< Jeremiah 4 >

1 “If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares the LORD. “If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver,
“Ọ bụrụ na unu bụ Izrel, ga-alọta, ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, mụ ka ị ga-alọghachikwute,” “Ọ bụrụ na unu ewezuga arụsị ndị ahụ rụrụ arụ site nʼihu m, hapụ isi ebe m nọ kpafuo,
2 and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
ọ bụrụkwa na unu ga-eji eziokwu, ikpe ziri ezi na ụzọ ezi omume ṅụọ iyi sị, ‘Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ,’ mgbe ahụ mba niile ga-agọzi onwe ha site na ya nyakwaa isi nʼime ya.”
3 For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị na-agwa ndị Juda na Jerusalem sị, “Kọzeenụ ala ubi unu nke unu na-akọbeghị; unu akụnyela mkpụrụ ubi unu nʼetiti ogwu.
4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”
Bienụ onwe unu ugwu nye Onyenwe anyị, biekwanụ mkpụrụobi unu ugwu, unu ndị Juda na ndị bi na Jerusalem ma ọ bụghị otu a, iwe m ga-abịakwasị unu dịka ọkụ, nʼihi ihe ọjọọ niile unu mere, ọ ga-ere ma ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-emenyụ ya.
5 Announce in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves and let us flee to the fortified cities.’
“Kwupụta ya na Juda, kwusaa ya na Jerusalem sị, ‘Fụọnụ opi nʼala ahụ niile.’ Tienụ mkpu nʼụzọ mmadụ ga-aghọta ya. Gwanụ ndị Juda na Jerusalem ka ha zukọtaa gbaga nʼobodo ndị ahụ niile e wusiri ike.
6 Raise a signal flag toward Zion. Seek refuge! Do not delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, and terrible destruction.
Bulie ihe i gosi ụzọ ị ga Zayọn! Gbaganụ zoo onwe unu. Unu atụfula oge! Lee na mụ onwe m na-ewebata mbibi na ịla nʼiyi site nʼakụkụ ugwu.”
7 A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited.
Dịka ọdụm si nʼebe o zoro onwe ya amapụta, ka onye a na-ebibi mba niile si abịa. Ọ hapụla ebe obibi ya, na-abịa ịla Juda nʼiyi. Ọ ga-etidasị obodo niile nke Juda, ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-ebi nʼime ha.
8 So put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.”
Ya mere, yikwasịnụ onwe unu uwe mkpe; kwaanụ akwa, tiekwanụ mkpu akwa, nʼihi na ọnụma Onyenwe anyị esitebeghị nʼebe Juda nọ wezuga onwe ya.
9 “In that day,” declares the LORD, “the king and officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be astounded.”
“Nʼụbọchị ahụ,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, “Obi ndị eze na ndịisi ọchịchị ga-ada mba; ahụ ga-akpọnwụ ndị nchụaja, otu a kwa, ihe ga-eme ga-eju ndị amụma anya.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”
Mgbe ahụ ekwuru m sị; “Ewoo, Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị lee na ị ghọgbuola ndị a na Jerusalem site na ị sị, ‘Unu ga-enwe udo,’ mgbe mma agha dị anyị nʼolu.”
11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A searing wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward the daughter of My people, but not to winnow or to sift;
Nʼoge ahụ, a ga-agwa ndị a na Jerusalem, “Ifufe dị ọkụ, nke sitere nʼebe dị elu ihe na-adịghị si nʼọzara na-efebata irute ndị m. Ma ọ bụghị ifufe maka ịfụcha, maọbụ ime ka adị ọcha,
12 a wind too strong for that comes from Me. Now I also pronounce judgments against them.”
ọ bụ ifufe nke dị oke ike karịa nke na-esite na mụ. Ugbu a, ana m ekwupụta okwu ikpe m megide ha.”
13 Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
Lee anya, ha na-abịa dịka igwe ojii. Ụgbọala agha ya na-abịa dịka oke ifufe, ịnyịnya ha niile na-agbasikwa ọsọ ike karịa ugo. Ahụhụ dịrị anyị, anyị abụrụla ndị e bibiri ebibi! Anyị abụrụla ndị na-aga ịla nʼiyi!
14 Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
Jerusalem, sachapụ mmehie dị gị nʼobi, ka a zọpụta gị. Ruo ole mgbe ka echiche mmehie ga-ejupụta gị obi?
15 For a voice resounds from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
Otu olu na-akpọsa site na Dan, ọ na-akpọsa ịla nʼiyi site nʼugwu niile nke Ifrem.
16 Warn the nations now! Proclaim to Jerusalem: “A besieging army comes from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
“Gwa mba niile otu a, ha abịala, kpọsaa banyere Jerusalem: ‘Ndị agha ga-agba gị gburugburu na-abịa site nʼala dị anya, na-eti mkpu agha megide obodo niile nke Juda.
17 They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.
Ha ga-agbakwa Jerusalem gburugburu dịka ndị agha na-eche ubi a gbara ogige nche, nʼihi na ndị bi nʼime ya enupula isi megide m,’” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya.
18 “Your ways and deeds have brought this upon you. This is your punishment; how bitter it is, because it pierces to the heart!”
“Ụzọ gị na omume gị niile buteere gị ihe ndị a. Nke a bụ ntaramahụhụ gị. Lee ka o si dị ilu! Lee ka o si emibanye nʼime obi.”
19 My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.
Ihe mgbu a dị ukwuu. Lee na apụghị m ịnagide ya. Obi m o, obi m o! Lee ka obi m si ada m gbim gbim gbim. Apụghịkwa m ịnọ jụụ. Ana m anụ ụda opi ike, na-anụkwa ụzụ agha.
20 Disaster after disaster is proclaimed, for the whole land is laid waste. My tents are destroyed in an instant, my curtains in a moment.
Mbibi na-arị mbibi ibe ya elu, lee na a laala ala a niile nʼiyi. Na mberede, e bibiela ụlọ ikwu anyị niile; a dọkasịkwala akwa mgbochi ha niile.
21 How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the horn?
Ruo ole mgbe ka m ga-anọgide na-ahụ ọkọlọtọ agha ndị a a na-alụ? Ruo ole mgbe kwa ka m ga-anọgide na-anụ ụda opi ike?
22 “For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
“Ndị m bụ ndị nzuzu, ha amaghị m. Ha bụ ụmụntakịrị ndị na-enweghị uche, ha enweghị nghọta ọbụla. Ha bụ ọkachamara nʼihe gbasara ajọ omume, ma ha amaghị otu esi eme ezi ihe ọbụla.”
23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
Elere m anya nʼụwa hụ na ọ bụ ihe tọgbọrọ nʼefu, leekwa anya na mbara eluigwe, ma o nweghị ìhè dị ya.
24 I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
Elere m anya nʼugwu ukwu, hụ na ha na-ama jijiji, leekwa anya nʼugwu nta, hụ na ha na-aṅagharị aṅagharị.
25 I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.
Elere m anya ma ahụghị mmadụ ọbụla, ụmụ nnụnụ niile dị na mbara eluigwe efefusịala.
26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
Ala ọma ahụ aghọọla ọzara, obodo niile aghọọla mkputamkpu ebe nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, nʼihu oke iwe ya.
27 For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
Ihe a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, “A ga-ebibi ala ahụ niile, ma agaghị m ebibicha ya kpamkpam.
28 Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”
Ụwa ga-eru ụjụ, mbara eluigwe ga-agbakwa ọchịchịrị. Nʼihi na ekwuola ya, agaghị m agbanwe obi m. Ekpebiela m ya, agaghị m alakwa azụ nʼihe m zubere ime.”
29 Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.
Ndị mmadụ niile ga-agbapụ ọsọ site nʼobodo ha mgbe ha nụrụ ụzụ ndị agha na-agba ụta nọ nʼelu ịnyịnya na-abịa nso nso. Ha ga-ezo onwe ha nʼọhịa; ndị ọzọkwa ga-agbalaga zoo onwe ha nʼugwu ukwu. Obodo ha niile ga-atọgbọrọkwa nʼefu, mgbe ndị mmadụ si nʼime ya gbapụ ọsọ nʼihi oke ihe egwu.
30 And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.
Gịnị bụ nke a, gị onye na-enweghị olileanya? Gịnị mere unu ji yiri uwe uhie, were ọlaolu ọlaedo dị oke ọnụ yiri nʼolu? Gịnị mere unu ji were ihe ịchọ mma tee nʼanya unu? Nʼefu ka unu na-eme onwe unu ka unu dị mma. Ndị iko unu na-elelị unu; ndụ unu ka ha na-achọkwa.
31 For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child— the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”
Ana m anụ olu iti mkpu akwa nke yiri olu akwa nwanyị ime na-eme, ọ dị ka ude nwanyị na-agbalị ịmụpụta nwa mbụ ya. Ma olu akwa m nụrụ bụ nke ada Zayọn, ebe ọ nọ na-eku ume ike ike. Ọ dara nʼala gbasapụ aka ya, ma na-akwa akwa na-asị, “Onye nwụrụ anwụ ka m bụ! Lee, ndụ m ka e nyere ndị ogbu mmadụ.”

< Jeremiah 4 >