1
Neno la Bwana lililomjia Yeremia, katika habari ya ukosefu wa mvua.
This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2
Yuda huomboleza, Na malango yake yamelegea; Wameketi chini wamevaa kaniki; Na kilio cha Yerusalemu kimepaa juu.
“Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3
Na wakuu wao huwatuma watoto wao kwenye maji; Nao hufika visimani wasione maji; Hurudi, na vyombo vyao ni vitupu; Wametahayarika na kufadhaika, Na kuvifunika vichwa vyao.
The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.
4
Kwa sababu ya nchi iliyopasuka, Kwa kuwa mvua haikunyesha katika nchi, Wenye kulima wametahayarika, Na kuvifunika vichwa vyao.
The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
5
Naam, kulungu naye uwandani amezaa, Akamwacha mwanawe kwa kuwa hapana majani.
Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.
6
Na punda-mwitu husimama juu ya vilele vya milima, Hutwetea pumzi kama mbwa-mwitu; Macho yao hayaoni sawasawa, Kwa kuwa hapana majani.
Wild donkeys stand on barren heights; they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of pasture.”
7
Ijapokuwa maovu yetu yanatushuhudia, lakini utende wewe kwa ajili ya jina lako, Ee Bwana, maana kurudi nyuma kwetu ni kwingi; tumekutenda dhambi.
Although our iniquities testify against us, O LORD, act for the sake of Your name. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You.
8
Wewe uliye tumaini la Israeli, wewe uliye Mwokozi wake wakati wa taabu, kwa nini wewe umekuwa kama mtu akaaye katika nchi, hali ya mgeni, na kama mtu mwenye kusafiri, ageukaye upande ili kukaa usiku mmoja tu?
O Hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are You like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays but a night?
9
Kwa nini wewe umekuwa kama mtu aliyesituka, kama shujaa asiyeweza kuokoa? Lakini wewe, Bwana, u katikati yetu, nasi tunaitwa kwa jina lako; usituache.
Why are You like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? Yet You are among us, O LORD, and we are called by Your name. Do not forsake us!
10
Bwana awaambia watu hawa hivi, Hivyo ndivyo walivyopenda kutanga-tanga; hawakuizuia miguu yao; basi, Bwana hawakubali; sasa ataukumbuka uovu wao, atawapatiliza dhambi zao.
This is what the LORD says about this people: “Truly they love to wander; they have not restrained their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins.”
11
Naye Bwana akaniambia, Usiwaombee watu hawa wapate heri.
Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people.
12
Wafungapo, mimi sitasikia kilio chao; na watoapo sadaka za kuteketezwa na sadaka ya unga, sitazitakabali; bali nitawaangamiza kwa upanga, na kwa njaa, na kwa tauni.
Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”
13
Ndipo nikasema, Aa, Bwana, MUNGU! Tazama, manabii huwaambia, Hamtauona upanga, wala hamtakuwa na njaa; bali nitawapa amani iliyo thabiti mahali hapa.
“Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’”
14
Ndipo Bwana akaniambia, Hao manabii wanatabiri uongo kwa jina langu mimi; mimi sikuwatuma, wala sikuwaamuru, wala sikusema nao; wanawapeni unabii wa maono ya uongo, na uaguzi, na neno la ubatili, na hadaa ya mioyo yao.
“The prophets are prophesying lies in My name,” replied the LORD. “I did not send them or appoint them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, a worthless divination, the futility and delusion of their own minds.
15
Basi, kwa hiyo Bwana asema hivi, Kwa habari za manabii wanaotabiri kwa jina langu, wala mimi sikuwatuma, lakini husema, Upanga na njaa havitaingia katika nchi hii; Kwa upanga na njaa manabii hao wataangamizwa.
Therefore this is what the LORD says about the prophets who prophesy in My name: I did not send them, yet they say, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’ By sword and famine these very prophets will meet their end!
16
Na watu hao, waliopewa unabii na wao, watatupwa nje katika njia kuu za Yerusalemu kwa sababu ya upanga na njaa; wala hawatakuwa na mtu wa kuwazika, wao na wake zao, na wana wao, na binti zao; maana nitamwaga uovu wao wenyewe juu yao.
And the people to whom they prophesy will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and sword. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil upon them.
17
Nawe utawaambia neno hili, Macho yangu na yatiririke machozi, usiku na mchana, wala yasikome; kwa maana bikira, binti ya watu wangu, amevunjika mavunjiko makuu, kwa jeraha isiyoponyeka.
You are to speak this word to them: ‘My eyes overflow with tears; day and night they do not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people has been shattered by a crushing blow, a severely grievous wound.
18
Nikitoka kwenda shambani, tazama, wako huko waliouawa kwa upanga! Na nikiingia mjini, tazama, wamo humo wanaougua kwa sababu ya njaa! Maana nabii na kuhani, wote wawili, huenda huko na huko katika nchi, wala hawana maarifa.
If I go out to the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I enter the city, I see those ravaged by famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know.’”
19
Je! Umemkataa Yuda kabisa? Roho yako imeichukia Sayuni? Mbona umetupiga, tusiwe na dawa ya kutuponya? Tulitazamia amani, lakini hayakuja mema yo yote, tulitazamia wakati wa kupona, na tazama, kufadhaika tu!
Have You rejected Judah completely? Do You despise Zion? Why have You stricken us so that we are beyond healing? We hoped for peace, but no good has come, and for the time of healing, but there was only terror.
20
Ee Bwana, tunakiri uovu wetu, na ubaya wa baba zetu; maana tumekutenda dhambi.
We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You.
21
Usituchukie, kwa ajili ya jina lako; usikifedheheshe kiti cha enzi cha utukufu wako, kumbuka, usilivunje agano ulilofanya nasi.
For the sake of Your name do not despise us; do not disgrace Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it.
22
Je! Katika vitu vya ubatili vya mataifa, kiko kitu kiwezacho kuleta mvua? Je! Mbingu zaweza kutoa manyunyu? Je! Si wewe, Ee Bwana, Mungu wetu? Kwa sababu hiyo tutakungoja; kwa kuwa wewe umevifanya vitu hivi vyote.
Can the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies alone send showers? Is this not by You, O LORD our God? So we put our hope in You, for You have done all these things.