Jeremiah 2
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
Awurade asɛm baa me so:
2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the LORD; I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, when you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
“Kɔpae mu ka ma Yerusalem nte: “Mekae sɛdeɛ wode wo ho maa me wo mmabunu berɛ mu, sɛdeɛ wo dɔɔ me wʼayeforɔ berɛ mu na wodii mʼakyi wɔ ɛserɛ so, asase a wɔnnuaa so hwee.
3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, says the LORD.
Na Israel yɛ kronkron ma Awurade, ne twaberɛ mu abukan; wɔn a wɔdii nʼani no, wɔbuu wɔn fɔ, na amanehunu baa wɔn so,” sɛdeɛ Awurade, seɛ nie.
4 Hear all of you the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
Montie Awurade asɛm, Ao Yakob fiefoɔ, mo Israel mmusuakuo nyinaa.
5 Thus says the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Mfomsoɔ bɛn na mo agyanom hunuu wɔ me ho a ɛma wɔtwee wɔn ho kɔɔ akyirikyiri sei? Wɔdii ahoni a wɔn ho nni mfasoɔ akyi, ma wɔn ankasa bɛyɛɛ ahuhufoɔ.
6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
Wɔammisa sɛ, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ? Deɛ ɔyii yɛn firii Misraim na ɔde yɛn faa ɛserɛ wesee so, anweatam ne amenamena asase a awo na ayɛ owubɔn no. Na ɛyɛ asase a obiara mfa so na obiara nte soɔ no.’
7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when all of you entered, all of you defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
Mede mo bɛduaa asase bereɛ so sɛ monni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mobɛguu mʼasase ho fi na moyɛɛ mʼagyapadeɛ akyiwadeɛ.
8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
Asɔfoɔ no ammisa sɛ, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ?’ Wɔn a wɔde mmara yɛ adwuma no anhwehwɛ me; ntuanofoɔ sɔre tiaa me. Adiyifoɔ no de Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm, na wɔdii ahoni huhuo akyi.
9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, says the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
“Ɛno enti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.
10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
Montwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔ hwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yie; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sei asi wɔ hɔ:
11 Has a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn anaa? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ de wɔn animuonyam asesa ahoni huhuo.
12 Be astonished, O all of you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be all of you very desolate, says the LORD.
Ao ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiri mo yei ho, na mo ho nwoso akomatuo mu,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
“Me nkurɔfoɔ ayɛ bɔne ahodoɔ mmienu: Wɔapa mʼakyi, me a meyɛ nkwa asutire no, na wɔatutu wɔn ankasa nsukora amena, amena a ɛho apaapae a ɛntumi nkora nsuo.
14 Is Israel a servant? is he a native slave? why is he spoiled?
Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfoɔ firi awoɔ mu anaa? Adɛn enti na wayɛ afodeɛ yi?
15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
Agyata abobɔ mu; wɔapɔ no so. Wɔasɛe nʼasase; wɔahyehye ne nkuro ayɛ no amanfo.
16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of your head.
Afei, Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo tiri so nwi.
17 Have you not procured this unto yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when he led you by the way?
Ɛnyɛ wo na woama yei aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi, wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔrekyerɛ wo ɛkwan?
18 And now what have you to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what have you to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
Afei adɛn enti na mokɔ Misraim kɔnom Sihor mu nsuo? Na adɛn enti na mokɔ Asiria kɔnom Asubɔnten no mu nsuo?
19 your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.
Wo amumuyɛ bɛtwe wʼaso; wʼakyirisane bɛka wʼanim. Enti dwene ho na hunu sɛ, sɛ wopa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi na woannya ne ho suro a, ɛyɛ bɔne ne ɔyea ma wo.” Awurade, Asafo Awurade na ɔseɛ.
20 For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bands; and you said, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree you wander, playing the harlot.
“Mmerɛ bi atwam, wobubuu wo kɔnnua mu, na wotetee wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu; na wokaa sɛ, ‘Merensom wo!’ Nokorɛm, wɔ kokoɔ biara so ne dua biara a adendan ase na wotena bɔɔ adwaman.
21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
Meduaa wo sɛ bobe amapa a ɛfiri bobe ase a ɛyɛ pa ara mu. Na ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wodanee wʼakyi kyerɛɛ me bɛyɛɛ bobe a anyini asɛeɛ wɔ wura mu yi?
22 For though you wash you with alkali, and take you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me, says the Lord GOD.
Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree dware mpo a, wʼafɔdie nkekaawa da so wɔ hɔ ara,” sɛdeɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie.
23 How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see your way in the valley, know what you have done: you are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
“Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaka sɛ, ‘Meho nguu fi; mennii Baalnom akyi’? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ woyɛɛ wo ho wɔ bɔnhwa no mu; dwene deɛ woayɛ no ho. Woyɛ yoma bereɛ hoɔharefoɔ a wotu mmirika kɔ ha ba ha,
24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
wiram afunumu a anweatam so tena akokwa no, ɔhuahua ɛberɛ a ɔpɛ sɛ onini hyia no. Sɛ nʼakɔnnɔ no ano yɛ den a hwan na ɔbɛsianka no? Anini biara a wɔtaa no no nha wɔn ho bebree; ɛduru ɛberɛ a wɔhyia no a, wɔbɛnya no.
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst: but you said, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
Ntu mmirika kɔsi sɛ wobɛyi wo mpaboa na wo mene mu bɛwe. Nanso wokaa sɛ, ‘Ɛho nni mfasoɔ! Mepɛ ananafoɔ anyame, na ɛsɛ sɛ medi wɔn akyi.’
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.
“Sɛdeɛ wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wɔgu nʼanim ase no, saa na wɔagu Israel efie anim ase, wɔn ankasa, wɔn ahemfo ne wɔn adwumayɛfoɔ, wɔn asɔfoɔ ne wɔn adiyifoɔ.
27 Saying to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You have brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
Wɔka kyerɛ dua sɛ, ‘Woyɛ mʼagya,’ ne ɛboɔ sɛ, ‘Wo na wowoo me.’ Wɔadane wɔn akyi akyerɛ me na ɛnyɛ wɔn anim; nanso sɛ amanehunu bi ba wɔn so a, wɔka sɛ, ‘Bra bɛgye yɛn!’
28 But where are your gods that you have made you? let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble: for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.
Anyame a moyɛ maa mo ho no wɔ he? Momma wɔmmra sɛ wobɛtu agye mo ɛberɛ a mowɔ amanehunu mu! Ɛfiri sɛ mowɔ anyame bebree te sɛ deɛ mowɔ nkuro bebree no, Ao Yuda.
29 Wherefore will all of you plead with me? all of you all have transgressed against me, says the LORD.
“Adɛn enti na mobɔ me soboɔ? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.
30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
“Metwee mo nkurɔfoɔ aso kwa; wɔamfa me ntenesoɔ. Wʼakofena akunkum wʼadiyifoɔ te sɛ gyata a nʼani abereɛ.
31 O generation, see all of you the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto you?
“Mo nnɛmmafoɔ, monnwene Awurade asɛm ho: “Mayɛ sɛ anweatam ama Israel anaa? Anaasɛ asase a ɛso aduru sum kabii anaa? Adɛn enti na me nkurɔfoɔ ka sɛ, ‘Yɛwɔ ho ɛkwan sɛ yɛkyinkyin; yɛremma wo nkyɛn bio.’
32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
Ɔbaabunu werɛ firi ne mpompranneɛ, ayeforɔyere werɛ bɛfiri nʼahyehyɛdeɛ anaa? Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ werɛ afiri me, nna a wɔntumi nkan.
33 Why trim you your way to seek love? therefore have you also taught the wicked ones your ways.
Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfoɔ! Mmaa a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.
34 Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocent persons: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
Mo aduradeɛ mu, nnipa hunu ahiafoɔ a wɔdi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mo dan mu. Yeinom nyinaa akyi
35 Yet you say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with you, because you say, I have not sinned.
woka sɛ, ‘Medi bem; ne bo mfuu me.’ Nanso mɛbu wo atɛn ɛfiri sɛ wo ka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara.’
36 Why arm you about so much to change your way? you also shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assyria.
Adɛn enti na wokyinkyini se, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bɛdi wo hwammɔ sɛdeɛ Asiria yɛeɛ no.
37 Yea, you shall go forth from him, and your hands upon your head: for the LORD has rejected your confidences, and you shall not prosper in them.
Afei wobɛfiri saa beaeɛ hɔ a wo nsa gu wo tiri so. Ɛfiri sɛ Awurade apo wɔn a wode wo ho too wɔn so no; wɔremmoa wo.
