< Jeremiah 3 >

1 ...saying: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, may he return unto her again? Will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; and wouldest thou yet return to Me? saith the LORD.
“Ọ bụrụ na nwoke agbaara nwunye ya alụkwaghị m, nwanyị ahụ ahapụ ya pụọ ga lụrụ nwoke ọzọ, di mbụ ya ahụ, o kwesiri ịlaghachi ka ọ lụọkwa ya ọzọ? Ọ bụ na agaghị emerụ ala ahụ nke ukwuu? Ma unu ebiela ndụ dịka ndị akwụna nwere ọtụtụ ndị iko, ọ bụ ugbu a ka unu ga-alaghachikwute m?” otu ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high hills, and see: Where hast thou not been lain with? By the ways hast thou sat for them, as an Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy harlotries and with thy wickedness.
“Welie anya gị abụọ ma lee ebe niile nke dị elu nke ọhịa na-adịghị nʼala a, olee ebe gị na ndị ikom na-edinakọbeghị nʼịkwa iko? Ị na-anọ nʼakụkụ ụzọ niile na-eche ndị iko, na-anọkwa dịka onye Arebịa nʼọzara. Ị werela ịkwa iko gị niile na ihe ọjọọ gị merụọ ala a.
3 Therefore the showers have been withheld, and there hath been no latter rain; yet thou hadst a harlot's forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.
Ọ bụ nke a mere mmiri ji kwụsị izokwara unu, ọbụla dị mmiri nke na-ezo nʼoge ọkọchị. Nʼihi na unu bụ ndị akwụna, ndị ihere na-adịghị eme.
4 Didst thou not just now cry unto Me: 'My father, Thou art the friend of my youth.
Ọ dịbeghị anya mgbe unu kpọrọ m, sị m, ‘Nna m, ị bụ enyi m kemgbe m dị na nwantakịrị.
5 Will He bear grudge for ever? Will He keep it to the end?' Behold, thou hast spoken, but hast done evil things, and hast had thy way.
Iwe gị ọ ga-adịgide mgbe niile? Iwe gị dị ọkụ ọ ga-adịgide ebighị ebi?’ Otu a ka unu si ekwu okwu, ma unu nọgidesịrị ike na-eme ihe ọjọọ niile unu nwere ike ime.”
6 And the LORD said unto me in the days of Josiah the king: 'Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel did? she went up upon every high mountain and under every leafy tree, and there played the harlot.
Ozi a, nke si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị pụta, rutere m aka nʼoge eze Josaya na-achị. Lee ihe ọ gwara m. “Ị hụla ihe Izrel na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi na-eme? Ọ gaala nʼelu ugwu ọbụla dị elu nakwa nʼokpuru osisi ndụ ọbụla, na-akwa iko nʼebe ahụ.
7 And I said: After she hath done all these things, she will return unto me; but she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
Echere m na mgbe o mesịrị ihe ndị a niile na ọ ga-alọghachikwute m, ma ọ lọtaghị. Nwanne ya nwanyị bụ Juda, onye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi hụkwara ya.
8 And I saw, when, forasmuch as backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorcement, that yet treacherous Judah her sister feared not; but she also went and played the harlot;
Enyere m Izrel na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi akwụkwọ alụkwaghị m, chụpụ ya nʼihi ndụ ịkwa iko ya, ma lee na nwanne ya nwanyị onye na-ekwesịkwaghị ntụkwasị obi bụ Juda atụghị egwu. Ọ gakwara nʼihu ịkwa iko.
9 and it came to pass through the lightness of her harlotry, that the land was polluted, and she committed adultery with stones and with stocks;
Ma nke a emeghị ka ihere mee ya. O merụọla ala, ọ na-akwakwa iko site nʼife nkume na osisi.
10 and yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not returned unto Me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD —
Nʼagbanyeghị nke a, nwanne ya nwanyị nke na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi, bụ Juda ejighị obi ya lọghachikwute m, maọbụ naanị nlọghachi aghụghọ,” otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
11 even the LORD said unto me — backsliding Israel hath proved herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
Mgbe ahụ, Onyenwe anyị sịrị m, “Izrel na-adaghachi azụ na-egosi onwe ya nʼonye ezi omume karịa Juda onye na-aghọ aghụghọ.
12 Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; I will not frown upon you; for I am merciful, saith the LORD, I will not bear grudge for ever.
Gaa, kwusaa ozi a nʼụzọ ugwu, na-asị, “‘Lọta, gị Izrel nke na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi,’ otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, ‘Agaghị m ewesokwa gị iwe ọzọ, nʼihi na abụ m onye obi ebere,’ otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, ‘Agaghị m ewe iwe ruo mgbe ebighị ebi.
13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every leafy tree, and ye have not hearkened to My voice, saith the LORD.
Naanị nabata na ị bụ onye ikpe mara, na i nupula isi megide Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke gị. Kwupụta na i werela onwe gị kesara ndị mba ọzọ dị iche iche nʼokpuru osisi ndụ niile, na ị jụkwara irubere m isi.’” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
14 Return, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am a lord unto you, and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion;
“Lọghachinụ unu ndị na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, sị, “nʼihi abụ m di unu. M ga-ahọrọ unu, otu onye site nʼotu obodo na mmadụ abụọ site nʼotu agbụrụ. M ga-akpọghachi unu Zayọn.
15 and I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.
Mgbe ahụ, aga m enye unu ndị ọzụzụ atụrụ masịrị m, ndị ga-eji amamihe na nghọta duo unu.
16 And it shall come to pass, when ye are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more: The ark of the covenant of the LORD; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they make mention of it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more.
Nʼụbọchị ahụ, mgbe ọnụọgụgụ unu mụbara dị ukwuu nʼala ahụ,” otu ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya, “ndị mmadụ agaghị asịkwa ọzọ, ‘igbe ọgbụgba ndụ nke Onyenwe anyị.’ Ọ gaghị abakwa ha nʼobi maọbụ ha echeta ya; ọ gaghị adịkwa ha mkpa maọbụ emepụtakwa ọzọ.
17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem The throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem; neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
Mgbe oge ahụ ruru, aha a ga-akpọ Jerusalem bụ Ocheeze Onyenwe anyị. Mba niile kwa ga-ezukọta nʼebe ahụ ife m ofufe. Ha agakwaghị agbaso echiche obi ọjọọ ha.
18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.'
Nʼụbọchị ahụ ndị Juda ga-adịnyere ndị Izrel, ha abụọ ga-ejikọta aka site nʼala ahụ dị nʼugwu bịa nʼala nke m nyere nna nna unu dịka ihe nketa.”
19 But I said: 'How would I put thee among the sons, and give thee a pleasant land, the goodliest heritage of the nations!' And I said: 'Thou shalt call Me, My father; and shalt not turn away from following Me.'
“Mụ onwe m kwuru sị, “‘Lee ka ọ ga-esi masị m imeso unu mmeso dịka unu bụ ụmụ m ndị ikom, nye unu ala dị mma nke ga-ewetara unu ọṅụ, nke bụ ihe nketa kachasị mma na mba niile.’ Ana m eche na unu ga-akpọ m ‘Nna’ ma hapụ iwezuga onwe unu site nʼịgbaso m.
20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD.
Ma dịka nwunye na-ekwesighị ntụkwasị obi, i gosila onwe gị, O Izrel na ị bụ onye a na-ekwesighị ịtụkwasị obi” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
21 Hark! upon the high hills is heard the suppliant weeping of the children of Israel; for that they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the LORD their God.
A na-anụ ụzụ mkpu akwa nʼelu ugwu. Ọ bụ ụzụ akwa ụmụ Izrel ndị na-arịọ arịrịọ nʼihi na ha ebiela ndụ mmehie; ha echefuokwala Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke ha.
22 Return, ye backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings. — 'Here we are, we are come unto Thee; for Thou art the LORD our God.
“Lọghachinụ, unu bụ ndị na-adaghachi azụ. Mụ onwe m ga-agwọ unu ndaghachi azụ unu.” Ma unu na-aza sị, “E, anyị na-alọghachikwute gị nʼihi na gị onwe gị bụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị.
23 Truly vain have proved the hills, the uproar on the mountains; truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel.
Nʼezie, aghụghọ, ka mkpọtụ ofufe nke arụsị niile, nʼelu ugwu nta dị iche iche na nʼelu ugwu niile bụ, nʼezie, nʼime Onyenwe anyị, bụ Chineke anyị ka nzọpụta Izrel dị.
24 But the shameful thing hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.
Ma site mgbe anyị dị na nwantakịrị, ihe ihere ahụ eripịala mkpụrụ sitere na ndọgbu nʼọrụ nke nna nna anyị ha igwe anụ ụlọ na ehi ha, ụmụ ha ndị ikom na ụmụ ha ndị inyom.
25 Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day; and we have not hearkened to the voice of the LORD our God.'
Ka anyị dinara ala nʼihere anyị, ka ọnọdụ oke ihere dịrị anyị kpuchikwa anyị. Anyị na nna nna anyị ha emehiela megide Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị; site mgbe anyị dị na nwantakịrị ruo taa o nwebeghị mgbe anyị ji rube isi ime ihe Onyenwe anyị Chineke anyị nyere nʼiwu.”

< Jeremiah 3 >