Drought, famine, sword
1This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
2‘Judah mourns,
her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3The nobles send their servants for water;
they go to the cisterns
but find no water.
They return with their jars unfilled;
dismayed and despairing,
they cover their heads.
4The ground is cracked
because there is no rain in the land;
the farmers are dismayed
and cover their heads.
5Even the doe in the field
deserts her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.
6Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights
and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
for lack of food.’
7Although our sins testify against us,
do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.
For we have often rebelled;
we have sinned against you.
8You who are the hope of Israel,
its Saviour in times of distress,
why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveller who stays only a night?
9Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
like a warrior powerless to save?
You are among us, Lord,
and we bear your name;
do not forsake us!
10This is what the Lord says about this people:
‘They greatly love to wander;
they do not restrain their feet.
So the Lord does not accept them;
he will now remember their wickedness
and punish them for their sins.’
11Then the Lord said to me, ‘Do not pray for the well-being of this people. 12Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.’
13But I said, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets keep telling them, “You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.” ’
14Then the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries14:14 Or visions, worthless divinations and the delusions of their own minds. 15Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, “No sword or famine will touch this land.” Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine. 16And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no-one to bury them, their wives, their sons and their daughters. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.
17‘Speak this word to them:
‘ “Let my eyes overflow with tears
night and day without ceasing;
for the Virgin Daughter, my people,
has suffered a grievous wound,
a crushing blow.
18If I go into the country,
I see those slain by the sword;
if I go into the city,
I see the ravages of famine.
Both prophet and priest
have gone to a land they know not.” ’
19Have you rejected Judah completely?
Do you despise Zion?
Why have you afflicted us
so that we cannot be healed?
We hoped for peace
but no good has come,
for a time of healing
but there is only terror.
20We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord,
and the guilt of our ancestors;
we have indeed sinned against you.
21For the sake of your name do not despise us;
do not dishonour your glorious throne.
Remember your covenant with us
and do not break it.
22Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain?
Do the skies themselves send down showers?
No, it is you, Lord our God.
Therefore our hope is in you,
for you are the one who does all this.
Chilala, Njala, Lupanga
1Awa ndi mawu amene Yehova anamuwuza Yeremiya onena za chilala:
2“Yuda akulira,
mizinda yake ikuvutika;
anthu ake adzigwetsa pansi mwachisoni,
kulira kwa Yerusalemu kwakula.
3Anthu awo wolemekezeka akutuma antchito awo kuti akatunge madzi.
Apita ku zitsime
osapezako madzi.
Choncho amabwerera ndi mitsuko yopanda madzi.
Amanyazi ndi othedwa nzeru
adziphimba kumaso.
4Popeza pansi pawumiratu
chifukwa kulibe madzi,
alimi ali ndi manyazi
ndipo amphimba nkhope zawo.
5Ngakhale mbawala yayikazi
ikusiya mwana wake wakhanda ku thengo
chifukwa kulibe msipu.
6Mbidzi zikuyima pa zitunda zopanda kanthu
nʼkumapuma wefuwefu ngati nkhandwe;
maso awo achita chidima
chifukwa chosowa msipu.”
7Anthu akuti, “Ngakhale machimo athu akutitsutsa,
koma Inu Yehova chitanipo kanthu chifukwa cha dzina lanu.
Pakuti kusakhulupirika kwathu nʼkwakukulu;
ife takuchimwirani.
8Inu Yehova amene Aisraeli amakukhulupirirani
ndi amene mumawapulumutsa pa nthawi ya masautso,
chifukwa chiyani mukukhala ngati mlendo mʼdziko muno?
Chifukwa chiyani muli ngati wapaulendo amene akungogona tsiku limodzi?
9Chifukwa chiyani muli ngati munthu amene wadzidzimutsidwa,
kapena ngati wankhondo amene alibe mphamvu yopulumutsa?
Komabe Inu Yehova, muli pakati pathu,
ndipo tikudziwika ndi dzina lanu;
musatitaye ife!”
10Zimene Yehova akunena za anthuwa ndi izi:
“Iwo amakonda kuyendayenda kwambiri;
samatha kudziretsa.
Nʼchifukwa chake Ine Yehova sindingawalandire,
ndipo tsopano ndidzakumbukira zoyipa zawo
ndi kuwalanga chifukwa cha machimo awo.”
11Kenaka Yehova anandiwuza kuti, “Usawapempherere anthu awa kuti zinthu ziwayendere bwino. 12Ngakhale asale zakudya, Ine sindidzamva kulira kwawo; ngakhale apereke nsembe zopsereza ndi chopereka cha chakudya, sindidzazilandira. Mʼmalo mwake, ndidzawapha ndi lupanga, njala ndi mliri.”
13Koma ine ndinati, “Aa, Ambuye Yehova, aneneri amawawuza anthuwo kuti, sadzaphedwa ndi lupanga kapena kuvutika ndi njala. Koma kuti Inu mudzawapatsa mtendere wokhawokha pamalo pano.”
14Ndipo Yehova anandiwuza kuti, “Ndi zabodza kuti aneneriwa akunenera mʼdzina langa. Ine sindinawatume kapena kuwasankha kapenanso kuyankhula nawo. Iwo amakuwuzani zinthu zabodza zomwe amati anaziona mʼmasomphenya, kapena pogwiritsa ntchito mawula achabechabe. Zimene amayankhula ndi zongopeka mʼmutu mwawo. 15Nʼchifukwa chake Ine Yehova ndikuti aneneri amenewa akulosera mʼdzina langa pamene Ine sindinawatume. Iwo amati simudzafa pa nkhondo kapena ndi njala mʼdziko muno. Koma tsono ndi iwowo, aneneriwa amene adzafe pa nkhondo kapena ndi njala. 16Ndipo anthu amene anawaloserawo adzaponyedwa mʼmisewu ya mu Yerusalemu atafa ndi njala ndi lupanga. Sipadzapezeka wowayika mʼmanda popeza iwowo, akazi awo, ana awo aamuna, onse adzakhala atafa. Ine ndidzawagwetsera chilango chowayenera.
17“Awuze mawu awa:
“ ‘Maso anga akugwetsa misozi kosalekeza
usana ndi usiku;
chifukwa anthu anga okondedwa
apwetekeka kwambiri,
akanthidwa kwambiri.
18Ndikapita kuthengo,
ndikuona amene aphedwa ndi lupanga;
ndikapita mu mzinda,
ndikuona amene asakazidwa ndi njala.
Ngakhale aneneri pamodzi
ndi ansembe onse atengedwa.’ ”
19Kodi anthu a ku Yuda mwawakana kwathunthu?
Kodi mtima wanu wanyansidwa nawo anthu a ku Ziyoni?
Chifukwa chiyani mwatikantha chotere
kuti sitingathenso kuchira?
Ife tinayembekezera mtendere
koma palibe chabwino chomwe chabwera,
tinayembekezera kuchira
koma panali kuopsezedwa kokhakokha.
20Inu Yehova, ife tikuvomereza kuyipa kwathu
ndiponso kulakwa kwa makolo athu;
ndithu ife tinakuchimwiranidi.
21Musatikane kuopa kuti dzina lanu linganyozedwe;
musanyoze mpando wanu waufumu waulemerero.
Kumbukirani pangano lanu ndi ife
ndipo musachiphwanye.
22Mwa milungu yachabechabe ya anthu a mitundu ina,
kodi pali mulungu amene angagwetse mvula?
Ife chikhulupiriro chathu chili pa Inu,
popeza Inu nokha ndinu Yehova Mulungu wathu
amene mukhoza kuchita zimenezi.
