1
Neno la Bwana lililomjia Yeremia, nabii, katika habari za mataifa.
This is the word of the LORD about the nations—the word that came to Jeremiah the prophet
2
Katika habari za Misri; habari za jeshi la Farao Neko, mfalme wa Misri, lililokuwa karibu na mto Frati katika Karkemishi, ambalo Nebukadreza, mfalme wa Babeli, alilipiga katika mwaka wa nne wa Yehoyakimu, mwana wa Yosia, mfalme wa Yuda.
concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah:
3
Tengenezeni kigao na ngao, mkakaribie ili kupigana.
“Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!
4
Watandikeni farasi; pandeni, enyi mpandao farasi; simameni na chapeo zenu, isugueni mikuki; zivaeni dirii.
Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears; put on armor!
5
Nimeyaona haya kwa sababu gani? Wamefadhaika, wamerudi nyuma; mashujaa wao wamevunjika-vunjika; wanakimbia upesi sana, hawatazami nyuma; hofu ziko pande zote; asema Bwana.
Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!” declares the LORD.
6
Mtu mwepesi asikimbie, wala shujaa asiokoke; pande za kaskazini karibu na mto Frati wamejikwaa na kuanguka.
“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.
7
Nani huyu ajiinuaye kama mto Nile, Ambaye maji yake yanajirusha kama mito?
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn?
8
Misri anajiinua kama mto Nile, Na maji yake yanajirusha kama mito; Asema, Nitajiinua, nitaifunikiza nchi; Nitauharibu mji na hao wakaao ndani yake.
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’
9
Haya! Pandeni, enyi farasi; Jihimizeni, enyi magari ya vita; Mashujaa nao na watoke nje Kushi na Puti, watumiao ngao; Nao Waludi, washikao uta na kuupeta.
Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth—Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.
10
Maana hiyo ni siku ya Bwana, Bwana wa majeshi, Siku ya kisasi, ili ajilipize kisasi juu ya adui zake; Nao upanga utakula na kushiba, Utakunywa damu yao hata kukinai; Maana Bwana, Bwana wa majeshi, ana sadaka yake Katika nchi ya kaskazini karibu na mto Frati.
For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
11
Panda uende Gileadi, ukatwae zeri, Ee binti, bikira wa Misri; unatumia dawa nyingi bure tu; hupati kupona kamwe.
Go up to Gilead for balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain you try many remedies, but for you there is no healing.
12
Mataifa wamesikia habari za aibu yako, nayo dunia imejaa kilio chako; maana shujaa amejikwaa juu ya shujaa mwenzake, wameanguka wote wawili pamoja.
The nations have heard of your shame, and your outcry fills the earth, because warrior stumbles over warrior and both of them have fallen together.”
13
Neno hili ndilo ambalo Bwana alimwambia Yeremia, nabii, kueleza jinsi Nebukadreza, mfalme wa Babeli, atakavyokuja na kuipiga nchi ya Misri.
This is the word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:
14
Tangazeni habari hii katika Misri, mkaihubiri katika Migdoli, na kuihubiri katika Nofu, na Tahpanesi; semeni, Simama, ujifanye tayari kwa maana upanga umekula pande zako zote.
“Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it in Memphis and Tahpanhes: ‘Take your positions and prepare yourself, for the sword devours those around you.’
15
Mbona mashujaa wako wamechukuliwa mbali? Hawakusimama kwa sababu Bwana aliwafukuza.
Why have your warriors been laid low? They cannot stand, for the LORD has thrust them down.
16
Aliwakwaza wengi, naam, wakaangukiana wao kwa wao; wakasema, Haya! Na tuondoke, tukarudi kwa watu wetu wenyewe, hata nchi tuliyozaliwa, tuukimbie upanga unaotuonea.
They continue to stumble; indeed, they have fallen over one another. They say, ‘Get up! Let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.’
17
Wakalia huko, Farao, mfalme wa Misri, ni kishindo tu; muhula alioandikiwa ameuacha upite.
There they will cry out: ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he has let the appointed time pass him by.’
18
Kama mimi niishivyo, asema Mfalme, ambaye jina lake ni Bwana wa majeshi, hakika yake, kama Tabori katika milima, na kama Karmeli karibu na bahari, ndivyo atakavyokuja.
As surely as I live, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, there will come one who is like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea.
19
Ee binti ukaaye katika Misri, Ujiweke tayari kwenda zako hali ya kufungwa; Kwa maana Nofu utakuwa ukiwa, Utateketezwa, usikaliwe na watu.
Pack your bags for exile, O daughter dwelling in Egypt! For Memphis will be laid waste, destroyed and uninhabited.
20
Misri ni mtamba mzuri sana, lakini uharibifu umekuja, Umekuja utokao pande za kaskazini.
Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly from the north is coming against her.
21
Na watu wake waliojiwa, walio kati yake, Ni kama ndama waliowanda malishoni; Maana wao nao wamerudi nyuma, Wamekimbia wote pamoja, wasisimame; Maana siku ya msiba wao imewafikilia, Wakati wa kujiliwa kwao.
Even the mercenaries among her are like fattened calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee, they will not stand their ground, for the day of calamity is coming upon them—the time of their punishment.
22
Sauti yake ni kama nyoka, wajapo kwa nguvu, Watamjia na mashoka, kama wachanja kuni.
Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees.
23
Wataukata msitu wake, asema Bwana, ingawa haupenyeki; Kwa maana ni wengi kuliko nzige, hawahesabiki.
They will chop down her forest, declares the LORD, dense though it may be, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted.
24
Binti ya Misri ataaibishwa; Atatiwa mikononi mwa watu wa kaskazini.
The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame; she will be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.”
25
Bwana wa majeshi, Mungu wa Israeli, asema hivi, Tazama, nitamwadhibu Amoni wa No, na Farao, na Misri, pamoja na miungu yake, na wafalme wake, naam, Farao, na hao wanaomtumainia;
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.
26
nami nitawatia katika mikono ya hao wanaowatafuta roho zao, na katika mikono ya Nebukadreza, mfalme wa Babeli, na katika mikono ya watumishi wake; na baada ya hayo itakaliwa na watu, kama katika siku za kale, asema Bwana.
I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.
27
Lakini usiogope wewe, Ee Yakobo, mtumishi wangu; wala usifadhaike, Ee Israeli; kwa maana, tazama, nitakuokoa toka mbali, na wazao wako toka nchi ya uhamisho wao; na Yakobo atarudi, naye atatulia na kustarehe, wala hapana mtu atakayemtia hofu.
But you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to make him afraid.
28
Usiogope wewe, Ee Yakobo, mtumishi wangu, asema Bwana; kwa maana mimi ni pamoja nawe; maana nitawakomesha kabisa mataifa yote huko nilikokufukuza, bali sitakukomesha wewe kabisa; lakini nitakurudi kwa hukumu, wala sitakuacha bila adhabu.
And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, for I am with you. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have banished you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.”