< Jeremaya 2 >

1 Okwu nke Onyenwe anyị bịakwutere m na-asị,
The Lord's message came to me, saying,
2 “Gaa, kwupụta na ntị Jerusalem, “Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, “‘Echetara m ịnụ ọkụ nʼobi nke okorobịa gị nʼoge gara aga ime ihe ga-atọ m ụtọ, ịhụnanya gị dịka onye a lụrụ ọhụrụ, echetakwara m otu unu si soro m nʼime ọzara, ga nʼala tọgbọrọ nʼefu nke a na-akụghị mkpụrụ.
Go and announce to the people of Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember when you were young how devoted to me you were. I remember how you loved me when you were my bride. I remember how you followed me in the desert, in a land where nothing is grown.
3 Izrel bụ ihe dị nsọ nye Onyenwe anyị, mkpụrụ mbụ nke owuwe ihe ubi ya. Ndị niile ripịara ya ka a gụrụ dị ka ndị ikpe mara. Ihe ọjọọ dakwasịkwara ha.’” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. Anyone who ate this harvest was guilty of sin, and they experienced the disastrous results, declares the Lord.
4 Nụrụ okwu nke Onyenwe anyị unu ụlọ Jekọb, na unu ndị bụ agbụrụ niile sitere nʼIzrel.
Listen to the Lord's message, descendants of Jacob, all you Israelites.
5 Ihe a ka Onyenwe anyị kwuru, “Gịnị bụ ihe ọjọọ nna unu ha chọpụtara nʼime m, mere ha ji si nʼebe m nọ kpafuo, nọrọ m ebe dị anya? Nke mere na ha ghọrọ ndị nzuzu site nʼịgbaso arụsị?
This is what the Lord says: What did your forefathers think was wrong with me that they went so far away from me? They went off to worship useless idols, and as a result became useless themselves!
6 Ha ajụghị ‘Olee ebe Onyenwe anyị ahụ nọ, bụ onye sitere nʼala Ijipt kpọpụta anyị, duuru anyị gafee ọzara tọgbọrọ nʼefu, nʼala ọzara na ala olulu jupụtara, ala nke akpịrị ịkpọ nkụ na nke oke ọchịchịrị, ala ebe ọ dịghị onye na-esi na ya agafee na nke mmadụ na-ebighị na ya?’
They didn't ask themselves, “Where is the Lord who led us from Egypt, who led us through the wasteland, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and darkness, a land that no one travels through and where no one lives?”
7 Ọ bụ m kpọbatara unu nʼala na-amị ọtụtụ mkpụrụ, ka unu rie ihe dị ukwuu na ihe dị mma si nʼime ya. Ma unu bara merụọ ala m unu mere ihe nketa m ka ọ ghọọ ihe arụ.
I led you into a productive land to eat all the good things that grow there. But you came and made my land unclean, making it offensive to me.
8 Ndị nchụaja ajụghị sị, ‘Olee ebe Onyenwe anyị nọ?’ Ndị ikpe ha amaghị m, ndị na-achị ha mehiere megide m, ndị amụma ha bụkwa aha Baal ka ha ji ebu amụma, ha gbasooro ihe na-enweghị isi.
Your priests did not ask, “Where is the Lord?” Your teachers of the law no longer believed in me, and your leaders rebelled against me. Your prophets prophesied by calling on Baal and followed worthless idols.
9 “Nʼihi ya, aga m ebulite ebubo megide unu,” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwubiri ya. “M ga-ebulikwa ebubo megide ụmụ ụmụ unu.
So I'm going to confront you again, declares the Lord, and I will bring charges against your children's children.
10 Gafee nʼọnụ mmiri Saiprọs lee anya, zie ozi gaa Keda ma leruo anya nke ọma, ma ị ga-ahụ ihe ọbụla yiri nke a.
Travel over to the islands of Cyprus and take a look; go to the land of Kedar and examine carefully to see if anything like this has ever happened before.
11 O nwerela mba gbanwere chi ndị ha na-efe? (Ọ bụ ezie na ha abụghị chi.) Ma ndị m ewerela arụsị na-enweghị isi gbanwere ebube ha.
Has a nation ever changed its gods? —even though they're not gods at all! Yet my people have traded their glorious God for worthless idols.
12 Ka ibubo nwụọ gị, gị eluigwe nʼihi nke a, maa jijiji, tụọkwa oke ụjọ.” Otu a ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
You heavens, you should be appalled, shocked and horrified! declares the Lord.
13 “Nʼihi na ndị m emeela ihe ọjọọ abụọ. Ha agbakụtala m azụ, bụ Isi iyi mmiri ndụ, gwuoro onwe ha ebe ichebe mmiri nke tipuru etipu na-enweghị ike ịnagide mmiri ọbụla.
For my people have done two evil things. They have abandoned me, the source of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that can't hold water.
14 Izrel ọ bụ ohu, ka ọ bụ ohu a mụrụ nʼụlọ? Gịnị mere o ji ghọọ ihe nlụta nʼagha?
Are Israelites slaves? Were they born into slavery? So why have they become victims?
15 Ọdụm agbọọla ụja, ha ebigbọọla meekwa ka ọ nụ olu ha. Ha ebibiela obodo ya laa ya nʼiyi, suo ya ọkụ, nke mere na o nweghị onye bi na ha.
The young lions roared at you; they growled loudly. They have devastated your country; your towns lie in ruins. No one lives there.
16 Ọzọkwa, ndị ikom Memfis na Tapanhis a kupuola gị isi.
The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved your heads.
17 Ọ bụghị unu onwe unu wetaara onwe unu ihe ọjọọ dị otu a site na ịhapụ Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke unu, mgbe ọ na-edu unu na-aga nʼụzọ?
Didn't you bring this on yourself by abandoning the Lord your God when he was leading you in the right way?
18 Ugbu a, gịnị bụ uru unu nwetara site nʼịga Ijipt sitekwa nʼịṅụ mmiri nke osimiri Naịl? Gịnị bụ uru unu nwetara site nʼịga Asịrịa, sitekwa nʼịṅụ mmiri si na Yufretis?
Now what will you benefit as you travel back to Egypt to drink the waters of Shihor River? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates River?
19 Ọ bụ ajọ omume unu ga-ewetara unu ahụhụ; ahụhụ soo ndaghachi azụ unu bụ ihe ga-adọ unu aka na ntị. Tulee ma matanụ nʼonwe unu otu o si bụrụ ihe ọjọọ na ihe ilu nye unu bụ inupu isi na ịgbakụta Onyenwe anyị bụ Chineke unu azụ na-enweghị egwu ọbụla nʼime unu banyere m,” nke a bụ ihe Chineke, Onye pụrụ ime ihe niile, kwupụtara.
Your own wickedness will discipline you; your own disobedience will teach you a lesson. Think about it and you'll recognize what a bitter evil it is for you to abandon the Lord your God and not to respect me, declares the Lord God Almighty.
20 “Nʼoge gara aga, unu gbajiri yoku unu dọkapụ agbụ jikọtara mụ na unu, unu sịrị, ‘Agaghị m ejere gị ozi.’ Nʼezie, ọ bụ nʼelu ugwu ọbụla nakwa nʼokpuru osisi na-agbasa agbasa, ka ị na-edina dịka onye akwụna.
You broke off your yoke and ripped off your chains long ago. “I won't worship you!” you declared. On the contrary, you lay down like a prostitute on every high hill and under every green tree.
21 Ma mụ onwe m kụrụ gị dịka osisi vaịnị kachasị mma nke mkpụrụ ya dị ndụ dịkwa mma. Olee otu i siri tụgharịa megide m, ghọọ ihe rụrụ arụ, osisi vaịnị ọhịa?
I was the one who planted you like the finest vine, grown from the very best seed. How could you degenerate into a useless wild vine?
22 Nʼagbanyeghị na iji ncha sachaa onwe gị, maọbụ jirikwa ọtụtụ ntụ ncha, ntụpọ nke mmehie gị ka dị nʼihu m,” Otu a ka Onye kachasị ihe niile elu, bụ Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
Even bleach and plenty of soap can't get rid of your guilty stains. I still see them, declares the Lord God.
23 “Ị ga-esi aṅaa na-asị, ‘A bụghị m onye e merụrụ emerụ; o nwebeghị oge ọbụla m ji gbaso Baal?’ Leruo ụzọ gị anya na ndagwurugwu, tulee ihe ndị i mere. Ị bụ nne ịnyịnya ibu dị nkọ, na-agbagharị ebe a nʼebe nke ọzọ.
How dare you say, “I'm not unclean! I haven't gone to worship the Baals!” Look at what you've been doing down in the valley. Admit what you've done! You're a young female camel, racing around everywhere.
24 Nne ịnyịnya ibu ọhịa nke mara ụzọ ya nke ọma nʼọzara, na-esi imi ma ọ ga-esichapụta oke ịnyịnya ibu, onye pụrụ igbochi ya nʼoge mmekọ ya na oke ịnyịnya zuru? Oke ịnyịnya ọbụla chọọrọ ya agaghị atụfu oge nʼịchụgharị ya, nʼihi nʼoge ha chọrọ mmekọ, ha ga-achọta ya.
You're a female donkey living in the desert, sniffing the wind for a mate because she's in heat. No one can control her at mating time. All those who're looking for her won't have trouble finding her when she's in heat.
25 Agbala ọsọ ruo mgbe ị ga-agbara ụkwụ efu, mgbe akpịrị ga-akpọ gị nku. Ma ị na-asị, ‘O nweghị uru ọ bara. Nʼihi na ahụrụ m chi ndị mba ọzọ nʼanya, aghaghị m ịgbaso ha.’
You don't have to run around barefoot or have your throat go dry. But you reply, “No, it's impossible! I'm in love with foreign gods—I must go to them.”
26 “Dịka a na-eme onye ohi ihe ihere mgbe e jidere ya, otu a ka a ga-eme ụlọ Izrel ihere, ha onwe ha, ma ndị eze ha, ma ndịisi ha, ndị nchụaja ha na ndị amụma ha.
In the same way that a thief feels guilty when they're caught, so the people of Israel have been shamed. All of them—their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets.
27 Ha na-asị osisi, ‘Nna m ka ị bụ,’ na-asịkwa nkume, ‘Ọ bụ gị mụrụ m.’ Ha agbakụtala m azụ, jụ iche m ihu. Ma mgbe ọbụla nsogbu bịakwasịrị ha, ha na-asị, ‘Bịa, zọpụta anyị.’
They say to an idol made of wood, “You are my father,” and one made of stone, “You gave birth to me.” They turn their backs on me, and hide their faces from me. But when they're in trouble they come begging to me, saying, “Please come and save us!”
28 Olee ebe chi ndị ahụ i meere nye onwe gị nọ? Ka ha bịa, ma ọ bụrụ na ha nwere ike ịzọpụta gị, mgbe nsogbu bịakwasịrị unu. Nʼihi na gị, bụ Juda, nwere ọtụtụ chi dịka i si nwee ọtụtụ obodo.
So where are these “gods” of yours that you made for yourselves? Let them come and help you when you're in trouble! Let them save you if they can, because you Israelites have as many gods as you have towns.
29 “Gịnị mere unu ji ekwu okwu ebubo megide m? Unu niile enupula isi megide m,” ka Onyenwe anyị kwupụtara.
Why are you complaining to me? It's all of you who have all rebelled against me! declares the Lord.
30 “Nʼefu ka m tiri ụmụ unu ihe; ma nke a emeghị ka ha nabata ịdọ aka na ntị. Dịka ọdụm na-adọgbu anụ, mma agha unu eripịala ndị amụma unu.
It was pointless of me to punish your children because they refused to accept any discipline. You used your own swords to kill your prophets, destroying them like a ferocious lion.
31 “Unu ndị ọgbọ a, tuleenụ okwu nke Onyenwe anyị: “O nweela mgbe m bụ ọzara nye ndị Izrel ma ọ bụkwanụ ala gbara oke ọchịchịrị? Gịnị mekwaranụ ndị m ji na-asị, ‘Anyị enwerela onwe anyị ịwagharị, anyị agaghị abịakwutekwa gị ọzọ’?
You people of today, think about what the Lord is saying: Israel, have I treated you like an empty desert, or a land of thick darkness? Why are my people saying, “We can go where we like! We don't have to come and worship you any more”?
32 Nwaagbọghọ ọ na-echefu ọla ịchọ mma ya, nwanyị a na-alụ ọhụrụ ọ na-echefu ngwa ịchọ mma ya? Ma nʼime ọtụtụ ụbọchị nke a na-apụghị ịgụta ọnụ, ndị m echefuola m.
Does a girl forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding dress? Yet my people have forgotten me for too many years to count.
33 Lee ka unu si bụrụ ndị ọka nʼịgbaso ịhụnanya. Ọ bụladị ụmụ nwanyị dị njọ karịsịa nwere ike ịmụta ihe site nʼụzọ unu.
How cleverly you look for your lovers! Even prostitutes could learn something from you!
34 Nʼuwe unu ka achọtara ọbara ndị ogbenye na-enweghị ihe ọjọọ ha mere, nʼagbanyeghị na unu ejideghị ha ka ha nʼagbaka ụzọ. Ma unu gara nʼihu
On top of that, your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and the innocent. It's not like you killed them breaking into your homes. Despite all this,
35 na-asịkwa, ‘Emeghị m ihe ọjọọ, ọ dịghị eweso m iwe.’ Ma aga m ekpe unu ikpe, nʼihi na unu na-asị, ‘Emeghị m mmehie.’
you go on saying, “I'm innocent! Surely he can't still be upset with me!” Watch out! I'm going to punish you because you go on saying, “I haven't sinned.”
36 Gịnị mere unu ji na-akpagharị na-agbanwe ụzọ unu ọtụtụ mgbe? Ijipt ga-etinye unu nʼọnọdụ ihere dịka ndị Asịrịa mere unu.
You're just so fickle—you keep on changing your mind! You will end up just as disappointed by your alliance with Egypt as you were with Assyria.
37 Unu ga-ebu aka unu nʼisi mgbe unu si ebe ahụ na-apụ, nʼihi na Onyenwe anyị ajụla ndị ahụ unu tụkwasịrị obi. Ha agaghị enyere unu aka.
In fact you will go into exile with your hands on your head as prisoners, because the Lord will have nothing to do with those you trust; they will be no help to you.

< Jeremaya 2 >