< Jeremiah 13 >

1 [One day] Yahweh said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistcloth. Put it on, but do not wash it.”
Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị gwara m, “Gaa, zụta mgbado ukwu akwa ọcha nke a na-eke nʼukwu. Ị zụtachaa ya, kekwasị ya nʼukwu gị. Ma ekwekwala ka o metụ na mmiri.”
2 So I bought a [very nice] waistcloth, which is what Yahweh told me to do, and I put it on.
Ejere m zụta ajị ahụ dịka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, kee ya nʼukwu m.
3 Then [later] Yahweh gave me another message.
Mgbe ahụ, okwu Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere m nke ugboro abụọ, sị m,
4 He said, “Go to the small Perath Stream [near Jerusalem] and hide your waistcloth in a crevice/hole in the rocks.”
“Were ajị ahụ ị zụtara, nke i kekwasịrị nʼukwu gị, bilie, jee nʼosimiri Yufretis. I ruo, zoo ihe okike ukwu ahụ na mgbawa nkume dị nʼebe ahụ.”
5 So I went to the stream and did what Yahweh told me to do.
Ya mere, apụrụ m, jee, zoo ya na Yufretis dịka Onyenwe anyị gwara m.
6 A long time later, Yahweh said to me, “Go [back] to that stream and get the waistcloth that I told you to hide there.”
Mgbe ọtụtụ ụbọchị gasịrị, Onyenwe anyị gwara m okwu sị m, “Bilie, jeghachi Yufretis. I jeruo, wepụta ajị ahụ m sị gị zoo nʼebe ahụ.”
7 So I went to the Perath Stream and dug out the waistcloth from the crevice/hole in which I had hidden it. But it was ruined, and useless.
Ya mere, agara m Yufretis, gwupụta ajị ahụ site nʼebe m zoro ya, ma mgbe m wepụtara ya, ahụrụ m na o mebiela, na ọ bakwaghị uru ọbụla.
8 Then Yahweh gave me this message:
Mgbe ahụ, okwu Onyenwe anyị ruru m ntị, sị,
9 “[What happened to your waistcloth] shows that I will destroy the things that [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah are very proud of.
“Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, ‘Nʼotu aka ahụ, mụ onwe m ga-ebibi mpako Juda na oke mpako Jerusalem.
10 Those wicked people refuse to pay attention to what I say. They stubbornly do just what they desire to do; they worship other gods. Therefore, they will become completely useless, like your waistcloth.
Ndị ajọ omume ahụ, bụ ndị jụrụ ige ntị nʼokwu m, ndị ahụ na-ejegharị nʼisiike nke obi ha na-agbaso chi ndị ọzọ na-efe ma na-akpọkwa isiala nye ha. Ha ga-adịka belịt a, nke na-abakwaghị uru ọbụla.
11 Just like a waistcloth clings closely/tightly to a man’s waist, I wanted the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah to cling closely to me. I wanted them to be my people, people who would praise me and honor me. But they would not pay attention [to me]. “
Nʼihi na dịka belịt mmadụ kere nʼukwu ya si arapara ya nʼukwu, otu a ka m si mee ka ụlọ Izrel niile, na ụlọ Juda niile rapara m nʼahụ,’ ime ka ha ghọọ ndị m, ndị a ga-esite na ha bulie aha m elu, nye m otuto na nsọpụrụ. Ma ha ajụla ige ntị.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
12 “[So], tell this to them: ‘Yahweh, the God whom you Israeli [people worship], says that every leather wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And [when you tell that to them], they will reply, ‘(Of course/Certainly) we know [RHQ] that all wineskins should be filled with wine!’
Sị ha, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel kwuru: A ga-agbaju karama akpụkpọ ọbụla mmanya. Ọ bụrụ na ha sị gị, ‘Ọ bụ na anyị amaghị na a na-agbaju karama akpụkpọ ọbụla mmanya?’
13 And then you must tell them, ‘No, that is not what Yahweh means. What he said means that he will cause this land to be filled with people who are drunk. [That will include all of you]—the king who sits on the throne that King David previously sat on, the priests and the prophets, and even the common people of Jerusalem.’
Mgbe ahụ gwa ha, ‘Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu, Aga m eme ka ndị bi nʼala a ṅụbiga mmanya oke, ma onye eze na-anọkwasị nʼocheeze Devid, ma ndị nchụaja, na ndị amụma niile bi na Jerusalem.
14 [He is saying], ‘I will cause you to bash each other. [Even] parents will bash their children. I will not pity you or act mercifully toward you at all; pitying you will not prevent me from getting rid of you.’”
Aga m atụpịakwa ha, otu onye nʼelu ibe ya, nna na ụmụ ya nʼelu ibe ha kwa. Agaghị m ekwe ka obi ọmịiko, maọbụ obi ebere gbochie m ibibi ha.’” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
15 [You people of Judah], pay very careful attention [DOU]. Do not be proud, because Yahweh has spoken to you.
Nụrụnụ, geekwanụ ntị, unu ebulila onwe unu elu, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ekwuola ya.
16 [It is as though] he is ready to bring darkness on you and to cause you to stumble and fall [as you walk] on the hills when it is becoming dark. [So] praise/honor Yahweh your God before that happens. If you do not do that, you will look for light, but all you will see is darkness and gloom.
Nyenụ Onyenwe anyị Chineke unu nsọpụrụ. Tupu o mee ka ọchịchịrị dakwasị unu; tupu unu akpọbie ụkwụ unu nʼelu ugwu gbara ọchịchịrị. Unu na-ele anya ìhè ma ọ ga-eme ka ihe ahụ ghọọrọ unu oke ọchịchịrị. Ọ ga-agbanwe ihe ahụ, mee ka ọ ghọọ onyinyo ọnwụ.
17 And if you [still] refuse to heed what he says, [what will happen to you because of] your being proud will cause me to cry when I am alone. My eyes will be filled with tears because [you], Yahweh’s people, [whom he takes care of like a shepherd takes care of] [MET] his flock, will [all] be [captured by your enemies and] taken to other countries.
Ma ọ bụrụ na unu ajụ ige ntị. Ọ bụ na nzuzo ka m ga-anọ kwaa akwa nʼihi mpako unu. Anya mmiri ga-esi m nʼanya pụta; anya mmiri ga-esi na ya na-eruda nke ukwuu nʼihi na igwe atụrụ Onyenwe anyị ka a ga-adọta nʼagha.
18 [You people of Judah], say to the king and to his mother, “Come down from sitting on your thrones and [humbly] sit in the dust, because [your enemies] will soon snatch from your heads your glorious crowns.”
Gwanụ eze na nne eze okwu sị ha, “Sitenụ nʼocheeze unu rịdata, nʼihi na okpueze ọma unu ga-esi nʼisi unu dapụ.”
19 The towns in the southern part of Judah will be surrounded by your enemies, and no one will be able to get through their lines [to rescue the people in those towns]. [You people of] Judah will be captured and taken away; you will all be (exiled/taken [to foreign countries)].
A ga-emechi obodo niile nke Negeb. Ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-emeghe ha. A ga-adọtakwa Juda niile nʼagha buru ha kpamkpam buga ha nʼala ọzọ.
20 [You leaders of Jerusalem], open your eyes and look: [The enemy armies are ready to] march down from the north. [When that happens], what will happen to [RHQ] the [people of Judah who are like] a beautiful flock of sheep, people that he gave to you to take care of?
Welienụ anya unu ka unu hụrụ ndị ahụ si nʼugwu na-abịa. Ebee ka igwe ewu na atụrụ ndị ahụ e tinyere unu nʼaka nọ, igwe ewu na atụrụ ahụ unu ji na-anya isi?
21 What will you say [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you, people who you [mistakenly] thought were your friends? You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain, like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.
Gịnị ka ị ga-asị mgbe Onyenwe anyị mere ka ndị ahụ ị gụrụ dịka ndị enyi gị bịa buso gị agha? Ihe mgbu nke ga-abịakwasị gị ọ gaghị adị ka ihe mgbu na-abịakwasị nwanyị ime na-eme?
22 You will ask yourselves, “Why is this happening to us?” [I will reply that] it is because of your many sins. That is why [soldiers of the invading armies] will lift up the skirts [of your women] and rape them.
Mgbe ahụ, ị ga-ajụkwa obi gị ajụjụ sị, “Gịnị mere ihe ndị a ji dakwasị m?” Ọ bụ nʼihi ịba ụba nke mmehie gị ka e ji dọwaa uwe mwụda gị, merụọ gị ahụ nʼakụkụ ahụ gị niile.
23 A man from Ethiopia certainly cannot [RHQ] change the color of his [black] skin, and a leopard certainly cannot [RHQ] change its spots. Similarly, you cannot start doing what is good, because you have always done what is evil.
Onye Kush ọ pụrụ ịgbanwe akpụkpọ ahụ ya? Agụ ọ pụrụ ịgbanwe akpụkpọ ahụ ya tụrụ agwa agwa? Nʼụzọ dị otu a kwa, unu ndị ihe ọjọọ riri ahụ apụghị ime ezi ihe.
24 [Yahweh says], “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the wind from the desert.
“Aga m efesasị unu dịka ahịhịa ọka kpọrọ nkụ, nke oke ifufe si nʼọzara na-ebugharị.
25 That is what is certainly going to happen to you; the things that I have determined will happen to you, because you have forgotten me, and you are trusting in false [gods].
Nke a bụ ihe unu fetara na nza, oke nke m kwadoro si nʼaka m inye unu.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri. “Nʼihi na unu echefuola m, tụkwasị obi unu na chi okwu ụgha dị iche iche.
26 [It is as though] I myself will pull your skirts up over your faces and cause you to be very ashamed because everyone will be able to see your sex organs.
Ya mere, aga m ekpughepụ uwe i yi nʼahụ, jiri ya kpuchie gị ihu, si otu a gbaa gị ọtọ. Ihere ga-emekwa gị.
27 I have seen that you [act like men who are eager to commit adultery]; you are like male horses that whinny when they desire [to have sex with] a female horse. I have seen that you worship disgusting idols in the fields and on the hills. [You people of] Jerusalem, terrible things will happen to you! How long will it be [RHQ] until you are acceptable to me [again]?”
Mgbe ahụ, ịkwa iko gị niile ga-apụta ihe ya na agụụ ihe ọjọọ niile na-agụ gị, na ọnọdụ enweghị ihere nke ịgba akwụna gị niile! Nʼihi na ahụla m omume rụrụ arụ gị niile, nke ị na-eme nʼelu ugwu, na nʼime ọhịa. Ahụhụ dịrị gị, Jerusalem! Ruo ole mgbe ka ị ga-anọgide nʼime adịghị ọcha gị?”

< Jeremiah 13 >