1
Neno la Bwana likanijia, kusema,
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2
Enenda ukalie masikioni mwa Yerusalemu, ukisema, Bwana asema hivi, Nakukumbuka, hisani ya ujana wako, upendo wa wakati wa uposo wako; Jinsi ulivyonifuata huko jangwani, katika nchi isiyopandwa mbegu.
“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
3
Israeli walikuwa utakatifu kwa Bwana; malimbuko ya uzao wake; Wote watakaomla watakuwa na hatia; uovu utawajilia; asema Bwana.
Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her were found guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.
4
Lisikieni neno la Bwana, ninyi nyumba ya Yakobo, na ninyi, jamaa zote za nyumba ya Israeli.
Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.
5
Bwana asema hivi, Baba zenu waliona dhuluma gani kwangu, hata wakafarakana nami, wakafuata ubatili, nao wakawa ubatili?
This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me? They followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves.
6
Wala hawakusema, Yuko wapi Bwana, aliyetutoa katika nchi ya Misri; akatuongoza jangwani, katika nchi ya ukame na mashimo, katika nchi ya kiu na ya kivuli cha mauti, katika nchi ambayo ndani yake hapiti mtu, wala haikukaliwa na watu?
They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7
Nami nikawatia katika nchi ya shibe, mpate kula matunda yake na mema yake; lakini ninyi mlipoingia katika nchi ile, mliitia unajisi nchi yangu, na urithi wangu mliufanya kuwa chukizo.
I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land and made My inheritance detestable.
8
Makuhani hawakusema, Yuko wapi Bwana? Wala wana-sheria hawakunijua; wachungaji nao waliniasi, nao manabii walitoa unabii kwa Baali, wakafuata mambo yasiyofaidia kitu.
The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
9
Basi, kwa ajili ya hayo nitateta nanyi, asema Bwana, nami nitateta na watoto wa watoto wenu.
Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.
10
Maana, vukeni mpaka visiwa vya Kitimu, mkaone; tumeni watu waende Kedari, mkafikiri sana; mkaone kwamba jambo kama hili limekuwa wakati wo wote.
Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11
Je! Taifa wamebadili miungu yao, ingawa siyo miungu? Lakini watu wangu wameubadili utukufu wao kwa ajili ya kitu kisichofaidia.
Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
12
Enyi mbingu, staajabuni kwa ajili ya jambo hili, mkaogope sana, na kuwa ukiwa sana, asema Bwana.
Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD.
13
Kwa maana watu wangu hawa wametenda maovu mawili; wameniacha mimi, niliye chemchemi ya maji ya uzima, wamejichimbia mabirika, mabirika yavujayo, yasiyoweza kuweka maji.
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14
Je! Israeli ni mtumwa? Je! Ni mzalia? mbona amekuwa mateka?
Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?
15
Wana-simba wamenguruma juu yake, wametoa sana sauti zao; Nao wameifanya nchi yake kuwa ukiwa; miji yake imeteketea, haina watu.
The young lions have roared at him; they have sounded their voices. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.
16
Tena wana wa Nofu na Tahpanesi wamevunja utosi wa kichwa chako.
The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.
17
Je! Hukujipatia mambo haya mwenyewe, kwa kuwa umemwacha Bwana, Mungu wako, alipokuongoza njiani?
Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?
18
Na sasa una nini utakayotenda katika njia iendayo Misri, kunywa maji ya Shihori? Au una nini utakayotenda katika njia iendayo Ashuru, kunywa maji ya ule Mto?
Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19
Uovu wako mwenyewe utakurudi, maasi yako yatakukaripia; ujue, basi, ukaone, ya kuwa ni jambo baya sana na uchungu, kuwa umemwacha Bwana, Mungu wako, na ya kuwa moyoni mwako hamna kunihofu, asema Bwana, Bwana wa majeshi.
Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
20
Kwa maana tangu zamani wewe umeivunja nira yako, na kuvipasua vifungo vyako; ukasema, Mimi sitatumika; kwa maana juu ya kila kilima kirefu, na chini ya kila mti wenye majani mabichi, umejiinamisha, ukafanya mambo ya ukahaba.
“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.
21
Nami nalikuwa nimekupanda, mzabibu mwema sana, mbegu nzuri kabisa; umegeukaje, basi, kuwa mche usiofaa wa mzabibu-mwitu machoni pangu?
I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?
22
Maana ujapojiosha kwa magadi, na kujipatia sabuni nyingi, lakini uovu wako umeandikwa mbele zangu, asema Bwana MUNGU.
Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD.
23
Wawezaje kusema, Sikutiwa unajisi, sikuwafuata Mabaali? Itazame njia yako bondeni, ujue uliyoyatenda; wewe u ngamia mwepesi, apitaye katika njia zake;
“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there,
24
punda wa mwitu aliyeizoelea nyika, avutaye pumzi za upepo katika tamaa yake; katika wakati wake ni nani awezaye kumgeuza? Wote wamtafutao hawatajichokesha nafsi zao; katika mwezi wake watamwona.
a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.
25
Zuia mguu wako usikose kiatu, na koo yako isiwe na kiu; lakini wewe ulisema, Hapana matumaini kabisa; la, maana nimewapenda wageni, nami nitawafuata.
You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
26
Kama mwivi aonavyo haya akamatwapo, ndivyo waonavyo haya nyumba ya Israeli; wao, na wafalme wao, na wakuu wao, na makuhani wao, na manabii wao;
As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
27
waliambiao gogo la mti, Wewe u baba yangu; na kuliambia jiwe, Ndiwe uliyenizaa; kwa maana wamenipa mimi visogo, wala hawakunielekezea nyuso zao; lakini wakati wa taabu watasema, Simama ukatuokoe.
say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Yet in the time of trouble, they say, ‘Rise up and save us!’
28
Lakini wako wapi miungu yako ulioifanya? Na wasimame hao, kama wakiweza kukuokoa wakati wa taabu yako; kwa maana hesabu ya miungu yako ni sawasawa na hesabu ya miji yako, Ee Yuda.
But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.
29
Mbona mnataka kuteta nami? Ninyi nyote mmeniasi, asema Bwana.
Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.
30
Nimewapiga watoto wako bure; hawakukubali kurudiwa; upanga wenu wenyewe umewala manabii wako, kama simba aharibuye.
“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”
31
Ee kizazi litazameni neno la Bwana. Je! Nimekuwa jangwa kwa Israeli? Au nchi yenye giza kuu? Mbona watu wangu wanasema, Sisi tumetoroka, hatutaki kuja kwako tena?
You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?
32
Je! Mwanamwali aweza kusahau mapambo yake, au bibi arusi mavazi yake? Lakini watu wangu wamenisahau mimi kwa muda wa siku zisizo na hesabu.
Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.
33
Jinsi ulivyoitengeneza njia yako ili kutafuta mapenzi! Kwa sababu hiyo hata wanawake wabaya umewafundisha njia zako.
How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.
34
Tena katika pindo za nguo zako imeonekana damu ya roho zao maskini wasio na hatia; sikuiona penye mahali palipobomoka, lakini naliiona juu ya hawa wote.
Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things
35
Lakini ulisema, Sina hatia mimi; bila shaka hasira yake imegeuka na kuniacha. Tazama, nitaingia hukumuni pamoja nawe, kwa sababu unasema, Sikutenda dhambi mimi.
you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36
Mbona unatanga-tanga hivi upate kugeuza mwendo wako? Utaona haya kwa ajili ya Misri pia, kama ulivyoona haya kwa ajili ya Ashuru.
How impulsive you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.
37
Hata kwake pia utatoka, na mikono yako juu ya kichwa chako; kwa maana Bwana amewakataa uliowakimbilia, wala hutafanikiwa katika hao.
Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”