Jeremiah 2
1 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
Awurade asɛm baa me so:
2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
“Kɔpae mu ka ma Yerusalem nte: “Mekae sɛdeɛ wode wo ho maa me wo mmabunu berɛ mu, sɛdeɛ wo dɔɔ me wʼayeforɔ berɛ mu na wodii mʼakyi wɔ ɛserɛ so, asase a wɔnnuaa so hwee.
3 Israel was holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him are guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.
Na Israel yɛ kronkron ma Awurade, ne twaberɛ mu abukan; wɔn a wɔdii nʼani no, wɔbuu wɔn fɔ, na amanehunu baa wɔn so,” sɛdeɛ Awurade, seɛ nie.
4 Hear the word of Jehovah, house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.
Montie Awurade asɛm, Ao Yakob fiefoɔ, mo Israel mmusuakuo nyinaa.
5 Thus saith Jehovah: What injustice have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and become vain?
Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Mfomsoɔ bɛn na mo agyanom hunuu wɔ me ho a ɛma wɔtwee wɔn ho kɔɔ akyirikyiri sei? Wɔdii ahoni a wɔn ho nni mfasoɔ akyi, ma wɔn ankasa bɛyɛɛ ahuhufoɔ.
6 And they said not, Where is Jehovah, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and of pits, in a land of drought and of the shadow of death, in a land that no one passeth through, and where no man dwelleth?
Wɔammisa sɛ, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ? Deɛ ɔyii yɛn firii Misraim na ɔde yɛn faa ɛserɛ wesee so, anweatam ne amenamena asase a awo na ayɛ owubɔn no. Na ɛyɛ asase a obiara mfa so na obiara nte soɔ no.’
7 And I brought you into a fruitful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; and ye entered and defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
Mede mo bɛduaa asase bereɛ so sɛ monni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mobɛguu mʼasase ho fi na moyɛɛ mʼagyapadeɛ akyiwadeɛ.
8 The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? and they that handled the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me; and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.
Asɔfoɔ no ammisa sɛ, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ?’ Wɔn a wɔde mmara yɛ adwuma no anhwehwɛ me; ntuanofoɔ sɔre tiaa me. Adiyifoɔ no de Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm, na wɔdii ahoni huhuo akyi.
9 Therefore will I yet plead with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I plead.
“Ɛno enti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.
10 For pass over to the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there have been such a thing.
Montwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔ hwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yie; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sei asi wɔ hɔ:
11 Hath a nation changed [its] gods? and they are no gods; — but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn anaa? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ de wɔn animuonyam asesa ahoni huhuo.
12 Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, and shudder; be amazed very much, saith Jehovah.
Ao ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiri mo yei ho, na mo ho nwoso akomatuo mu,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
13 For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.
“Me nkurɔfoɔ ayɛ bɔne ahodoɔ mmienu: Wɔapa mʼakyi, me a meyɛ nkwa asutire no, na wɔatutu wɔn ankasa nsukora amena, amena a ɛho apaapae a ɛntumi nkora nsuo.
14 Is Israel a bondman? Is he a home-born [slave]? Why is he become a spoil?
Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfoɔ firi awoɔ mu anaa? Adɛn enti na wayɛ afodeɛ yi?
15 The young lions roared against him, they gave forth their voice, and they made his land desolate: his cities are burned, without inhabitant.
Agyata abobɔ mu; wɔapɔ no so. Wɔasɛe nʼasase; wɔahyehye ne nkuro ayɛ no amanfo.
16 Even the children of Noph and Tahapanes have fed on the crown of thy head.
Afei, Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo tiri so nwi.
17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, at the time he was leading thee in the way?
Ɛnyɛ wo na woama yei aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi, wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔrekyerɛ wo ɛkwan?
18 And now, what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
Afei adɛn enti na mokɔ Misraim kɔnom Sihor mu nsuo? Na adɛn enti na mokɔ Asiria kɔnom Asubɔnten no mu nsuo?
19 Thine own wickedness chastiseth thee, and thy backslidings reprove thee: know then and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
Wo amumuyɛ bɛtwe wʼaso; wʼakyirisane bɛka wʼanim. Enti dwene ho na hunu sɛ, sɛ wopa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi na woannya ne ho suro a, ɛyɛ bɔne ne ɔyea ma wo.” Awurade, Asafo Awurade na ɔseɛ.
20 For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve. For upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou bowest down, playing the harlot.
“Mmerɛ bi atwam, wobubuu wo kɔnnua mu, na wotetee wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu; na wokaa sɛ, ‘Merensom wo!’ Nokorɛm, wɔ kokoɔ biara so ne dua biara a adendan ase na wotena bɔɔ adwaman.
21 And I, — I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me?
Meduaa wo sɛ bobe amapa a ɛfiri bobe ase a ɛyɛ pa ara mu. Na ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wodanee wʼakyi kyerɛɛ me bɛyɛɛ bobe a anyini asɛeɛ wɔ wura mu yi?
22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much potash, thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.
Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree dware mpo a, wʼafɔdie nkekaawa da so wɔ hɔ ara,” sɛdeɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie.
23 How sayest thou, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals? See thy way in the valley, acknowledge what thou hast done — a swift dromedary traversing her ways!
“Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaka sɛ, ‘Meho nguu fi; mennii Baalnom akyi’? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ woyɛɛ wo ho wɔ bɔnhwa no mu; dwene deɛ woayɛ no ho. Woyɛ yoma bereɛ hoɔharefoɔ a wotu mmirika kɔ ha ba ha,
24 — a wild ass, used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire! In her ardour, who shall turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
wiram afunumu a anweatam so tena akokwa no, ɔhuahua ɛberɛ a ɔpɛ sɛ onini hyia no. Sɛ nʼakɔnnɔ no ano yɛ den a hwan na ɔbɛsianka no? Anini biara a wɔtaa no no nha wɔn ho bebree; ɛduru ɛberɛ a wɔhyia no a, wɔbɛnya no.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I go.
Ntu mmirika kɔsi sɛ wobɛyi wo mpaboa na wo mene mu bɛwe. Nanso wokaa sɛ, ‘Ɛho nni mfasoɔ! Mepɛ ananafoɔ anyame, na ɛsɛ sɛ medi wɔn akyi.’
26 As a thief is ashamed when he is found, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed — they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets —
“Sɛdeɛ wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wɔgu nʼanim ase no, saa na wɔagu Israel efie anim ase, wɔn ankasa, wɔn ahemfo ne wɔn adwumayɛfoɔ, wɔn asɔfoɔ ne wɔn adiyifoɔ.
27 saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth; for they have turned the back unto me, and not the face; and in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us!
Wɔka kyerɛ dua sɛ, ‘Woyɛ mʼagya,’ ne ɛboɔ sɛ, ‘Wo na wowoo me.’ Wɔadane wɔn akyi akyerɛ me na ɛnyɛ wɔn anim; nanso sɛ amanehunu bi ba wɔn so a, wɔka sɛ, ‘Bra bɛgye yɛn!’
28 Where then are thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for as the number of thy cities, are thy gods, O Judah.
Anyame a moyɛ maa mo ho no wɔ he? Momma wɔmmra sɛ wobɛtu agye mo ɛberɛ a mowɔ amanehunu mu! Ɛfiri sɛ mowɔ anyame bebree te sɛ deɛ mowɔ nkuro bebree no, Ao Yuda.
29 Wherefore would ye contend with me? Ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.
“Adɛn enti na mobɔ me soboɔ? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.
30 In vain have I smitten your children: they received no correction. Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
“Metwee mo nkurɔfoɔ aso kwa; wɔamfa me ntenesoɔ. Wʼakofena akunkum wʼadiyifoɔ te sɛ gyata a nʼani abereɛ.
31 O generation, mark ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion; we will come no more unto thee?
“Mo nnɛmmafoɔ, monnwene Awurade asɛm ho: “Mayɛ sɛ anweatam ama Israel anaa? Anaasɛ asase a ɛso aduru sum kabii anaa? Adɛn enti na me nkurɔfoɔ ka sɛ, ‘Yɛwɔ ho ɛkwan sɛ yɛkyinkyin; yɛremma wo nkyɛn bio.’
32 Doth a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.
Ɔbaabunu werɛ firi ne mpompranneɛ, ayeforɔyere werɛ bɛfiri nʼahyehyɛdeɛ anaa? Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ werɛ afiri me, nna a wɔntumi nkan.
33 How dost thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore hast thou also accustomed thy ways to wickedness.
Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfoɔ! Mmaa a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.
34 Yea, in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor, whom thou didst not encounter breaking in, but [it is found] upon all these.
Mo aduradeɛ mu, nnipa hunu ahiafoɔ a wɔdi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mo dan mu. Yeinom nyinaa akyi
35 And thou sayest, Indeed I am innocent; his anger will turn from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
woka sɛ, ‘Medi bem; ne bo mfuu me.’ Nanso mɛbu wo atɛn ɛfiri sɛ wo ka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara.’
36 Why dost thou gad about so much, and change thy way? Thou shalt also be brought to shame by Egypt, as thou wast brought to shame by Assyria.
Adɛn enti na wokyinkyini se, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bɛdi wo hwammɔ sɛdeɛ Asiria yɛeɛ no.
37 Thou shalt indeed go forth from her with thy hands upon thy head; for Jehovah hath rejected those thou confidest in, and thou shalt not prosper by them.
Afei wobɛfiri saa beaeɛ hɔ a wo nsa gu wo tiri so. Ɛfiri sɛ Awurade apo wɔn a wode wo ho too wɔn so no; wɔremmoa wo.
