Jeremiah 21

1 This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and the priest Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah to talk with him. They said,

Asɛm fi Awurade hɔ baa Yeremia nkyɛn bere a ɔhene Sedekia somaa Malkia babarima Pashur ne Maaseia babarima ɔsɔfo Sefania kɔɔ ne nkyɛn no. Wɔkae se,

2 “Please speak with Lord on our behalf because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps the Lord will do some miracle for us like all those miracles he used to do, so that Nebuchadnezzar will retreat from us.”

“Bisa Awurade, ma yɛn efisɛ Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar ne yɛn rebedi ako. Ebia Awurade bɛyɛ anwonwade ama yɛn, sɛnea ɔyɛɛ mmere bi a atwa mu no na ama wafi yɛn so akɔ.”

3 But Jeremiah replied, “Tell Zedekiah this:

Na Yeremia buaa wɔn se, “Monka nkyerɛ Sedekia se,

4 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I'm going to turn the weapons you're holding against you, the weapons you're using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonian army outside the wall besieging you. I'm going to bring them right into the center of this city.

‘Sɛnea Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, se ni: Merebɛdan mo nsam akode atia mo, nea mode reko atia Babiloniahene ne Babiloniafo a wɔwɔ ɔfasu no akyi na wɔatua mo kuropɔn no ano. Mɛboa wɔn ano wɔ kuropɔn yi mu.

5 I myself will fight against you with all my power and might, with the full force of my furious anger.

Me ara mede nsa a mateɛ ne abasa a ɛyɛ den bɛko atia mo wɔ abufuw, anibere ne abufuwhyew mu.

6 I will kill those living in this city, human beings and animals. They will die from a terrible plague.

Mɛbobɔ wɔn a wɔtete kuropɔn yi mu ahwehwe fam; nnipa ne mmoa nyinaa, na ɔyaredɔm a ɛyɛ hu bekunkum wɔn.

7 After that, declares the Lord, I'm going to hand you over, Zedekiah king of Judah, as well as your officers and the people who are left in this city after the plague and war and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to your enemies who want you dead. He will attack you; he won't spare you or show you any pity or mercy.

Ɛno akyi, Awurade asɛm ni, mede Yudahene Sedekia, nʼadwumayɛfo ne nnipa a wɔwɔ kuropɔn yi mu a ɔyaredɔm, afoa ne ɔkɔm ankunkum wɔn no bɛma Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar ne wɔn atamfo a wɔrehwehwɛ wɔn nkwa no. Ɔde afoa bekunkum wɔn; ɔrenhu wɔn mmɔbɔ na ɔrennya ayamhyehye mma wɔn.’

8 Tell the people this as well: This is what the Lord says: Look, I'm placing before you the path of life and the path of death.

“Bio, ka kyerɛ nnipa no se, ‘Eyi ne nea Awurade se: Hwɛ mede nkwa kwan ne owu kwan resi mo anim.

9 If you stay in this city you'll die either by sword and famine and plague, but if you leave and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging you, you will live. In fact it will be like gaining your life as plunder from a war.

Obiara a ɔte saa kuropɔn yi mu bewu wɔ afoa anaa ɔkɔm anaa ɔyaredɔm ano. Nanso obiara a obepue na ɔde ne ho akɔma Babiloniafo a wɔabetua mo kuropɔn yi no, bɛfa ne ho adi.

10 For I am determined to bring disaster on this city, and not blessings, declares the Lord. It will be handed over to the king of Babylon, who will destroy it with fire.

Mawe ahinam sɛ mɛyɛ kuropɔn yi bɔne na ɛnyɛ papa, Awurade na ose. Wɔde bɛhyɛ Babiloniahene nsa, na ɔde ogya bɛhyew no.’

11 In addition tell the royal family of the king of Judah to listen to the Lord's message:

“Nea ɛka ho ne sɛ, ka kyerɛ Yuda adehye se, ‘Muntie Awurade asɛm;

12 Descendants of David, this is what the Lord says: Make sure you judge fairly every day. Protect those who are being unjustly treated from those corrupt people, otherwise because of their evil actions my anger will blaze out like fire that can't be put out.

Dawidfi, sɛɛ na Awurade se: “‘Mummu atɛntrenee anɔpa biara; munnye nea wɔabɔ no korɔn no mfi ne nhyɛsofo nsam, anyɛ saa a, mʼabufuwhyew bɛsɔre na ahyew sɛ ogya esiane bɔne a moayɛ nti, ɛbɛhyew a obiara rennum no.

13 Watch out, because I'm going to fight against you people who live above the valley on top of a flat rock, declares the Lord. You say, ‘Who can attack us? Who can break down our defenses?’

Mene mo anya, Yerusalem Mo a mote obon yi atifi abotan asasetaw so, Awurade na ose, mo a moka se, “Hena na obetumi ako atia yɛn? Hena na obetumi ahyɛn yɛn hintabea?”

14 I'm going to punish you as you deserve for what you've done, declares the Lord. I will set your forest on fire and it will burn up everything around you.”

Mɛtwe mo aso sɛnea ɛfata mo nneyɛe, Awurade na ose. Mɛto mo kwae mu gya, a ɛbɛhyew biribiara a atwa mo ho ahyia no.’”