Yeremia 16
1 Yehowa ƒe nya va nam be,
Yahweh gave me another message. [He said to me],
2 “Mègaɖe srɔ̃ be nàdzi ŋutsuviwo kple nyɔnuviwo ɖe teƒe sia o”
“Do not get married and have children in this land,
3 Elabena ale Yehowa gblɔ tso ŋutsuvi kple nyɔnuvi siwo wodzi ɖe anyigba sia dzi, wo dadawo kple wo fofowo ŋutie nye esi:
because this is what [I], Yahweh, say about the children who are born in this city, and about their mothers and fathers:
4 “Dɔ vɔ̃wo ava wu wo, womafa na wo alo aɖi wo o, ke boŋ woanɔ abe gbeɖuɖɔ ene le anyigba. Woatsrɔ̃ le yi kple dɔwuame ta, eye woƒe ŋutilã kukuawo anye nuɖuɖu na dziƒoxeviwo kple lã wɔadã siwo le anyigba dzi.”
[Many of] them will die from terrible diseases. And no one will mourn for them. No one will even bury their corpses; the corpses will lie on the ground, [scattered] like manure. [Others] will die in wars or from hunger, and [then] their corpses will become food for vultures and wild animals.”
5 Elabena ale Yehowa gblɔe nye esi: “Mègayi kuteƒe nàɖu nu o, mègayi afa kple kutɔwo alo aɖe wò konyifafa afia o, elabena meɖe nye yayra, nye lɔlɔ̃ kple nye nublanuikpɔkpɔ ɖa le dukɔ sia dzi.” Yehowae gblɔe.
This is [also] what Yahweh said to me: “Do not go to funerals to mourn or to show [those whose relatives have died] that you feel sorry for them, because I have stopped protecting them, and I have caused that things will not go well for them. I have stopped faithfully loving them and acting mercifully toward them.
6 “Amegãwo kple ame gblɔewo siaa aku le anyigba sia dzi. Womaɖi wo alo afa na wo o, eye ame aɖeke maxa ɖe wo ta asi eɖokui alo alũ eƒe taɖa o.
[Very many people] will die in this land, [including] those who are important and those who are not important. And no one will mourn for them, or [even] bury [their corpses]. No one will cut himself or shave his head [to show that he is very sad].
7 Ame aɖeke maɖa nu aka na konyifalawo, atsɔ afa akɔe na wo o. Nenye wo fofo alo wo dada gɔ̃ hãe la, ame aɖeke mana aha wo teti atsɔ afa akɔe na wo o.
No one will bring food to comfort those who are mourning, not even if it is their father or their mother [who has died]. No one will give them a cup [of wine] to cheer them up.
8 “Ne wole nu ɖum le dzidzɔ kpɔm le aƒe aɖe me la, mègage ɖe aƒe ma me nanɔ anyi be yeaɖu nu, ano nu o.
And do not go into the houses where people are feasting. Do not eat or drink anything with them.
9 Elabena ale Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ, Israel ƒe Mawu la gblɔe nye esi: ‘Le wò ŋkume kple wò ŋkekewo me, matɔ te dzidzɔkpɔkpɔ kple aglotutu ƒe ɣliwo eye womagase ŋugbetɔ kple ŋugbetɔsrɔ̃ ƒe gbewo le teƒe sia o.’
[I want you to do this] because this is what [I], the Commander of the armies of angels, say: ‘While you are still alive and seeing it happen, I will cause there to be no more singing and laughing in this land. There will be no more joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides.’
10 “Ne ègblɔ nya siawo katã na dukɔ sia eye wobia wò be, ‘Nu ka ta Yehowa ɖo gbegblẽ gã sia ɖi ɖe mia ŋuti? Vodada kae miewɔ eye nu vɔ̃ kae miewɔ ɖe Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la ŋuti hã?’ la,
When you tell these things to the people, they will ask, ‘Why has Yahweh declared that these terrible things will happen to us? What have we done [for which we deserve to be punished like this]? What sin have we committed against Yahweh our God?’
11 ekema nàgblɔ na wo be elabena mia fofowo gblẽm ɖi hedze mawu bubuwo yome; wosubɔ wo eye wode ta agu na wo. Wogbem eye womelé nye seawo me ɖe asi o.
Then this is what you must tell them [that I am replying to them]: ‘It is because your ancestors turned away from me, Yahweh. They worshiped other gods and served them. They abandoned me and did not obey my commands.
12 Ke miawo la, miewɔ nu vɔ̃ɖi wu mia fofowo. Kpɔ ale si mia dometɔ ɖe sia ɖe dze eƒe dzi vɔ̃ɖi ƒe aglãdzedze yomee hegbe toɖoɖom ɖa!
But you [who are living now] have done more wicked things than your ancestors did! Each of you stubbornly does the evil things that he desires and refuses to pay attention to what I say.
13 Eya ta matsɔ mi aƒu gbe tso anyigba sia dzi aɖo ɖe anyigba si miawo alo mia fofowo menya o la dzi. Le afi ma miasubɔ Mawu bubuwo zã kple keli elabena nyemave mia nu o” Yehowae gblɔe.
So, I will throw you out of this land, and I will send you to a land that you and your ancestors have never known about. There you will worship other gods day and night. And I will not act mercifully toward you.’
14 “Yehowa be, gake ŋkekewo li gbɔna esi amewo magagblɔ be, ‘Meta Yehowa si kplɔ Israelviwo tso Egipte ƒe agbe’ o.
But there will be a time when people [who are solemnly promising to do something] will no longer say, ‘[I will do this], [just as surely] as Yahweh lives—the one who brought the Israeli people here from Egypt.’
15 Ke boŋ woagblɔ be, ‘Meta Yehowa si kplɔ Israelviwo tso anyiehenyigba dzi kple dukɔ siwo katã me wonya wo ɖo ɖa la ƒe agbe.’ Elabena magbugbɔ wo aɖo te le anyigba si metsɔ na wo fofowo la dzi.
Instead, they will say ‘[I will do this, just as surely] as Yahweh lives—the one who brought [us] Israeli people back to our own land, from the lands to the north and from all the other lands to which he had (exiled us/forced us to go).’ [They will be able to say that] because [some day] I will bring your descendants back to this land that I gave to your ancestors.
16 “Yehowa be, ‘Ke azɔ la, madɔ ame ɖe ɖɔkplɔla geɖewo eye woaɖe wo. Le esia megbe la, madɔ ame ɖe adela geɖewo eye woayɔ wo ɖe nu tso towo, togbɛwo dzi kple agadowo me.
But now I am summoning [your enemies who will seize the people of Judah like] [MET] fishermen [catch fish]. I am summoning those who will search for them on every mountain and hill, and in every cave, [like] [MET] hunters [search for animals to kill].
17 Elabena nye ŋku le woƒe mɔwo katã ŋu, womele ɣaɣla ɖem o eye woƒe nu vɔ̃wo hã meɣla ɖe nye ŋkuwo o.
I am watching them carefully. I see every sin [that they commit]. They will not [be able to] hide from me [MTY].
18 Maɖo eteƒe na wo zi eve le woƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi kple woƒe nu vɔ̃wo ta, elabena wodo gu nye anyigba kple woƒe aklamakpakpɛwo, eye woli legba nyɔŋuwo ɖe nye domenyinu la dzi fũu.’”
Because of all the wicked things that they have done [DOU], I will punish them twice as much [as I would punish other people. I will do that] because they have caused my land to become unacceptable to me because of their [worshiping] lifeless statues of detestable gods, and [also because they] have done many other evil things throughout my land.”
19 O Yehowa, nye ŋusẽ kple nye mɔ sesẽ, nye sitsoƒe le hiahiãgbe, gbɔwòe dukɔwo ava tso anyigba ƒe mlɔenuwo ke, agblɔ be, “Alakpamawuwo koe mia fofowo tsɔ nyi domee; toflokolegbawo wonye, eye womehe nu nyui aɖeke vɛ na wo o.
[Then I prayed, saying], “Yahweh, you are the one who strengthens me and protects me [MET]; you are the one to whom I go when I have [troubles]. [Some day people from] nations all over the world will come to you and say, ‘Our ancestors left/gave us only something that was false; [they worshiped idols] that are completely worthless [DOU].
20 Ɖe amewo wɔa woawo ŋutɔ ƒe mawuwoa? Ɛ̃, gake menye mawuwoe wonye o!”
No one can [RHQ] make their own gods; the gods that they make are [only idols]; they are not real gods.’”
21 “Eya ta mafia wo, ke azɔ la, mafia nye ŋusẽ kple nye sesẽ wo. Ekema woadze sii be nye ŋkɔe nye Yehowa.
[Then Yahweh said], “Now I will show my power to [the people of Judah]; I will show them that I am truly very powerful [DOU]. Then, finally, they will know that I, Yahweh, [am the true God].”
