Jeremiah 18
1 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
Seyè a pale ak Jeremi ankò, li di l' konsa:
2 Go down right away to the potter's house. I will give you my message there.
-Leve non! Desann kay bòs k'ap fè krich yo. Rive la, m'a ba ou yon mesaj.
3 I went down to the potter's house and saw him working at his potter's wheel.
Mwen desann vre kay bòs k'ap fè krich yo. Mwen wè msye t'ap bay yon krich fòm nan tou a.
4 But the pot that he was making from the clay went wrong. So he made it into something different as he thought best.
Depi krich li t'ap fè a pa t' soti byen, li kraze l', li pran tè a, li fè yon lòt krich avè l' jan li te vle fè l' la.
5 The Lord's message came to me, saying,
Lè sa a, Seyè a di m' konsa:
6 People of Israel, declares the Lord, can't I deal with you just like this potter does with his clay? I hold you in my hand just like clay in the potter's hand, people of Israel.
-Nou menm pèp Izrayèl, èske mwen pa gen dwa fè ak nou sa bòs la fè ak tè a? Nou nan men mwen menm jan tè a nan men bòs k'ap fè krich la, tande!
7 At one time it could happen that I announce that a nation or a kingdom is going to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed.
Yon lè mwen pran desizyon pou m' derasinen yon nasyon osinon yon peyi ki gen wa, pou m' kraze l', pou m' detwi l'.
8 However, if that nation I warned gives up its evil ways, then I will change my mind regarding the disaster I was about to bring.
Men, si nasyon an chanje, si li sispann fè mechanste ki lakòz mwen te move a, m'ap chanje lide, m' p'ap fè l' sa m' te fè lide fè l' la.
9 At another time I could announce that I'm going to build up and give power to a nation or a kingdom.
Yon lòt lè, mwen pran desizyon pou m' leve yon nasyon osinon pou m' fè gouvènman yon wa kanpe.
10 But if it does evil in my sight and refuses to listen to my voice, then I will change my mind regarding the good I had planned for it.
Men, si nasyon an fè sa ki pa fè m' plezi, si li pa koute m', mwen p'ap fè tout byen mwen te fè lide fè pou li a.
11 So tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: Watch out! I am preparing disaster for you, and working out a plan against you. All of you, give up your evil ways. Live right and act right!
Bon! Koulye a, ou pral pale ak moun peyi Jida yo ansanm ak moun lavil Jerizalèm yo. Men sa Seyè a voye di yo: M'ap pare yon malè pou nou. Mwen fè lide pini nou. Se pou nou chanje, se pou nou kite move pant n'ap swiv la. Chache viv pi byen, manyè sispann fè sa ki mal.
12 But they'll say, “We just can't! We'll do whatever we want. Each of us will stubbornly follow our own evil thinking.”
Y'ap reponn ou: Se tan ou w'ap pèdi! N'ap toujou kenbe tèt ak Bondye. N'ap toujou fè tout vye lide ki nan tèt nou.
13 Consequently this is what the Lord says: Ask around the nations—has anybody ever heard anything like this? Virgin Israel has acted really badly.
Lè sa a, Seyè a di ankò: -Al mande moun lòt nasyon yo si yo te janm tande yon bagay konsa rive anvan sa? Moun pèp Izrayèl yo fè yon bann bagay moun pa ka gade!
14 Does the snow of Lebanon ever disappear from its rocky mountain-tops? Do its cool waters that flow from such distant sources ever dry up?
Eske ou janm wè pa gen lanèj sou wòch nan tèt mòn peyi Liban yo? Eske ou janm wè ti sous dlo fre k'ap desann soti nan mòn yo cheche?
15 But my people have rejected me! They burn incense to useless idols which trip them up, making them leave the old roads in order to walk down unmade paths instead of the highway.
Men, pèp mwen an bliye m'. Y'ap boule lansan pou zidòl ki pa vo anyen. Kifè yo kite chemen pou yo te swiv la, chemen yo t'ap swiv depi nan tan lontan an, yo pran mache nan raje, kote ki pa gen chemen trase.
16 They have turned their country into a horrific wasteland, a place that will always be treated with contempt. People passing by will be shocked, shaking their heads in disbelief.
Yo fè peyi a tounen yon savann dezole, tout moun se mete men nan tèt! Tout moun k'ap pase bò la pral sezi wè sa. Yo pral souke tèt yo.
17 Like a strong wind from the east I will scatter them before the enemy. I will turn my back on them and not look at them when their time of trouble comes.
Se konsa mwen pral gaye yo devan lènmi yo, menm jan van lès gaye pousyè. M'ap vire do ba yo lè malè va tonbe sou yo. M' p'ap okipe yo menm.
18 Some people decided, “We need a plan to deal with Jeremiah. There'll still be priests to explain the law, there'll still be wise people to give advice, and there'll still be prophets to give prophecies. Let's organize a smear campaign against him so we don't have to listen to a word he says.”
Lè sa a, pèp la va di: -Annou moute yon konplo sou do Jeremi. N'a toujou jwenn prèt pou di nou sa Bondye vle. Va toujou gen moun ki gen bon konprann pou ban nou konsèy. Va toujou gen pwofèt pou fè nou konnen mesaj Bondye yo. Annou wè! Ann touye l' anba kout lang. Nou pa bezwen tande sa l'ap di nou la a.
19 Lord, please pay attention to what's happening to me! Listen to what my accusers are saying!
Lè sa a, mwen lapriyè, mwen di: -O Seyè! Tande sa m'ap di ou. Koute sa moun ki pa vle wè m' yo ap di sou mwen.
20 Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to trap me! Remember how I stood before you to plead on their behalf, to stop you being angry with them?
Lè yon moun fè ou byen, èske se mal pou ou fè li? Yo fouye yon twou pou fè m' tonbe ladan l'. Chonje jan m' te kanpe devan ou pou m' te pale pou yo, pou m' te mande ou pa fè kòlè sou yo.
21 But now may their children starve; may they be killed by the sword. May their wives lose their children and their husbands; may their husbands die from disease; may their young men be killed in battle.
Koulye a, Seyè, se pou ou fè pitit yo mouri grangou. Se pou ou kite yo mouri anba kout nepe. Se pou madanm yo pèdi pitit yo ansanm ak mari yo. Se pou maladi lapès touye mesye yo. Se pou jenn gason yo mouri nan lagè.
22 May cries of agony be heard from their houses when you suddenly bring invaders to attack them, because they dug a pit to capture me and hid traps to catch me as I walk along.
Y'ap rete konsa, w'ap voye yon bann piyajè sou yo. Lè sa a se va rèl nan tout kay yo. Tou sa, paske yo te fouye yon twou pou fè m' tonbe ladan l'. Yo te mete pèlen pou mwen sou wout mwen.
23 But Lord, you know about all their plots to try and kill me. Don't forgive their wickedness; don't wipe away their sin. Bring them down! Deal with them when you're angry!
Men ou menm, Seyè, ou konnen tout konplo y'ap fè pou touye m'. Pa padonnen mechanste yo. Pa janm padonnen peche yo. Se pou yo tonbe atè la devan je ou. Lè ou an kòlè, regle yo.
