< Jeremiah 6 >

1 Aw Benjamin kaminawk, Jerusalem hoi cawnh hanah amsak oh, Tekoa ah mongkah to ueng oh! Beth-Haccerem ah angmathaih hmai to paang oh; zit kaom amrohaih loe aluek bang hoiah angzoh boeh.
“You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
2 Kranghoih kanawk tuep Zion canu to kam rosak han.
Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
3 Tuutoep kaminawk loe angmacae ih tuunawk hoiah nihcae khaeah caeh o ueloe, anih tuk hanah ataeng boih ah kahni imnawk to sah o thui tih, kami boih mah angmacae ih ahmuen ah tuu to pacah o tih.
[Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
4 Anih tuk hanah om o coek ah; angthawk oh athun ah caeh o si. Toe aicae loe khosak a bing o boeh! Niduem boeh, kho doeh ving boeh.
[The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
5 To pongah angthawk oh, khoving ah tuh o si loe, a oh o haih ahmuen to phrae pae o si.
we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
6 Misatuh Angraeng mah hae tiah thuih; thingnawk to pakhru oh loe, Jerusalem tuk hanah long to takae oh; hae vangpui loe thuitaek han oh; a thungah loe pacaekthlaekhaih hoiah koi boeh.
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
7 Tuipuek mah tui tacawtsak baktih toengah, anih mah sethaih to tacawtsak boeh; a thungah athii longhaih hoi amrohaih lok to ka thaih; ka hmaa ah apet ai ah palungsethaih hoi ahma caakhaih to oh.
[It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
8 Aw Jerusalem, thuitaekhaih to talawk ah; to tih ai nahaeloe nang khae hoiah ka hinghaih tacawt ving ueloe, prae to kami om ai ah kang pongsak sut moeng tih, tiah a thuih.
Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
9 Misatuh Angraeng mah hae tiah thuih; kanghmat misur thaih pakhrik baktiah, kanghmat Israel to pakhrik o tih, misur thaih pakhrik kami mah benthang thungah ban tapawh baktiah, na ban to tapawh let ah, tiah a thuih.
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
10 Nihcae mah tahngaih o hanah, mi khaeah maw lok ka thuih moe, acoehaih to ka paek han? Khenah, nihcae loe naa tangyat aat o ai pongah, thaih o kop ai; khenah, Angraeng ih lok to a pahuep o kaak moe, thaih han koeh o ai.
[Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
11 To pongah kai loe Angraeng palungphuihaih hoiah koi boeh moe, ka pauep thai ai boeh; tasa bangah kaom nawktanawk hoi nawnto angpop thendoengnawk nuiah ka kraih han boeh; zu sava hoi saning kacoeh mitongnawk to ka lak ving han.
So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
12 Nihcae ih imnawk, lawk hoi a zunawk doeh, minawk khaeah ka paek moe, prae thungah kaom kaminawk nuiah ban ka payangh thuih han, tiah Angraeng mah thuih.
[Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
13 Kathoeng koek hoi kalen koek khoek to kami boih kamthlai koeh hmoekhaih hoiah koi o; tahmaa hoi qaima doeh lah ai, lok amlai o boih.
Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
14 Monghaih om ai to mah, monghaih, monghaih, tiah a thuih o moe, kai ih kami ah kaom canunawk ih ahma cakhaih loe nung parai ai, tiah a naa o.
[They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
15 Nihcae mah panuet thok hmuennawk sak o naah azat o maw? Azat o ai, azathaih roe tawn o ai, mikhmai mataeng doeh sae o ai; to pongah nihcae loe kamtimh kaminawk salakah amtim o tih; nihcae ka thuitaekhaih atue phak naah loe, nihcae to atlim ah pakhrah o tih, tiah Angraeng mah thuih.
They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
16 Angraeng mah hae tiah thuih, Lamkrung ah angdoe ah loe khenah; canghnii ih loklamnawk to dueng oh, kahoih loklam to dueng oh loe, to loklam ah caeh oh, to tiah nahaeloe na pakhranawk mah anghakhaih to hnu o tih. Toe nihcae mah to ah ka caeh o mak ai, tiah thuih o.
This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
17 Mongkah lok to tahngai oh; nangcae toepkung kaminawk to kang suek pae, tiah ka naa. Toe nihcae mah, Ka tahngai o mak ai, tiah thuih o.
I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
18 To pongah prae kaminawk boih, tahngai oh; Aw minawk salakah kaom kaminawk panoek oh.
Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
19 Aw long, tahngai ah; khenah, nihcae loe ka thuih ih loknawk to tahngai o ai, ka patuk ih lok doeh pazui o ai, pahnawt o sut pongah, angmacae poekhaih thingthai ah kaom, amrohaih to hae kaminawk nuiah ka phaksak han.
Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
20 Judah kaminawk tih hanah Sheba ih hmuihoih tui hoi angthla parai prae ih hmuihoih tui kai khaeah nang sin o loe? Na sak o ih hmai angbawnhaih to ka talawk mak ai; na sak o ih angbawnhaih hmuennawk mah kai palung anghoesak ai.
[You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
21 To pongah Angraeng mah hae tiah thuih; khenah, hae kaminawk hmaa ah pakaakung ka suek pae han; ampanawk hoi a caanawk loe to ah nawnto amthaek o tih; imtaeng kami hoi angmah ih ampui doeh amro tih, tiah thuih.
Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
22 Angraeng mah hae tiah thuih; Khenah, aluek bang hoiah acaeng maeto angzo tih; long boenghaih hoiah kalen parai acaeng to ka pahruek han.
Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
23 Nihcae loe kalii hoi tayae to sin o tih; nihcae loe hmawsaeng o moe, tahmenhaih tawn o ai; nihcae ih lok loe angthawk tuiphu tuen baktiah tuenh; Aw Zion canu, nihcae loe misatuh kaminawk baktiah amthoep o, hrang nuiah angthueng o moe, nang tuk hanah angzoh o boeh, tiah a thuih.
They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
24 To naah kaminawk mah, nihcae ih tamthang ka thaih o naah, kaicae ih ban loe thazok sut; nongpata mah ca tapen tom naah tong ih kana baktiah, patangkhanghaih hoi raihaih to ka tong o, tiah thuih o.
[The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
25 Sithaw mah, praezaek ah caeh o hmah, loklam ah doeh amkae o hmah, misa loe sumsen to sin moe, ahmuen kruekah amkaeh pongah zit han oh, tiah thuih.
[So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
26 Aw kai kaminawk ih canu, kazii to angzaeng oh loe, maiphu pongah amlet oh; maeto khue a tawnh ih capa to duek naah qah baktiah qah oh loe palungsae oh; parokung loe akra ai ah aicae nuiah pha tih boeh.
[So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
27 Sithaw mah, kai ih kaminawk khosakhaih tuinuen to na panoek thai hanah, kai ih kaminawk tanoek kami hoi nihcae abuephaih ah kang suek boeh.
[Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
28 Nihcae loe palungthah kami, laisaep thaih kami ah oh o; sumkamling hoi sum baktiah a oh o moe, kamrosak thaih hmuen ah a oh o.
You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
29 Hmai to cenh moe, hmai doeh angqong boeh, sum doeh amkaw boeh; toe atui pacii kami mah pacii ih atui loe azom pui ah ni oh; kasae kaminawk ih sethaih loe cing thai ai.
[A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
30 Angraeng mah nihcae to pahnawt sut boeh pongah, kaminawk mah nihcae loe pahnawt sut ih sumkanglung, tiah kawk o tih.
[I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”

< Jeremiah 6 >