Jeremiah 18
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Neno la Bwana lilimjia Yeremia, kusema,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
“Simama, uende kwa nyumba ya mfinyanzi; kwa maana nitakusikilizisha neno langu huko.
3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Basi, nikaenda nyumbani kwa mfinyanzi, na tazama! Mfinyanzi alikuwa akifanya kazi kwenye gurudumu la mfinyanzi.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.
Lakini chombo cha udongo ambacho alikuwa akikifinyanga kiliharibika mkononi mwake, kwa hiyo alibadili mawazo yake na akafanya kitu kingine ambacho kilionekana kuwa kizuri machoni pake.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Ndipo neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
“Je, siwezi kuwa kama huyu mfinyanzi kwenu, nyumba ya Israeli? Angalia! Kama udongo katika mkono wa mfinyanzi-ndivyo ulivyo mkononi mwangu, nyumba ya Israeli.
7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
Kwa wakati mmoja, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani juu ya taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaufukuza, kuuvunja, au kuuharibu.
8 If that nation, against which I have pronounced, shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.
Lakini kama taifa ambalo nimefanya tamko hilo linageuka na kuacha maovu yake, basi nitaghairi nisitende maafa niliyokuwa nimepanga.
9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
Wakati mwingine, ninaweza kutangaza jambo fulani kuhusu taifa au ufalme, kwamba nitaujenga au kuupanda.
10 If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.
Lakini ikiwa watafanya mabaya machoni pangu kwa kutosikiliza sauti yangu, basi nitaghairi mema ambayo nilikuwa nimewaambia nitawafanyia.
11 Now therefore come, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plot against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
Basi sasa, waambie watu wa Yuda na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu, ukisema, 'Bwana asema hivi: Tazameni, nitawaangamiza. Mimi ni karibu kufinyanga mabaya dhidi yenu. Tubuni, kila mtu kutoka njia yake mbaya, hivyo njia zako na matendo yako yatakuletea mema.'
12 And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
Lakini watasema, 'Hili halina maana. Tutafanya kulingana na mipango yetu wenyewe. Kila mmoja wetu atafanya mabaya kwa kuufuata uchupavu wa moyo wake.'
13 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
Kwa hiyo Bwana asema hivi, 'Uliza watu wa mataifa, ambao wamewahi kusikia habari kama hii? Bikira wa Israeli amefanya kitendo cha kutisha.
14 Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
Je, theluji ya Lebanoni imetoka milima yenye miamba juu ya pande zake? Je, mito ya mlima inayotoka mbali iliharibiwa, mito hiyo ya baridi?
15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
Hata hivyo watu wangu wamesahau. Wamefanya sadaka kwa sanamu zisizo na maana na wamefanya mashaka katika njia zao; wameacha njia za kale za kutembea katika njia ndogo.
16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shake his head.
Nchi yao itakuwa ya hofu, kitu cha kuzomewa milele. Kila mtu atakayepita karibu naye atashuhudia na kutingisha kichwa chake.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
Nitawaangamiza mbele ya adui zao kama upepo wa mashariki. Nitawageuzia kisogo, wala sio uso wangu, siku ya msiba wao.'”
18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
Basi watu wakasema, “Njoni, tufanye njama dhidi ya Yeremia, maana sheria haitapotea kabisa kwa makuhani, wala ushauri kutoka kwa wenye hekima, au maneno ya manabii. Njoo, mshambulie kwa maneno yetu na tusisikilize tena chochote anachosema.”
19 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Sikiliza, Ee Bwana! Na kusikiliza sauti ya adui yangu.
20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
Je, maafa kutoka kwao itakuwa malipo yangu kwa kuwa mema kwao? Kwa maana wamenichimbia shimo. Kumbuka jinsi nilivyosimama mbele yako ili niseme mema kwa ajili yao na kugeuza ghadhabu yako isiwapate.
21 Therefore deliver their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
Basi uwape watoto wao njaa, na uwatie mikononi mwa wale wanaotumia upanga. Basi, waache wanawake wao wafiwe na kuwa wajane, na watu wao watauawa, na vijana wao wauawe kwa upanga wa vita.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have dug a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Kelele ya kusikitisha isikiwe kutoka katika nyumba zao, kama utakapoleta washambuliaji ghafla juu yao. Kwa kuwa wamechimba shimo kunikamata na wameficha mitego katika miguu yangu.
23 Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thy anger.
Lakini wewe, Bwana, unajua mipango yao yote dhidi yangu ya kuniua. Usisamehe uovu na dhambi zao. Usiondoe dhambi zao mbali nawe. Badala yake, waache waangamizwe mbele yako. Tenda juu yao wakati wa ghadhabu yako.
