< Jeremiah 18 >

1 Yahweh gave another message to me. [He said],
Pawòl ki te vini a Jérémie soti nan SENYÈ a ki te di:
2 “Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.”
“Leve desann lakay mèt krich la, e la Mwen va anonse pawòl Mwen yo a ou menm.”
3 So I went to that shop, and I saw the man who makes pots. He was working at the wheel [that he uses to form pots].
Konsa, mwen te desann lakay mèt krich la. E gade byen, li t ap fè yon bagay sou wou a.
4 But when he finished making one jar, it was not as good as he hoped/wanted it to be. [So], he took that clay and formed it into another jar, shaping it as he desired.
Men veso ke li t ap fè ak ajil la te gate nan men mèt krich la. Pou sa, li te refòme l fè yon lòt veso jan sa te fè l plezi fè a.
5 Then Yahweh gave me this message:
Pawòl SENYÈ a te vin kote mwen. Li te di:
6 “Perhaps the people of Israel [think that] I cannot do to them like this man who makes pots has done [RHQ]. [But what they think is wrong]. I [can control what happens to them like] this man [controls what he does with the clay] in his hands.
Èske Mwen pa kabab, O lakay Israël, aji avèk ou menm jan mèt krich la konn fè a? deklare SENYÈ a. Gade byen, tankou ajil la nan men mèt krich la a, se konsa ou ye nan men Mwen, O lakay Israël.
7 There may be a time when I proclaim that I will get rid of a nation or kingdom, [like someone] pulls up [a plant with its roots], and smashes it, and destroys it.
Nan yon moman, Mwen ka pale konsa konsènan yon nasyon, oswa konsènan yon wayòm pou dechouke li, pou jete li atè, oswa pou detwi li.
8 But if [the people of] that nation repent of doing evil things, I will not send to them the disasters that I planned to send.
Men si nasyon sa a ke Mwen te pale a, vin kite mechanste li a, Mwen va vin repanti konsènan gwo twoub ke m te gen entansyon fè rive l la.
9 And there may be a time when I proclaim that I will establish a nation or kingdom and cause it to be strong [MET].
Oswa, nan yon lòt moman, Mwen ka pale konsènan yon nasyon, oswa konsènan yon wayòm pou bati li, oswa pou etabli li.
10 But if [the people of] that nation [start to] do evil things and refuse to obey me, then I will not bless them as I said that I would do.
Men si li fè mal nan zye M e pa obeyi vwa M, alò, Mwen va repanti de byen nan ke M te fè pwomès fè yo.
11 Therefore, [Jeremiah, go and warn all] the people in Jerusalem and [in other places] in Judah. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “I am planning to cause you to experience a disaster [DOU]. [So], each of you should turn from your evil behavior and start doing what is right, [in order that you will not experience that disaster].”’’”
“Alò, pou sa, pale ak mesye Juda yo, ak moun ki rete Jérusalem yo. Di yo: ‘Konsa pale SENYÈ a: “Gade byen, Mwen ap prepare gwo malè kont nou, e Mwen ap fòme yon plan kont nou. Vire fè bak, nou chak, soti nan wout mechan li, e korije de zak nou yo.”’
12 [So I told that message to the people], but they replied, “It is useless [for you to tell us that]. We will [continue to] be stubborn and behave as we want to.”
Men yo va di: ‘Sa pa ka fèt! Paske nou ap swiv pwòp plan pa nou, e nou chak va aji selon pwòp panse a kè di nou.’
13 So, this is what Yahweh says: “Ask the [people who live in other] nations if they have [RHQ] ever heard of such a thing. My Israeli people, who [have been pure like] [MET] virgins, have done a terrible thing!
Akoz sa a, pale SENYÈ a: “Mande, koulye a, pami nasyon yo; se kilès ki konn tande yon koze konsa? Vyèj Israël la te fè yon bagay pi lèd pase tout bagay.
14 The snow certainly never [RHQ] completely disappears/melts from the rocky slopes of the mountains in Lebanon. The cold streams that flow down from those distant mountains never [RHQ] cease flowing.
Èske lanèj Liban konn fè fayit pou l pa kite wòch chan an a? Oswa èske dlo frèt ki koule soti depi lwen va vin sèch?
15 But my people [are not as reliable as those streams: ] They have abandoned me. They burn incense to [honor/worship] worthless idols. [It is as though] they have stumbled as they walked along very old roads that are good roads, and now, instead, they are walking on dirt paths.
Paske pèp Mwen an fin bliye Mwen. Yo brile lansan bay dye ki san valè yo. Yo chape tonbe kite chemen yo, soti nan chemen ansyen yo, pou mache nan vye ti wout, men pa sou gran chemen an.
16 Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss [to ridicule it]. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads [to show that they are shocked].
Y ap fè peyi nou vin yon dega, yon objè moun ap sifle. Tout sila ki pase ladann va etone pou sa e va souke tèt yo.
17 I will scatter the people when their enemies [attack them] like dust is scattered by an east wind. And when they experience all those difficulties/disasters, I will turn my back on them [and refuse] to help them.”
Tankou van lès, Mwen va gaye yo nèt devan lènmi an, Nan jou kalamite yo, Mwen va ba yo do m. Yo p ap wè figi M.
18 Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s plan to attack Jeremiah. We have [many] priests who teach us God’s laws, and wise men who give us good advice, and prophets who tell us [what will happen. We do not need Jeremiah!] So, let’s slander him and not pay attention to anything that he says.”
Konsa yo te di: “Vini! Annou fè konplo kont Jérémie! Anverite, lalwa a p ap pral pèdi de prèt la, ni konsèy a saj yo, ni pawòl sen a pwofèt la! Vini, annou frape li ak kout lang, e pa okipe okenn nan pawòl li yo.”
19 [Then I prayed], “Yahweh, [please] listen to me! And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.
Koute mwen, SENYÈ e, koute sa ke lènmi m yo ap di!
20 I am doing things that are good, so it is disgusting that [RHQ] they are paying me back by doing evil [things to me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into] and die. Do not forget that [one time] I stood in front of you and pleaded for you [to help them], and I tried to prevent you from [punishing them] [MTY], even though you were very angry with them.
Èske se ak mal ke yon moun dwe rekonpanse pou sa ki bon? Paske se yon fòs yo fin fouye pou mwen. Sonje kijan mwen te kanpe devan Ou, pou pale sa ki bon pou yo menm, pou m ta ka fè kòlè Ou vire kite yo.
21 So [now], allow their children to die from hunger! Or cause them to be killed by [their enemies’] swords! Cause their wives to become widows, whose children are all dead! Cause their [old] men to die in a plague, and cause their young men to be killed in battles!
Pou sa, livre pitit yo a gwo grangou e livre yo anba pouvwa nepe a. Kite madanm pa yo rete san pitit e vèv. Kite mesye yo tou vin frape a lanmò; e jennonm yo vin frape ak nepe nan batay la.
22 Cause people to scream in their homes when enemy soldiers suddenly come into their houses! [Cause all those things to happen to them] because they [want to kill me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into], and they have hidden traps along my path.
Pou yon gwo kri ka tande soti lakay yo lè sibitman, Ou mennen rive yon bann piyajè sou yo; paske yo te fouye yon fòs pou pran mwen, e te kache pèlen pou pye m.
23 Yahweh, you know all the things that they are planning to do to kill me. Do not forgive them for their crimes or blot out [the record of] their sins. Cause them to be destroyed; punish them because of your being angry [with them]!”
Malgre sa, Ou menm, O SENYÈ, Ou konnen tout manèv mòtèl yo kont mwen yo. Pa padone inikite pa yo, ni efase peche yo devan zye Ou. Men kite yo boulvèse nèt jis yo jete nèt devan Ou. Aji avèk yo nan lè kòlè Ou a!

< Jeremiah 18 >