Jeremiah 2
1 And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
Awurade asɛm baa me so:
2 'Go, and thou hast called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah: I have remembered for thee The kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, Thy going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.
“Kɔpae mu ka ma Yerusalem nte: “‘Mekae sɛnea wode wo ho maa me wo mmabun bere mu, sɛnea wodɔɔ me wɔ wʼayeforo bere mu na wudii mʼakyi wɔ sare so, asase a wonnuaa hwee wɔ so no.
3 Holy [is] Israel to Jehovah, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Evil cometh in unto them, an affirmation of Jehovah.
Na Israel yɛ kronkron ma Awurade, ne twabere mu aduankan; wɔn a wodii nʼani no wobuu wɔn fɔ, na amanehunu baa wɔn so,’” sɛnea Awurade, se ni.
4 Hear a word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all ye families of the house of Israel.
Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Yakob asefo, mo Israel mmusuakuw nyinaa.
5 Thus said Jehovah: What — have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become vain,
Eyi ne nea Awurade se: “Mfomso bɛn na mo agyanom huu wɔ me ho a ɛma wɔtwee wɔn ho kɔɔ akyirikyiri sɛɛ? Wodii ahoni a wɔn so nni mfaso akyi, maa wɔn ankasa bɛyɛɛ ahuhufo.
6 And have not said, Where [is] Jehovah, Who bringeth us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leadeth us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land — none hath passed through it, Nor dwelt hath man there?'
Wɔammisa se, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ? Nea oyii yɛn fii Misraim na ɔde yɛn faa sare wosee so, nweatam ne abonabon asase a awo na ayɛ owubon no. Asase a obiara mfa so na obiara nte so no.’
7 Yea, I bring you in to a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And ye come in and defile My land, And Mine inheritance have made an abomination.
Mede mo beduaa asasebere so sɛ munni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mubeguu mʼasase ho fi, na moyɛɛ mʼagyapade akyiwade.
8 The priests have not said, 'Where [is] Jehovah?' And those handling the law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Baal, And after those who profit not have gone.
Asɔfo no ammisa se, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ?’ Wɔn a wɔde mmara yɛ adwuma no anhwehwɛ me; ntuanofo sɔre tiaa me. Adiyifo no de Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm, na wodii ahoni huhuw akyi.
9 Therefore, yet I plead with you, An affirmation of Jehovah, And with your sons' sons I plead.
“Ɛno nti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” nea Awurade se ni. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.
10 For, pass to the isles of Chittim, and see, And to Kedar send, and consider well, And see if there hath been like this:
Muntwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔhwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yiye; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sɛɛ asi wɔ hɔ:
11 Hath a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth not profit.
Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn ana? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfo de wɔn anuonyam asesa ahoni huhuw.
12 Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, Yea, be frightened, be greatly wasted, An affirmation of Jehovah.
Mo ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiriw mo wɔ eyi ho, na mo ho nwosow wɔ akomatu mu,” nea Awurade se ni.
13 For two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells — broken wells, That contain not the waters.
“Me nkurɔfo ayɛ bɔne ahorow abien: Wɔapa me, me a meyɛ nkwa asubura no, na wɔatutu wɔn ankasa mmura amoa, mmura a apaapae a entumi nkora nsu.
14 A servant [is] Israel? Is he a child of the house? Wherefore hath he been for a prey?
Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfo fi awo mu ana? Adɛn nti na wayɛ asade yi?
15 Against him roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.
Gyata abobɔ mu; wɔaworo so akyerɛ no. Wɔama nʼasase ada mpan; wɔahyehyew ne nkurow ayɛ no amamfo.
16 Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume thee — the crown of the head!
Afei Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo ti so nwi.
17 Dost thou not do this to thyself? [By] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time He is leading thee in the way?
Ɛnyɛ wo na woama eyi aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Nyankopɔn akyi, wɔ bere a ɔrekyerɛ wo kwan no?
18 And now, what — to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what — to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?
Afei adɛn nti na wokɔ Misraim kɔnom Sihor mu nsu? Na adɛn nti na wokɔ Asiria kɔnom Asubɔnten no mu nsu?
19 Instruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [Is] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts.
Wo amumɔyɛ bɛtwe wʼaso; wo nsanakyi bɛka wʼanim. Enti dwene ho na hu sɛ, sɛ wopa Awurade wo Nyankopɔn akyi na woannya ne ho suro a, ɛyɛ bɔne ne ɔyaw ma wo.” Awurade, Asafo Awurade na ose.
20 For from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, 'I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering — a harlot.
“Tete mmere no, wububuu wo konnua mu, na wotetew wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu; na wokae se, ‘Merensom wo!’ Ampa, wɔ koko biara so ne dua biara a adennan ase na wotena bɔɔ aguaman.
21 And I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange vine?
Miduaa wo sɛ bobe ankasa a efi bobe a ase ye pa ara mu. Na ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wodan wʼakyi kyerɛɛ me bɛyɛɛ bobe a anyin asɛe wɔ wura mu yi?
22 But though thou dost wash with nitre, And dost multiply to thyself soap, Marked is thine iniquity before Me, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree guare mpo a, wʼafɔdi nkekae da so wɔ mʼanim ara,” sɛnea Otumfo Awurade se ni.
23 How sayest thou, 'I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,
“Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaka se, ‘Me ho nguu fi ɛ; minnii Baalnom akyi ɛ’? Hwɛ sɛnea woyɛɛ wo ho wɔ obon no mu; dwene nea woayɛ no ho. Woyɛ yomabere hoɔharefo a wutu mmirika kɔ ha ba ha,
24 A wild ass accustomed to a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting — who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they find her.
wura mu afurum a nweatam so tena akokwaw no, ohuahua bere a ɔpɛ sɛ onini hyia no. Sɛ nʼakɔnnɔ no ano yɛ den a hena na obesianka no? Anini biara a wɔtaa no no nhaw wɔn ho bebree; edu bere a ɛsɛ sɛ wohyia no a wobenya no.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, 'It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'
Ntu mmirika nkosi sɛ wʼanan ase bɛyɛ kwaterekwa, na wo mene mu bɛyow. Nanso wokae se, ‘So nni mfaso! Mepɛ ananafo anyame, na ɛsɛ sɛ midi wɔn akyi.’
26 As the shame of a thief when he is found, So put to shame have been the house of Israel, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,
“Sɛnea wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfo a wogu nʼanim ase no, saa na wɔagu Israelfi anim ase, wɔn ankasa, wɔn ahemfo ne wɔn adwumayɛfo, wɔn asɔfo ne wɔn adiyifo.
27 Saying to wood, 'My father [art] thou!' And to a stone, 'Thou hast brought me forth,' For they turned unto me the back and not the face, And in the time of their vexation, They say, 'Arise Thou, and save us.'
Wɔka kyerɛ dua se, ‘Woyɛ mʼagya,’ ne ɔbo se, ‘Wo na wowoo me.’ Wɔadan wɔn akyi akyerɛ me na ɛnyɛ wɔn anim; nanso sɛ amanehunu bi ba wɔn so a, wɔka se, ‘Bra begye yɛn!’
28 And where [are] thy gods, that thou hast made to thyself? Let them arise, if they may save thee, In the time of thy vexation, For — the number of thy cities have been thy gods, O Judah,
Anyame a moyɛ maa mo ho no wɔ he? Momma wɔmmra sɛ wobetumi agye mo bere a mowɔ amanehunu mu! Efisɛ mowɔ anyame bebree te sɛ nea mowɔ nkurow bebree no, Yuda.
29 Why do ye strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
“Adɛn nti na mobɔ me sobo? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ose.
30 In vain I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying lion.
“Metwee mo nkurɔfo aso kwa; wɔamfa me nteɛso. Wʼafoa akunkum wʼadiyifo te sɛ gyata a nʼani abere.
31 O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, 'We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'
“Mo nnɛmmafo, munnwen Awurade asɛm ho: “Mayɛ sɛ, nweatam ama Israel ana? Anaasɛ asase a so aduru sum kabii ana? Adɛn nti na me nkurɔfo ka se, ‘Yɛwɔ ho kwan sɛ yekyinkyin; yɛremma wo nkyɛn bio.’
32 Doth a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me days without number.
Ɔbabun werɛ fi ne mpempranne, ayeforo werɛ befi nʼahyehyɛde ana? Nanso me nkurɔfo werɛ afi me nna a wontumi nkan.
33 What — dost thou make pleasing thy ways to seek love? Therefore even the wicked thou hast taught thy ways.
Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfo! Mmea a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.
34 Also in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon all these.
Mo adurade mu wɔ ahiafo a wodi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mu. Eyinom nyinaa akyi
35 And thou sayest, 'Because I have been innocent, Surely turned back hath His anger from me?' Lo, I have been judged with thee, Because of thy saying, 'I have not sinned.'
woka se, ‘Midi bem; ne bo mfuw me.’ Nanso mebu wo atɛn efisɛ woka se, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara ɛ.’
36 What? thou art very vile to repeat thy way, Even of Egypt thou art ashamed, As thou hast been ashamed of Asshur,
Adɛn nti na wukyinkyin sɛɛ, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bedi wo huammɔ sɛnea Asiria yɛe no.
37 Also from this thou goest out, And thy hands on thy head, For Jehovah hath kicked at thy confidences, And thou dost not give prosperity to them!
Afei wubefi saa beae hɔ a wo nsa gu wo ti so. Efisɛ Awurade apo wɔn a wode wo ho too wɔn so no; wɔremmoa wo.
