Jeremiah 16
1 A message from the Lord that came to me, saying,
Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ:
2 Don't marry or have children here.
“Ɛnsɛ sɛ wo ware na wowo mmammarima anaa mmammaa wɔ ha.”
3 This is what the Lord says about children born here, and about their mothers and fathers—their parents here in this country:
Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka fa mmammarima ne mmammaa a wɔwo wɔn asase yi so mmaa a wɔyɛ wɔn maamenom ne mmarima a wɔyɛ wɔn agyanom no ho:
4 They will die from fatal diseases. No one will mourn for them. Their bodies won't be buried, but will lie on the ground like manure. They will be destroyed by war and famine, and their bodies will be food for birds of prey and wild animals.
“Owuyareɛ bɛkunkum wɔn. Wɔrensu wɔn na wɔrensie wɔn, mmom wɔbɛyɛ sɛ sumina a ɛgugu fam. Wɔbɛtotɔ akofena ano na ɛkɔm bɛkunkum wɔn na wɔn afunu bɛyɛ aduane ama ewiem nnomaa ne asase so mmoa.”
5 This is what the Lord says: Don't enter a home where people are having a funeral meal. Don't visit them to mourn or to offer condolences, for I have taken away my peace, my trustworthy love, and my mercy from these people, declares the Lord.
“Nhyɛne efie a ayie yɛ apontoɔ wo mu; nkɔsu wɔn abia, na mma wɔn hyɛden, ɛfiri sɛ mayi me nhyira, me dɔ ne mʼahummɔborɔ afiri saa nnipa yi so,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.
6 Everyone, from the most important to the least, will die in this country. They will not be buried or mourned; there will be no rites for the dead such as cutting oneself or shaving of heads.
“Atitire ne mpapahwekwaa bɛwu wɔ asase yi so. Wɔrensie wɔn, na wɔrensu wɔn, na obiara remmɔ ne ho akam, na wɔn enti, obiara renyi ne ti mfa nkae wɔn.
7 No funeral receptions will be held to comfort those who mourn—not even a comforting drink is to be offered at the loss of a father or mother.
Obiara remma wɔn a wɔdi awufoɔ no ho awerɛhoɔ no aduane mfa nkyekye wɔn werɛ, owufoɔ no agya anaa ne maame mpo, na obiara mma wɔn nsã nso mfa nkyekye wɔn werɛ.
8 Don't go into a house where people are celebrating and sit down with them to eat and drink.
“Na nhyɛne efie a apontoɔ kɔ so wɔ mu nkɔtena ase, nnidi na nnom.
9 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am going to put a stop right here, while you watch, to any sounds of celebration and joy, the happy voices of the groom and bride.
Na yei ne deɛ Awurade Otumfoɔ, Israel Onyankopɔn no seɛ: Wo nkwanna mu a, wʼani tua no, mede ahosɛpɛ ne anigyeɛ nnyegyeɛ, ayeforɔkunu ne ayeforɔyere ahosɛpɛ nne a ɛwɔ ha no, bɛba awieeɛ.
10 When you explain all this to them they'll ask you, “Why has the Lord ordered that such a terrible disaster should happen to us? What did we do wrong? What sin have we committed against the Lord our God?”
“Sɛ woka yeinom nyinaa kyerɛ saa nnipa yi na wɔbisa wo sɛ, ‘Adɛn enti na Awurade abɔ mmɔm a ɛyɛ hu sei atia yɛn? Ɛdeɛn mfomsoɔ na yɛayɛ? Bɔne bɛn na yɛayɛ atia Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn’ a,
11 Answer them: It's because your forefathers deserted me, declares the Lord. They went and followed other gods, serving them and worshiping them. They abandoned me and didn't keep my laws.
ɛnneɛ ka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Ɛfiri sɛ mo agyanom gyaa me hɔ kɔdii anyame foforɔ akyi, kɔsom wɔn sɔree wɔn, Awurade asɛm nie. Wogyaa me na wɔanni me mmara so.
12 You however have done even more evil than your forefathers. Look at how all of you followed your own stubborn evil thinking instead of obeying me.
Na mo deɛ, moayɛ amumuyɛsɛm asene mo agyanom. Monhwɛ sɛdeɛ mo mu biara di nʼakoma bɔne asoɔden akyi wɔ ɛberɛ a anka ɛsɛ sɛ ɔyɛ ɔsetie ma me.
13 So I'm going to throw you out of this country and exile you in a country unfamiliar to you and your forefathers. There you'll serve other gods day and night, because I won't help you at all.
Ɛno enti, mɛtu mo afiri saa asase yi so de mo akɔ asase a, mo anaa sɛ mo agyanom nnim so, na ɛhɔ mobɛsom anyame foforɔ awia ne anadwo, na merenhunu mo mmɔbɔ.’
14 But listen! The time is coming, declares the Lord, when people won't any longer make vows, saying. “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites out of Egypt.”
“Nanso nna no reba,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “a nnipa renka bio sɛ, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi, deɛ ɔyii Israelfoɔ firii Misraim,’
15 Instead they'll say, “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites back from the northern country and all the other countries where he had exiled them.” I'm going to bring them back to the country I gave their forefathers.
mmom wɔbɛka sɛ, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi deɛ ɔyii Israelfoɔ firii atifi fam asase ne aman a ɔtuu wɔn kɔɔ so nyinaa.’ Ɛfiri sɛ mɛsane de wɔn aba asase a mede maa wɔn tete agyanom no so.
16 But for the moment I'm going to send for many fishermen and they'll catch them, declares the Lord. Then I'm going to send for many hunters, and they'll hunt them down on every mountain and hill, even from their hiding places in the rocks.
“Na seesei, mɛsoma apofofoɔ bebree a wɔbɛkyere wɔn.” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Ɛno akyi, mɛsoma akɔfa abɔmmɔfoɔ bebree a wɔbɛtaataa wɔn wɔ mmepɔ ne nkokoɔ nyinaa so ne abotan ntokuro mu.
17 I see everything they're doing. They can't hide from me, and their sins aren't hidden from me either.
Mʼani tua wɔn akwan nyinaa; ɛnsumaa me, na wɔn bɔne nso nhintaeɛ wɔ mʼani so.
18 First I'm going to pay them back double for their wickedness and sin, because they have made my land unclean with the lifeless bodies of their disgusting idols, filling my special country with their offensive pagan images.
Mɛtua wɔn amumuyɛ ne wɔn bɔne so ka mprenu, ɛfiri sɛ wɔde aniwudeɛ nsɛsodeɛ a ɛnni nkwa ne wɔn ahoni a ɛyɛ akyiwadeɛ abɛhyɛ mʼagyapadeɛ so ma de agu mʼasase ho fi.”
19 Lord, you are my strength and my fortress, my safe place in the time of trouble. Nations will come to you from all over the earth, and they will say, “The religion of our forefathers was a total lie! The idols they worshiped were useless—no good at all.
Ao Awurade, mʼahoɔden ne mʼaban, mʼahohia mu dwanekɔbea, wo nkyɛn na amanaman no bɛba wɔbɛfiri nsase ano aka sɛ, “Yɛn agyanom annya biribiara sɛ anyame huhuo, ahoni a wɔn ho nni mfasoɔ na wɔammoa wɔn.
20 How can people make gods for themselves? These aren't gods!”
Nnipa yɛ wɔn ankasa anyame anaa? Aane, nanso wɔnyɛ nokorɛ anyame!”
21 Now they'll see! I'll show them, and then they'll recognize my power and strength. Then they'll know that I am the Lord!
“Ɛno enti mɛkyerɛkyerɛ wɔn, saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ mɛkyerɛ wɔn me tumi ne mʼahoɔden. Afei wɔbɛhunu sɛ me din ne Awurade.
