< Jeremiah 21 >

1 The word which came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, —when King Zedekiah sent unto him Pashhur, son of Malchiah, and Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, the priest, saying:
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 Enquire for us I pray thee of Yahweh, in that, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, maketh war against us, —Peradventure Yahweh will deal with us according to all his wonders, so that he go up 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 Then said Jeremiah unto them, —Thus, shall ye say unto Zedekiah:
Na Yeremia buaa wɔn se, “Monka nkyerɛ Sedekia se,
4 Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel—Behold me! turning back the weapons of war that are in your hand, wherewith, ye, are fighting the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, who are besieging you outside the wall, —and I will gather them into the midst 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 And I myself, will fight against you, with a hand outstretched, and with an arm of strength, —and with anger and with wrath and with great indignation;
Me ara mede nsa a mateɛ ne abasa a ɛyɛ den bɛko atia mo wɔ abufuw, anibere ne abufuwhyew mu.
6 and I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast, —of a great pestilence, shall they die.
Mɛbobɔ wɔn a wɔtete kuropɔn yi mu ahwehwe fam; nnipa ne mmoa nyinaa, na ɔyaredɔm a ɛyɛ hu bekunkum wɔn.
7 And after that, Declareth Yahweh—Will I deliver Zedekiah king of Judah and his servants, and the people—even such as are left in this city from the pestilence from the sword and from the famine, —into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, even into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them who are seeking their life, —and he will smite them with the edge of the sword, he will not have pity on them nor will he spare nor will he have compassion.
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 And unto this people, shalt thou say, Thus, saith Yahweh, —Behold me! setting before you the way, of life, and the way of death:
“Bio, ka kyerɛ nnipa no se, ‘Eyi ne nea Awurade se: Hwɛ mede nkwa kwan ne owu kwan resi mo anim.
9 He that remaineth in this city, shall die—by the sword or by the famine or by the pestilence, —Whereas, he that goeth forth and falleth unto the Chaldeans, who are besieging you, —then shall he live, and, his life, shall become to him, a spoil;
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 have set my face against this city, for calamity and not for blessing, Declareth Yahweh, —Into the hand of the king of Babylon, shall it be given up, and he will burn 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 Now, as to the house of the king of Judah, —hear ye the word of Yahweh: —
“Nea ɛka ho ne sɛ, ka kyerɛ Yuda adehye se, ‘Muntie Awurade asɛm;
12 O house of David! Thus, saith Yahweh, Administer justice betimes, And deliver the robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, —Lest mine indignation come forth like fire And burn and there be none to quench it, Because of the wickedness of your doings:
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 Behold me! against thee, O thou dweller in the vale on the level rock, Declareth Yahweh, —Ye who are saying, Who shall come down upon us? Who shall enter our habitations?
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 Yet will I bring punishment upon you according to the fruit of your doings, Declareth Yahweh, —and will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all things round about her.
Mɛtwe mo aso sɛnea ɛfata mo nneyɛe, Awurade na ose. Mɛto mo kwae mu gya, a ɛbɛhyew biribiara a atwa mo ho ahyia no.’”

< Jeremiah 21 >