< Yeremia 42 >

1 Kisha amri wote wa jeshi na Yonathan mwana wa Karea, Jezania mwana wa Hoshaia, na watu wote kutoka mdogo kwa mkubwa walimkaribia Yeremia nabii.
THE WORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAS from the Lord in the days of Joakim, king of Juda, saying,
2 Walisema naye, “Acha maombi yetu yaje mbele yako. Omba kwa ajili yetu kwa Yahwe Mungu wako kwa ajili ya watu hawa ambao wanabaki kwani tuko wachache katika idadi, kama unavyoona.
Go to the house of the Archabin, and you shall bring them to the house of the Lord, into one of the courts, and give them wine to drink.
3 Muulize Yahwe Mungu wako atuambia sisi njia yakuendea na nini tufanye.”
So I brought forth Jechonias the son of Jeremin the son of Chabasin, and his brethren, and his sons, and all the family of the Archabin;
4 Basi Yeremia nabii alisema nao, “Nimewasikia, Tazama, Nitaomba kwa Yahwe Mungu wenu kama mlivyoomba. Vyovyote Yahwe ananijibu, Nitawambia. Sitawaficha chochote ninyi.”
and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Joanan, the son of Ananias, the son of Godolias, a man of God, who dwells near the house of the princes that are over the house of Maasaeas the son of Selom, who kept the court.
5 Walisema na Yeremia, “Na Yawhe awe shahidi mkweli na mwaminifu dhidi yenu, kama hatutafanya kila kitu ambacho Yahwe Mungu wenu anatuambia kufanya.
And I set before them a jar of wine, and cups, and I said, Drink you wine.
6 Hata kama ni vizuri au vibaya, tutatii sauti ya Yahwe Mungu wetu, ambaye tunawatuma ninyi, ili kwamba iwe vizuri pamoja nasi wakati tunatii sauti ya Yahwe Mungu wetu.”
But they said, We will on no account drink wine, for our father Jonadab the son of Rechab commanded us, saying, You shall on no account drink wine, [neither] you, nor your sons for ever:
7 Basi ilitokea kwamba baada ya siku kumi, neno la Yahwe lilikuja kwa Yeremia.
nor shall you at all build houses, nor sow any seed, nor shall you have a vineyard: for you shall dwell in tents all your days; that you may live many days upon the land, in which you sojourn.
8 Kwa hiyo Yeremia alimwita Yonathan mwana wa Karea na amri wote jeshi pamoja naye, na watu wote kutoka mdogo kwa mkubwa.
And we listened to the voice of Jonadab our father, so as to drink no wine all our days, we, and our wives, and our sons, and our daughters;
9 Na alisema nao, “Yahwe, Mungu wa Israel, ambaye umenituma mimi ili niweze kuweka maombi yako mbele zake. Yahwe asema hivi,
and so as to build no houses to dwell in: and we have had no vineyard, nor field, nor seed:
10 Kama mtarudi na kuishi katika nchi hii, basi nitawajenga na sitawararua chini; Nitapanda na sitawangoa, kwa kuwa nitageuza maafa ambayo nimeleta juu yako.
but we have lived in tents, and have listened, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
11 Msimugope mfalme wa Babeli, ambaye mnamuogopa. Msimuogope-hili ni tamko la Yahwe kwani niko pamoja nanyi kuwahifadhi na kuwaokoa toka mkono wake.
And it came to pass, when Nabuchodonosor came up against the land, that we said we would come in; and we entered into Jerusalem, for fear of the host of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the host of the Assyrians: and we lived there.
12 Kwa kuwa nitawapa rehema. Nitakuwa na huruma juu yenu, na nitawarudisha kwenye nchi yenu.
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
13 Lakini tudhani kusema kwamba, “Hatutakaa katika nchi hii”- kama hamtasikiliza sauti yangu, sauti ya Yahwe Mungu wenu.
Thus says the Lord, Go, and say to the men of Juda, and to them that dwell in Jerusalem, Will you not receive correction to listen to my words?
14 Tudhani kwamba mnasema, “Hapana! Tutaenda kwenye nchi ya Misri, ambayo hatutaona vita yoyote, ambayo hatutasikia sauti ya tarumbeta, na hatutaona njaa ya chakula. Tutaishi huko.”
The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the word which he commanded his children, that they should drink no wine; and they have not drunk [it]: but I spoke to you early, and you listened not.
15 Sasa sikiliza neno hili la Yahwe, wewe mabaki ya Yuda. Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israel, asema hivi, 'Kama kweli mtatoka kwenda Misri, kwenda na kuishi huko,
And I sent to you my servants the prophets, saying, Turn you every one from his evil way, and amend your practices, and go not after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell upon the land which I gave to you and to your fathers: but you inclined not your ears, and listened not.
16 basi upanga ambao mnauogopa utawapita huko kwenye nchi ya Misri. Njaa ambayo mnawasiwasi nayo itawafatilia huko Misri. Na mtakufa huko.
But the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command of their father; but this people has not listened to me.
17 Basi itatokea kwamba wanaume wote waliondoka kwenda Misri kuishi huko watakufa kwa upanga, njaa, au pigo. Hapatakuwa na mwathirika wao, hakuna atakayetoroka maafa ambayo nitaleta juu yao.
Therefore thus says the Lord; Behold, I [will] bring upon Juda and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evils which I pronounced against them.
18 Kwa kuwa Yahwe wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israel, asema hivi: Kama gadhabu yangu na hasira yangu imemwanga juu ya wakazi wa Yerusalem, kwa njia hiyo hasira yangu itamwangwa juu yenu kama mtaenda Misri. Mtakuwa sababu ya hasira na hofu, sababu la kuzungumza laana, na kitu kisichokuwa na heshima. Na hamtaona eneo hili tena.”
Therefore thus says the Lord; Since the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have listened to the command of their father, to do as their father commanded them:
19 Basi Yeremia alisema, “Yahwe amezungumza kuhusu ninyi - mabaki ya Yuda. Msiende Misri! Unajua kwa hakika kwamba nimekuwa shahidi dhidi yenu leo.
there shall never be lacking a man of the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab to stand before my face while the earth remains.
20 Kwa kuwa mmejidanganya vibaya wenyewe wakati mliponituma mimi kwenda kwa Yahwe Mungu wenu na kusema, 'Omba kwa Yahwe Mungu wetu kwa ajili yetu. Kila kitu ambacho Yahwe Mungu wetu asema, tuambie, na tutaibeba.'
21 Kwa kuwa nimekwisha toa taarifa kwako leo, lakini hajusikiliza sauti ya Yahwe Mungu wenu au kwa chochote kuhusu ambacho alinituma mimi kwako.
22 Basi sasa, utajua kwa hakika kwamba utakufa kwa upanga, njaa, na pigo katika eneo ambalo ulitamani kwenda kuishi.”

< Yeremia 42 >