Yeremia 4
1 “Ikiwa utataka kurudi, ee Israeli, nirudie mimi,” asema Bwana. “Ikiwa utaondoa sanamu zako za kuchukiza mbele ya macho yangu na usiendelee kutangatanga,
If Israel will return to me, saith the Lord, he shall return: and if he will remove his abominations out of his mouth, and fear before me, and swear,
2 ikiwa kwa kweli, kwa haki na kwa unyofu utaapa, ‘Kwa hakika kama vile Bwana aishivyo,’ ndipo mataifa yatakapobarikiwa naye na katika yeye watajitukuza.”
The Lord lives, with truth, in judgment and righteousness, then shall nations bless by him, and by him they shall praise God in Jerusalem.
3 Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana kwa watu wa Yuda na kwa Yerusalemu: “Vunjeni mabonge kwenye mashamba yenu, wala msipande katikati ya miiba.
For thus saith the Lord to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Break up fresh ground for yourselves, and sow not among thorns.
4 Jitahirini katika Bwana, tahirini mioyo yenu, enyi wanaume wa Yuda na watu wa Yerusalemu, la sivyo ghadhabu yangu itatoka kwa nguvu na kuwaka kama moto kwa sababu ya uovu mliotenda, ikiwaka pasipo wa kuizima.
Circumcise yourselves to your God, and circumcise your hardness of heart, ye men of Juda, and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my wrath go forth as fire, and burn, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your devices.
5 “Tangaza katika Yuda na upige mbiu katika Yerusalemu na kusema: ‘Piga tarumbeta katika nchi yote!’ Piga kelele na kusema: ‘Kusanyikeni pamoja! Tukimbilie katika miji yenye maboma!’
Declare ye in Juda, and let it be heard in Jerusalem: say ye, Sound the trumpet in the land; cry ye aloud: say ye, Gather yourselves together, and let us enter into the fortified cities.
6 Onyesheni ishara ili kwenda Sayuni! Kimbilieni usalama pasipo kuchelewa! Kwa kuwa ninaleta maafa kutoka kaskazini, maangamizi ya kutisha.”
Gather up [your wares] and flee to Sion: hasten, stay not: for I will bring evils from the north, and great destruction.
7 Simba ametoka nje ya pango lake, mharabu wa mataifa amejipanga. Ametoka mahali pake ili aangamize nchi yenu. Miji yenu itakuwa magofu pasipo mtu wa kuishi humo.
The lion is gone up from his lair, he has roused [himself] to the destruction of the nations, and has gone forth out of his place, to make the land desolate; and the cities shall be destroyed, so as to be without inhabitant.
8 Hivyo vaeni nguo za magunia, ombolezeni na kulia kwa huzuni, kwa kuwa hasira kali ya Bwana haijaondolewa kwetu.
For these things gird yourselves with sackclothes, and lament, and howl: for the anger of the Lord is not turned away from you.
9 “Katika siku ile,” asema Bwana “mfalme na maafisa watakata tamaa, makuhani watafadhaika, na manabii watashangazwa mno.”
And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes; and the priests shall be amazed, and the prophets shall wonder.
10 Ndipo niliposema, “Aa, Bwana Mwenyezi, umewadanganyaje kabisa watu hawa na Yerusalemu kwa kusema, ‘Mtakuwa na amani,’ wakati upanga uko kwenye koo zetu!”
And I said, O sovereign Lord, verily thou hast deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, There shall be peace; whereas behold, the sword has reached even to their soul.
11 Wakati huo watu hawa na Yerusalemu wataambiwa, “Upepo wa moto kutoka miinuko iliyo kame katika jangwa unavuma kuelekea watu wangu, lakini sio kupepeta au kutakasa,
At that time they shall say to this people and to Jerusalem, [There is] a spirit of error in the wilderness: the way of the daughter of my people is not to purity, nor to holiness.
12 upepo wenye nguvu sana kuliko wa kupepeta na kutakasa utakuja kwa amri yangu. Sasa natangaza hukumu zangu dhidi yao.”
[But] a spirit of full vengeance shall come upon me; and now I declare my judgments against them.
13 Tazama! Anakuja kama mawingu, magari yake yanakuja kama upepo wa kisulisuli, farasi wake wana mbio kuliko tai. Ole wetu! Tunaangamia!
Behold, he shall come up as a cloud, and his chariots as a tempest: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are in misery.
14 Ee Yerusalemu, usafishe uovu kutoka moyoni mwako na uokolewe. Utaendelea kuficha mawazo mapotovu mpaka lini?
Cleanse thine heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayest be saved: how long will thy grievous thoughts be within thee?
15 Sauti inatangaza kutoka Dani, ikipiga mbiu ya maafa kutoka vilima vya Efraimu.
For a voice of one publishing from Dan shall come, and trouble out of mount Ephraim shall be heard of.
16 “Waambie mataifa jambo hili, piga mbiu hii dhidi ya Yerusalemu: ‘Jeshi la kuzingira linakuja kutoka nchi ya mbali, likipiga kelele ya vita dhidi ya miji ya Yuda.
Remind ye the nations; behold, they are come: proclaim [it] in Jerusalem, that bands are approaching from a land afar off, and have uttered their voice against the cities of Juda.
17 Wamemzunguka kama watu walindao shamba, kwa sababu amefanya uasi dhidi yangu,’” asema Bwana.
As keepers of a field, they have surrounded her; because thou, saith the Lord, has neglected me.
18 “Mwenendo wako na matendo yako mwenyewe yameleta haya juu yako. Hii ndiyo adhabu yako. Tazama jinsi ilivyo chungu! Tazama jinsi inavyochoma moyo!”
Thy ways and thy devices have brought these things upon thee; this is thy wickedness, for [it is] bitter, for it has reached to thy heart.
19 Ee mtima wangu, mtima wangu! Ninagaagaa kwa maumivu. Ee maumivu makuu ya moyo wangu! Moyo wangu umefadhaika ndani yangu, siwezi kunyamaza. Kwa sababu nimesikia sauti ya tarumbeta, nimesikia kelele ya vita.
I am pained in my bowels, my bowels, and the sensitive powers of my heart; my soul is in great commotion, my heart is torn: I will not be silent, for my soul has heard the sound of a trumpet, the cry of war, and of distress: it calls on destruction;
20 Maafa baada ya maafa, nchi yote imekuwa magofu. Kwa ghafula mahema yangu yameangamizwa, makazi yangu kwa muda mfupi.
for all the land is distressed: suddenly [my] tabernacle is distressed, my curtains have been rent asunder.
21 Hata lini nitaendelea kuona bendera ya vita na kusikia sauti za tarumbeta?
How long shall I see fugitives, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “Watu wangu ni wapumbavu, hawanijui mimi. Ni watoto wasio na akili, hawana ufahamu. Ni hodari kutenda mabaya, hawajui kutenda yaliyo mema.”
For the princes of my people have not known me, they are foolish and unwise children: they are wise to do evil, but [how] to do good they have not known.
23 Niliitazama dunia, nayo haikuwa na umbo tena ni tupu; niliziangalia mbingu, mianga ilikuwa imetoweka.
I looked upon the earth, and, behold, [it was] not; and to the sky, an there was no light in it.
24 Niliitazama milima, nayo ilikuwa ikitetemeka, vilima vyote vilikuwa vikiyumbayumba.
I beheld the mountains, and they trembled, and [I saw] all the hills in commotion.
25 Nilitazama, wala watu hawakuwepo; kila ndege wa angani alikuwa ameruka zake.
I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky were scared.
26 Nilitazama, hata nchi iliyokuwa imestawi vizuri imekuwa jangwa, miji yake yote ilikuwa magofu mbele za Bwana, mbele ya hasira yake kali.
I saw, and, behold, Carmel was desert, and all the cities were burnt with fire at the presence of the Lord, and at the presence of his fierce anger they were utterly destroyed.
27 Hivi ndivyo Bwana asemavyo: “Nchi yote itaharibiwa, ingawa sitaiangamiza kabisa.
Thus saith the Lord, The whole land shall be desolate; but I will not make a full end.
28 Kwa hiyo dunia itaomboleza na mbingu zilizo juu zitakuwa giza, kwa sababu nimesema nami sitarudi nyuma, nimeamua na wala sitageuka.”
For these things let the earth mourn, and let the sky be dark above: for I have spoken, and I will not repent; I have purposed, and I will not turn back from it.
29 Kwa sauti ya wapanda farasi na wapiga upinde kila mji unakimbia. Baadhi wanakimbilia vichakani, baadhi wanapanda juu ya miamba. Miji yote imeachwa, hakuna aishiye ndani yake.
The whole land has recoiled from the noise of the horseman and the bent bow; they have gone into the caves, and have hidden themselves in the groves, and have gone up upon the rocks: every city was abandoned, no man dwelt in them.
30 Unafanya nini, ewe uliyeharibiwa? Kwa nini unajivika vazi jekundu na kuvaa vito vya dhahabu? Kwa nini unapaka macho yako rangi? Unajipamba bure. Wapenzi wako wanakudharau, wanautafuta uhai wako.
And what wilt thou do? Though thou clothe thyself with scarlet, and adorn thyself with golden ornaments; though thou adorn thine eyes with stibium, thy beauty [will be] in vain: thy lovers have rejected thee, they seek thy life.
31 Nasikia kilio kama cha mwanamke katika utungu wa kuzaa, kilio cha uchungu kama cha anayemzaa mtoto wake wa kwanza: kilio cha Binti Sayuni akitweta ili aweze kupumua, akiinua mikono yake, akisema, “Ole wangu! Ninazimia; maisha yangu yamekabidhiwa kwa wauaji.”
For I have heard thy groaning as the voice of a woman in travail, as of her that brings forth her first child; the voice of the daughter of Zion shall fail through weakness, and she shall lose the strength of her hands, [saying], Woe is me! for my soul faints because of the slain.
