Jerusalem as an Adulterous Wife
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices 3and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
6“ ‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” 7I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.
8“ ‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
9“ ‘I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, 12and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. 14And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15“ ‘But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. 16You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.16:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain. 17You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. 18And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. 19Also the food I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.
20“ ‘And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? 21You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. 22In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.
23“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square. 25At every street corner you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by. 26You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger with your increasing promiscuity. 27So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct. 28You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied. 29Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia,16:29 Or Chaldea a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.
30“ ‘I am filled with fury against you,16:30 Or How feverish is your heart, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute! 31When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
32“ ‘You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! 33All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. 34So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.
35“ ‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! 36This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood, 37therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked. 38I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger. 39Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked. 40They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.
43“ ‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?
44“ ‘Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 45You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. 47You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. 48As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
49“ ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 52Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53“ ‘However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, 54so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, 57before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom16:57 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate Aram and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. 58You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.
59“ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. 60Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you. 62So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”
Yerusalemu, Mwanamke Asiye Mwaminifu
1Neno la Bwana likanijia kusema: 216:2 Eze 20:4; 8:17; 22:2; 23:36; Isa 57:12“Mwanadamu, ijulishe Yerusalemu kuhusu mwenendo wake wa machukizo 316:3 Mwa 11:25-29; Eze 21:30; Mwa 10:15; Yos 24:14-15; Mwa 12:18; 16:15na useme, ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi, analomwambia Yerusalemu: Wewe asili yako na kuzaliwa kwako ni katika nchi ya Kanaani, baba yako alikuwa Mwamori, naye mama yako alikuwa Mhiti. 416:4 Hos 2:3Siku uliyozaliwa kitovu chako hakikukatwa, wala hukuogeshwa kwa maji ili kukufanya safi, wala hukusuguliwa kwa chumvi wala kufunikwa kwa nguo. 5Hakuna yeyote aliyekuonea huruma au kukusikitikia kiasi cha kukutendea mojawapo ya mambo haya. Badala yake, ulipozaliwa ulitupwa nje penye uwanja, kwa kuwa katika siku uliyozaliwa ulidharauliwa.
616:6 Kut 19:4; Eze 18:23, 32“ ‘Ndipo nilipopita karibu nawe nikakuona ukigaagaa kwenye damu yako, nawe ulipokuwa umelala hapo penye hiyo damu nikakuambia, “Ishi!” 716:7 Kum 1:10; Kut 1:7Nilikufanya uote kama mmea wa shambani. Ukakua na kuongezeka sana, ukawa kito cha thamani kuliko vyote. Matiti yako yakatokeza na nywele zako zikaota, wewe uliyekuwa uchi na bila kitu chochote.
816:8 Rut 3:9; Kut 19:5; Hos 2:7-20; Mal 2:4; Yer 2:2; 11:10“ ‘Baadaye nikapita karibu nawe, nilipokutazama na kukuona kuwa umefikia umri wa kupendwa, nililitandaza vazi langu juu yako na kuufunika uchi wako. Nikakuapia na kuingia kwenye Agano na wewe, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, nawe ukawa wangu.
916:9 Rut 3:3“ ‘Nilikuogesha kwa maji, nikakuosha ile damu na kukupaka mafuta. 1016:10 Kut 26:36; Isa 19:9; Eze 27:16; Isa 3:23Nikakuvika vazi lililotariziwa na kukuvalisha viatu vya kamba vya ngozi. Nikakuvika nguo za kitani safi na kukufunika kwa mavazi ya thamani kubwa. 1116:11 Yer 4:30; Eze 23:40; Isa 3:19; Eze 23:42; Mwa 41:42; Za 73:6Nikakupamba kwa vito: nikakuvika bangili mikononi mwako na mkufu shingoni mwako, 1216:12 Isa 3:21; 28:5; Yer 13:18; Mwa 35:4nikaweka hazama puani mwako, vipuli masikioni mwako na taji nzuri sana kichwani mwako. 1316:13 1Sam 10:1; 1Fal 4:21; Es 2:9, 17; Za 48:2; Es 5:1; Kum 32:13-14Kwa hiyo ulipambwa kwa dhahabu na fedha, nguo zako zilikuwa za kitani safi, hariri na nguo iliyokuwa imetariziwa. Chakula chako kilikuwa unga laini, asali na mafuta ya zeituni. Ukawa mzuri sana ukainuka kuwa malkia. 1416:14 1Fal 10:24; Es 1:11; Za 48:2; Mao 2:15; Eze 5:5Umaarufu wako ulifahamika miongoni mwa mataifa kwa ajili ya uzuri wako, kwani ulikuwa mkamilifu kwa ajili ya utukufu wangu niliokuwa nimeuweka juu yako, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
1516:15 Yer 2:20; Isa 57:8; Mik 3:11; Eze 23:3; 27:3“ ‘Lakini ulitumainia uzuri wako na kutumia umaarufu wako kuwa kahaba. Ulifanya uzinzi kwa kila mtu aliyepita, uzuri wako ukawa kwa ajili yake. 1616:16 2Fal 23:7; Hos 2:8; Isa 57:7Ulichukua baadhi ya mavazi yako ukayatumia kupamba mahali pako pa juu pa kuabudia miungu, mahali ambapo ulifanyia ukahaba wako. Mambo ya namna hiyo hayastahili kutendeka wala kamwe kutokea. 1716:17 Eze 7:20; Hos 2:13Pia ulichukua vito vizuri nilivyokupa, vito vilivyotengenezwa kwa dhahabu yangu na fedha yangu, ukajitengenezea navyo sanamu za kiume na ukafanya ukahaba nazo. 1816:18 Yer 44:5Ukayachukua mavazi yako niliyokupa yaliyotariziwa na ukazivalisha hizo sanamu, ukatoa mbele ya hizo sanamu mafuta yangu na uvumba wangu. 1916:19 Isa 57:7; Yer 44:21; Za 78:58; Hos 2:8Pia chakula changu nilichokupa ili ule: unga laini, mafuta ya zeituni na asali, ulivitoa mbele yao kuwa uvumba wa harufu nzuri. Hayo ndiyo yaliyotokea, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.
2016:20 Yer 7:31; Kut 13:2; Za 106:37-38; Isa 57:5; Eze 23:37“ ‘Nawe uliwachukua wanao na binti zako ulionizalia mimi na kuwatoa kafara kuwa chakula kwa sanamu. Je, ukahaba wako haukukutosha? 2116:21 2Fal 17:17; Yer 19:5Uliwachinja watoto wangu na kuwatoa kafara kwa sanamu. 2216:22 Za 25:7; Hos 11:1; Za 88:15; Hos 2:15; Yer 2:2Katika matendo yako yote ya machukizo, pamoja na ukahaba wako hukukumbuka siku za ujana wako, wakati ulipokuwa uchi kabisa bila kitu chochote, ulipokuwa ukigaagaa kwenye damu yako.
2316:23 Eze 24:6“ ‘Ole! Ole wako! Asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Pamoja na maovu yako yote mengine, 2416:24 Za 78:58; Yer 44:21; Isa 57:7; Eze 20:28; Yer 2:20; 3:2Ukajijengea jukwaa na kujifanyia mahali pa fahari pa ibada za miungu kwenye kila uwanja wa mikutano. 2516:25 Mit 9:14; Yer 6:15; 3:2Katika kila mwanzo wa barabara ulijenga mahali pa fahari pa ibada za miungu na kuaibisha uzuri wako, ukiutoa mwili wako kwa kuzidisha uzinzi kwa kila apitaye. 2616:26 1Fal 14:9; Eze 8:17; Yer 11:15; Isa 57:8; 23:17; Eze 23:17; 33:19-21; 20:8Ulifanya ukahaba wako na Wamisri, jirani zako waliojaa tamaa, ukaichochea hasira yangu kwa kuongezeka kwa uzinzi wako. 2716:27 Eze 20:33; 25:13; 2Nya 28:18; Yer 34:20Hivyo nilinyoosha mkono wangu dhidi yako na kuipunguza nchi yako, nikakutia kwenye ulafi wa adui zako, binti za Wafilisti, walioshtushwa na tabia yako ya uasherati. 2816:28 2Fal 16:7; Amu 10:6; Eze 23:14; Isa 57:8Ulifanya ukahaba na Waashuru pia, kwa kuwa hukuridhika, hata baada ya hayo, ukawa bado hukutosheleka. 2916:29 Yer 3:1; Eze 23:14-17; Nah 3:4Ndipo ukaongeza uzinzi wako kwa Wakaldayo nchi ya wafanyabiashara, hata katika hili hukutosheka.
3016:30 Yer 3:3“ ‘Tazama jinsi ulivyo na dhamiri dhaifu, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, unapofanya mambo haya yote, ukifanya kama kahaba asiyekuwa na aibu! 3116:31 Eze 16:24, 39Unapojenga jukwaa lako kila mwanzo wa barabara na kufanyiza mahali pa fahari pa ibada za miungu katika kila kiwanja cha wazi, lakini hukuwa kama kahaba, kwa sababu ulidharau malipo.
32“ ‘Wewe mke mzinzi! Unapenda wageni, kuliko mume wako mwenyewe. 3316:33 Isa 30:6; 57:6; Hos 8:9-10; Mwa 30:15Kila kahaba hupokea malipo, lakini wewe hutoa zawadi kwa wapenzi wako wote, ukiwahonga ili waje kwako kutoka kila mahali kwa ajili ya ukahaba wako. 34Kwa hiyo wewe ulikuwa tofauti na wanawake wengine kwenye ukahaba wako, hakuna aliyekutongoza ili kuzini naye, wewe ndiye uliyelipa wakati hakuna malipo uliyolipwa wewe. Wewe ulikuwa tofauti.
35“ ‘Kwa hiyo, wewe kahaba, sikia neno la Bwana! 3616:36 Yer 19:5; Eze 23:10; Yer 2:34Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Kwa kuwa umemwaga tamaa zako na kuonyesha uchi wako katika uzinzi wako kwa wapenzi wako na kwa sababu ya sanamu zako zote za machukizo na kwa sababu uliwapa damu ya watoto wako, 3716:37 Isa 47:2-3; Hos 2:10; Ufu 17:16; Eze 23:9; Yer 13:22; Hos 8:10kwa hiyo nitawakusanya wapenzi wako wote, wale ambao ulijifurahisha nao, wale uliowapenda na wale uliowachukia pia. Nitawakusanya wote dhidi yako kutoka pande zote na nitakuvua nguo mbele yao, nao wataona uchi wako wote. 3816:38 Mwa 38:24; Eze 23:25; Law 20:10; Za 79:3-5; Kut 21:12; Sef 1:17Nitakuhukumia adhabu wanayopewa wanawake wafanyao uasherati na hao wamwagao damu, nitaleta juu yenu kisasi cha damu cha ghadhabu yangu na wivu wa hasira yangu. 3916:39 Eze 23:26; Hos 2:3; Eze 21:31; 2Fal 18:11Kisha nitakutia mikononi mwa wapenzi wako, nao watabomoa majukwaa yako na kuharibu mahali pako pa fahari pa ibada ya miungu. Watakuvua nguo zako na kuchukua vito vyako vya thamani na kukuacha uchi na bila kitu. 4016:40 Yn 8:5-7Wataleta kundi la watu dhidi yako, watakaokupiga kwa mawe na kukukatakata vipande vipande kwa panga zao. 4116:41 Kum 13:16; Yer 19:13; Eze 23:10; 22:15; Rum 2:8; Eze 23:48Watachoma nyumba zako na kutekeleza adhabu juu yako machoni pa wanawake wengi. Nitakomesha ukahaba wako, nawe hutawalipa tena wapenzi wako. 4216:42 2Sam 24:25; Eze 5:13; Isa 40:1-2; 54:9Ndipo ghadhabu yangu dhidi yako itakapopungua na wivu wa hasira yangu utaondoka kwako. Nitatulia wala sitakasirika tena.
4316:43 Kut 15:24; Za 78:42; Eze 11:21; 22:31“ ‘Kwa sababu hukuzikumbuka siku za ujana wako, lakini ulinikasirisha kwa mambo haya yote, hakika nitaleta juu ya kichwa chako yale uliyotenda, asema Bwana Mwenyezi. Je hukuongeza uasherati juu ya matendo yako yote ya kuchukiza?
4416:44 Za 49:4“ ‘Kila mtu atumiaye maneno ya mithali hii, atayatumia juu yako: “Alivyo mama, ndivyo alivyo bintiye.” 4516:45 Eze 14:5; 23:5; Yer 44:19Wewe ni binti halisi wa mama yako, ambaye alimchukia kabisa mume wake na watoto wake, tena wewe ni dada halisi wa dada zako, waliowachukia kabisa waume zao na watoto wao. Mama yako alikuwa Mhiti na baba yako alikuwa Mwamori. 4616:46 Mwa 13:10-13; Ufu 11:8; Mwa 18:20; Yer 3:8-11; Eze 23:4Dada yako mkubwa alikuwa Samaria, aliyeishi upande wako wa kaskazini na binti zake, pamoja na dada yake, naye dada yako mdogo, aliyeishi kusini yako pamoja na binti zake, alikuwa Sodoma. 4716:47 2Fal 21:9; Eze 5:6-7Hukuziendea njia zao tu na kuiga matendo yao ya kuchukiza, bali kwa muda mfupi katika njia zako zote uliharibika tabia zaidi kuliko wao. 4816:48 Mt 10:15; 11:23-24; Lk 10:12; Mwa 15:2; 19:25Hakika kama niishivyo, asema Bwana Mwenyezi, dada yako Sodoma pamoja na binti zake, kamwe hawakufanya yale ambayo wewe na binti zako mmefanya.
4916:49 Isa 1:10; Mwa 13:13; Eze 28:2; Amo 6:4-8; Yak 5:5; Lk 12:16-20“ ‘Sasa hii ilikuwa ndiyo dhambi ya dada yako Sodoma: yeye na binti zake walikuwa na majivuno, walafi na wazembe, hawakuwasaidia maskini na wahitaji. 5016:50 Mwa 18:20-21; Ay 18:18; Mwa 19:5; Za 18:27Walijivuna na kufanya mambo ya machukizo sana mbele zangu. Kwa hiyo niliwakatilia mbali nami kama mlivyoona. 5116:51 Yer 3:9-11; Eze 23:11; Mt 12:40-41; Eze 5:6-7Samaria hakufanya hata nusu ya dhambi ulizofanya. Wewe umefanya mambo mengi sana ya kuchukiza kuwaliko wao, nawe umewafanya dada zako waonekane kama wenye haki kwa ajili ya mambo haya yote uliyoyafanya. 5216:52 Yer 3:11; Eze 23:35Chukua aibu yako, kwa kuwa umefanya uovu wa dada zako uwe si kitu, nao waonekane kama wenye haki. Kwa kuwa dhambi zako zilikuwa mbaya zaidi kuliko zao, wameonekana wenye haki zaidi kuliko wewe. Kwa hiyo basi, chukua aibu yako, kwa kuwa umewafanya dada zako waonekane wenye haki.
5316:53 Kum 30:3; Yer 48:47; Rum 9:23; Isa 19:24-25; Eze 39:25“ ‘Lakini nitarudisha baraka za Sodoma na binti zake na za Samaria na binti zake, nami nitarudisha baraka zako pamoja na zao, 5416:54 Yer 2:26; Eze 14:22-23ili upate kuchukua aibu yako na kufedheheka kwa ajili ya yote uliyotenda ambayo yamekuwa faraja kwao wakijilinganisha na wewe. 5516:55 Eze 36:11; Mal 3:4Nao dada zako, Sodoma na binti zake na Samaria na binti zake, watarudishwa kama vile walivyokuwa mwanzoni, nawe pamoja na binti zako mtarudishwa kama mlivyokuwa hapo awali. 56Hukuweza hata kumtaja dada yako Sodoma kwa sababu ya dharau yako katika siku za kiburi chako, 5716:57 2Fal 16:6; 2Nya 28:18; Za 137:3kabla uovu wako haujafunuliwa. Hata hivyo, sasa unadhihakiwa na binti za Edomu na jirani zake wote, na binti za Wafilisti, wale wote wanaokuzunguka wanakudharau. 5816:58 Eze 23:49Utachukua matokeo ya uasherati wako na matendo yako ya kuchukiza, asema Bwana.
5916:59 Eze 17:19; Kum 29:12-14“ ‘Hili ndilo Bwana Mwenyezi asemalo: Nitakushughulikia kama unavyostahili, kwa kuwa umedharau kiapo changu kwa kuvunja Agano. 6016:60 Mwa 9:16; Yer 32:40; Kut 2:24; Hos 2:15; Mwa 6:18; Za 25:7Lakini nitakumbuka Agano nililolifanya nawe wakati wa ujana wako, nami nitaweka nawe Agano imara la milele. 6116:61 Eze 43:10; 44:13; Wim 8:8; Gal 4:26; Eze 20:43; Isa 43:6Ndipo utakapozikumbuka njia zako na kuona aibu utakapowapokea dada zako, wale walio wakubwa wako na wadogo wako. Nitakupa hao wawe binti zako, lakini si katika msingi wa Agano langu na wewe. 6216:62 Hos 2:19-20; Yer 24:7; Ebr 8:6-13; Eze 20:37, 43-44; Kum 29:14; Eze 34:25Hivyo nitalifanya imara Agano langu na wewe, nawe utajua kuwa Mimi ndimi Bwana. 6316:63 Rum 3:9; Za 79:9; 78:38; 39:9; Dan 9:7-8; Za 65:3Basi, nitakapofanya upatanisho kwa ajili yako, kwa yale yote uliyoyatenda, utakumbuka na kuaibika, nawe kamwe hutafumbua tena kinywa chako kwa sababu ya aibu yako, asema Bwana Mwenyezi.’ ”
