< Jeremiah 3 >

1 “They say, ‘If a man puts away his wife, and she goes from him, and becomes another man’s, should he return to her again?’ Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the prostitute with many lovers; yet return again to me,” says the LORD.
“Ọ bụrụ na nwoke agbaara nwunye ya alụkwaghị m, nwanyị ahụ ahapụ ya pụọ ga lụrụ nwoke ọzọ, di mbụ ya ahụ, o kwesiri ịlaghachi ka ọ lụọkwa ya ọzọ? Ọ bụ na agaghị emerụ ala ahụ nke ukwuu? Ma unu ebiela ndụ dịka ndị akwụna nwere ọtụtụ ndị iko, ọ bụ ugbu a ka unu ga-alaghachikwute m?” otu ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
2 “Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see! Where have you not been lain with? You have sat waiting for them by the road, as an Arabian in the wilderness. You have polluted the land with your prostitution and with your wickedness.
“Welie anya gị abụọ ma lee ebe niile nke dị elu nke ọhịa na-adịghị nʼala a, olee ebe gị na ndị ikom na-edinakọbeghị nʼịkwa iko? Ị na-anọ nʼakụkụ ụzọ niile na-eche ndị iko, na-anọkwa dịka onye Arebịa nʼọzara. Ị werela ịkwa iko gị niile na ihe ọjọọ gị merụọ ala a.
3 Therefore the showers have been withheld and there has been no latter rain; yet you have had a prostitute’s forehead and you refused to be ashamed.
Ọ bụ nke a mere mmiri ji kwụsị izokwara unu, ọbụla dị mmiri nke na-ezo nʼoge ọkọchị. Nʼihi na unu bụ ndị akwụna, ndị ihere na-adịghị eme.
4 Will you not from this time cry to me, ‘My Father, you are the guide of my youth!’?
Ọ dịbeghị anya mgbe unu kpọrọ m, sị m, ‘Nna m, ị bụ enyi m kemgbe m dị na nwantakịrị.
5 “‘Will he retain his anger forever? Will he keep it to the end?’ Behold, you have spoken and have done evil things, and have had your way.”
Iwe gị ọ ga-adịgide mgbe niile? Iwe gị dị ọkụ ọ ga-adịgide ebighị ebi?’ Otu a ka unu si ekwu okwu, ma unu nọgidesịrị ike na-eme ihe ọjọọ niile unu nwere ike ime.”
6 Moreover, the LORD said to me in the days of Josiah the king, “Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and has played the prostitute there.
Ozi a, nke si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị pụta, rutere m aka nʼoge eze Josaya na-achị. Lee ihe ọ gwara m. “Ị hụla ihe Izrel na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi na-eme? Ọ gaala nʼelu ugwu ọbụla dị elu nakwa nʼokpuru osisi ndụ ọbụla, na-akwa iko nʼebe ahụ.
7 I said after she had done all these things, ‘She will return to me;’ but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
Echere m na mgbe o mesịrị ihe ndị a niile na ọ ga-alọghachikwute m, ma ọ lọtaghị. Nwanne ya nwanyị bụ Juda, onye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi hụkwara ya.
8 I saw when, for this very cause, that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear, but she also went and played the prostitute.
Enyere m Izrel na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi akwụkwọ alụkwaghị m, chụpụ ya nʼihi ndụ ịkwa iko ya, ma lee na nwanne ya nwanyị onye na-ekwesịkwaghị ntụkwasị obi bụ Juda atụghị egwu. Ọ gakwara nʼihu ịkwa iko.
9 Because she took her prostitution lightly, the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with wood.
Ma nke a emeghị ka ihere mee ya. O merụọla ala, ọ na-akwakwa iko site nʼife nkume na osisi.
10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister, Judah, has not returned to me with her whole heart, but only in pretense,” says the LORD.
Nʼagbanyeghị nke a, nwanne ya nwanyị nke na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi, bụ Juda ejighị obi ya lọghachikwute m, maọbụ naanị nlọghachi aghụghọ,” otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
11 The LORD said to me, “Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, “Izrel na-adaghachi azụ na-egosi onwe ya nʼonye ezi omume karịa Juda onye na-aghọ aghụghọ.
12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, ‘Return, you backsliding Israel,’ says the LORD; ‘I will not look in anger on you, for I am merciful,’ says the LORD. ‘I will not keep anger forever.
Gaa, kwusaa ozi a nʼụzọ ugwu, na-asị, “‘Lọta, gị Izrel nke na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi,’ otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, ‘Agaghị m ewesokwa gị iwe ọzọ, nʼihi na abụ m onye obi ebere,’ otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, ‘Agaghị m ewe iwe ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.
13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God, and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you have not obeyed my voice,’” says the LORD.
Naanị nabata na ị bụ onye ikpe mara, na i nupula isi megide Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke gị. Kwupụta na i werela onwe gị kesara ndị mba ọzọ dị iche iche nʼokpuru osisi ndụ niile, na ị jụkwara irubere m isi.’” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
14 “Return, backsliding children,” says the LORD, “for I am a husband to you. I will take one of you from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.
“Lọghachinụ unu ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, sị, “nʼihi abụ m di unu. M ga-ahọrọ unu, otu onye site nʼotu obodo na mmadụ abụọ site nʼotu agbụrụ. M ga-akpọghachi unu Zayọn.
15 I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Mgbe ahụ, aga m enye unu ndị ọzụzụ atụrụ masịrị m, ndị ga-eji amamihe na nghọta duo unu.
16 It will come to pass, when you are multiplied and increased in the land in those days,” says the LORD, “they will no longer say, ‘the ark of the LORD’s covenant!’ It will not come to mind. They will not remember it. They will not miss it, nor will another be made.
Nʼụbọchị ahụ, mgbe ọnụọgụgụ unu mụbara dị ukwuu nʼala ahụ,” otu ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya, “ndị mmadụ agaghị asịkwa ọzọ, ‘igbe ọgbụgba ndụ nke Onyenwe anyị.’ Ọ gaghị abakwa ha nʼobi maọbụ ha echeta ya; ọ gaghị adịkwa ha mkpa maọbụ emepụtakwa ọzọ.
17 At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘The LORD’s Throne;’ and all the nations will be gathered to it, to the LORD’s name, to Jerusalem. They will no longer walk after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
Mgbe oge ahụ ruru, aha a ga-akpọ Jerusalem bụ Ocheeze Onyenwe anyị. Mba niile kwa ga-ezukọta nʼebe ahụ ife m ofufe. Ha agakwaghị agbaso echiche obi ọjọọ ha.
18 In those days the house of Judah will walk with the house of Israel, and they will come together out of the land of the north to the land that I gave for an inheritance to your fathers.
Nʼụbọchị ahụ ndị Juda ga-adịnyere ndị Izrel, ha abụọ ga-ejikọta aka site nʼala ahụ dị nʼugwu bịa nʼala nke m nyere nna nna unu dịka ihe nketa.”
19 “But I said, ‘How I desire to put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the armies of the nations!’ and I said, ‘You shall call me “My Father”, and shall not turn away from following me.’
“Mụ onwe m kwuru sị, “‘Lee ka ọ ga-esi masị m imeso unu mmeso dịka unu bụ ụmụ m ndị ikom, nye unu ala dị mma nke ga-ewetara unu ọṅụ, nke bụ ihe nketa kachasị mma na mba niile.’ Ana m eche na unu ga-akpọ m ‘Nna’ ma hapụ iwezuga onwe unu site nʼịgbaso m.
20 “Surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so you have dealt treacherously with me, house of Israel,” says the LORD.
Ma dịka nwunye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi, i gosila onwe gị, O Izrel na ị bụ onye a na-ekwesighị ịtụkwasị obi” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
21 A voice is heard on the bare heights, the weeping and the petitions of the children of Israel; because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the LORD their God.
A na-anụ ụzụ mkpu akwa nʼelu ugwu. Ọ bụ ụzụ akwa ụmụ Izrel ndị na-arịọ arịrịọ nʼihi na ha ebiela ndụ mmehie; ha echefuokwala Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke ha.
22 Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding. “Behold, we have come to you; for you are the LORD our God.
“Lọghachinụ, unu bụ ndị na-adaghachi azụ. Mụ onwe m ga-agwọ unu ndaghachi azụ unu.” Ma unu na-aza sị, “E, anyị na-alọghachikwute gị nʼihi na gị onwe gị bụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị.
23 Truly help from the hills, the tumult on the mountains, is in vain. Truly the salvation of Israel is in the LORD our God.
Nʼezie, aghụghọ, ka mkpọtụ ofufe nke arụsị niile, nʼelu ugwu nta dị iche iche na nʼelu ugwu niile bụ, nʼezie, nʼime Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke anyị ka nzọpụta Izrel dị.
24 But the shameful thing has devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Ma site mgbe anyị dị na nwantakịrị, ihe ihere ahụ eripịala mkpụrụ sitere na ndọgbu nʼọrụ nke nna nna anyị ha igwe anụ ụlọ na ehi ha, ụmụ ha ndị ikom na ụmụ ha ndị inyom.
25 Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. We have not obeyed the LORD our God’s voice.”
Ka anyị dinara ala nʼihere anyị, ka ọnọdụ oke ihere dịrị anyị kpuchikwa anyị. Anyị na nna nna anyị ha emehiela megide Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị; site mgbe anyị dị na nwantakịrị ruo taa o nwebeghị mgbe anyị ji rube isi ime ihe Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị nyere nʼiwu.”

< Jeremiah 3 >