Jeremaya 18
1 Nke a bụ okwu nke sị nʼebe Onyenwe anyị nọ bịakwute Jeremaya.
Yahweh gave another message to me. [He said],
2 “Bilie, jee nʼụlọ ọkpụ ite, ebe ahụ ka m ga-anọ zie gị ozi.”
“Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.”
3 Ya mere, ebiliri m jee nʼụlọ ọkpụ ite, bịakwute ya mgbe ọ nọ na-arụ ọrụ na nkume ịkpụ ihe.
So I went to that shop, and I saw the man who makes pots. He was working at the wheel [that he uses to form pots].
4 Ma ite ahụ ọ chọrọ ịkpụ apụtaghị dịka ọkpụ ite si chọọ ya, nʼihi ya, ọ kpụkọtara ụrọ ahụ ọzọ, malitekwa ịkpụgharị ya.
But when he finished making one jar, it was not as good as he hoped/wanted it to be. [So], he took that clay and formed it into another jar, shaping it as he desired.
5 Mgbe ahụ okwu Onyenwe anyị ruru m ntị,
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
6 Ọ sịrị, “Ọ bụ na m apụghị ime unu dịka ọkpụ ite a mere, unu ụmụ Izrel?” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri, “Dịka ụrọ si dị nʼaka ọkpụ ite ahụ, otu a ka unu onwe unu si dịrị nʼaka m, gị Izrel.
“Perhaps the people of Israel [think that] I cannot do to them like this man who makes pots has done [RHQ]. [But what they think is wrong]. I [can control what happens to them like] this man [controls what he does with the clay] in his hands.
7 Mgbe ọbụla m kpọsara na a ga-akwada maọbụ bibie, maọbụ si nʼọnọdụ ya hopu mba maọbụ alaeze ọbụla,
There may be a time when I proclaim that I will get rid of a nation or kingdom, [like someone] pulls up [a plant with its roots], and smashes it, and destroys it.
8 ọ bụrụ na mba ahụ m dọrọ aka na ntị esite na mmehie ha chegharịa, a gaghị ebibi ya dịka m si zube.
But if [the people of] that nation repent of doing evil things, I will not send to them the disasters that I planned to send.
9 Ọzọ, ọ bụrụ na m akpọsaa na a ga-ewuli mba ọbụla maọbụ alaeze ọbụla elu, kụọkwa ya,
And there may be a time when I proclaim that I will establish a nation or kingdom and cause it to be strong [MET].
10 ọ bụrụ na o mee ihe jọrọ njọ nʼanya m, jụ irubere m isi, agaghị m emere ya ihe ọma ahụ m zubere imere ya.
But if [the people of] that nation [start to] do evil things and refuse to obey me, then I will not bless them as I said that I would do.
11 “Ugbu a, gwa ndị Juda na ndị ahụ bi na Jerusalem, sị, ‘Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị sịrị: Lee, ana m akwado mbibi nke ga-abịakwasị unu; ana m echekwa echiche ọjọọ megide unu. Ya mere, ka onye ọbụla nʼime unu site nʼụzọ ọjọọ ya chegharịa, ya meekwa ka ụzọ ya na omume ya zie ezi.’
Therefore, [Jeremiah, go and warn all] the people in Jerusalem and [in other places] in Judah. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “I am planning to cause you to experience a disaster [DOU]. [So], each of you should turn from your evil behavior and start doing what is right, [in order that you will not experience that disaster].”’’”
12 Ma ha ga-aza sị, ‘O nweghị isi! Anyị ga-anọgide na-eme ihe ọbụla anyị chepụtara nʼechiche anyị, na-emekwa atụmatụ isiike nke obi ọjọọ anyị tụpụtara.’”
[So I told that message to the people], but they replied, “It is useless [for you to tell us that]. We will [continue to] be stubborn and behave as we want to.”
13 Nʼihi ya ka Onyenwe anyị ji kwuo sị, “Jụtanụ ajụjụ nʼetiti mba niile, onye nụrụla ihe dị otu a? Ndị m, Izrel, bụ nwaagbọghọ na-amaghị nwoke emeela ihe jọgburu onwe ya.
So, this is what Yahweh says: “Ask the [people who live in other] nations if they have [RHQ] ever heard of such a thing. My Israeli people, who [have been pure like] [MET] virgins, have done a terrible thing!
14 O nweela mgbe mmiri oyi m mere ka ọ kpụkọtaa kọrọ nʼelu ugwu Lebanọn? O nweela mgbe mmiri ya jụrụ oyi, nke si nʼebe dị anya na-asọdata ji akwụsị ịsọ asọ?
The snow certainly never [RHQ] completely disappears/melts from the rocky slopes of the mountains in Lebanon. The cold streams that flow down from those distant mountains never [RHQ] cease flowing.
15 Ma ndị m echezọọla m. Ha na-achụ aja nsure ọkụ na-esi isi ụtọ nye arụsị na-enweghị isi, bụ arụsị ndị ahụ mere ka ha sọọ ngọngọ nʼụzọ ha niile. Ha sụrụ ngọngọ hapụ ịgbasokwa ụzọ ọma ahụ dị site na mgbe ochie. Kama ha na-eje ije nʼụzọ ọhịa, nke na-enweghị ụkpụrụ, nke a na-ewuzighị ewuzi.
But my people [are not as reliable as those streams: ] They have abandoned me. They burn incense to [honor/worship] worthless idols. [It is as though] they have stumbled as they walked along very old roads that are good roads, and now, instead, they are walking on dirt paths.
16 Ala ha ga-atọgbọrọ nʼefu. Ọ ga-aghọ ihe iju anya ruo ebighị ebi. Ndị si nʼakụkụ ya na-agafe ga-efufe isi ha, nʼihi na ihe ha ga-ahụ ga-eju ha anya.
Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss [to ridicule it]. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads [to show that they are shocked].
17 Aga m achụsa ha nʼihu ndị iro ha dịka ifufe na-efe site nʼọwụwa anyanwụ. Aga m agbakụta ha azụ. Ha agaghị ahụkwa ihu m anya nʼụbọchị ahụ mbibi ga-abịakwasị ha.”
I will scatter the people when their enemies [attack them] like dust is scattered by an east wind. And when they experience all those difficulties/disasters, I will turn my back on them [and refuse] to help them.”
18 Ha sịrị, “Bịanụ ka anyị gbaa izu megide Jeremaya, nʼihi na izi iwu agaghị esite nʼebe ndị nchụaja nọ kwụsị, maọbụ ndụmọdụ nʼebe ndị maara ihe, ma ọ bụkwanụ okwu site nʼebe ndị amụma nọ. Ya mere, bịanụ ka anyị were ire anyị buso ya agha, gharakwa ịṅa ntị nʼokwu ọbụla nke ọ na-ekwu.”
Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s plan to attack Jeremiah. We have [many] priests who teach us God’s laws, and wise men who give us good advice, and prophets who tell us [what will happen. We do not need Jeremiah!] So, let’s slander him and not pay attention to anything that he says.”
19 Gee m ntị, Onyenwe anyị. Nụrụ ihe ndị na-ebo m ebubo na-ekwu megide m.
[Then I prayed], “Yahweh, [please] listen to me! And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.
20 O kwesiri iji ajọ omume kwụghachi ihe ọma? Ma lee na ha egwuolara m olulu. Chetakwa na m guzooro nʼihu gị ma rịọ gị arịrịọ nʼihi ha. Arịrịọ m bụ ka ị hapụ iweso ha oke iwe.
I am doing things that are good, so it is disgusting that [RHQ] they are paying me back by doing evil [things to me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into] and die. Do not forget that [one time] I stood in front of you and pleaded for you [to help them], and I tried to prevent you from [punishing them] [MTY], even though you were very angry with them.
21 Ya mere, were ụmụ ha nyefee nʼaka ụnwụ. Werekwa ha onwe ha nyefee nʼaka mma agha. Mee ka ndị nwunye ha ghọọ ndị gba aka ụmụ na di. Meekwa ka e gbuo ndị ikom ha, ka mma agha gbukwaa ụmụ okorobịa nʼọgbọ agha.
So [now], allow their children to die from hunger! Or cause them to be killed by [their enemies’] swords! Cause their wives to become widows, whose children are all dead! Cause their [old] men to die in a plague, and cause their young men to be killed in battles!
22 Mee ka e site nʼụlọ ha nụ mkpu akwa, mgbe i mere ka ndị iro ha buso ha agha na mberede. Nʼihi na ha egwuola olulu ijide m, ha esiekwarala m ọnya nzuzo ijide m nʼụkwụ.
Cause people to scream in their homes when enemy soldiers suddenly come into their houses! [Cause all those things to happen to them] because they [want to kill me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into], and they have hidden traps along my path.
23 Ma gị onwe gị, Onyenwe anyị, maara nzube ọjọọ ha niile igbu m. Agbagharala ha ajọ omume ha; maọbụ hichapụ mmehie ha site nʼihu gị. Mee ka ụkwụ ha gbuchapụ ka ha daa nʼihu gị; mesie ha ike mgbe ị na-ewe iwe.
Yahweh, you know all the things that they are planning to do to kill me. Do not forgive them for their crimes or blot out [the record of] their sins. Cause them to be destroyed; punish them because of your being angry [with them]!”
