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.”
[One day] Yahweh said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistcloth. Put it on, but do not wash it.”
2 Ale meƒle alidziblanu la abe ale si Yehowa gblɔ nam ene, eye metsɔe bla nye ali dzi.
So I bought a [very nice] waistcloth, which is what Yahweh told me to do, and I put it on.
3 Tete Yehowa ƒe nya va nam zi evelia be,
Then [later] Yahweh gave me another message.
4 “Tsɔ alidziblanu si nèƒle tsɔ bla ali dzi la, nàyi ɖe Frat azɔ eye nàɣlae ɖe kpetome le afi ma.”
He said, “Go to the small Perath Stream [near Jerusalem] and hide your waistcloth in a crevice/hole in the rocks.”
5 Ale meyi ɖaɣlae ɖe Frat abe ale si Yehowa gblɔ nam ene.
So I went to the stream and did what Yahweh told me to do.
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.”
A long time later, Yahweh said to me, “Go [back] to that stream and get the waistcloth that I told you to hide 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 the Perath Stream and dug out the waistcloth from the crevice/hole in which I had hidden it. But it was ruined, and useless.
8 Yehowa ƒe gbe va nam be,
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
9 “Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: ‘Alea kee magblẽ Yuda ƒe dada kple Yerusalem ƒe dada gã la mee.
“[What happened to your waistcloth] shows that I will destroy the things that [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah are very proud of.
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.’
Those wicked people refuse to pay attention to what I say. They stubbornly do just what they desire to do; they worship other gods. Therefore, they will become completely useless, like your waistcloth.
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.’
Just like a waistcloth clings closely/tightly to a man’s waist, I wanted the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah to cling closely to me. I wanted them to be my people, people who would praise me and honor me. But they would not pay attention [to me]. “
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], tell this to them: ‘Yahweh, the God whom you Israeli [people worship], says that every leather wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And [when you tell that to them], they will reply, ‘(Of course/Certainly) we know [RHQ] that all wineskins should be filled with 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.
And then you must tell them, ‘No, that is not what Yahweh means. What he said means that he will cause this land to be filled with people who are drunk. [That will include all of you]—the king who sits on the throne that King David previously sat on, the priests and the prophets, and even the common people of Jerusalem.’
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.’”
[He is saying], ‘I will cause you to bash each other. [Even] parents will bash their children. I will not pity you or act mercifully toward you at all; pitying you will not prevent me from getting rid of you.’”
15 Misee, miƒu to anyi, migado mia ɖokui ɖe dzi o, elabena Yehowae ƒo nu.
[You people of Judah], pay very careful attention [DOU]. Do not be proud, because Yahweh has spoken to you.
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.
[It is as though] he is ready to bring darkness on you and to cause you to stumble and fall [as you walk] on the hills when it is becoming dark. [So] praise/honor Yahweh your God before that happens. If you do not do that, you will look for light, but all you will see is darkness and gloom.
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.
And if you [still] refuse to heed what he says, [what will happen to you because of] your being proud will cause me to cry when I am alone. My eyes will be filled with tears because [you], Yahweh’s people, [whom he takes care of like a shepherd takes care of] [MET] his flock, will [all] be [captured by your enemies and] taken to other countries.
18 Gblɔ na fia la kple fiasrɔ̃ la be, “Miɖi le miaƒe fiazikpuiwo dzi elabena miaƒe atsyɔ̃fiakukuwo age le ta na mi.”
[You people of Judah], say to the king and to his mother, “Come down from sitting on your thrones and [humbly] sit in the dust, because [your enemies] will soon snatch from your heads your glorious crowns.”
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 in the southern part of Judah will be surrounded by your enemies, and no one will be able to get through their lines [to rescue the people in those towns]. [You people of] Judah will be captured and taken away; you will all be (exiled/taken [to foreign countries)].
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?
[You leaders of Jerusalem], open your eyes and look: [The enemy armies are ready to] march down from the north. [When that happens], what will happen to [RHQ] the [people of Judah who are like] a beautiful flock of sheep, people that he gave to you to take care of?
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 [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you, people who you [mistakenly] thought were your friends? You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain, like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.
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?
You will ask yourselves, “Why is this happening to us?” [I will reply that] it is because of your many sins. That is why [soldiers of the invading armies] will lift up the skirts [of your women] and rape them.
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.”
A man from Ethiopia certainly cannot [RHQ] change the color of his [black] skin, and a leopard certainly cannot [RHQ] change its spots. Similarly, you cannot start doing what is good, because you have always done what is evil.
24 Yehowa be, “Makaka mi ahlẽ abe ale si dzogbeya lɔa tsro ɖe nu ene.
[Yahweh says], “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the wind from the desert.
25 Esiae nye tɔwò kple wò gomekpɔkpɔ si meɖo ɖi na wò, elabena ègblẽm ɖi hedze aʋatsomawuwo yome.
That is what is certainly going to happen to you; the things that I have determined will happen to you, because you have forgotten me, and you are trusting in false [gods].
26 Maɖe avɔ le ŋuwò atsɔ atsyɔ mo na wò be woakpɔ wò ŋukpeƒe,
[It is as though] I myself will pull your skirts up over your faces and cause you to be very ashamed because everyone will be able to see your sex organs.
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 that you [act like men who are eager to commit adultery]; you are like male horses that whinny when they desire [to have sex with] a female horse. I have seen that you worship disgusting idols in the fields and on the hills. [You people of] Jerusalem, terrible things will happen to you! How long will it be [RHQ] until you are acceptable to me [again]?”
