Jeremiah 5
1 Go everywhere through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and pay attention! Search all through her city squares to see if you can find even just one person who does what's right, anyone who is faithful, and I'll forgive the city.
“Munni akɔneaba wɔ Yerusalem mmɔnten so, monhwɛ mo ho nhyia nhwɛ, monhwehwɛ guabɔbea nyinaa. Sɛ muhu onipa baako mpo a ɔyɛ pɛ na odi nokware a, mede kuropɔn yi ho bɛkyɛ no.
2 They may make promises in my name, but they're not sincere.
Ɛwɔ mu wɔka se, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi,’ nanso wɔda so ka ntam hunu.”
3 Lord, aren't you always looking for faithfulness? You beat them, but they didn't care. You just about destroyed them, but they refused to accept your discipline. They were stubborn, hard as rock, and they wouldn't repent.
Awurade, wʼani mpɛ nokware ahu ana? Wobɔɔ wɔn hwee fam, nanso wɔante yaw biara; wodwerɛw wɔn, nanso wɔpoo nteɛso. Wɔyɛɛ wɔn anim dennen sen ɔbo na wɔansakra wɔn adwene.
4 Then I said to myself, “These people are only the poor—they're just fools who don't know any better. They certainly don't know what the Lord wants, God's right way of living.
Misusuw se, “Eyinom nko ara ne ahiafo no; wɔyɛ nkwaseafo nso, efisɛ wonnim Awurade akwan, nea wɔn Nyankopɔn hwehwɛ.
5 Let me go to and talk to the ones in charge. They would surely know what the Lord wants, God's right way of living.” But they had all broken off the yoke as well, and ripped off the chains.
Enti mɛkɔ ntuanofo no nkyɛn akɔkasa akyerɛ wɔn; ampa ara wonim Awurade akwan nea wɔn Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ.” Nanso wɔn nso de adwene koro abubu konnua no atetew nkyehama no mu.
6 As a result a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will rip them apart. A leopard will lie in wait for them near their towns, ready to tear to pieces anyone who goes outside. For they keep on rebelling, and turn away from me so often.
Ɛno nti gyata bi a ofi kwae mu bɛtow ahyɛ wɔn so, pataku bi a ofi nweatam so bɛtetew wɔn mu. Ɔsebɔ bi bɛtɛw abɛn wɔn nkurow, na obiara a obeyi ne ti no ɔbɛtetew ne mu nketenkete, efisɛ wɔn atuatew no ano yɛ den na wɔn akyirisan aboro so.
7 Why should I forgive you? Your children have abandoned me and believe in gods that are not gods. I gave them everything they need, yet they went and committed adultery, gathering together at prostitutes' houses.
“Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede mo ho kyɛ mo? Mo mma apo me, wɔde anyame a wɔnyɛ anyame aka ntam. Memaa wɔn nea wohia nyinaa, nanso wɔbɔɔ aguaman na wɔbɔɔ yuu kɔɔ nguamanfo afi mu.
8 They're like virile stallions wanting sex, each of them neighing with lust after his neighbor's wife.
Mpɔnkɔnini aniberefo a wɔhwɛ wɔn yiye, wɔn mu biara su di ne yɔnko yere akyi.
9 Shouldn't I punish them for all this? declares the Lord. Shouldn't I retaliate for what this nation has done?
Ɛnsɛ sɛ metwe wɔn aso wɔ eyi ho?” Sɛɛ na Awurade se. “Ɛnsɛ sɛ, mʼankasa metɔ ɔman a ɛte sɛɛ so were ana?
10 Go through her vineyards and damage them, but don't destroy them completely. Rip off her branches, because they don't belong to the Lord.
“Momfa ne bobe nturo no mu na monsɛe no, nanso monnsɛe no koraa. Mompempan ne mman no, efisɛ saa nnipa yi nyɛ Awurade dea.
11 The people of Israel and Judah have completely betrayed me, declares the Lord.
Israelfi ne Yudafi anni me nokware koraa,” Awurade na ose.
12 They have lied about the Lord, saying, “He won't do anything. Nothing bad will happen to us. We won't have war or famine.
Wɔadi atoro afa Awurade ho, wɔkae se, “Ɔrenyɛ hwee! Ɔhaw biara remma yɛn so; yɛrenhu afoa anaa ɔkɔm da.
13 The prophets are just like the wind. The Lord doesn't speak through them. What they predict can happen to them!”
Adiyifo no yɛ mframa bi kɛkɛ na asɛm no nte wɔn mu; enti momma nea wɔka no mmra wɔn so.”
14 So this is the reply from the Lord God Almighty: Because of what you've said, I will make my words like a fire in your mouth and you people like the wood it burns up.
Enti eyi ne nea Asafo Awurade, Nyankopɔn se: “Esiane sɛ, nnipa no aka saa nsɛm yi nti, mɛyɛ me nsɛm a ɛwɔ wʼanom no ogya na saa nnipa yi ayɛ nnyina a ogya no bɛhyew.
15 Look! I am bringing a nation from far away to attack you, people of Israel, declares the Lord. It's a powerful nation that has existed for a long time; it's a nation whose language you don't know, and when they speak you can't understand them.
Israelfi,” Awurade na ose, “Mede ɔman bi a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri rebetia wo, tete man a ɛyɛ ɔmantease, nnipa a munnim wɔn kasa, na monnte wɔn kasa ase.
16 Their arrows bring death; they are all strong warriors.
Wɔn agyan mmɔtɔwa te sɛ ɔda a ano da hɔ; wɔn nyinaa yɛ dɔmmarima.
17 They will consume your harvest and your food; they will destroy your sons and your daughters; they will eat your flocks and your herds; they will feed on your vines and your fig trees. They will attack and will destroy the fortified towns that you have so much confidence in.
Wɔbɛsɛe mo nnɔbae ne mo nnuan, asɛe mo mmabarima ne mo mmabea; wɔbɛsɛe mo nguankuw ne mo anantwikuw, asɛe mo bobe ne mo mmrɔdɔma. Wɔde afoa bɛsɛe nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ a mode mo werɛ ahyɛ mu no.
18 But even at that time I won't completely destroy you, declares the Lord.
“Afei saa nna no mu mpo,” sɛɛ na Awurade se, “Merensɛe mo korakora.
19 When people ask you Jeremiah, “Why did the Lord our God do all these things to us?” you are to tell them, “In the same way you have abandoned me and served foreign gods here in your country, so you will serve foreigners in a country that isn't your own.”
Na sɛ nnipa no bisa se, ‘Adɛn nti na Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, ayɛ yɛn sɛɛ’ a, mobɛka akyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛnea moagyaw me hɔ akɔsom ananafo anyame wɔ mo ankasa mo asase so no, saa ara na mprempren mobɛsom ananafo wɔ asase a ɛnyɛ mo dea no so.’
20 Announce this to the people of Jacob and Judah:
“Monka eyi nkyerɛ Yakobfi na mo mpae mu nka wɔ Yuda se:
21 Listen to this, you foolish, stupid people, who have eyes but don't see, who have ears but don't hear.
Muntie, mo nkwaseafo ne nnipa a munni adwene, mowɔ ani nso munhu ade, na mowɔ aso nso monte asɛm:
22 Aren't you afraid of what I can do? declares the Lord. Don't you think you should tremble in my presence? I am the one who set up the shore as the sea's boundary, an everlasting limit that it can't cross. The waves crash against it, but they can't defeat it. They roar, but they can't cross the barrier.
Ɛnsɛ sɛ musuro me ana?” Sɛɛ na Awurade se. “Ɛnsɛ sɛ mo ho popo wɔ mʼanim ana? Mede nwea ato ɔhye ama po, ɔhye a ɛwɔ hɔ daa a ɛrentumi ntra. Asorɔkye bɛbɔ nanso ɛrentumi mmu mfa so; ebehuru so nanso ɛrentumi ntra.
23 But you people have a stubborn and rebellious attitude. You have left me and gone your own way.
Nanso saa nnipa yi wɔ asoɔden ne atuatew koma; wɔatwe wɔn ho afi me ho kɔ.
24 You didn't think to say, “We should appreciate the Lord our God, who sends the autumn and spring rains at the right time, who makes sure we can have a harvest every year.”
Wɔnnka nkyerɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho se, ‘Momma yensuro Awurade yɛn Nyankopɔn, a ɔma osu tɔ wɔ ne mmere mu, nea ɔma yɛn awerehyɛmu wɔ otwabere nnapɛn a wahyɛ no ho.’
25 Your wrong actions have taken these benefits from you; your sins have deprived you of my blessings.
Mo amumɔyɛ abɔ eyinom agu; mo bɔne ama ade pa abɔ mo.
26 For there are wicked men among my people. They're like bird-trappers, secretly watching and waiting to catch people in their snare.
“Amumɔyɛfo bi wɔ me nkurɔfo yi mu a wɔtɛw sɛ nnipa a wosum nnomaa afiri, na wɔte sɛ wɔn a wosum mfiri yi nnipa.
27 Their homes are full of their ill-gotten gains, like cages full of birds. That's why they've become powerful and rich.
Sɛnea nnomaa ahyɛ kɛntɛn ma no saa ara na asisi ahyɛ wɔn afi amaama; wɔayeyɛ adefo anyinya tumi,
28 They've grown fat and smooth, and have become experts in evil. They deny justice to orphans, and they don't defend the rights of those in need.
na wɔadodɔ srade ama wɔn ho ayɛ hanahana. Wɔn amumɔyɛsɛm no nni awiei; wɔnnka ayisaa asɛm mma wonni bem, na wɔmmɔ ahiafo tumi ho ban.
29 Shouldn't I punish them for all this? declares the Lord. Shouldn't I retaliate for what this nation has done?
Ɛnsɛ sɛ metwe wɔn aso wɔ eyinom ho ana?” Sɛɛ na Awurade se. “Ɛnsɛ sɛ, mʼankasa metɔ ɔman a ɛte sɛɛ so were ana?
30 Something horrible, something terrible has happened here in this country.
“Ade a ɛyɛ hu ne ahodwiriw asi wɔ asase no so:
31 The prophets give false prophecies; the priests rule as they please. My people love it like this, but what will you do when it all falls apart?
Adiyifo no hyɛ akɔntoro, asɔfo no de wɔn dibea di tumi, na me nkurɔfo no pɛ no saa ara. Nanso awiei no dɛn na wobɛyɛ?”
