Yeremia 13

1 Ale Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Yi nàƒle alidziblanu si wowɔ kple aklala biɖibiɖi, eye nàtsɔe abla wò ali dzi. Ke mègana wòade tsi me o.”

This is what the Lord said to me: Go and get yourself a linen band and put it round you and do not put it in water.

2 Ale meƒle alidziblanu la abe ale si Yehowa gblɔ nam ene, eye metsɔe bla nye ali dzi.

So, as the Lord said, I got a band for a price and put it round my body.

3 Tete Yehowa ƒe nya va nam zi evelia be,

And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying,

4 “Tsɔ alidziblanu si nèƒle tsɔ bla ali dzi la, nàyi ɖe Frat azɔ eye nàɣlae ɖe kpetome le afi ma.”

Take the band which you got for a price, which is round your body, and go to Parah and put it in a secret place there in a hole of the rock.

5 Ale meyi ɖaɣlae ɖe Frat abe ale si Yehowa gblɔ nam ene.

So I went and put it in a secret place by Parah, as the Lord had said to me.

6 Le ŋkeke geɖewo megbe la, Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Yi ɖe Frat azɔ nàɖatsɔ alidziblanu si megblɔ na wò be nàɣla ɖe afi ma.”

Then after a long time, the Lord said to me, Up! go to Parah and get the band which I gave you orders to put there.

7 Ale meyi ɖe Frat ɖaku alidziblanu la le teƒe si meɣlae ɖo. Ke azɔ la mekpɔ be enyunyɔ eye ŋudɔwɔnu aɖeke megale eŋu o.

So I went to Parah and, uncovering the hole, took the band from the place where I had put it away: and the band was damaged and of no use for anything.

8 Yehowa ƒe gbe va nam be,

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

9 “Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Alea kee magblẽ Yuda ƒe dada kple Yerusalem ƒe dada gã la mee.

The Lord has said, In this way I will do damage to the pride of Judah and to the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 Ame vɔ̃ɖi siawo, esi wogbe nye gbe sese hedze woƒe dziwo ƒe aglãdzedze yome eye woti mawu bubuwo yome be yewoasubɔ wo, ade ta agu na wo la, anɔ abe alidziblanu sia si ŋu wɔna aɖeke megale o la ene.’

These evil people who say they will not give ear to my words, who go on in the pride of their hearts and have become servants and worshippers of other gods, will become like this band which is of no use for anything.

11 Yehowa be, ‘Elabena, abe ale si alidziblanu nɔa ali dzii na ŋutsu ene la, nenema mebla Israel ƒe aƒe la katã kple Yuda ƒe aƒe la katãe ɖe ɖokuinye ŋu be woanye nye dukɔ, nye bubu, nye kafukafu kple nye atsyɔ̃ gake wogbe toɖoɖo.’

For as a band goes tightly round a man's body, so I made all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah tightly united to me; so that they might be a people for me and a name and a praise and a glory: but they would not give ear.

12 “Gblɔ na wo be, ‘Ale Yehowa, Israel ƒe Mawu la gblɔe nye esi: Miku wain ɖe lãgbalẽgoawo katã me.’ Eye ne woagblɔ na wò be, ‘Ɖe míenyae be ele be woaku wain ɖe goawo katã me o hã?’ la,

So you are to say this word to them: This is the word of the Lord, the God of Israel: Every skin bottle will be full of wine; and they will say to you, Is it not quite clear to us that every skin bottle will be full of wine?

13 ekema gblɔ na wo be, aleae Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Matsɔ ahamumu ayɔ ame siwo katã le anyigba la dzi mee fũu, fia siwo nɔ David ƒe fiazikpui dzi la hã anɔ eme hekpe ɖe nunɔlawo, nyagblɔɖilawo kple ame siwo katã le Yerusalem ŋuti.

Then you are to say to them, The Lord has said, I will make all the people of this land, even the kings seated on David's seat, and the priests and the prophets and all the people of Jerusalem, overcome with strong drink.

14 Yehowa be, matsɔ wo axlã ɖe wo nɔewo, fofowo kple viwo siaa, nyemana be nublanuikpɔkpɔ, amenuveve alo dɔmetɔtrɔ nawɔe be magbe wo tsɔtsrɔ̃ o.’”

I will have them smashed against one another, fathers and sons together, says the Lord: I will have no pity or mercy, I will have no feeling for them to keep me from giving them to destruction.

15 Misee, miƒu to anyi, migado mia ɖokui ɖe dzi o, elabena Yehowae ƒo nu.

Give ear and let your ears be open; be not lifted up: for these are the words of the Lord.

16 Mitsɔ ŋutikɔkɔe na Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la hafi wòahe viviti vɛ, hafi miaƒe afɔwo nanɔ nu klim le togbɛ dovivitiwo dzi. Miele mɔ kpɔm na kekeli, ke ana wòazu viviti tsiɖitsiɖi eye wòatrɔe wòazu blanuiléle ƒe blukɔ.

Give glory to the Lord your God, before he makes it dark, and before your feet are slipping on the dark mountains, and, while you are looking for a light, he makes it into deep dark, into black night.

17 Ke ne mieɖo to o la, mafa avi le bebeme le miaƒe dada ta. Nye ŋkuwo afa avi vevie eye aɖatsi ado le mo nam blobloblo elabena woaɖe aboyo Yehowa ƒe alẽha la.

But if you do not give ear to it, my soul will be weeping in secret for your pride; my eye will be weeping bitterly, streaming with water, because the Lord's flock has been taken away as prisoners.

18 Gblɔ na fia la kple fiasrɔ̃ la be, “Miɖi le miaƒe fiazikpuiwo dzi elabena miaƒe atsyɔ̃fiakukuwo age le ta na mi.”

Say to the king and to the queen-mother, Make yourselves low, be seated on the earth: for the crown of your glory has come down from your heads.

19 Woatu du siwo le gbegbe la ƒe agbowo eye ame aɖeke meli si aʋu wo o. Woaɖe aboyo Yudatɔwo katã eye woakplɔ wo adzoe.

The towns of the south are shut up, and there is no one to make them open: Judah is taken away as prisoners; all Judah is taken away as prisoners.

20 Mifɔ mo dzi ne miakpɔ ame siwo gbɔna tso anyiehe. Afi ka alẽha si wotsɔ de asi na mi la le, alẽha si dzi miedana ɖo?

Let your eyes be lifted up (O Jerusalem), and see those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock which was given to you, your beautiful flock?

21 Nu ka nàgblɔ nenye be Yehowa tsɔ ame siwo nèhe be woanye xɔ̃wòwo la ɖo tatɔwo na wò? Ɖe màse veve abe nyɔnu si le ku lém la ene oa?

What will you say when he puts over you those whom you yourself have made your friends? will not pains take you like a woman in childbirth?

22 Ne èbia ɖokuiwò be, “Nu ka ta nu sia dzɔ ɖe dzinye hã la le wò nu vɔ̃ gbogboawo ta wovuvu avɔ le ŋuwò eye wowɔ fu wò ŋutilã ɖo?

And if you say in your heart, Why have these things come on me? because of the number of your sins, your skirts have been uncovered and violent punishment overtakes you.

23 Ɖe Etiopiatɔ ate ŋu atrɔ eƒe ŋutigbalẽ alo lãkle natrɔ agbalẽ ŋɔtaŋɔta si le eŋutia? Nenema kee mi ame siwo vɔ̃wɔwɔ ma la, miate ŋu awɔ nyui o.”

Is it possible for the skin of the Ethiopian to be changed, or the markings on the leopard? Then it might be possible for you to do good, who have been trained to do evil.

24 Yehowa be, “Makaka mi ahlẽ abe ale si dzogbeya lɔa tsro ɖe nu ene.

So I will send them in all directions, as dry grass is taken away by the wind of the waste land.

25 Esiae nye tɔwò kple wò gomekpɔkpɔ si meɖo ɖi na wò, elabena ègblẽm ɖi hedze aʋatsomawuwo yome.

This is your fate, the part measured out to you by me, says the Lord, because you have put me out of your memory and put your faith in what is false.

26 Maɖe avɔ le ŋuwò atsɔ atsyɔ mo na wò be woakpɔ wò ŋukpeƒe,

So I will have your skirts uncovered before your face, in order that your shame may be seen.

27 wò ahasiwɔwɔ, wò ahiãgbetetewo kple wò gbolowɔwɔ ŋukpemanɔmetɔe! Mekpɔ wò ŋunyɔnuwɔwɔwo le togbɛwo dzi kple baliwo me. Oo, Yerusalem, babaa na wò. Va se ɖe ɣe ka ɣi nàƒo ɖi ase ɖo?”

I have seen your disgusting acts, even your false behaviour and your cries of desire and your loose ways on the hills in the field. Unhappy are you, O Jerusalem, you have no desire to be made clean; how long will you be in turning back to me?