Yeremia 29
1 Haya ndiyo maneno ya ile barua ambayo nabii Yeremia aliituma kutoka Yerusalemu kwenda kwa wazee waliobaki miongoni mwa wale waliohamishwa, na kwa makuhani, manabii na watu wengine wote ambao Nebukadneza alikuwa amewachukua kwenda uhamishoni Babeli kutoka Yerusalemu.
THUS SAITH THE LORD AGAINST THE PHILISTINES;
2 (Hii ilikuwa ni baada ya Mfalme Yekonia na malkia mamaye, maafisa wa mahakama, viongozi wa Yuda na wa Yerusalemu, mafundi na wahunzi kwenda uhamishoni kutoka Yerusalemu.)
Behold, waters come up from the north, and shall become a sweeping torrent, and it shall sweep away the land, and its fulness; the city, and them that dwell in it: and men shall cry and all that dwell in the land shall howl,
3 Barua ilikabidhiwa kwa Elasa mwana wa Shafani, na kwa Gemaria mwana wa Hilkia, ambao Sedekia mfalme wa Yuda aliwatuma kwa Mfalme Nebukadneza huko Babeli. Barua yenyewe ilisema:
at the sound of his rushing, at [the sound of] his hoofs, and at the rattling of his chariots, at the noise of his wheels: the fathers turned not to their children because of the weakness of their hands,
4 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, awaambialo wale wote niliowapeleka kutoka Yerusalemu kwenda uhamishoni Babeli:
in the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines: and I will utterly destroy Tyre and Sidon and all the rest of their allies: for the Lord will destroy the remaining [inhabitants] of the islands.
5 “Jengeni nyumba na mstarehe, pandeni bustani na mle mazao yake.
Baldness is come upon Gaza; Ascalon is cast away, and the remnant of the Enakim.
6 Oeni wake na mzae wana na binti, waozeni wana wenu wake, nanyi watoeni binti zenu waolewe, ili nao pia wazae wana na binti. Ongezekeni idadi yenu huko, wala msipungue.
How long wilt thou smite, O sword of the Lord? how long will it be ere thou art quiet? return into thy sheath, rest, and be removed.
7 Pia tafuteni amani na mafanikio ya mji ambamo nimewapeleka uhamishoni. Mwombeni Bwana kwa ajili ya mji huo, kwa sababu ukistawi, ninyi pia mtastawi.”
How shall it be quiet, whereas the Lord has given it a commission against Ascalon, and against the regions on the sea-coast, to awake against the remaining [countries]! CONCERNING IDUMEA, thus saith the Lord; There is no longer wisdom in Thaeman, counsel has perished from the wise ones, their wisdom is gone,
8 Naam, hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: “Msikubali manabii na wabashiri walioko miongoni mwenu wawadanganye. Msisikilize ndoto ambazo mmewatia moyo kuota.
their place has been deceived. Dig deep for a dwelling, ye that inhabit Daedam, for he has wrought grievously: I brought trouble upon him in the time at which I visited him.
9 Wanawatabiria ninyi uongo kwa jina langu. Sikuwatuma,” asema Bwana.
For grape-gatherers are come, who shall not leave thee a remnant; as thieves by night, they shall lay their hand upon [thy possessions].
10 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: “Miaka sabini itakapotimia kwa ajili ya Babeli, nitakuja kwenu na kutimiza ahadi yangu ya rehema ya kuwarudisha mahali hapa.
For I have stripped Esau, I have uncovered their secret places; they shall have no power to hide themselves, they have perished [each] by the hand of his brother, my neighbour, and it is impossible
11 Kwa maana ninajua mipango niliyo nayo kwa ajili yenu,” asema Bwana, “ni mipango ya kuwafanikisha na wala si ya kuwadhuru, ni mipango ya kuwapa tumaini katika siku zijazo.
for thy fatherless one to be left to live, but I shall live, and the widows trust in me.
12 Kisha mtaniita, na mtakuja na kuniomba, nami nitawasikiliza.
For thus saith the Lord; They who were not appointed to drink the cup have drunk [it]; and thou shalt by no means be cleared:
13 Mtanitafuta na kuniona, mtakaponitafuta kwa moyo wenu wote.
for by myself I have sworn, saith the Lord, that thou shalt be in the midst of her an impassable [land], and a reproach, and a curse; and all her cities shall be desert for ever.
14 Nitaonekana kwenu,” asema Bwana, “nami nitawarudisha watu wenu waliotekwa. Nitawakusanya kutoka mataifa yote na mahali pote nilipokuwa nimewafukuzia, nami nitawarudisha mahali ambapo nilikuwa nimewatoa walipochukuliwa uhamishoni,” asema Bwana.
I have heard a report from the Lord, and he has sent messengers to the nations, [saying, ]Assemble yourselves, and come against her; rise ye up to war.
15 Mnaweza mkasema, “Bwana ameinua manabii kwa ajili yetu huku Babeli,”
I have made thee small among the nations, utterly contemptible among men.
16 lakini hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kuhusu mfalme aketiaye kiti cha enzi cha Daudi, na watu wa kwenu wote wanaobaki katika mji huu, ndugu zenu ambao hawakwenda pamoja nanyi uhamishoni.
Thine insolence has risen up against thee, the fierceness of thine heart has burst the holes of the rocks, it has seized upon the strength of a lofty hill; for as an eagle he set his nest on high: thence will I bring thee down.
17 Naam, hili ndilo asemalo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote: “Nitatuma upanga, njaa na tauni dhidi yao, nami nitawafanya kuwa kama tini dhaifu zile ambazo ni mbovu sana zisizofaa kuliwa.
And Idumea shall be a desert: every one that passes by shall hiss at it.
18 Nitawafukuza kwa upanga, kwa njaa na kwa tauni, nami nitawafanya kitu cha kuchukiza sana kwa falme zote za dunia, na kuwa kitu cha laana na cha kuogofya, cha dharau na kukemewa, miongoni mwa mataifa yote nitakakowafukuzia.
As Sodom was overthrown and Gomorrha and they that sojourned in her, saith the Lord Almighty, no man shall dwell there, nor shall any son of man inhabit there.
19 Kwa kuwa hawakuyasikiliza maneno yangu,” asema Bwana, “maneno ambayo niliwatumia tena na tena kupitia watumishi wangu manabii. Wala ninyi watu wa uhamisho hamkusikiliza pia,” asema Bwana.
Behold, he shall come up as a lion out of the midst of Jordan to the place of Aetham: for I will speedily drive them from it, and do ye set the young men against her: for who is like me? and who will withstand me? and who [is] this shepherd, who shall confront me?
20 Kwa hiyo, sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi nyote mlio uhamishoni, niliowapeleka Babeli kutoka Yerusalemu.
Therefore hear ye the counsel of the Lord, which he has framed against Idumea; and his device, which he has devised against the inhabitants of Thaeman: surely the least of the sheep shall be swept off; surely their dwelling shall be made desolate for them.
21 Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo kuhusu Ahabu mwana wa Kolaya, na Sedekia mwana wa Maaseya, wanaowatabiria uongo kwa jina langu: “Nitawatia mikononi mwa Nebukadneza mfalme wa Babeli, naye atawaua mbele ya macho yenu hasa.
For at the sound of their fall the earth was scared, and the cry of the sea was not heard.
22 Kwa ajili yao, watu wote wa uhamisho kutoka Yuda walioko Babeli watatumia laana hii: ‘Bwana na akutendee kama Sedekia na Ahabu, ambao mfalme wa Babeli aliwachoma kwa moto.’
Behold, he shall look [upon her] as an eagle, and spread forth [his] wings over her strongholds; and the heart of the mighty men of Idumea shall be in that day as the heart of a woman in her pangs.
23 Kwa kuwa wamefanya mambo maovu kabisa katika Israeli, wamezini na wake za majirani zao, tena kwa Jina langu wamesema uongo, mambo ambayo sikuwaambia kuyafanya. Nami nayajua haya, na ni shahidi wa jambo hilo,” asema Bwana.
24 Mwambie Shemaya Mnehelami,
25 “Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenye Nguvu Zote, Mungu wa Israeli, asemalo: Ulituma barua kwa jina lako mwenyewe kwa watu wote wa Yerusalemu, kwa Sefania mwana wa kuhani Maaseya na kwa makuhani wengine wote. Ulimwambia Sefania,
26 ‘Bwana amekuweka wewe uwe kuhani badala ya Yehoyada ili uwe msimamizi wa nyumba ya Bwana. Unapaswa kufunga kwa mikatale na mnyororo wa shingoni mwendawazimu yeyote anayejifanya nabii.
27 Kwa nini basi hukumkemea Yeremia Mwanathothi, aliyejifanya kama nabii miongoni mwenu?
28 Ametutumia ujumbe huu huku Babeli: Mtakuwako huko muda mrefu. Kwa hiyo jengeni nyumba mkakae; pandeni mashamba na mle mazao yake.’”
29 Kuhani Sefania, hata hivyo, akamsomea nabii Yeremia ile barua.
30 Ndipo neno la Bwana likamjia Yeremia kusema:
31 “Tuma ujumbe huu kwa watu wote walio uhamishoni: ‘Hili ndilo Bwana asemalo kuhusu Shemaya Mnehelami: Kwa sababu Shemaya amewatabiria ninyi, hata ingawa sikumtuma, naye amewafanya kuamini uongo,
32 hili ndilo Bwana asemalo: Hakika nitamwadhibu Shemaya Mnehelami pamoja na uzao wake. Hapatakuwa na yeyote atakayebaki miongoni mwa watu hawa, wala hataona mema nitakayowatendea watu wangu, asema Bwana, kwa sababu ametangaza uasi dhidi yangu.’”
