Emọs 5
1 Nụrụnụ okwu ndị a, nke a ka m na-ekwu megide unu, ọ bụ mkpu akwa maka gị ezinaụlọ nke Izrel:
Listen to the words of the funeral song I am singing for you, Israel:
2 “Izrel, nwaagbọghọ na-amaghị nwoke, a daala, ọ gaghị ebilite ọzọ, onye a gbahapụrụ nʼala nke aka ya, ọ dịkwaghị onye ga-ekulite ya.”
Fallen, no more to rise, is the virgin Israel! Hurled down upon her own soil she lies, with no one to lift her up!
3 Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị na-asị Izrel, “Obodo unu nke na-ezipụ puku ndị ike, ka naanị narị ga-afọdụ, obodo unu na-ezipụ narị ndị ike ka naanị iri ga-afọdụrụ.”
For the Lord God says this: The city that marches out with a thousand soldiers has only a hundred left, and the one that marches out with a hundred has only ten left.
4 Ihe ndị a bụ okwu Onyenwe anyị na-agwa ụlọ Izrel, “Chọọnụ m, ka unu dịrị ndụ.
For the Lord says this to Israel: Seek me and live,
5 Unu achọla Betel, unu abanyekwala na Gilgal, maọbụ ga ije ruo Bịasheba. Nʼihi na Gilgal aghaghị ije biri nʼala ọzọ, ebe Betel ga-aghọ ebe tọgbọrọ nʼefu.”
But do not seek Bethel, do not enter Gilgal, do not go over to Beer-sheba. For Gilgal will enter exile, and Bethel will go to destruction.
6 Chọọnụ Onyenwe anyị, ka unu dịrị ndụ, ka ọ gharakwa iji ike bịakwasị ụlọ Josef, dịka ire ọkụ, ọ ga-erepịa ha. Betel agaghị enwe onye ga-emenyụ.
Seek the Lord and live, or he will cast fire on the house of Joseph, and it will devour and there will be no one to quench it for Bethel.
7 Unu ndị na-eme ikpe ziri ezi ka ọ ghọọ ihe ilu, na-ekpukwa ezi omume ihu nʼala.
You who turn judgment to bitter wormwood, and cast righteousness into the dirt:
8 Onye mere kpakpando pleiades na orion, onye na-emekwa ka oke ọchịchịrị ghọọ ụtụtụ, na-emekwa ka ụbọchị ghọọ abalị, onye na-akpọ mmiri nke osimiri oku, wụsa ha nʼelu ala akọrọ, Onyenwe anyị bụ aha ya.
He who made the Pleiades and Orion, who turns deep darkness into dawn, who darkens day again into night, who summons the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the earth’s surface, the Lord is his name!
9 Onye na-eme ka ịla nʼiyi bịakwasị ndị dị ike nʼotu ntabi anya, na-emekwa ka ịla nʼiyi bịakwasị ebe ahụ niile e wusiri ike.
He causes destruction to burst over the strong. He brings devastation on the fortress.
10 Ọ dị ndị na-akpọ onye na-edebe ikpe ziri ezi nʼụlọikpe asị, na-elelịkwa onye na-ekwu eziokwu anya.
You who hate the arbiters at the city gate, and abhor anyone who speaks the truth:
11 Unu na-azọpịa ndị ogbenye, na-anapụ ha ukwu ọka wiiti ha. Unu ewuolara onwe unu ụlọ nkume a wara awa, ma unu agaghị ebi nʼime ha. Unu akụọla ubi vaịnị mara mma, ma unu agaghị aṅụ ihe ọṅụṅụ ọbụla sitere nʼime ha.
Because you trample on the weak, and tax their grain, although you have built houses of hewn stone, you will not live in them, although you have planted charming vineyards, you will not drink their wine.
12 Nʼihi na amaara m njehie unu niile, ka ha si baa ụba, matakwa ọtụtụ mmehie unu niile. Unu na-emegbu ndị ezi omume, na-erikwa ngarị. Ma na-achụpụkwa ndị ọ dịghị nke ha nwere nʼọnụ ụzọ ama.
For I know how many are your crimes, and how great are your sins! You persecutors of the righteous, takers of bribes! You deny the poor their justice at the city gate.
13 Nʼihi ya, onye nwere uche na-ekpuchi ọnụ ya nʼoge ahụ, nʼihi na oge ndị ahụ dị njọ.
It would be wise to keep quiet in such an evil time.
14 Chọsienụ ezi ihe ike, ọ bụghị ihe ọjọọ; ka unu dịrị ndụ. Mgbe ahụ ka Onyenwe anyị Chineke, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ga-anọnyere unu, dịka unu si kwuo.
Seek good and not evil, that you may live, so the Lord, God of hosts, may be with you, as you have claimed he is.
15 Kpọọnụ ihe ọjọọ asị, ma hụnụ ezi ihe nʼanya. Meenụ ka ikpe ziri ezi guzosie ike nʼụlọikpe unu. O nwere ike bụrụ na Onyenwe anyị Chineke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile ga-enwe amara nʼahụ ndị fọdụụrụ Josef.
Hate evil and love good, establish justice at the city gate. Perhaps the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to a surviving remnant of Joseph.
16 Nʼihi ya, nke a ka Onyenwe anyị, Chineke Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, bụ Onyenwe anyị na-asị, “Oke iti mkpu akwa aghaghị ịdị nʼokporoụzọ niile; ọ bụkwa nʼama niile ka ha ga-asị, azịgbakwa, azịgbakwa. A ga-akpọ ndị ọrụ ubi ka ha bịa kwaa akwa, kpọọkwa ndị na-eru ụjụ ka ha bịa tie mkpu akwa.
Therefore the Lord, the God of hosts, says: In all the public squares there will be wailing, in every street the sound of mourning. They will summon the farmers to mourning, and professional mourners to wailing.
17 A ga-enwe iti mkpu akwa nʼime ubi vaịnị niile, nʼihi na aga m esi nʼetiti unu gafee,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru.
In all vineyards there will be lamenting, when I pass through your midst, says the Lord.
18 Ahụhụ dịrị unu, ndị ahụ na-achọsi ụbọchị Onyenwe anyị ike. Gịnị mere unu ji achọ ụbọchị nke Onyenwe anyị ahụ? Ụbọchị ahụ ga-abụ ọchịchịrị, ọ bụghị ìhè.
Fools who long for the day of the Lord! What does the day of the Lord mean to you? It is darkness, and not light.
19 Ọ ga-adị ka onye si nʼihu ọdụm na-agbapụ ma zute anụ ọhịa bịa, maọbụ onye gbabara nʼụlọ ya izuike ma tụkwasị aka ya nʼaja ụlọ, agwọ ataa ya.
It is as when one flees from a lion, and is attacked by a bear, as when one reaches home, leans his hand on the wall, and a snake bites him.
20 Ụbọchị Onyenwe anyị ọ gaghị abụ ụbọchị ọchịchịrị, na-abụghị ìhè, nke oke ọchịchịrị, a na-agaghị enwe ìhè ọbụla na ya?
Won’t the Lord’s day be darkness and not light, murky darkness without a ray of light in it?
21 “Akpọrọ m mmemme oriri na ọṅụṅụ unu asị, ajụla m ya. Nnọkọ nke oke nzukọ unu adịghị atọkwa m ụtọ.
I hate, I despise your feasts, I will not smell the savor of your festivals,
22 A sịkwarị na unu bunyere m aja nsure ọkụ unu na aja mkpụrụ ọka unu, agaghị m anabata ha. Aja udo nke anụ unu gbara abụba abụrụghị m ihe ọbụla.
I will not be pleased with your burnt offerings, your grain offerings, I will not accept the peace offerings of your fattened calves.
23 Sitenụ nʼebe m nọ wezuga ụzụ ịbụ abụ unu. Agaghị m ege ntị nʼabụ ụbọ akwara unu.
Spare me the noise of your songs, I will not listen to the melody of your lyres.
24 Kama meenụ ka ikpe ziri ezi na-asọgharị dịka mmiri, ka ezi omume na-asọgharịbiga oke dịka iyi nke na-adịghị ata ata.
But let justice roll on as a flood of waters, and righteousness like an unfailing stream.
25 “Iri afọ anọ ndị ahụ unu nọ nʼọzara, unu chụụrụ m aja, unu o wetara m onyinye, unu ụlọ Izrel?
Was it only sacrifices and grain offerings you brought me during the forty years in the wilderness, Israel?
26 Unu ga-ebuli eze unu Sakut elu, na arụsị Kayiwan, chi kpakpando unu, bụ onyinyo unu, na chi niile a kpụrụ akpụ, nke unu kpụrụ nye onwe unu.
But now you will lift up your “king” Sikkuth and “star god” Kiyyun, your idols which you have made for yourselves,
27 Ya mere, aghaghị m ime ka e buru unu gaa nʼala ndị ọzọ, nʼofe Damaskọs,” ka Onyenwe anyị, Onye ahụ aha ya bụ Chineke, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile kwuru.
as I drive you into exile beyond Damascus, says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.
