1“Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,
inscribed with a flint point,
on the tablets of their hearts
and on the horns of their altars.
2Even their children remember
their altars and Asherah poles17:2 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
beside the spreading trees
and on the high hills.
3My mountain in the land
and your17:2,3 Or hills / 3 and the mountains of the land. / Your wealth and all your treasures
I will give away as plunder,
together with your high places,
because of sin throughout your country.
4Through your own fault you will lose
the inheritance I gave you.
I will enslave you to your enemies
in a land you do not know,
for you have kindled my anger,
and it will burn forever.”
5This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.
6That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places of the desert,
in a salt land where no one lives.
7“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
9The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
10“I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”
11Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
and in the end they will prove to be fools.
12A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,
is the place of our sanctuary.
13Lord, you are the hope of Israel;
all who forsake you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust
because they have forsaken the Lord,
the spring of living water.
14Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved,
for you are the one I praise.
15They keep saying to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it now be fulfilled!”
16I have not run away from being your shepherd;
you know I have not desired the day of despair.
What passes my lips is open before you.
17Do not be a terror to me;
you are my refuge in the day of disaster.
18Let my persecutors be put to shame,
but keep me from shame;
let them be terrified,
but keep me from terror.
Bring on them the day of disaster;
destroy them with double destruction.
Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
19This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the Gate of the People,17:19 Or Army through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem. 20Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem who come through these gates. 21This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. 23Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline. 24But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy by not doing any work on it, 25then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever. 26People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27But if you do not obey me to keep the Sabbath day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’ ”
Dhambi Ya Yuda Na Adhabu Yake
117:1 Ay 19:24; 2Kor 3:3; Mit 3:3; Kum 6:6; Kut 27:2“Dhambi ya Yuda imechorwa kwa kalamu ya chuma,
imeandikwa kwa ncha ya almasi,
kwenye vibao vya mioyo yao
na kwenye pembe za madhabahu zao.
217:2 2Nya 24:18; 2Fal 16:4; Yer 2:20Hata watoto wao wanakumbuka madhabahu zao
na nguzo za Ashera,17:2 Ashera ni mungu mke aliyekuwa anaabudiwa na Wakanaani.
kandokando ya miti iliyotanda
na juu ya vilima virefu.
317:3 2Fal 24:13; Yer 15:13; Mik 3:12; Yer 26:18Mlima wangu katika nchi pamoja na utajiri
na hazina zako zote nitazitoa ziwe nyara,
pamoja na mahali pako pa juu pa kuabudia miungu
kwa sababu ya dhambi katika nchi yako yote.
417:4 Mao 5:2; Yer 12:7; 16:13; 22:28; 7:20; 15:14; Kum 28:48Kwa kosa lako mwenyewe utaupoteza
urithi niliokupa.
Nitakufanya mtumwa wa adui zako
katika nchi usiyoijua,
kwa kuwa umeiwasha hasira yangu,
nayo itawaka milele.”
517:5 Za 108:12; Isa 30:1-3; 2:22; 2Kor 1:9Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana:
“Amelaaniwa yeye amtegemeaye mwanadamu,
ategemeaye mwenye mwili
kwa ajili ya nguvu zake,
ambaye moyo wake
umemwacha Bwana.
617:6 Kum 29:23; Za 107:34; Ay 20:17; 20:17; 30:3; 39:6; Yer 48:9Atakuwa kama kichaka cha jangwani;
hataona mafanikio yatakapokuja.
Ataishi katika sehemu zisizo na maji,
katika nchi ya chumvi ambapo
hakuna yeyote aishiye humo.
717:7 Mit 16:20; Za 146:5; 34:8; 40:4; Yer 39:18“Lakini amebarikiwa mtu ambaye tumaini lake ni katika Bwana,
ambaye matumaini yake ni katika Bwana.
817:8 Yer 14:1-6; Eze 47:12; Ay 14:9; Za 92:12-14; Eze 19:10Atakuwa kama mti uliopandwa kando ya maji
uenezao mizizi yake karibu na kijito cha maji.
Hauogopi wakati wa joto ujapo;
majani yake ni mabichi daima.
Hauna hofu katika mwaka wa ukame
na hautaacha kuzaa matunda.”
917:9 Mhu 9:3; Mt 13:15; Mk 7:21-22Moyo ni mdanganyifu kuliko vitu vyote,
ni mwovu kupita kiasi.
Ni nani awezaye kuujua?
1017:10 Yos 22:22; Mit 17:3; Ufu 2:23; Eze 11:5; Rum 8:27; Za 62:12; Yer 32:19; Rum 2:6“Mimi Bwana huchunguza moyo
na kuzijaribu nia,
ili kumlipa mtu kwa kadiri ya mwenendo wake,
kwa kadiri ya matendo yake yanavyostahili.”
1117:11 Lk 12:20Kama kware aanguaye mayai asiyoyataga,
ndivyo alivyo mtu apataye mali kwa njia zisizo za haki.
Maisha yake yafikapo katikati, siku zitamwacha,
na mwishoni atabainika kuwa mpumbavu.
1217:12 Yer 3:17Kiti cha enzi kilichotukuzwa, kilichoinuliwa tangu mwanzo,
ndiyo sehemu yetu ya mahali patakatifu.
1317:13 Za 71:5; 73:27; Yer 14:8; 2:17; Za 69:28; Eze 13:9; Isa 12:3; Yn 4:10Ee Bwana, uliye tumaini la Israeli,
wote wakuachao wataaibika.
Wale wanaogeukia mbali nawe wataandikwa mavumbini
kwa sababu wamemwacha Bwana,
chemchemi ya maji yaliyo hai.
1417:14 Kut 15:2; Isa 30:26; Yer 15:18; Za 109:1; 119:94Uniponye, Ee Bwana, nami nitaponyeka;
uniokoe nami nitaokoka,
kwa maana wewe ndiwe ninayekusifu.
1517:15 Isa 5:19; Amo 5:18; 2Pet 3:4-5Wao huendelea kuniambia,
“Liko wapi neno la Bwana?
Sasa na litimie!”
16Sijakukimbia na kuacha kuwa mchungaji wako;
unajua sijaitamani siku ya kukata tamaa.
Kile kipitacho midomoni mwangu
ki wazi mbele yako.
1717:17 Za 88:15-16; 46:1; 18:18; Yer 16:19; Nah 1:7Usiwe kwangu kitu cha kunitia hofu kuu;
wewe ndiwe kimbilio langu katika siku ya maafa.
1817:18 Za 35:1-8; Isa 40:2; Yer 12:3Watesi wangu na waaibishwe,
lakini nilinde mimi nisiaibike;
wao na watiwe hofu kuu,
lakini unilinde mimi na hofu kuu.
Waletee siku ya maafa;
waangamize kwa maangamizi maradufu.
Kuiadhimisha Sabato
1917:19 Yer 7:2; 26:2Hili ndilo Bwana aliloniambia: “Nenda ukasimame kwenye lango la watu, mahali ambako wafalme wa Yuda huingilia na kutokea, simama pia kwenye malango mengine yote ya Yerusalemu. 2017:20 Yer 19:3; 22:2; Za 49:1Waambie, ‘Sikieni neno la Bwana, enyi wafalme wa Yuda, nanyi watu wote wa Yuda, na kila mmoja aishiye Yerusalemu apitaye katika malango haya. 2117:21 Kum 5:14; Yn 5:10; Neh 13:15-21; Hes 15:32-36Hili ndilo asemalo Bwana: Jihadharini msije mkabeba mzigo siku ya Sabato, wala kuingiza mzigo kupitia malango ya Yerusalemu. 2217:22 Eze 20:12; Kut 20:8; Mwa 2:3; Isa 56:2-6Msitoe mizigo nje ya nyumba zenu wala kufanya kazi yoyote wakati wa Sabato, lakini itakaseni siku ya Sabato, kama nilivyowaamuru baba zenu. 2317:23 Yer 7:26; 19:15; 2Nya 28:22; Zek 7:11; Yer 7:28Hata hivyo hawakusikiliza wala kujali, walishupaza shingo zao, na hawakutaka kusikia wala kukubali adhabu. 24Lakini mkiwa waangalifu kunitii, asema Bwana, nanyi msipoleta mzigo wowote kupitia malango ya mji huu wakati wa Sabato, lakini mkaitakasa siku ya Sabato kwa kutofanya kazi siku hiyo, 2517:25 2Sam 7:13; Lk 1:32; Yer 22:2; 30:10; 33:19; Isa 6:6-7; Eze 28:26ndipo wafalme wakaao juu ya kiti cha enzi cha Daudi wataingia kupitia malango ya mji huu, pamoja na maafisa wao. Wao na maafisa wao watakuja wakiwa wamepanda magari na farasi, wakiandamana na watu wa Yuda na wale waishio Yerusalemu, nao mji huu utakaliwa na watu daima. 2617:26 Yer 33:14; Zek 7:7; Yer 32:44Watu watakuja kutoka miji ya Yuda na vijiji vinavyoizunguka Yerusalemu, kutoka nchi ya Benyamini na chini ya vilima vya magharibi, kutoka nchi ya vilima na Negebu, wakileta sadaka za kuteketezwa na dhabihu, sadaka za nafaka, uvumba na sadaka za shukrani kwenye nyumba ya Bwana. 2717:27 Yer 22:5; 7:20; Hos 8:14; Amo 2:5; Neh 10:31; 2Fal 25:9; 1Fal 9:6Lakini ikiwa hamtanitii mimi kwa kuitakasa Sabato na kwa kutochukua mzigo wowote mnapoingia katika malango ya Yerusalemu wakati wa Sabato, basi nitawasha moto usiozimika katika malango ya Yerusalemu utakaoteketeza ngome zake.’ ”
