< Jeremiah 13 >

1 Thus said the LORD unto me: 'Go, and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.'
Sɛɛ na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me: “Kɔ na kɔtɔ nwera abɔso bɔ wʼasen, nanso mma no nka nsu.”
2 So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it upon my loins.
Enti metɔɔ abɔso sɛnea Awurade kyerɛe no, na mede bɔɔ mʼasen.
3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying:
Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn ne mprenu so se,
4 'Take the girdle that thou hast gotten, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Perath, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.'
“Fa abɔso a wotɔe a ɛbɔ wʼasen no kɔ Eufrate ho mprempren ara na fa kosie ɔbotan tokuru bi mu.”
5 So I went, and hid it in Perath, as the LORD commanded me.
Enti mede kosiee Eufrate ho, sɛnea Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me no.
6 And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me: 'Arise, go to Perath, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.'
Nna bebree akyi no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, “Afei kɔ Eufrate ho na kɔfa abɔso a meka kyerɛɛ wo se fa kosie hɔ no.”
7 Then I went to Perath, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
Enti mekɔɔ Eufrate ho kotuu abɔso no wɔ beae a mede siei no, nanso na asuw atetew a so nni mfaso biara.
8 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:
Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
9 Thus saith the LORD: After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem,
“Sɛɛ na Awurade se, ‘Saa ara na mɛsɛe Yuda ahantan ne Yerusalem ahantankyɛnee no.
10 even this evil people, that refuse to hear My words, that walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, that it be as this girdle, which is profitable for nothing.
Saa amumɔyɛfo yi a wɔmpɛ sɛ wotie mʼasɛm na wodi wɔn komaden akyi na wodi anyame afoforo akyi som wɔn, sɔre wɔn no, bɛyɛ sɛ saa abɔso yi, na wɔn so remma mfaso biara!
11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD, that they might be unto Me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory; but they would not hearken.
Sɛnea abɔso kyekyere onipa asen no, saa ara na mede Israelfi ne Yudafi nyinaa bataa me ho sɛ wɔnyɛ me nkurɔfo a wɔbɛma me din so, aka mʼayeyi na wɔahyɛ me anuonyam, nanso wɔantie me,’ nea Awurade se ni.
12 Moreover thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Every bottle is filled with wine'; and when they shall say unto thee: 'Do we not know that every bottle is filled with wine?'
“Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nea Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn se ni, Wɔmfa nsa nhyɛ nsa kotoku biara ma.’ Na sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo se, ‘Yenim sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde nsa hyɛ nsa kotoku biara ma a,’
13 Then shalt thou say unto them: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
afei ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nea Awurade se ni: Mede nsabow bɛhyɛ wɔn a wɔtete asase yi so nyinaa ma, a ahemfo a wɔte Dawid ahengua so, asɔfo, adiyifo ne wɔn a wɔtete Yerusalem nyinaa ka ho bi.
14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD; I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.
Mɛtotow wɔn abobɔ wɔn ho wɔn ho, agyanom ne mmabarima nyinaa, Awurade na ose. Meremma ahummɔbɔ anaa ayamye anaa ayamhyehye nsiw ɔsɛe a merebɛsɛe wɔn no ho kwan.’”
15 Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud; for the LORD hath spoken.
Muntie na monyɛ aso, na monnyɛ ahantan, efisɛ Awurade akasa.
16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before it grow dark, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.
Monhyɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, anuonyam ansa na wama sum aduru, ansa na mo anan ahintihintiw wɔ nkoko a ɛso reduru sum no so. Mo ani da hann so, nanso ɔbɛdan no sum kusuu na wɔasesa ayɛ no sum kabii.
17 But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and mine eyes shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away captive.
Nanso sɛ moantie a, mesu wɔ kokoa mu esiane mo ahantan nti; mʼani bɛtaataa nsu, na nusu aguare me, efisɛ wɔbɛfa Awurade nguankuw no akɔ nnommum mu.
18 Say thou unto the king and to the queen-mother: 'Sit ye down low; for your headtires are come down, even your beautiful crown.'
Monka nkyerɛ ɔhene ne ɔhemmea se, “Mumfi mo ahengua so nsi fam, na mo anuonyam ahenkyɛw befi mo ti so.”
19 The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them; Judah is carried away captive all of it; it is wholly carried away captive.
Wɔbɛtoto Negeb nkuropɔn apon mu, na obiara nni hɔ a obebuebue. Wɔbɛsoa Yudafo akɔ nnommum mu wobetwa wɔn asu koraa.
20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north; where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
Mo mpagyaw mo ani nhwɛ wɔn a wofi atifi fam reba no. Nguankuw a wɔde hyɛɛ mo nsa no, nguan a mode wɔn hoahoaa mo ho no wɔ he?
21 What wilt thou say, when He shall set the friends over thee as head, whom thou thyself hast trained against thee? Shall not pangs take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?
Sɛ Awurade de wɔn a wɔyɛ mo nnamfonom yɛ mo so atitiriw a, dɛn na mobɛka? Na ɛrenyɛ mo yaw te sɛnea ɔbea ɔreko awo ana?
22 And if thou say in thy heart: 'Wherefore are these things befallen me?' — for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, and thy heels suffer violence.
Na sɛ wubebisa wo ho se, “Adɛn nti na eyi aba me so a?” Na efi wʼamumɔyɛ bebrebe no nti na wɔatetew wo fam atade mu ayɛ wo nipadua basaa no.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.
Etiopiani betumi asesa nʼahosu ana? Na ɔsebɔ nso betumi asesa ne ho nsisimu no? Saa ara na worentumi nyɛ papa, wo a bɔneyɛ akokwaw wo no.
24 Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
“Mɛbɔ mo ahwete sɛ ntɛtɛ a, nweatam so mframa rebɔ no.
25 This is thy lot, the portion measured unto thee from Me, saith the LORD; because thou hast forgotten Me, and trusted in falsehood.
Eyi ne nea mubenya, mo kyɛfa a mahyɛ ama mo,” Awurade na ose, “efisɛ mo werɛ afi me na mode mo ho ato anyame huhuw so.
26 Therefore will I also uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.
Mɛtwe mo fam ntade abua mo anim na wɔahu mo ahohora.
27 Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy harlotry, on the hills in the field have I seen thy detestable acts. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! thou wilt not be made clean! When shall it ever be?
Mo aguamammɔ ne mo akɔnnɔ bɔne, mo aguamammɔ a momfɛre ho! Mahu mo nneyɛe bɔne no wɔ nkoko ne sare so. Due, Yerusalem! Wobɛyɛ fi akosi da bɛn?”

< Jeremiah 13 >