< Jeremiah 3 >

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
“Mũndũ angĩtigana na mũtumia wake, nake mũtumia ũcio athiĩ ahikĩre mũndũ ũngĩ-rĩ, mũthuuri ũcio no amũcookerere? Githĩ bũrũri ũcio to ũthaahe biũ? No wee-rĩ, ũtũũrĩte ũhũũraga ũmaraya na endwa aku aingĩ mũno! Rĩu-rĩ, wee no ũnjookerere?” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
“Ta tiira maitho ũcũthĩrĩrie tũcũmbĩrĩ twa irĩma kũrĩa gũtigĩtwo ũtheri. Nĩ kũrĩ handũ ũtarĩ wakomwo nawe? Mĩkĩra-inĩ ya njĩra-rĩ, nĩkuo wetagĩrĩra endwa aku, kũu nĩkuo waikaraga thĩ ũkameterera, o ta Mũarabu arĩ werũ-inĩ. Wee nĩũthaahĩtie bũrũri ũyũ na ũmaraya waku na waganu waku.
3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
Tondũ wa ũguo-rĩ, mbura ya maguna-ngʼombe nĩĩgirĩtio yure, o na ĩrĩa ya gũkũria irio nayo ĩkaaga kuura. No rĩrĩ, wee nĩũmĩtie gĩthiithi ta kĩa mũmaraya, ũkaaga thoni o na hanini.
4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou [art] the guide of my youth?
Githĩ to rĩu wanjĩta ũkiugaga: ‘Baba, wee mũrata wakwa kuuma ndĩ o mũnini,
5 Will he reserve [his anger] for ever? will he keep [it] to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest.
kaĩ ũgũgĩtũũra ũrakarĩte? Mangʼũrĩ macio maku-rĩ, megũgĩthiĩ na mbere nginya tene?’ Ũguo nĩguo waragia, no ũgacooka ũgeeka ũũru wothe ũrĩa ũngĩhota.”
6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen [that] which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
Matukũ-inĩ ma wathani wa Mũthamaki Josia, Jehova nĩanjũririe atĩrĩ: “Ĩĩ nĩwonete ũrĩa Isiraeli aahutatĩire? Nĩahaicĩte gĩthũngũri-inĩ gĩothe kĩrĩa kĩraihu na igũrũ, na agathiĩ rungu rwa mũtĩ o wothe ũrĩa mũruru na akahũũrĩra ũmaraya kuo.
7 And I said after she had done all these [things], Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw [it].
Ndeciirĩtie atĩ nĩakanjookerera aarĩkia gwĩka maũndũ macio mothe, nowe ndaigana kũnjookerera, nake mwarĩ wa nyina, Juda, ũrĩa ũtaarĩ mwĩhokeku, agĩkĩĩonera maũndũ macio.
8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
Nĩndaheire Isiraeli ũcio wahutatĩire marũa ma gũtigana nake, ngĩmũingata nĩ ũndũ wa ũtharia ũcio wake wothe. No rĩrĩ, nĩndonire atĩ o na Juda, mwarĩ wa nyina ũcio ũtaarĩ mwĩhokeku, ndaarĩ na guoya; o nake nĩoimagarire, agĩthiĩ gũtharia.
9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.
Tondũ wa ũrĩa Isiraeli oonaga ũmaraya wake ũtarĩ ũndũ mũnene harĩ we, nĩathaahirie bũrũri ũcio, agĩkĩrĩrĩria kũhũũra ũmaraya na ũndũ wa kũhooya mahiga na mĩtĩ.
10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
O na kũrĩ ũguo-rĩ, Juda, mwarĩ wa nyina ũcio ũtaarĩ mwĩhokeku, ndaanjookereire na ngoro yake yothe, no aanjookereire na ũhinga,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
11 And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
Jehova akĩnjĩĩra atĩrĩ: “Isiraeli, ũrĩa waahuutatĩire-rĩ, nĩ mũthingu gũkĩra Juda, ũcio ũtaarĩ mwĩhokeku.
12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; [and] I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I [am] merciful, saith the LORD, [and] I will not keep [anger] for ever.
Thiĩ ũkahunjanĩrie ndũmĩrĩri ĩno werekeire mwena wa gathigathini, uuge ũũ: “‘Njookerera, wee Isiraeli, o wee ũũhutatĩire,’ ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga, ‘na niĩ ndigacooka gũkũhetera gĩthiithi na marakara, nĩ ũndũ njiyũrĩtwo nĩ tha,’ ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga. ‘Ndigũtũũra ndakarĩte nginya tene.
13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD.
Wee ũndũ ũrĩa ũgwĩka-rĩ, no kuumbũra mahĩtia maku, nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa ũremeire Jehova Ngai waku, nĩ ũndũ wa ũrĩa waneitanga, ũkĩĩheanaga kũrĩ ngai cia kũngĩ, rungu rwa mũtĩ o wothe mũruru, na ũkaaga kũnjathĩkĩra,’” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:
Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ: “Njookererai, inyuĩ andũ aya mũũhutatĩire, nĩgũkorwo nĩ niĩ mũthuuri wanyu; nĩngamũcookanĩrĩria, ndute mũndũ ũmwe itũũra-inĩ rĩmwe, na angĩ eerĩ ndĩmarute mũhĩrĩga ũmwe, ndĩmũtware Zayuni.
15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Nĩngacooka ndĩmũhe arĩithi arĩa ndĩthuurĩire na ngoro yakwa, arĩa makaamũtongoragia marĩ na ũũgĩ o na ũmenyo.”
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit [it; ] neither shall [that] be done any more.
Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ: “Matukũ-inĩ macio, rĩrĩa mũgaakorwo mũingĩhĩte mũno gũkũ bũrũri ũyũ-rĩ, andũ matigacooka kuuga, ‘Ithandũkũ rĩa kĩrĩkanĩro kĩa Jehova.’ Ũhoro ũcio ndũgatoonya meciiria-inĩ mao kana ũririkanwo; rĩtigeciirio ũhoro warĩo o na kana rĩthondekwo rĩngĩ.
17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
Hĩndĩ ĩyo mageetaga itũũra rĩa Jerusalemu Gĩtĩ kĩa Ũthamaki kĩa Jehova, nacio ndũrĩrĩ ciothe nĩikongana kũu itũũra rĩa Jerusalemu nĩ ũndũ wa gũtĩĩa rĩĩtwa rĩa Jehova. Matigacooka kũrũmĩrĩra ũremi wa ũũru wa ngoro ciao.
18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
Matukũ-inĩ macio nyũmba ya Juda nĩĩkanyiitana na nyũmba ya Isiraeli, na o eerĩ nĩmagooka moimĩte bũrũri wa mwena wa gathigathini, makinye bũrũri ũrĩa ndaaheire maithe manyu ũtuĩke igai rĩao.
19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
“Niĩ mwene ngiuga atĩrĩ, “‘Ingĩakenire atĩa ngĩmũtua ta ariũ akwa, na ndĩmũhe bũrũri mwega, igai rĩrĩa rĩega rĩkĩrĩte magai ma ndũrĩrĩ ciothe.’ Ndeciiragia mũrĩnjĩtaga ‘Baba’ na mwage kũũhutatĩra nĩguo mũtige kũnũmĩrĩra.
20 Surely [as] a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
No rĩrĩ, o ta mũtumia ũtarĩ mwĩhokeku harĩ mũthuuriwe, ũguo noguo mũkoretwo mũtarĩ ehokeku harĩ niĩ, inyuĩ nyũmba ya Isiraeli,” ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping [and] supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, [and] they have forgotten the LORD their God.
Kĩrĩro nĩkĩiguĩtwo kũndũ kũrĩa gũtũũgĩru gũtarĩ kĩndũ, kũgirĩka na gũthaithana kwa andũ a Isiraeli, nĩ ũndũ nĩmogometie njĩra ciao, na makariganĩrwo nĩ Jehova Ngai wao.
22 Return, ye backsliding children, [and] I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou [art] the LORD our God.
“Njookererai, inyuĩ andũ aya mũũhutatĩire; nĩngũmũhonia nĩguo mũtigacooke gũcooka na thuutha.” Magĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ nĩguo, nĩtũgũũka harĩwe, nĩgũkorwo wee nĩwe Jehova Ngai witũ.
23 Truly in vain [is salvation hoped for] from the hills, [and from] the multitude of mountains: truly in the LORD our God [is] the salvation of Israel.
Ti-itherũ inegene rĩa ũhooi mĩhianano kũu tũrĩma-inĩ o na kũu irĩma-inĩ nĩ rĩa maheeni; ti-itherũ, ũhonokio wa Isiraeli ũrĩ na Jehova Ngai witũ.
24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Kuuma o ũnini-inĩ witũ, ngai icio cia mĩhianano cia thoni nĩcio ciananiina maciaro ma mawĩra ma maithe maitũ: ndũũru ciao cia mbũri na cia ngʼombe, aanake ao na airĩtu ao.
25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
Nĩtwĩgũithiei thĩ tũconokete, nacio njono ciitũ itũhumbĩre. Nĩ twĩhĩirie Jehova Ngai witũ, ithuĩ o hamwe na maithe maitũ; kuuma rĩrĩa twarĩ anini nginya ũmũthĩ ũyũ-rĩ, tũtũũrĩte tũtarĩ twathĩkĩra Jehova Ngai witũ.”

< Jeremiah 3 >