< Jeremiah 5 >
1 “Travel the streets of Jerusalem; and gaze, and consider, and seek, in its wide streets. If you can find a man exercising judgment and seeking faith, then I will be forgiving to them.
“Monni akɔneaba wɔ Yerusalem mmɔntene so, monhwɛ mo ho nhyia nhwɛ, monhwehwɛ adwaberem nyinaa. Sɛ mohunu onipa baako mpo a ɔyɛ pɛ na ɔdi nokorɛ a, mede kuropɔn yi ho bɛkyɛ no.
2 For even though they say, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in this, too, they swear falsely.”
Ɛwom sɛ wɔka sɛ, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi,’ nanso wɔda so ka ntam hunu.”
3 O Lord, your eyes look with favor upon faith. You have struck them, and they have not grieved. You have bruised them, and they have refused to accept discipline. They have hardened their faces more than rock, and they are not willing to return.
Ao Awurade, wopɛ nokorɛ enti wobɔɔ wɔn hwee fam, nanso wɔante yea biara; wodwerɛɛ wɔn, nanso wɔpoo ntenesoɔ. Wɔyɛɛ wɔn anim denden kyenee ɔboɔ na wɔpoo ahunu.
4 But I said: Perhaps these are the poor and the senseless, who are ignorant of the way of the Lord, of the judgment of their God.
Mesusuu sɛ, “Yeinom nko ara ne ahiafoɔ no; wɔyɛ nkwaseafoɔ nso, ɛfiri sɛ wɔnnim Awurade akwan, deɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ.
5 Therefore, I will go to great men, and I will speak with them. For they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God. And behold, these ones have broken the yoke all the more; they have torn apart the bonds.
Enti mɛkɔ ntuanofoɔ no nkyɛn akɔkasa akyerɛ wɔn; ampa ara wɔnim Awurade akwan deɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ.” Nanso wɔn nso de adwene korɔ abubu kɔnnua no atete nkyehoma no mu.
6 For this reason, a lion from the forest has struck them down, a wolf toward evening has laid waste to them, a leopard lies in wait over their cities. All who go out from there will be taken. For their transgressions have been multiplied; their rebellions have been strengthened.
Ɛno enti gyata bi a ɔfiri kwaeɛm bɛto ahyɛ wɔn so, pataku bi a ɔfiri anweatam so bɛtete wɔn mu. Ɔsebɔ bi bɛtɛ wɔn abɛn wɔn nkuro na obiara a ɔbɛyi ne ti no ɔbɛtete ne mu nketenkete, ɛfiri sɛ wɔn adɔnyɛ no ano yɛ den na wɔn akyirisane aboro so.
7 “Over which things am I able to be merciful to you? Your sons have forsaken me, and they swear by those who are not gods. I gave them everything, and they committed adultery, and they indulged themselves in the house of the harlot.
“Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede mo ho kyɛ mo? Mo mma apo me wɔde anyame a wɔnyɛ anyame aka ntam. Memaa wɔn deɛ wɔhia nyinaa, nanso, wɔbɔɔ adwamam na wɔbɔɔ yuu kɔɔ adwamanfoɔ afie mu.
8 They have become like wild horses in heat; each one was neighing after his neighbor’s wife.
Mpɔnkɔnini aniberefoɔ a wɔhwɛ wɔn yie, wɔn mu biara su di ne yɔnko yere akyi.
9 Shall I not visit against these things, says the Lord? And shall my soul not take vengeance on a nation such as this?
Ɛnsɛ sɛ metwe wɔn aso wɔ yei ho?” Sei na Awurade seɛ. “Ɛnsɛ sɛ mʼankasa metɔ ɔman a ɛte sei so were anaa?
10 Scale its walls and tear them down. But do not be willing to bring about its very end. Take away its plantings, for they are not the Lord’s.
“Momfa ne bobe nturo no mu na monsɛe no, nanso monnsɛe no koraa. Mompempan ne mman no, ɛfiri sɛ saa nnipa yi nyɛ Awurade dea.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have greatly transgressed against me, says the Lord.
Israel fiefoɔ ne Yuda fiefoɔ anni me nokorɛ koraa,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.
12 They have denied the Lord, and they have said, ‘It is not him,’ and, ‘Evil will not overwhelm us. We will not see famine and the sword.’
Wɔadi atorɔ afa Awurade ho, wɔkaa sɛ, “Ɔrenyɛ hwee! Ɔhaw biara remma yɛn so; yɛrenhunu akofena anaa ɛkɔm da.
13 The prophets have spoken into the wind, and there was no answer with them. Therefore, these things will happen to them.”
Adiyifoɔ no yɛ mframa bi kɛkɛ na asɛm no nte wɔn mu; enti momma deɛ wɔka no mmra wɔn so.”
14 Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts: “Since you have spoken this word, behold, I will make my words in your mouth like fire and this people like wood, and it will devour them.
Enti yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade, Onyankopɔn seɛ: “Esiane sɛ nnipa no aka saa nsɛm yi enti, mɛyɛ me nsɛm a ɛwɔ wʼanomu no ogya na saa nnipa yi ayɛ nnyina a ogya no bɛhye.
15 Behold, O house of Israel, I will lead over you a far away nation, says the Lord, a robust nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you will not know, nor will you understand what they are saying.
Ao, Israel fiefoɔ,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “Mede ɔman bi a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri rebɛtia wo, tete ɔman a ɛyɛ ɔmantease, nnipa a monnim wɔn kasa, na monnte wɔn kasa ase.
16 Their quiver is like an open sepulcher. They are all strong.
Wɔn agyan mmɔtɔwa te sɛ damena a ano da hɔ; wɔn nyinaa yɛ nnɔmmarima.
17 And they will consume your grain fields and your bread. They will devour your sons and your daughters. They will consume your flocks and your herds. They will consume your vineyards and your figs. And with the sword, they will crush your fortified cities, in which you have placed your trust.
Wɔbɛsɛe mo nnɔbaeɛ ne mo aduane, asɛe mo mmammarima ne mo mmammaa; wɔbɛsɛe mo nnwankuo ne mo anantwikuo, asɛe mo bobe ne mo mmɔrɔdɔma. Wɔde akofena bɛsɛe nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ banbɔ a mode mo werɛ ahyɛ mu no.
18 Yet truly, in those days, says the Lord, I will not bring the consummation over you.
“Afei saa nna no mu mpo,” sei na Awurade seɛ, “Merensɛe mo korakora.
19 And if they say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ You shall say to them: ‘Just as you have abandoned me and have served a strange god in your own land, so will you serve strangers in a land not your own.’
Na sɛ nnipa no bisa sɛ, ‘Adɛn enti na Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, ayɛ yɛn sei’ a, mobɛka akyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Sɛdeɛ moagya me hɔ akɔsom ananafoɔ anyame wɔ mo ankasa mo asase so no, saa ara na seesei mobɛsom ananafoɔ wɔ asase a ɛnyɛ mo dea so.’
20 Announce this to the house of Jacob, and make it known in Judah, saying:
“Monka yei nkyerɛ Yakob fiefoɔ na mo mpae mu nka wɔ Yuda sɛ:
21 Listen, O foolish people who have no heart! You have eyes, but you do not see, and ears, but you do not hear.
Montie, mo nkwaseafoɔ ne nnipa a monni adwene, mowɔ ani nso monhunu adeɛ, na mowɔ aso nso monte asɛm:
22 So then, will you not fear me, says the Lord. And will you not have sorrow before my face? I have placed the shore as a limit for the sea, as an everlasting precept that it will not transgress. And its waves will crash, but they will not prevail; and its waves will swell, but they will not go across.
Ɛnsɛ sɛ mosuro me anaa?” Sei na Awurade seɛ. “Ɛnsɛ sɛ mo ho popo wɔ mʼanim anaa? Mede anwea ato hyeɛ ama ɛpo, ɛhyeɛ a ɛwɔ hɔ daa a ɛrentumi ntra. Asorɔkye bɛbɔ nanso ɛrentumi mmu mfa so; ɛbɛhuru so nanso ɛrentumi ntra.
23 But the heart of this people has become incredulous and provocative; they have turned away and departed.
Nanso, saa nnipa yi wɔ asoɔden ne atuateɛ akoma; wɔatwe wɔn ho afiri me ho kɔ.
24 And they have not said in their heart: ‘Let us dread the Lord our God, who gives us the timely and the late rains, in their proper time, who guards the full measure of the yearly harvest for us.’
Wɔnnka nkyerɛ wɔn ho sɛ, ‘Momma yɛnsuro Awurade yɛn Onyankopɔn, a ɔma osu tɔ wɔ ne mmerɛ mu, deɛ ɔma yɛn awerɛhyɛmu wɔ ɔtwaberɛ nnapɛn a wahyɛ no ho.’
25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have held back good things from you.
Mo amumuyɛ abɔ yeinom agu; mo bɔne ama adepa abɔ mo.
26 For the impious are found among my people; they lie in ambush like fowlers setting snares, for they set traps to catch men.
“Amumuyɛfoɔ bi wɔ me nkurɔfoɔ yi mu a wɔtɛ sɛ nnipa a wɔsum nnomaa afidie, na wɔte sɛ wɔn a wɔsum mfidie yi nnipa.
27 Just as a snare is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. As a result, they have become exalted and enriched.
Sɛdeɛ nnomaa ahyɛ kɛntɛn ma no saa ara na nsisie ahyɛ wɔn afie ma; wɔayeyɛ adefoɔ na wɔanya tumi.
28 They have grown stout and fat. And they have transgressed my words most wickedly. They have not judged the case of the widow; they have not given guidance to the case of the orphan; and they have not judged a judgment for the poor.
Wɔadodɔre sradeɛ ama wɔn ho ayɛ srasra. Wɔn amumuyɛsɛm no nni awieeɛ; wɔnnka nwisiaa asɛm mma wɔn nni bem, na wɔmmɔ ahiafoɔ tumi ho ban.
29 Shall I not visit against these things, says the Lord? Or shall my soul not take vengeance on a nation of this kind?
Ɛnsɛ sɛ metwe wɔn aso wɔ yeinom ho anaa?” Sei na Awurade seɛ. “Ɛnsɛ sɛ mʼankasa metɔ ɔman a ɛte sei so were anaa?
30 Astonishing and wondrous things have been done upon the earth.
“Adeɛ a ɛyɛ hu ne ahodwirie asi wɔ asase no so:
31 The prophets have prophesied lies, and the priests have applauded with their hands, and my people have loved these things. So then, what shall be done at the very end?”
Adiyifoɔ no hyɛ nkɔntorɔ, asɔfoɔ no de wɔn dibea di tumi, na me nkurɔfoɔ no pɛ no saa ara. Nanso awieeɛ no, ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?”