Yeremia 2
1 Yehowa ƒe gbe va gbɔnye be,
Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,
2 “Yi nàkui ɖe to me na Yerusalem be, “Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye si: “‘Meɖo ŋku wò ɖetugbime ƒe nuteƒewɔwɔ dzi, kple ale si nèlɔ̃mee esi nènye nye ŋugbetɔ. Èkplɔm ɖo to gbedadaƒo kple kuɖiɖinyigba dzi.
“Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
3 Israel nɔ kɔkɔe na Yehowa, eƒe nukuwo ƒe ŋgɔgbetɔwo, ame siwo katã ʋuʋui la, dze agɔ eya ta dzɔgbevɔ̃e dzɔ ɖe wo dzi.’” Yehowae gblɔe.
Israel was holiness to Yahweh, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him will be held guilty. Evil will come on them,”’ says Yahweh.”
4 Se Yehowa ƒe nya, O Yakob ƒe aƒe, mi Israel ƒe aƒe la ƒe towo katã.
Hear Yahweh’s word, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel!
5 Ale Yehowa gblɔe nye si. “Vodada kae mia fofowo kpɔ le ŋunye be wotra ɖa tso gbɔnye nenema gbegbe? Wokplɔ legba maɖinuwo ɖo eye woawo ŋutɔ hã zu nu maɖinuwo.
Yahweh says, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless?
6 Womebia be, ‘Afi ka Yehowa, ame si kplɔ mí tso Egipte, to dzogbe, afi si nuku mewɔna le o, to gbedadaƒo kple aganuwo, to kuɖiɖinyigba dzi kple viviti me, anyigba si dzi ame aɖeke metona alo tso aƒe ɖo o la le?’ o.
They didn’t say, ‘Where is Yahweh who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no one passed through, and where no man lived?’
7 Mekplɔ mi va anyigba si nyoa nu la dzi be miaɖu eƒe kutsetsewo kple eƒe nu nyuiwo, gake mieva do gu nye anyigba eye miewɔ nye domenyinu wòzu ŋunyɔnu.
I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
8 Nunɔlawo gɔ̃ hã mebia be, ‘Afi ka Yehowa le?’ o. Ame siwo wɔa sea ŋuti dɔ la menyam o. Kplɔlawo dze aglã ɖe ŋutinye. Nyagblɔɖilawo gblɔ nya ɖi le Baal ƒe ŋkɔ me eye wokplɔ legba maɖinuwo ɖo.”
The priests didn’t say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’ and those who handle the law didn’t know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed things that do not profit.
9 Yehowa be, “Eya ta megatsɔ nya ɖe mia ŋu, eye matsɔ nya ɖe mia viwo ƒe viwo ŋuti.
“Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says Yahweh, “and I will contend with your children’s children.
10 Mitso ƒu ne miava Kiprotɔwo ƒe fukpo dzi ne miakpɔ nu. Midɔ ame ɖo ɖe Kedar ne woalé ŋku ɖe nuwo ŋu nyuie. Mikpɔe ɖa be nane nɔ anyi alea kpɔ hã.
For pass over to the islands of Kittim, and see. Send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.
11 Ɖe dukɔ aɖe ɖɔli eƒe mawuwo kpɔa? Evɔ menye mawuwoe wonye hafi o; gake nye dukɔ tsɔ woƒe ŋutikɔkɔe ɖɔli legba maɖinuwoe.
Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doesn’t profit.
12 O, dziƒowo, miaƒe nu neku le esia ta, eye miadzo nyanyanya kple ŋɔdzi gã.” Yehowae gblɔe.
“Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says Yahweh.
13 “Nye dukɔ wɔ nu vɔ̃ eve. Wogbe nu le nye agbetsivudo la gbɔ eye woɖe woawo ŋutɔ ƒe tsiʋewo, tsiʋe siwo ŋɔ eye tsi mate ŋu atɔ ɖe wo me o.
“For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.
14 Subɔvi alo kluvie Israel nye tso dzidzimea? Ke nu ka ta wòva zu nuhaha ɖo?
Is Israel a slave? Is he born into slavery? Why has he become a captive?
15 Dzatawo ɖe gbe, wole gbe tem ɖe eŋu. Wowɔ eƒe anyigba wòzu gbegbe. Wotɔ dzo eƒe duwo eye wozu aƒedowo.
The young lions have roared at him and raised their voices. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
16 Memfistɔwo kple Tapanhestɔwo hã ƒlɔ dzodome na wo.
The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.
17 Ɖe menye miawo ŋutɔe he esia va mia ɖokui dzii esi miegbe Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la esi wòkplɔ mi le mɔ dzi oa?
“Haven’t you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, when he led you by the way?
18 Azɔ nu ka ta miebe yewoayi ɖe Egipte, aɖano Sihor me tsi? Eye nu ka ta miayi Asiria be miano Frat tɔsisi me tsi?
Now what do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or why do you go on the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
19 Miaƒe vɔ̃ɖivɔ̃ɖi ahe to na mi eye miaƒe megbedede aka mo na mi. Bu eŋu nàdze si ale si wòavɔ̃ɖi na wò, ahave wòe esi nègblẽ Yehowa, wò Mawu la ɖi, eye mèvɔ̃m o la ta.” Aƒetɔ Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ lae gblɔe.
“Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
20 “Tso gbe aɖe gbe ke nèŋe wò kɔkuti, eye nètso wò bablawo, ègblɔ bena, ‘Nyemasubɔ wò o!’ Vavã, èmlɔ anyi abe gbolo ene ɖe togbɛ kɔkɔ ɖe sia ɖe dzi kple ati dama ɖe sia ɖe te.
“For long ago I broke off your yoke, and burst your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve;’ for on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed yourself, playing the prostitute.
21 Medo wò abe wainti nyuitɔ si tso wainka vavã siwo tsena nyuie la dometɔ ɖeka ene. Ke nu ka ta nèwɔ ɖe ŋutinye alea hezu abe wainka si mie le eɖokui si la ene?
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a pure and faithful seed. How then have you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?
22 Togbɔ be èle tsi kple adzalẽ eye nèle adzalẽ ʋeʋĩ geɖe hã la, wò nu vɔ̃ ƒe ɖiƒoƒo gale nye ŋkume kokoko.” Aƒetɔ Yehowae gblɔe.
For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me,” says the Lord Yahweh.
23 “Nu ka ta nàgblɔ be, ‘Nyemeɖu kɔ o, nyemeƒu du dze Baalwo yome o?’ Kpɔ ale si nèwɔ le balime la ɖa. Bu nu si nèwɔ la ŋu kpɔ. Èle abe kposɔnɔ si ɖia du eye wòle du sim tso afi yi afi mɛ la ene.
“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways,
24 Èle abe gbetedzi si nyagbegbe nyuie hele ya ʋẽm kple eƒe ŋɔti le eƒe fieŋufieŋu me la ene. Ne asiyɔyɔ le edzrom la, ame ka ate ŋu axe mɔ nɛ? Mehiã gɔ̃ hã be atsu siwo le eyome tim la nakplɔe ɖo ɖeɖi nate wo ŋuti o elabena ne eɖo asiyɔyɔ dzi la, woake ɖe eŋu bɔbɔe.
a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her craving. When she is in heat, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they will find her.
25 Mègaƒu du va se ɖe esime wò afɔwo natsi ƒuƒlu, eye wò ve me naƒu kplakplakpla o. Gake, ègblɔ be, ‘Mehiã o; melɔ̃ dutamawuwo eya ta ele nam be mati wo yome.’
“Keep your feet from being bare, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.’
26 “Abe ale si ŋu kpea fiafitɔ ne asi su edzi ene la, nenema ke ŋu akpe Israel ƒe aƒe la, woƒe fiawo, woƒe dumegãwo, woƒe nunɔlawo kple woƒe nyagblɔɖilawo.
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so the house of Israel is ashamed— they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets,
27 Wogblɔna na ati be, ‘Wòe nye fofonye.’ Wogblɔna na kpe be, ‘Wòe dzim.’ Wotrɔ woƒe megbe dem ke menye woƒe ŋkume o, gake ne woɖo xaxa me la, wogblɔna be, ‘Va, nàɖe mí!’
who tell wood, ‘You are my father,’ and a stone, ‘You have given birth to me,’ for they have turned their back to me, and not their face, but in the time of their trouble they will say, ‘Arise, and save us!’
28 Ekema afi ka gɔ̃e mawu siwo miewɔ na mia ɖokuiwo la le? Woneva ne woate ŋu aɖe mi, ne mieɖo xaxa me! O Yuda, wò mawuwo sɔ gbɔ abe wò duwo ene.”
“But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble, for you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.
29 Yehowa be, “Nu ka ta mietsɔ nya ɖe ŋutinye ɖo?” Evɔ mi katã miedze aglã ɖe ŋutinye.
“Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says Yahweh.
30 “Dzodzroe mehe to na wò amewo, elabena mehe ɖɔɖɔɖo aɖeke va woƒe agbe mee o. Wò yi vuvu wò nyagblɔɖilawo abe dzata dɔwui ene.
“I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
31 “O dzidzime sia, mibu Yehowa ƒe nya ŋu. “Gbegbee menye na Israel loo alo viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ƒe anyigba? Nu ka ta nye dukɔ le gbɔgblɔm be, ‘Ablɔɖe le mía si be míatsa eya ta miagatrɔ ava gbɔwò o?’
Generation, consider Yahweh’s word. Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We have broken loose. We will come to you no more’?
32 Ɖe ɖetugbi aŋlɔ eƒe atsyɔ̃ɖonuwo be alo ŋugbetɔ naŋlɔ eƒe lekewɔnuwo bea? Gake nye dukɔ ŋlɔm be hena ɣeyiɣi didi aɖe.
“Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.
33 Aleke nèhenya ahiãdidii! Nyɔnu siwo bi ɖe ŋunyɔnuwo wɔwɔ me hã ate ŋu asrɔ̃ nu tso gbɔwò.
How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.
34 Amewo kpɔ ame maɖifɔ dahewo ƒe ʋu le wò awuwo me, evɔ mèlé wo wonɔ ʋɔ gbãm hafi o, gake le esiawo katã megbe hã la,
Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.
35 ègblɔ be, ‘Nyemeɖi fɔ o. Mekpɔ dziku ɖe ŋutinye o.’ Ke madrɔ̃ ʋɔnu wò elabena ègblɔ be, ‘Nyemewɔ nu vɔ̃ o.’
“Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Nu ka ta nèle yiyim nenema gbegbe le wò mɔwo trɔm? Egipte ana ŋu nakpe wò abe ale si Asiria hã na ŋu kpe wò ene.
Why do you go about so much to change your ways? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria.
37 Àtsɔ asi akpla ta hafi adzo le teƒe ma hã elabena Yehowa gbe nu le ame siwo dzi nèka ɖo la gbɔ. Eya ta womakpe ɖe ŋuwò o.
You will also leave that place with your hands on your head; for Yahweh has rejected those in whom you trust, and you won’t prosper with them.
