Jeremiah 4
1 Yahweh says, “You Israeli [people], come back to me! If you get rid of those detestable idols and do not turn away from me [again],
“Ọ bụrụ na unu bụ Izrel, ga-alọta, ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, mụ ka ị ga-alọghachikwute,” “Ọ bụrụ na unu ewezuga arụsị ndị ahụ rụrụ arụ site nʼihu m, hapụ isi ebe m nọ kpafuo,
2 and if you declare, ‘Just as surely as Yahweh lives, what he says is true,’ and if you [start to] always say what is true and act justly/fairly and righteously, then the [people in the other] nations [of the world] will request that I bless them [as I have blessed you], and they will [all come and] honor/praise me.”
ọ bụrụkwa na unu ga-eji eziokwu, ikpe ziri ezi na ụzọ ezi omume ṅụọ iyi sị, ‘Dịka Onyenwe anyị na-adị ndụ,’ mgbe ahụ mba niile ga-agọzi onwe ha site na ya nyakwaa isi nʼime ya.”
3 This is what Yahweh says to the people of Jerusalem and [the other cities in] Judah: “[Prepare yourselves to receive my messages] like farmers plow up hard ground [in order that they can plant seed in it]. Just as farmers do not [waste good seed by] sowing seeds among thorny plants, [I do not want to waste my time telling you messages that you are not ready to receive].
Ihe ndị a ka Onyenwe anyị na-agwa ndị Juda na Jerusalem sị, “Kọzeenụ ala ubi unu nke unu na-akọbeghị; unu akụnyela mkpụrụ ubi unu nʼetiti ogwu.
4 Purify your inner beings and your minds for me. If you do not do that, my being angry with you [MTY] because of [all] the sins that you have committed will be like a fire that will be impossible to extinguish.”
Bienụ onwe unu ugwu nye Onyenwe anyị, biekwanụ mkpụrụobi unu ugwu, unu ndị Juda na ndị bi na Jerusalem ma ọ bụghị otu a, iwe m ga-abịakwasị unu dịka ọkụ, nʼihi ihe ọjọọ niile unu mere, ọ ga-ere ma ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-emenyụ ya.
5 “Declare this [DOU] to [all the people in] Jerusalem and [the rest of] Judea; blow the trumpets everywhere in the land [to warn the people]. Tell them that they should flee to the cities that have high walls around them.
“Kwupụta ya na Juda, kwusaa ya na Jerusalem sị, ‘Fụọnụ opi nʼala ahụ niile.’ Tienụ mkpu nʼụzọ mmadụ ga-aghọta ya. Gwanụ ndị Juda na Jerusalem ka ha zukọtaa gbaga nʼobodo ndị ahụ niile e wusiri ike.
6 Shout to the people of Jerusalem, ‘Run away [now]! Do not delay, because I am about to cause you to experience a terrible disaster [DOU] that will come from the north.
Bulie ihe i gosi ụzọ ị ga Zayọn! Gbaganụ zoo onwe unu. Unu atụfula oge! Lee na mụ onwe m na-ewebata mbibi na ịla nʼiyi site nʼakụkụ ugwu.”
7 [An army] that has destroyed [many] nations will attack you [like] [MET] a lion that comes out of its den [to attack other animals]. [The soldiers of that army] have taken down their tents and they are ready to march toward your land. They will destroy your cities and leave them without any people still living in them.’
Dịka ọdụm si nʼebe o zoro onwe ya amapụta, ka onye a na-ebibi mba niile si abịa. Ọ hapụla ebe obibi ya, na-abịa ịla Juda nʼiyi. Ọ ga-etidasị obodo niile nke Juda, ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-ebi nʼime ha.
8 So, put on sackcloth/rough clothes and weep and beat your chests [to show that you are very sorry for what you have done], because Yahweh is still very angry with us.
Ya mere, yikwasịnụ onwe unu uwe mkpe; kwaanụ akwa, tiekwanụ mkpu akwa, nʼihi na ọnụma Onyenwe anyị esitebeghị nʼebe Juda nọ wezuga onwe ya.
9 Yahweh said that at the time [he punishes you], the King of Judah and [all his] officials will be very afraid. The priests and the prophets will be terrified.
“Nʼụbọchị ahụ,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara, “Obi ndị eze na ndịisi ọchịchị ga-ada mba; ahụ ga-akpọnwụ ndị nchụaja, otu a kwa, ihe ga-eme ga-eju ndị amụma anya.”
10 Then I replied, “Yahweh [my] God, you completely deceived the people by telling them that there would be peace in Jerusalem, but now [our enemies] [PRS] are ready to slaughter us with their swords!”
Mgbe ahụ ekwuru m sị; “Ewoo, Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị lee na ị ghọgbuola ndị a na Jerusalem site na ị sị, ‘Unu ga-enwe udo,’ mgbe mma agha dị anyị nʼolu.”
11 When that happens, [Yahweh] will say to the people of Jerusalem, [“A huge army will come to attack you]. They will not [be like a gentle breeze that] separates wheat from chaff. [They will be like] a very hot wind [that blows in] from the desert [MET].
Nʼoge ahụ, a ga-agwa ndị a na Jerusalem, “Ifufe dị ọkụ, nke sitere nʼebe dị elu ihe na-adịghị si nʼọzara na-efebata irute ndị m. Ma ọ bụghị ifufe maka ịfụcha, maọbụ ime ka adị ọcha,
12 [They will be like] [MET] a strong blast that I will send. Now I am declaring that I will punish/destroy you.”
ọ bụ ifufe nke dị oke ike karịa nke na-esite na mụ. Ugbu a, ana m ekwupụta okwu ikpe m megide ha.”
13 [Our enemies] are about to rush down on us; their chariots are like [SIM] whirlwinds. Their horses are faster than eagles. It will be terrible for us!
Lee anya, ha na-abịa dịka igwe ojii. Ụgbọala agha ya na-abịa dịka oke ifufe, ịnyịnya ha niile na-agbasikwa ọsọ ike karịa ugo. Ahụhụ dịrị anyị, anyị abụrụla ndị e bibiri ebibi! Anyị abụrụla ndị na-aga ịla nʼiyi!
14 [You people of] Jerusalem [APO], purify your hearts/inner beings, in order that Yahweh will rescue you. How long will you continue to think about [doing] evil things?
Jerusalem, sachapụ mmehie dị gị nʼobi, ka a zọpụta gị. Ruo ole mgbe ka echiche mmehie ga-ejupụta gị obi?
15 From Dan [city in the far north] to the hills of Ephraim [a few miles/kilometers north of Jerusalem] messengers are proclaiming that disasters are coming.
Otu olu na-akpọsa site na Dan, ọ na-akpọsa ịla nʼiyi site nʼugwu niile nke Ifrem.
16 Tell this to the [people in other] nations [but also] announce it in Jerusalem: [Yahweh says], “An army is coming to Jerusalem from far away; they will shout [a battle-cry] against the cities in Judah.
“Gwa mba niile otu a, ha abịala, kpọsaa banyere Jerusalem: ‘Ndị agha ga-agba gị gburugburu na-abịa site nʼala dị anya, na-eti mkpu agha megide obodo niile nke Juda.
17 They will set up tents around Jerusalem like people set up temporary shelters [SIM] around a field [at harvest time]. That will happen because the people of Judah have rebelled against me.
Ha ga-agbakwa Jerusalem gburugburu dịka ndị agha na-eche ubi a gbara ogige nche, nʼihi na ndị bi nʼime ya enupula isi megide m,’” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya.
18 You will be punished very severely; it will [be as though a sword] has stabbed your inner beings. But you are causing those things to happen to you because of the evil things that you have done.”
“Ụzọ gị na omume gị niile buteere gị ihe ndị a. Nke a bụ ntaramahụhụ gị. Lee ka o si dị ilu! Lee ka o si emibanye nʼime obi.”
19 I am extremely anguished/sad; the pain in my inner being is very severe. My heart beats wildly. But I cannot remain silent because I have heard [our enemies] blowing their trumpets to announce that the battle [against Judah will start immediately].
Ihe mgbu a dị ukwuu. Lee na apụghị m ịnagide ya. Obi m o, obi m o! Lee ka obi m si ada m gbim gbim gbim. Apụghịkwa m ịnọ jụụ. Ana m anụ ụda opi ike, na-anụkwa ụzụ agha.
20 Disasters will occur one after another until the whole land is ruined. Suddenly [all] our tents will be destroyed; [even] the curtains [inside the tents] will be ripped apart.
Mbibi na-arị mbibi ibe ya elu, lee na a laala ala a niile nʼiyi. Na mberede, e bibiela ụlọ ikwu anyị niile; a dọkasịkwala akwa mgbochi ha niile.
21 How long will this battle continue? How long will I continue to see the enemy battle flags and hear the sound of their trumpets being blown?
Ruo ole mgbe ka m ga-anọgide na-ahụ ọkọlọtọ agha ndị a a na-alụ? Ruo ole mgbe kwa ka m ga-anọgide na-anụ ụda opi ike?
22 [Yahweh says], “My people are [very] foolish! They do not have a relationship with me. They are [like] [MET] stupid children who do not understand [anything]. They very cleverly do what is wrong, but they do not know how to do what is good.”
“Ndị m bụ ndị nzuzu, ha amaghị m. Ha bụ ụmụntakịrị ndị na-enweghị uche, ha enweghị nghọta ọbụla. Ha bụ ọkachamara nʼihe gbasara ajọ omume, ma ha amaghị otu esi eme ezi ihe ọbụla.”
23 [God gave me a vision in which] I saw that the earth was barren and without form. I looked at the sky, and there was no light there.
Elere m anya nʼụwa hụ na ọ bụ ihe tọgbọrọ nʼefu, leekwa anya na mbara eluigwe, ma o nweghị ìhè dị ya.
24 I looked at the mountains and hills, and they shook and moved from side to side.
Elere m anya nʼugwu ukwu, hụ na ha na-ama jijiji, leekwa anya nʼugwu nta, hụ na ha na-aṅagharị aṅagharị.
25 I looked and saw that there were no [more] people, and all the birds had flown away.
Elere m anya ma ahụghị mmadụ ọbụla, ụmụ nnụnụ niile dị na mbara eluigwe efefusịala.
26 I looked and saw that the fields that previously were fertile had become a desert. The cities were all ruined; they had all been destroyed by Yahweh because he was extremely angry.
Ala ọma ahụ aghọọla ọzara, obodo niile aghọọla mkputamkpu ebe nʼihu Onyenwe anyị, nʼihu oke iwe ya.
27 This is what Yahweh is saying: “The entire land [of Judah] will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely.
Ihe a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, “A ga-ebibi ala ahụ niile, ma agaghị m ebibicha ya kpamkpam.
28 I will do to my people what I said that I would do, and I will not change my mind. So [when that happens, it will be as though] the earth will mourn and the sky will become very dark.”
Ụwa ga-eru ụjụ, mbara eluigwe ga-agbakwa ọchịchịrị. Nʼihi na ekwuola ya, agaghị m agbanwe obi m. Ekpebiela m ya, agaghị m alakwa azụ nʼihe m zubere ime.”
29 [When the people hear] the sound of the [enemy] army marching, [they will be terrified as] they flee from their cities. Some of them will find places to hide in the bushes, and others will run toward the mountains/hills [to escape being killed by their enemies]. All the cities [in Judah] will be abandoned; not one person will remain in them.
Ndị mmadụ niile ga-agbapụ ọsọ site nʼobodo ha mgbe ha nụrụ ụzụ ndị agha na-agba ụta nọ nʼelu ịnyịnya na-abịa nso nso. Ha ga-ezo onwe ha nʼọhịa; ndị ọzọkwa ga-agbalaga zoo onwe ha nʼugwu ukwu. Obodo ha niile ga-atọgbọrọkwa nʼefu, mgbe ndị mmadụ si nʼime ya gbapụ ọsọ nʼihi oke ihe egwu.
30 So you who will surely be destroyed, [why are you doing the things that you are doing now]? Why are you wearing beautiful clothes and jewelry? Why are you putting paint around your eyes? Doing those things will not help you, because the people [in other countries that you think] love you [actually] despise you, and they will try to kill you.
Gịnị bụ nke a, gị onye na-enweghị olileanya? Gịnị mere unu ji yiri uwe uhie, were ọlaolu ọlaedo dị oke ọnụ yiri nʼolu? Gịnị mere unu ji were ihe ịchọ mma tee nʼanya unu? Nʼefu ka unu na-eme onwe unu ka unu dị mma. Ndị iko unu na-elelị unu; ndụ unu ka ha na-achọkwa.
31 [It is as though] I already hear [the people in Jerusalem] crying very loudly, like [SIM] a woman cries when she is giving birth to her first child; she gasps for breath and pleads for someone to help her. [It is as though Jerusalem] is crying, “Something terrible is happening to me! They are about to murder me!”
Ana m anụ olu iti mkpu akwa nke yiri olu akwa nwanyị ime na-eme, ọ dị ka ude nwanyị na-agbalị ịmụpụta nwa mbụ ya. Ma olu akwa m nụrụ bụ nke ada Zayọn, ebe ọ nọ na-eku ume ike ike. Ọ dara nʼala gbasapụ aka ya, ma na-akwa akwa na-asị, “Onye nwụrụ anwụ ka m bụ! Lee, ndụ m ka e nyere ndị ogbu mmadụ.”
