Jeremiah 6
1 “You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
“Misi yi sitsoƒe, mi Benyaminviwo! Misi tso Yerusalem! Miku kpẽ le Tekoa! Mitu aflaga ɖe Bet Hakerem! Elabena gbegblẽ kple tsɔtsrɔ̃ dziŋɔ aɖe zɔ tso anyiehe gbɔna.
2 Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
Magblẽ Zion vinyɔnu si dze tugbe nyuie hele wusewuse la dome.
3 [Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
Alẽkplɔlawo kple woƒe alẽhawo atso ɖe eŋuti, woava tu woƒe agbadɔwo aƒo xlãe, ɖe sia ɖe axɔ teƒe si wòanyi eƒe lãhawo le.”
4 [The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
“Midzra ɖo, miawɔ aʋa kplii! Mitso, mina míadze aʋa le ŋdɔ me, gake ao, ŋkeke le bubum eye ɣetrɔ ƒe vɔvɔli le ɖiɖim ɖe edzi.
5 we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
Eya ta mitso ne míadze aʋa le zã me ne miagbã eƒe mɔ sesẽwo!”
6 Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔe nye esi: “Milã atiawo, eye miaƒu kpo ɖe Yerusalem ŋu. Ele be woahe to na du sia elabena eyɔ fũu kple ŋutasesẽ.
7 [It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
Abe ale si vudo dzia tsii ene la, nenema eƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi le dzidzimii. Nu vlo wɔwɔ kple ŋutasesẽ bɔ ɖe eme. Eƒe dɔléle kple abiwo le nye ŋkume ɖaa.
8 Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
Oo, Yerusalem, se nyagbename, ne menye nenema o la, matrɔ adzo le gbɔwò, eye mawɔ wò anyigba wòazu gbegbe, ale be ame aɖeke mate ŋu anɔ edzi o.”
9 Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
Ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la, gblɔe nye si, “Mina ne woaxa Israel ƒe ame susɔeawo abe ale si woxaa waintsetse le kawo ŋu ƒiaƒiaƒiae ene. Gatsɔ wò asiwo lili kawo ŋu abe ame si le wain gbem la ene.”
10 [Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
Ame ka maƒo nu na, eye mana nuxɔxlɔ̃e? Ame ka aɖo tom? Woƒe towo xe, eya ta womate ŋu ase nu o. Yehowa ƒe nya vea dɔ me na wo eye womedinɛ be yewoase o.
11 So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
Ke Yehowa ƒe dɔmedzoe helĩhelĩ la yɔm fũu eye nyemate ŋu atu nu ɖe enu o. “Trɔe kɔ ɖe ɖevi siwo le mɔtata dzi kple ɖekakpui siwo ƒo ta kpli la dzi, akɔ ɖe srɔ̃ŋutsu kple srɔ̃nyɔnu siaa dzi. Nenema kee wòanɔ na ametsitsi siwo do dɔgɔ̃e le ƒe geɖe xɔxɔ ta.
12 [Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
Woatsɔ woƒe aƒewo ana ame bubuwo hekpe ɖe woƒe agblewo kple wo srɔ̃nyɔnuwo ŋu, ne medo nye asi ɖa ɖe ame siwo le anyigba dzi la ŋuti.” Yehowae gblɔe.
13 Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
“Elabena wo katã wonye ŋuklẽlawo ɖe viɖe ŋuti, tso ɖeviwo dzi va se ɖe tsitsiawo dzi, nyagblɔɖilawo kple nunɔlawo siaa nye alakpatɔwo.
14 [They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
Wobla abi na nye dukɔ abe ɖe menye abi gã aɖeke wònye o ene. Wole gbɔgblɔm be, ‘Ŋutifafa, ŋutifafa.’ Evɔ la, ŋutifafa aɖeke meli hafi o.
15 They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
Ɖe woƒe ŋunyɔnu siwo wɔm wole la, le ŋu kpem na woa? Ao, ŋukpe ɖeka pɛ hã mele mo na wo o, eye womenya ale si woƒe mo natsi dãae gɔ̃ hã o. Eya ta woatsi aʋatsilawo dome. Ne mele to hem na wo la, woaƒo wo aƒu anyi.” Yehowae gblɔe.
16 This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: “Mitsi tsitre ɖe mɔdogoeƒewo ne miaɖo ŋku anyi akpɔ nu. Mibia blemamɔwo ta se, mibia afi si mɔ nyuitɔ le ne miazɔ edzi, eye miaƒe luʋɔwo akpɔ gbɔɖeme. Gake miegblɔ be, ‘Miazɔ le edzi o.’
17 I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
Meɖo gbetakpɔlawo na mi hegblɔ na mi be, ‘Miɖo to kpẽ la ƒe ɖiɖi!’ Gake miegblɔ be, ‘Míaɖo to o.’
18 Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
Eya ta miesee o. Oo, mi dukɔwo, Oo ɖasefowo, milé ŋku ɖe nu si ava dzɔ ɖe wo dzi la ŋu.
19 Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
Oo, anyigba, see. Mele gbegblẽ he ge va dukɔ sia dzi, esia nye woƒe tameɖoɖowo ƒe metsonu, elabena womeɖo to nye nyawo o, eye wogbe nye se dzi wɔwɔ.
20 [You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
Nu ka dzudzɔʋeʋĩdonu si tso Seba nye nam alo gbeʋeʋĩ si tso didiƒenyigba dzi la awɔ nam? Miaƒe numevɔsawo medze ŋunye o eye miaƒe akpedavɔsawo medo dzidzɔ nam o.”
21 Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
Eya ta ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: “Kpɔ ɖa, matsɔ nukikliwo ada ɖe dukɔ sia ŋgɔ. Fofowo kple viŋutsuwo siaa akli wo adze anyi eye aƒelikawo kple xɔlɔ̃wo hã atsrɔ̃.”
22 Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye si, “Kpɔ ɖa asrafoha gã aɖe tso anyiehenyigba dzi gbɔna. Wonye dukɔ xɔŋkɔ aɖe tso anyigba ƒe mlɔenuwo ke.
23 They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
Wogbɔna kple aŋutrɔ kple akplɔ. Woƒe ta me sẽ, eye womekpɔa nublanui o. Esi wole woƒe sɔwo dzi gbɔna la, woƒe hoowɔwɔ le abe atsiaƒue dze agbo ene. Wobla akpa abe ame siwo dze aʋa ɖi ene be woava akpe aʋa kpli wò, Oo, Zion vinyɔnu.
24 [The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
“Míese nutsotso geɖe tso wo ŋu eya ta míaƒe alɔwo ku ɖe mia ŋu. Ŋɔdzi lé mí eye míese veve abe nyɔnu si le ku lém la ene.
25 [So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
Migado yi ɖe agble alo azɔ le mɔtatawo dzi o, elabena yi le futɔ la si eye ŋɔdzi ƒo xlã mi kpe ɖo.
26 [So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
Oo, nye dukɔ, mita akpanya, miamli le dzofi me. Fa konyi vevie kple ɣli abe ame si viŋutsu ɖeka hɔ̃ɔ ku na la ene, elabena nugblẽla la ava ƒo ɖe mía dzi zi ɖeka kpoyi!
27 [Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
“Metsɔ wò ɖo galolõlae eye nye dukɔe nye ga si lolõ ge woala, be nànya, eye nàdo woƒe mɔwo kpɔ.
28 You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
Wo katã nye aglãdzela vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖiwo. Wole tsatsam be woagblẽ ame ŋu. Wole abe akɔbli kple gayibɔ ene. Ame dovowoe wo katã wonye.
29 [A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
Wole ʋu yɔm kple ŋusẽ be woafia nu manyomanyo la le gadzẽ la me, gake wowɔe ʋuu do kpoe. Elabena womayɔ ʋu ɖe ame vɔ̃ɖi te wòatrɔ o.
30 [I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”
Woyɔa wo be klosalo si wogbe, elabena Yehowa gbe nu le wo gbɔ.”
