< Jeremiah 2 >

1 Yahweh gave me another message
Seyè a pale avè m', li di m' konsa:
2 [to proclaim to everyone in Jerusalem. He said that I should tell them this] [MET]: “I, Yahweh, remember that you very much wanted to please me [long ago]. [You tried to please me like] a bride [tries to please her husband]; You loved me, and you followed me through the desert [DOU].
-Ale non. Men mesaj ou pral bay nan zòrèy tout moun lavil Jerizalèm. Men sa Seyè a di: Mwen chonje jan ou te ye nan tan lontan, jan ou t'ap mouri pou mwen lè ou te jenn, jan ou te renmen m' lè nou te fèk marye. Ou te swiv mwen nan dezè a, kote anyen pa pouse.
3 [At that time you] Israelis (were set apart/belonged only) to me; [you belonged to me like] the first part of the harvests belong to me [MET]. I promised to punish all those who harmed you, my people, and truly I did send disasters on them. [That happened because I], Yahweh, said [that it would happen].”
Lè sa a, moun Izrayèl yo te yon pèp ki t'ap viv apa pou mwen ase, tankou premye rekòt jaden yo mete apa pou mwen. Malè te tonbe sou tout moun ki te manyen yo paske se avè m' yo te annafè. Se mwen menm, Seyè a, ki di sa.
4 So, you [descendants of] [MTY] Jacob, all you people of [MTY] Israel,
Nou menm, moun fanmi Jakòb yo, nou menm tout moun branch fanmi pèp Izrayèl la, koute mesaj Seyè a!
5 listen to what Yahweh says: “(What sin did I commit [RHQ] that caused your ancestors to turn far away from me?/Though your ancestors found no fault in me, they turned far away from me.) They worshiped worthless idols, and they themselves became worthless.
Men sa Seyè a voye di nou: -Kisa mwen te fè zansèt nou yo ki mal kifè yo te vire do ban mwen? Yo pran mache dèyè yon bann zidòl ki pa vo anyen. Yo menm tou, yo vin pa vo anyen.
6 They did not say, ‘Yahweh brought us [safely] out of Egypt, and he led us through a desert where there were a lot of pits; he led us where there was no water and where it was very dangerous, through a land where no one lives, and no one even travels. (So where is Yahweh now?/So he should be helping us now!) [RHQ]’
Yo pa chonje reve mande kote Seyè a, li menm ki te fè nou moute soti nan peyi Lejip la, li menm ki te louvri chemen pou nou nan dezè a, nan yon peyi tè sèk, plen twou, yon peyi san dlo, plen danje, kote moun pa rete, kote moun pa menm pase.
7 And when I brought you into a very fertile land, in order that you could enjoy [all] the fruit and [other] good things that you would harvest, you caused the land that I promised to give to you to be unfit for me and to become disgusting/detestable to me.
Mwen fè nou antre nan yon peyi kote ki gen bèl jaden pou nou te ka manje tout bon rekòt ak tout lòt bon bagay li yo. Men, lè nou rive ladan l', nou pa respekte peyi a. Nou fè peyi mwen te ban nou an tounen yon peyi ki ban m' degoutans.
8 [Your] priests also did not say, ‘(Where is Yahweh now?/Yahweh should be helping us now!)’ [RHQ] Those who teach/explain my laws do not [want to] know me, and [your] leaders have rebelled against me. [Your] prophets gave you messages from [their god] Baal, and they worship worthless idols.”
Prèt yo pa janm mande kote Seyè a? Yo menm mwen te fè konnen lòd mwen yo, yo pa konnen m' ankò. Chèf yo trayi m'. Pwofèt yo pale nan non Baal. Y'ap kouri dèyè zidòl ki pa ka fè anyen pou yo.
9 “So, I will accuse you in court. [In future years], I will say what your children and your grandchildren have done that is wrong. [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said [that it will happen].
Se konsa, mwen menm Seyè a, mwen pral plede ak nou ankò. Se mwen menm, Seyè a, ki di sa. Mwen pral plede ak pitit pitit nou yo.
10 If you go [west] to the island of Cyprus, or if you go [east] to Kedar [land, ] and if you ask people in those places, they will tell you that no people [from their countries] have ever done the wicked things that you people have done!
Ale bò solèy kouche, rive jouk sou zile Chip. Voye moun nan peyi Keda, bò solèy leve. N'a wè sa k'ap pase isit la pa janm rive lòt kote anvan sa.
11 The people of no other nation have ever [RHQ] abandoned their gods that they thought were glorious and started to worship gods that are not really gods, but you people have abandoned me, your glorious God, and are worshiping gods that are useless.
Lòt nasyon yo pa janm chanje bondye yo, malgre se pa t' bondye tout bon yo te ye. Men, pèp mwen an te pito zidòl ki pa ka fè anyen pou yo pase mwen menm, Bondye ki te fè bèl bagay pou yo a.
12 [It is as though everything in] the sky is surprised and dismayed/appalled [about what you have done]; [it is as though] they tremble because they are very horrified.
Se pou syèl la pantan lè li tande sa! Se pou l' tranble. Se pou l' rete sezi! Se mwen menm Seyè a ki di sa.
13 [You], my people, have done two evil things: You have rejected me, the one who is [like] [MET] a fountain [where you can obtain] fresh water, and you [are worshiping gods that are like] [MET] pits in the ground that are cracked and which are not able to hold any water.
Paske pèp mwen an fè de kalite peche: Yo vire do ban mwen, mwen menm sous dlo fre a. Y' ale fè rezèvwa pou dlo. Rezèvwa yo tou fann, yo pa ka kenbe dlo.
14 You Israeli people, you were certainly not [RHQ] slaves when you were born; you were captured [by your enemies].
Se pa esklav moun pèp Izrayèl yo ye. Ni yo pa fèt nan esklavaj. Poukisa atò lènmi ap bwote yo ale konsa?
15 [Your enemies] [MET] roared [like] lions, and they destroyed your land. [Now] your towns have been burned, and no one lives in them.
Y'ap gwonde sou li tankou lyon, y'ap rele byen fò. Yo fè peyi a tounen yon savann. Yo mete dife nan tout lavil li yo. Pa rete yon moun ladan yo.
16 Soldiers from Memphis and Tahpenes, [cities in Egypt], have [defeated you] [and] shaved your heads [to show that you are their slaves].
Ata moun Menmfis yo ak moun Tapanès yo ap kale tèt yo.
17 But it is [RHQ] because you abandoned [me], Yahweh, that these disasters have happened to you.
Se nou menm ki chache sa, paske nou vire do bay Seyè a, Bondye nou an, antan li t'ap moutre nou chemen pou nou pran an.
18 So (why are you trying to make an alliance with [MET] the rulers of Egypt?/it certainly will not help you to make an alliance with the rulers of Egypt) [RHQ]. Why are you trying to make an alliance with [MET] the rulers of Assyria who live near the [Euphrates] River?
Koulye a, kisa nou kwè n'a jwenn lè nou pran chemen Lejip pou n al bwè dlo nan larivyè Nil? Kisa ou kwè n'a jwenn lè nou pran chemen Lasiri pou n al bwè dlo nan larivyè Lefrat?
19 [It is because] you have been [very] wicked that I [PRS] will punish you. It is because you have turned away from me that I [PRS] will condemn you. [When I do that], you will realize that painful and evil [DOU] things will happen to you because you have forsaken [me], Yahweh, your God, and you no [longer] revere me. [That will certainly happen because] I, Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, have said it.
Se mal nou fè a k'ap tounen yon fwèt pou nou! Se vire nou vire do ban mwen an k'ap kondannen nou! Se pou nou konnen jan sa pa dous, jan sa pa bon pou nou vire do ban mwen, Seyè a, Bondye nou an, pou nou sispann gen krentif pou mwen. Se mwen menm, Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a, ki di sa.
20 Long ago, you stopped obeying [me] [MET], and you would not allow [me] to lead you [MET]; you refused to worship [me]. Instead, you worship idols that are under trees on the top of every hill, and your young women have sex with [EUP] [men at those places].
Izrayèl, gen lontan depi ou pa rekonèt otorite m' ankò! W'ap manje kòd, w'ap di: Mwen p'ap sèvi Seyè a. Lèfini, sou tout ti mòn anba tout gwo pyebwa ou nan dezòd, w'ap fè sèvis pou lòt bondye.
21 [It is as though] [MET] you were a grapevine that I planted when it was a cutting from a very good vine. So now it is disgusting that [RHQ] you have become [like] a rotten worthless vine.
Mwen te plante ou tankou yon pye rezen kalite, ki soti nan bon semans. Men koulye a, gade jan ou chanje: Ou tounen yon vye pye rezen mawon. M' pa konnen kote ou soti.
22 Your guilt from your sins is like [MET] very bad stains on a cloth, and you cannot get rid of those stains even by using very strong soap. [This is true because I], Yahweh, have said it.
Ou te mèt lave kò ou ak gwo savon, ou te mèt fwote kò ou ak potas, m'ap toujou wè kras malpwòpte ou yo sou ou. Se mwen menm Seyè a, Bondye a, ki di sa.
23 You say that you have not sinned. You say ‘We have not become unacceptable to God; we have not worshiped Baal.’ But think about [the disgusting things that you do very eagerly] in [Hinnom] Valley [outside Jerusalem]. You are like desperate female camels, running here and there [to find male camels to have sex with].
Ki jan ou fè ka di ou nan kondisyon pou fè sèvis pou mwen, ou pa janm kouri dèyè Baal yo? Gade tout vye makakri w'ap fè nan fon an! Rekonèt sa ou fè a non! Ou tankou yon jenn fenmèl chamo ki lage nan bwa, w'ap kouri adwat agoch.
24 You are [like] wild female donkeys in the desert. They sniff the air to find where the male donkeys are, and no one can [RHQ] restrain them. The male donkeys that want them do not become tired searching for them, because at mating time they find them [easily].
Ou tankou yon fenmèl bourik mawon nan savann. Lè li an chalè, l'ap pran sant van an. Lè li bezwen kwaze, ki moun ki ka kenbe l'? Mal yo pa bezwen bat kò yo pou yo jwenn li. Depi se mwa li, y'ap jwenn li.
25 You constantly run here and there [to find idols to worship], with the result that your sandals are worn out, and your throats have become dry. [I told you to stop doing that], but you said, ‘We cannot stop, because we love foreign gods, and we must worship them.’”
Izrayèl, manyè sispann! W'ap plede fatige janm ou yo! Gòj ou ap fin chèch! Men w'ap di: Non! M' pa kab fè anyen pou sa! Mwen renmen bondye lòt nasyon yo. Fòk m' al dèyè yo.
26 [Yahweh says this]: “A robber is disgraced when he is caught. And all of you, including your kings and priests and prophets, are similarly disgraced.
Menm jan yon vòlè wont lè yo bare l', se konsa moun pèp Izrayèl yo pral wont, ni wa yo, ni chèf yo, ni prèt yo, ni pwofèt yo!
27 You say to [a piece of] wood [that is carved to become a sacred idol], ‘You are our father!’ And you say to a stone [that you have set up], ‘You are our mother!’ You have rejected [IDM] me, but when you experience troubles, you cry out to me to rescue you.
Yo rele pyebwa yo papa! Yo rele wòch yo manman m' ki fè m'! Wi, yo pito vire ban m' do, pase pou yo tounen vin jwenn mwen. Men, depi yo nan traka, y'ap rele: -Seyè, leve non! Vin delivre nou!
28 Why do you not [RHQ] cry out to the gods that you made? You have as many gods as you have cities [and towns] in Judah. So why do you not plead with them to rescue you when you experience disasters?
Men, nou menm moun Jida yo, kote bondye nou te fè pou nou yo? Lè nou nan traka, se yo ki pou leve vin delivre nou, si yo kapab! Moun Jida, nou gen yon bondye nan chak lavil nou yo!
29 You complain that it was wrong for me [not to have rescued you], but you have all rebelled against me.
Poukisa n'ap plede avè m' konsa? Nou tout nou kenbe tèt avè m'. Se mwen menm, Seyè a, ki di sa!
30 I punished some of you, but you did not learn anything from my doing that. You have killed many of the prophets that I [sent to you], like [SIM] fierce lions kill [other animals].
Mwen te pini pitit nou yo, men sa pa t' sèvi anyen. Nou pa t' dakò pou m' te korije nou! Tankou lyon ki fin wè mò, nou rale nepe nou yo, nou touye pwofèt nou yo.
31 You people of Israel, pay attention to what I say. I have certainly [RHQ] never [abandoned you] in a desert; I have never [left you] in a land full of darkness. So, why do you, my people, say ‘We are free from God’s control; we will not return to [worship] God any more’?
(Nou menm k'ap viv koulye a, koute byen sa Seyè a ap di a.) Pèp Izrayèl, èske mwen te tankou yon dezè pou nou, tankou yon kote ki fènwa anpil? Poukisa atò pou nou di: -Nou granmoun tèt nou, nou p'ap janm tounen vin jwenn ou ankò!
32 A young woman would certainly never [RHQ] forget [to wear] her jewelry, and a bride would never [RHQ] forget to wear her wedding dress, but you my people have forgotten me for many years.
Eske yon jenn fi ka bliye bijou li yo? Eske yon lamarye ka bliye rad nòs li? Men, pèp mwen an bliye m', m' pa ka konte depi kilè.
33 You know how to easily find [gods from other countries] whom you can love. You can find them as easily as a prostitute [can find men to sleep with].
Ou konnen byen sa pou ou fè lè w'ap kouri dèyè gason. Lè konsa, nanpwen krim ou p'ap fè.
34 Although you have on your clothes the blood of poor people whom you have murdered, people who (were innocent/had not done things that are wrong),
Rad ou yo tache ak san pòv ansanm ak san inonsan, moun ou pa t' bare ap fè anyen ki mal. Malgre tou sa,
35 you say ‘We have not done anything that is wrong; so surely [Yahweh] is not angry with us.’ But I will punish [MTY] you [severely] for saying ‘We have not sinned.’
w'ap plede di ou pa antò. Seyè a pa fache avè ou ankò. Men, mwen menm Seyè a, mwen pral pini ou paske ou refize rekonèt ou te fè sa ou pa t' dwe fè.
36 Previously you requested [the army of] Assyria to help you, but they were not able to help you. Now you have requested [the army of] Egypt to help you, but they will not be able to help you, either.
Gade jan w'ap avili tèt ou, lè w'ap kouri dèyè bondye lòt nasyon yo! W'ap pran wont nan men peyi Lejip menm jan sa te rive ou avèk peyi Lasiri.
37 They will capture you, and you will be [their prisoners] [MTY], led to Egypt, [very ashamed] with your hands on your heads. That will happen because I, Yahweh, have rejected those [nations] that you are relying on, and they will not be able to help you at all.”
W'a vire do ou kite peyi Lejip. Avèk men ou, w'a bouche figi ou tèlman w'a wont. Mwen menm, Seyè a, mwen voye moun ou fè konfyans yo jete. Yo p'ap ka fè anyen pou ou.

< Jeremiah 2 >