowl of the heavens, and to a beast of the earth, And there is none troubling.
34 Nitazikomesha katika miji ya Yuda na mitaa ya Yerusalaemu sauti za kuiniuliwa na vicheko, Sauti ya bwana arusi na ya bibi arusi; kwa kuwa nchi hiyo itakuwa ukiwa.”
And I have caused to cease from cities of Judah, And from streets of Jerusalem, The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, Voice of bridegroom, and voice of bride, For the land doth become a desolation!