Jeremi 18
1 Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobaki na Jeremi:
Yahweh gave another message to me. [He said],
2 — Kende na ndako ya mosali mbeki mpe, kuna, nakoyebisa yo makambo.
“Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.”
3 Boye, nakendeki na ndako ya mosali mbeki mpe nakutaki ye azali kosala mosala na ye.
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 Kasi mbeki oyo azalaki kosala na mabele oyo basalelaka bikeko ezalaki kokangama ye na maboko. Bongo, mosali mbeki yango asalaki mbeki mosusu wuta na mbeki oyo ebebaki, asalaki yango lisusu kitoko kolanda posa ya motema na ye.
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 Mpe kuna, Yawe alobaki na ngai:
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
6 — Oh bana ya Isalaele, nakoki kosala bino te ndenge mosali mbeki oyo azali kosala, elobi Yawe? Bana ya Isalaele, bozali te kati na maboko na Ngai lokola mabele oyo basalelaka bikeko kati na maboko ya mosali mbeki?
“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 Soki nazwi mokano ya kopikola, ya kokweyisa to ya kobebisa ekolo to mokili songolo,
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 bongo ekolo to mokili oyo nakebisi etiki kosala mabe, nakobongola mokano oyo nasilaki kozwa mpo na yango mpe nakolongola pasi oyo nakanaki kotindela yango.
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 To mpe lisusu, soki nazwi mokano ya kotonga to ya kolona ekolo to mokili pakala,
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 bongo ekolo to mokili yango ekomi kosala mabe na miso na Ngai mpe eboyi koyokela Ngai, nakobongola mokano oyo nasilaki kozwa ya kosalela yango bolamu.
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 Yango wana, yebisa sik’oyo bato ya Yuda mpe bavandi ya Yelusalemi: « Tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi: ‹ Tala, nasili kozwa mokano ya kotindela bino pasi, mpe nazali na mabongisi ya kosala bino mabe. Boye, tika ete moko na moko kati na bino atika nzela na ye ya mabe, abongola bizaleli mpe misala na ye. ›
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 Kasi bakozongisa: ‹ Ezali na tina te! Tokokoba kaka kosala mabongisi ya mitema na biso, mpe moko na moko kati na biso akokoba kaka kolanda baposa mabe ya motema na ye. › »
[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 Yango wana, tala liloba oyo Yawe alobi: « Boluka koyeba kati na bikolo soki nani asila koyoka makambo ya boye! Isalaele, mboka kitoko, asali likambo ya mabe penza!
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 Boni, bosila komona mvula ya pembe ya Libani kosila na bangomba na yango? Bosila komona mayi ya malili oyo ekitaka na bangomba na yango kokawuka?
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 Nzokande, bato na Ngai babosani Ngai, bazali kotumba malasi ya ansa mpo na banzambe ya bikeko oyo ezanga tina, oyo ebetisaka bango mabaku na nzela mpe epengwisaka bango na nzela ya kala, bongo ememaka bango na banzela mosusu oyo bafungola nanu te.
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 Mokili na bango ekotikala lisusu na bato te, ekokoma eloko ya kotiola mpo na tango nyonso, bongo bato nyonso oyo bakoleka wana bakokamwa mpe bakoningisa mito na bango.
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 Nakopanza bango liboso ya banguna na bango ndenge mopepe ya este esalaka. Tango bakokoma na pasi, nakopesa bango mokongo mpe nakolakisa bango elongi na Ngai te. »
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 Bazalaki koloba: « Boya! Tika ete tosalela Jeremi likita mpo na kosala ye mabe, pamba te ezala ndenge nini, Banganga-Nzambe bakosila te mpo na koteya Mobeko, bato ya bwanya bakosila te mpo na kopesa toli, mpe basakoli bakosila te mpo na kosakola Liloba na Yawe. Boya! Tika ete toboma ye na nzela ya lolemo, mpe tolanda te makambo oyo azali koloba! »
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 Eh Yawe, yoka makambo oyo bafundi na ngai bazali koloba!
[Then I prayed], “Yahweh, [please] listen to me! And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.
20 Boni, bazongisaka solo mabe na malamu? Tala, batimoli libulu mpo na kokunda ngai! Kanisa ndenge nini natelemaki liboso na Yo mpo na koloba na tina na bolamu na bango, mpo ete kanda na Yo ekende mosika na bango.
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 Mpo na yango, boma bana na bango na nzala, kaba bango na mopanga! Tika ete basi na bango bakufisa bana na bango mpe bakoma basi bakufisa mibali! Tika ete kufa ekomela mibali na bango, mpe bilenge mibali na bango bakufa na mopanga ya bitumba.
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 Tika ete kolela eyokana wuta na bandako na bango tango okotindela bango banguna na pwasa, pamba te batimoli libulu mpo ete bakanga ngai mpe batie mitambo na makolo na ngai!
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 Kasi Yo, Yawe, oyebi mabongisi nyonso oyo basali mpo na koboma ngai; kolimbisa mabe na bango te, kolongola masumu na bango liboso na Yo te! Tika ete balenga liboso na Yo! Pesa bango etumbu na mokolo ya kanda na Yo.
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]!”
