Parable of the Potter
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Neno hili ndilo lililomjia Yeremia, kutoka kwa Bwana, kusema,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
Ondoka, ukashuke mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, na huko nitakusikizisha maneno yangu.
3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
Basi nikashuka mpaka nyumba ya mfinyanzi, na tazama, alikuwa akifanya kazi yake kwa magurudumu.
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 seemed good to the potter to make it .
Na chombo kile, alichokuwa akikifinyanga, kilipoharibika mkononi mwake yule mfinyanzi, alikifanyiza tena kuwa chombo kingine, kama alivyoona vema yule mfinyanzi kukifanya.
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 mine hand, O house of Israel.
Ee nyumba ya Israeli, je! Siwezi mimi kuwatendea ninyi vile vile kama mfinyanzi huyu alivyotenda? Asema Bwana. Angalieni, kama udongo ulivyo katika mkono wa mfinyanzi, ndivyo mlivyo ninyi katika mkono wangu, Ee 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 ;
Wakati wo wote nitakapotoa habari za taifa, na habari za ufalme, kuung'oa, na kuuvunja, na kuuangamiza;
8 if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
ikiwa taifa lile nililolitaja litageuka, na kuacha maovu yake nitaghairi, nisitende mabaya yale niliyoazimia kuwatenda.
9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it ;
Na wakati wo wote nitakapotoa habari za taifa, na habari za ufalme, kuujenga na kuupanda,
10 if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
ikiwa watatenda maovu mbele za macho yangu, wasiitii sauti yangu, basi nitaghairi, nisitende mema yale niliyoazimia kuwatendea.
11 Now therefore go to, 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 device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
Haya! Basi, ukawaambie watu wa Yuda, na wenyeji wa Yerusalemu, ukisema, Bwana asema hivi, Tazama, ninafinyanga mabaya juu yenu, na kuwaza mawazo juu yenu; rudini sasa, kila mmoja na aiache njia yake mbaya; zitengenezeni njia zenu, na matendo yenu.
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 wao wasema, Hapana tumaini lo lote; maana sisi tutafuata mawazo yetu wenyewe, nasi tutatenda kila mmoja wetu kwa kuufuata ushupavu wa moyo wake mbaya.
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.
Basi, kwa ajili ya hayo, Bwana asema hivi, Ulizeni sasa katika mataifa, ni nani aliyesikia habari za mambo kama hayo; bikira wa Israeli ametenda tendo lichukizalo sana.
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 itakoma katika jabali la kondeni? Au je! Maji ya baridi yashukayo toka mbali yatakauka?
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;
Maana watu wangu wamenisahau, wameufukizia ubatili uvumba; nao wamewakaza katika njia zao, katika mapito ya zamani, ili wapite katika njia za kando, katika njia isiyotengenezwa;
16 to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
ili kufanya nchi yao kuwa kitu cha kushangaza, na cha kuzomewa daima; kila mtu apitaye karibu nayo atashangaa, na kutikisa kichwa chake.
17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
Nami nitawatawanya mbele ya adui, kama kwa upepo wa mashariki; nami nitaviangalia visogo vyao, wala si nyuso zao, siku ya msiba wao.
Enemies of the Prophet
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.
Hapo ndipo waliposema, Njoni na tufanye mashauri juu ya Yeremia; maana sheria haitampotea kuhani, wala shauri halitampotea mwenye hekima, wala neno halitampotea nabii. Njoni, na tumpige kwa ndimi zetu, wala tusiyaangalie maneno yake yo yote.
19 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
Niangalie, Ee Bwana, ukasikilize sauti ya wanaoshindana nami.
20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged 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! Mabaya yalipwe badala ya mema? Maana wameichimbia nafsi yangu shimo. Kumbuka jinsi nilivyosimama mbele zako, ili niseme mema kwa ajili yao, nikaigeuze ghadhabu yako isiwapate.
21 Therefore deliver up 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.
Kwa sababu hiyo, uwatoe watoto wao waone njaa, uwatoe nguvu za upanga ziwapate; wake zao wafiwe na watoto wao, na kufiwa na waume zao; wanaume wao wauawe, na vijana wao wapigwe kwa upanga vitani.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
Kilio na kisikiwe kitokacho katika nyumba zao, hapo utakapoleta kikosi juu yao kwa ghafula; kwa maana wamenichimbia shimo waninase, nao wameifichia miguu yangu mitego.
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 thine anger.
Lakini wewe, Bwana, unajua mashauri yao yote juu yangu, ya kuniua; usiwasamehe uovu wao, wala usifute dhambi yao mbele za macho yako; bali wakwazwe mbele zako; uwatende mambo wakati wa hasira yako.
