< Jeremiah 23 >

1 Yahweh declares, “Terrible things will happen to [the leaders] [MET] [of my people—those who are like] shepherds of [the people who are like] my sheep—because they have scattered my people and sent them away, and have not taken care of them.
“Ahụhụ dịrị ndị ọzụzụ atụrụ ahụ na-achụsasị, ma na-ebibi igwe atụrụ m ha kwesiri ilekọtazi anya.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
2 So, this is what [I, ] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli [people worship], say to those leaders: ‘Instead of taking care of my people and [leading them to places where they are safe, like a shepherd does for] his sheep, you have scattered them. So I will punish you for the evil things that you have done.
Ya mere, ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Izrel na-agwa ndị ọzụzụ atụrụ ahụ na-elekọta ndị m, “Ebe ọ bụ na unu akpasasịala igwe ewu na atụrụ m, chụsaa ha, kama ilekọtazi ha anya nke ọma, aga m ata unu ahụhụ nʼihi ihe ọjọọ ndị a unu mere.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
3 But later I will gather those who are still alive, from the countries where I have forced them to go. I will bring them back to their own country, where they will have many children, and their number/population will increase.
“Mụ onwe m ga-eji aka m chịkọta ndị m fọdụrụ nʼigwe ewu na atụrụ m site na mba ahụ niile m chụgara ha, kpọghachikwa ha nʼebe ịta nri ha, ebe ha ga-anọ mụbaa, dị ukwuu nʼọnụọgụgụ.
4 [Then] I will appoint [other] leaders for my people, leaders who will take care of them. And my people will never be afraid [DOU] of anything again, and none of them will be [like a] lost [sheep].’”
Aga m ahọpụtakwa ndị ọzụzụ atụrụ, ndị ga-elekọtazi ha anya. Egwu agaghị atụ ha, ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-emenye ha ụjọ. O nwekwaghị onye ga-akpafu akpafu nʼime ha.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.
5 Yahweh [also] says, “Some day I will appoint for you a righteous man who will be a descendant of King David. He will be a king who rules wisely. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
“Ụbọchị ndị ahụ na-abịa,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, “mgbe m ga-eme ka Ngalaba na-eme ezi omume bilie nʼezinaụlọ Devid. Ọ ga-abụ Eze ga-eji amamihe chịa ndị ya. Ọ ga-eme ezi ihe, kpeekwa ikpe ziri ezi nʼala ahụ.
6 At that time, all the Israeli people [DOU] will be saved [from their enemies], and they will be safe. And his name will be ‘Yahweh, the one who vindicates/defends us.’”
Nʼụbọchị, ya ka a ga-azọpụta Juda, Izrel ga-ebikwa nʼudo. Nke a bụ aha a ga-akpọ ya: Onyenwe anyị Onye Nzọpụta, bụ Ezi omume Anyị.
7 Yahweh [also] says that at that time, people [who are solemnly promising to do something] will no longer say, “[I will do it as surely] as Yahweh lives, who rescued the Israeli people from Egypt.”
“Nʼihi nke a, ụbọchị ahụ na-abịa,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, “mgbe ndị mmadụ na-agaghị asịkwa ọzọ, ‘Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, bụ onye sitere nʼala Ijipt dupụta ndị Izrel,’
8 Instead, they will say, “[I will do it] as surely as Yahweh lives, who brought [us] Israeli people back to our own land, from the land to the northeast and from all the [other] countries to which he had exiled us.” And they will live in their own land [again].
ma ha ga-asị, ‘Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ, bụ onye ahụ kpọlatara agbụrụ Izrel site nʼala dị nʼugwu, na mba dị iche iche ebe ọ chụgara ha.’ Mgbe ahụ, ha ga-ebi nʼala nke aka ha.”
9 I am very shocked because of the sacred message that Yahweh has spoken about [what will happen to] the [false] prophets; [it is as though] all my bones shake. I stagger like a man who is drunk after drinking a lot of wine.
Ma banyere ndị amụma, obi m na-agbawa nʼime m, ọkpụkpụ m na-amakwa jijiji nʼihi ha. Adị m dịka nwoke mmanya na-egbu, dịka onye ṅụbigara mmanya oke, nʼihi ihe na-eche ha site nʼaka Onyenwe anyị, na site nʼokwu nsọ ya.
10 The land is full of [people who commit] adultery; and [Yahweh] has cursed the land. Even the pastures in the desert are all dried up, because the people do what is evil, and [the false prophets] use their power to do things that are not just/fair.
Ndị jupụtara nʼala a bụ ndị na-akwa iko. Nʼihi ịbụ ọnụ ndị a niile ala a tọgbọrọ nʼefu, ahịhịa niile dị nʼọzara akpọnwụọla. Ndị amụma na-agbasokwa ihe ọjọọ. Ha na-egosikwa ike ha nʼụzọ na-ezighị ezi.
11 Yahweh says, “[Yes, even] the priests and the prophets are ungodly; they do wicked things even in my temple.
“Nʼihi na ndị amụma na ndị nchụaja aghọọla ndị na-amaghị Chineke. Ọ bụladị nʼime ụlọnsọ ukwu m ka m na-ahụ ajọ omume ha.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
12 Therefore, [it will be as though] the paths that they walk on are slippery. [It will be as though] they are being chased in the darkness, and there they will fall down, because I will cause them to experience disasters at the time that I will punish them. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
“Nʼihi ya, ụzọ ha na-agbaso ga-adị ka ebe na-amị amị; a ga-achụbanye ha nʼọchịchịrị ebe ahụ ka ha ga-anọkwa daa. Aga m eme ka ihe mbibi bịakwasị ha nʼafọ ahụ, a ga-ata ha ahụhụ.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya.
13 [Previously] I saw that the prophets in Samaria were doing something that was wrong; they were prophesying, saying that Baal [gave them the messages that they were proclaiming], and they were deceiving my people.
“Ahụrụ m ihe arụ nʼetiti ndị amụma Sameria: Ha buru amụma site nʼike chi Baal, si otu a duba ndị m, bụ Izrel na mmehie.
14 And [now] I have seen the prophets in Jerusalem doing terrible things. They commit adultery and habitually tell lies. They encourage evil people to continue to do evil things, with the result that the people do not stop sinning. Those prophets are as wicked as the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were.
Ahụkwara m ihe jọgburu onwe ya nʼetiti ndị amụma nọ na Jerusalem. Ha na-ebi ndụ ịkwa iko, na ikwu okwu ụgha. Ha na-agba ndị ajọ omume ume, si otu a na-egbochi ha isi nʼihe ọjọọ ha tụgharịa. Ha niile dịka ndị Sọdọm nʼebe m nọ; ndị Jerusalem dịkwa ka ndị Gọmọra nʼihu m.”
15 So, this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says about those [false] prophets: “I will give those prophets bitter things to eat and poison to drink, because it is because of them that this land is filled with [people who do] wicked things.”
Nʼihi nke a, ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru banyere ndị amụma a, “Aga m eme ka ha rie nri na-akụ ilu, meekwa ka ha ṅụọ mmiri e tinyere nsi, nʼihi na mmụọ nke amaghị Chineke esitela nʼaka ndị amụma nọ na Jerusalem gbasaa ruo ndị niile bi nʼala ahụ.”
16 This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Do not pay any attention to what those [false] prophets say to you, because they are just deceiving you. They tell you about visions that they have thought/created [only] in their own minds, not about visions that I have given them.
Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru, “Unu aṅala ntị nʼihe ndị amụma ahụ na-eburu unu nʼamụma, nʼihi na olileanya ha na-ewetara unu abụghị ezi olileanya. Ọhụ ha na-agwa unu na ha hụrụ bụ ihe ha chepụtara nʼobi ha, o sighị nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị rute ha
17 They habitually say to those who hate me, ‘[Yahweh says that] you will have peace.’ And they say to those who stubbornly do what they want to do, ‘Nothing bad will happen to you [because of your doing those things].’
Ha na-anọgide na-agwa ndị ahụ na-elelị m anya na-asị ha, ‘Onyenwe anyị kwuru sị, unu ga-enwe udo.’ Ndị ahụ niile na-agbasokwa ụzọ isiike nke obi ha tụpụtara, ka ha na-agwakwa okwu sị, ‘O nweghị ihe ọjọọ ga-abịakwasị gị.’
18 But none of them has ever been in a council [meeting] in heaven in order to listen to a message from me. None of them has paid attention to anything that [I], Yahweh, have said.
Ma olee onye ọ bụ nʼetiti ndị amụma a nke na-abịaru Onyenwe anyị nso, hụ ya anya maọbụ ịnụ ihe ọ na-ekwu? Onye kwa nʼetiti ha nwerela ike ṅaa ntị nụrụ okwu ya?
19 So, listen to this: I will punish them; it will be [like] a great storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of those wicked people.
Lee, Onyenwe anyị na-ezite oke ifufe na-efesi ike, ọ bụ oke ifufe nke iwe ya, nke ga-abịa bufuo ndị ajọ omume a.
20 I will not stop being angry until I completely accomplish all that I have planned. In the future, you will understand [all of] this clearly.”
Onyenwe anyị agaghị akwụsị iwe iwe ya tutu ruo mgbe o mezuru ihe niile dị ya nʼobi. Nʼụbọchị ndị ahụ na-abịa nʼihu, unu ga-aghọta ihe ndị a niile nke ọma.
21 [Yahweh also says, ] “I have not appointed those prophets, but they run [around telling people their messages]. I did not speak to them, but they [continue to] prophesy.
Ọ bụghị m zitere ndị amụma a, ma ha na-ekwu na ọ bụ okwu si m nʼọnụ ka ha na-ekwu. O nwebeghị oge m ji gwa ha okwu, ma ha nọkwa na-ebu amụma.
22 If they had been in my council [meetings], they would have been able to speak messages from me, and they would have caused people to turn away from committing evil things.”
A sị na ha abịala nso guzo nʼebe ịgba izu nzuzo m, ha gaara ekwusara ndị m okwu m, nke gaara eme ka ha site nʼajọ omume ha tụgharịa, sitekwa nʼụzọ ọjọọ ha chigharịa.
23 Yahweh [also] says, “Am I a God who is only nearby? No, I am a God who is far away, also.
“Abụ m naanị Chineke na-anọ ha nso, ma adịghị m anọ nʼebe dị anya?” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
24 So, no one can hide in some secret place with the result that I cannot see him. I am everywhere, in heaven and on the earth! [That is what I], Yahweh, say!
“O nwere onye pụrụ izo onwe ya nʼebe nzuzo nke m na-enweghị ike ịhụ anya?” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara. “Ọ bụ na m anọghị nʼebe niile nʼeluigwe nakwa nʼụwa?” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
25 I have heard those prophets prophesy lies, saying that they are telling people messages from me. They say, ‘[Listen to me tell you] the dream that God gave me last night! I [really] had this dream!’
“Anụla m ka ndị amụma a, bụ ndị na-ebu amụma ụgha nʼaha m na-ekwu na-asị, ‘Arọrọ m nrọ! Arọrọ m nrọ!’
26 How long will they continue to do this? How long will those lying prophets continue to prophesy things that come only from their own minds?
Ruo ole mgbe ka ihe dị otu a ga-adịgide nʼobi ndị amụma ndị a, ndị na-ebu amụma aghụghọ dị ha nʼobi?
27 They think that because of the dreams that they tell to each other, people will forget me, like their ancestors forgot about me when they started to worship Baal.
Ha na-eche na nrọ ha na-akọrịtara ibe ha ga-eme ka ndị mmadụ chezọọ aha m, dịka ndị nna nna ha si chezọọ aha m site nʼịkpọ isiala nye Baal.
28 Allow those [false] prophets to tell people their dreams, but those who have messages that [really] come from me should proclaim those messages faithfully. I, Yahweh, say [that like] straw and grain are certainly very different, [my messages and the messages from those false prophets are certainly very different].
Ka onye amụma ahụ rọrọ nrọ kọgharịa nro ọ rọrọ. Otu a kwa, ka onye ahụ okwu m dị nʼọnụ ya nọgidekwa na-ekwusa ya nʼeziokwu. Nʼihi na gịnị ka okporo ọka na mkpụrụ ọka nwekọrọ?” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
29 [It is as though] my messages [burn] like a fire; they [strike people’s inner beings like] someone strikes a rock with a hammer and smashes it into pieces.
“Okwu m ọ dịghị ka ọkụ? Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, Okwu m ọ dịkwaghị ka okporo igwe nke na-etiwasị nkume?”
30 Therefore, [I, ] Yahweh say, 'I oppose all those prophets who steal messages from each other and claim that those messages came from me.
Nʼihi ya, Onyenwe anyị kwubiri sị, “Ana m edo onwe m megide ndị amụma na-esite nʼọnụ ibe ha na-ezute okwu ha na-ekwu, ma na-asị na ọ bụ nʼọnụ m ka ha si nata ya.
31 I oppose those prophets who speak their own messages but claim that those messages came from me.
E, otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, Ana m edo onwe m megide ndị amụma ahụ ire ha na-ekwu ọtụtụ okwu, ndị ahụ na-asịkwa, ‘Ọ bụ ihe si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị pụta.’
32 I oppose those prophets who falsely say that I told them something in a vision, but they are [only] telling lies that cause my people to sin. I did not send those prophets. I did not even appoint them [to be prophets]. And they have no messages that will benefit my people at all.' [That is what I, ] Yahweh, declare.”
Nʼezie, ana m edo onwe m megide ndị ahụ niile na-ebu amụma nro ụgha.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara. “Ha ji okwu ụgha ha na-agwa ndị m okwu, na-eduhie ha, ma ọ bụghị m họpụtara ha. Ọ bụkwaghị m zitere ha. Okwu ha adịghịkwa abara ndị m uru ọbụla.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
33 [Yahweh said to me], “If one of those prophets or priests or one of the [other] people asks you, ‘What problem has Yahweh told you about [now]?’, you must reply, ‘You are the problem! And Yahweh says that he will abandon you!’
“Mgbe ndị a, maọbụ ndị amụma ha, maọbụ ndị nchụaja ha, jụrụ gị ajụjụ sị gị, ‘Gịnị bụ ozi i si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị nata?’ Ị ga-asa ha sị, ‘Ozi nke ole? Aga m agbakụta unu azụ, ya bụ ihe Onyenwe anyị kwubiri.’
34 And if any prophet or priest or anyone [else falsely] says, ‘[I have] a prophecy from Yahweh,’ I will punish that person and his family.
Ọ bụrụ na onye amụma maọbụ onye nchụaja maọbụ onye ọbụla ọzọ ekwuo sị, ‘Ihe dị otu a bụ ozi si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị,’ aga m ata onye ahụ kwuru okwu ahụ na ndị ezinaụlọ ya ahụhụ.
35 What you should continually ask each other is, ‘[When you spoke to Yahweh, ] what did he reply? What is he saying [to us]?’
Ihe ndị a bụ ihe unu na-agwarịta onwe unu nʼotu nʼotu. Ọ bụ ihe enyi na-agwa enyi ya, na ihe nwanna na-agwa nwanna Izrel ibe ya. Unu na-asị, ‘Gịnị bụ ọsịsa Onyenwe anyị nyere?’ maọbụ, ‘Gịnị bụ okwu e si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị nata?’
36 But stop saying ‘[I have] a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ because those who say that are doing it only because they want people to accept their ideas, and by doing that they distort/change the messages that are from our God, the Commander of the armies of angels.
Kwụsịnụ ịjụgharị ajụjụ banyere ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru, nʼihi na okwu onye ọbụla nʼime unu kwuru na-aghọrọ onye ahụ ihe si nʼọnụ Onyenwe anyị pụta. Site nʼụzọ dị otu a unu na-agbanwe ma na-asụgharịkwa okwu Chineke dị ndụ isi, bụ okwu Onyenwe anyị, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, onye bụ Chineke anyị.
37 This is what you should ask each prophet: ‘What did Yahweh reply [when you talked to him]? What is he saying [to us]?’
Ihe ndị a niile bụ ihe unu na-ajụkarị onye amụma, ‘Gịnị bụ ọsịsa Onyenwe anyị nyere gị? Maọbụ, gịnị ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru?’
38 If he replies, ‘[What I told you] is a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ you should say to him, ‘You have continued to say, “[I received] a prophecy/message from Yahweh” even though I told you to not claim that you have received prophecies/messages from Yahweh.’
Ọ bụ ezie na unu na-ekwu sị, ‘Ihe ndị a bụ ozi si nʼaka Onyenwe anyị,’ ma lee ihe Onyenwe anyị na-ekwu: Unu na-ekwu okwu ndị a, ‘Ihe a bụ ozi si nʼaka Onyenwe anyị,’ ọ bụladị mgbe m gwarala unu si unu asịkwala ‘Ihe ndị a bụ ozi nʼaka Onyenwe anyị.’
39 So I [, Yahweh, ] will get rid of you [false prophets]. I will expel you from my presence. And I will get rid of this city that I gave to you and to your ancestors.
Ya mere, mụ onwe m ga-echezo unu kpamkpam ma sitekwa nʼihu m chụpụ unu na obodo a nke m nyere unu na nna nna unu ha.
40 I will cause people to make fun of you forever. People will never forget that you were disgraced.”
Aga m eme ka ịta ụta ebighị ebi bịakwasị unu. Aga m etinyekwa unu nʼọnọdụ ihere nke ga-adịgide ruo ebighị ebi, e, ọnọdụ ihere nke a na-agaghị echefu echefu.”

< Jeremiah 23 >