< Jeremia 2 >

1 Ary tonga tamiko ny tenin’ i Jehovah hoe:
Yahweh gave me another message
2 Mandehana, ka miantsoa eo anatrehan’ i Jerosalema hoe: Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah: Tsaroako ny niraiketan’ ny fonao tamiko, fony ianao mbola tanora, sy ny fitiavanao, fony ianao vao nampakarina, dia ilay nanarahanao Ahy tany an-efitra, teny amin’ ny tany tsy mbola nifafy zavatra;
[to proclaim to everyone in Jerusalem. He said that I should tell them this] [MET]: “I, Yahweh, remember that you very much wanted to please me [long ago]. [You tried to please me like] a bride [tries to please her husband]; You loved me, and you followed me through the desert [DOU].
3 Masìna ho an’ i Jehovah ny Isiraely sady santatra amin’ ny vokany; Izay rehetra nihinana azy dia nohelohina, ny loza no nanjo ireny, hoy Jehovah.
[At that time you] Israelis (were set apart/belonged only) to me; [you belonged to me like] the first part of the harvests belong to me [MET]. I promised to punish all those who harmed you, my people, and truly I did send disasters on them. [That happened because I], Yahweh, said [that it would happen].”
4 Mihainoa ny tenin’ i Jehovah, ry taranak’ i Jakoba, sy ianareo, ry fokony rehetra amin’ ny taranak’ Isiraely!
So, you [descendants of] [MTY] Jacob, all you people of [MTY] Israel,
5 Izao no lazain’ i Jehovah: Inona moa no tsy marina hitan’ ny razanareo tamiko, no dia nanalavitra Ahy izy sady nanaraka ny zava-poana, ka dia tonga zava-poana koa izy?
listen to what Yahweh says: “(What sin did I commit [RHQ] that caused your ancestors to turn far away from me?/Though your ancestors found no fault in me, they turned far away from me.) They worshiped worthless idols, and they themselves became worthless.
6 Ary izy tsy nanao hoe: Aiza Jehovah Izay nitondra antsika niakatra avy tany amin’ ny tany Egypta sady nitarika antsika tany an-efitra, dia ilay tany foana sady be lavaka, tany karankaina sady aloky ny fahafatesana, tany izay tsy mba nalehan’ olona akory na nonenan’ olona?
They did not say, ‘Yahweh brought us [safely] out of Egypt, and he led us through a desert where there were a lot of pits; he led us where there was no water and where it was very dangerous, through a land where no one lives, and no one even travels. (So where is Yahweh now?/So he should be helping us now!) [RHQ]’
7 Ary nitondra anareo niditra ho any amin’ ny tany mahavokatra Aho, mba hihinananareo ny vokatra sy ny zavatra tsara eo aminy; Kanjo nony tafiditra ianareo, dia nolotoinareo ny taniko, sady novetavetainareo ny lovako.
And when I brought you into a very fertile land, in order that you could enjoy [all] the fruit and [other] good things that you would harvest, you caused the land that I promised to give to you to be unfit for me and to become disgusting/detestable to me.
8 Ny mpisorona tsy nanao hoe: Aiza Jehovah? Ary ny mpiadidy ny lalàna tsy nahalala Ahy; Ny mpitondra koa nanota tamiko, ary ny mpaminany naminany tamin’ ny anaran’ i Bala ka nanaraka ireny tsy mahasoa.
[Your] priests also did not say, ‘(Where is Yahweh now?/Yahweh should be helping us now!)’ [RHQ] Those who teach/explain my laws do not [want to] know me, and [your] leaders have rebelled against me. [Your] prophets gave you messages from [their god] Baal, and they worship worthless idols.”
9 Koa mbola hifandahatra aminareo Aho, hoy Jehovah, sy hiady amin’ ny zafinareo koa.
“So, I will accuse you in court. [In future years], I will say what your children and your grandchildren have done that is wrong. [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said [that it will happen].
10 Fa mità ho any amin’ ny moron-dranomasin’ i Kitima, ka izahao, ary maniraha ho any Kedara, ka diniho tsara, dia aoka ho hitanareo na mba efa nisy toy izao, na tsia:
If you go [west] to the island of Cyprus, or if you go [east] to Kedar [land, ] and if you ask people in those places, they will tell you that no people [from their countries] have ever done the wicked things that you people have done!
11 Moa nisy firenena efa nanova ny andriamaniny va? Nefa ireny dia tsy Andriamanitra akory. Fa ny oloko kosa efa nanakalo ny voninahiny tamin’ ireny tsy mahasoa ireny.
The people of no other nation have ever [RHQ] abandoned their gods that they thought were glorious and started to worship gods that are not really gods, but you people have abandoned me, your glorious God, and are worshiping gods that are useless.
12 Talanjona amin’ izany ry lanitra! Ary matahora, ka mangorohoroa indrindra, ianareo! hoy Jehovah;
[It is as though everything in] the sky is surprised and dismayed/appalled [about what you have done]; [it is as though] they tremble because they are very horrified.
13 Fa zava-dratsy roa loha no nataon’ ny oloko: Efa nahafoy Ahy, loharanon’ aina, izy ka nihady lavaka famorian-drano ho an’ ny tenany, nefa lavaka mitriatriatra tsy mahatan-drano.
[You], my people, have done two evil things: You have rejected me, the one who is [like] [MET] a fountain [where you can obtain] fresh water, and you [are worshiping gods that are like] [MET] pits in the ground that are cracked and which are not able to hold any water.
14 Moa mpanompo va Isiraely? Ompikely va izy? Koa nahoana no voababo izy?
You Israeli people, you were certainly not [RHQ] slaves when you were born; you were captured [by your enemies].
15 Hamely azy no ampieronan’ ny liona tanora sy amoahany feo ka mahatonga ny taniny ho lao nodorana ny tanànany, ka tsy nisy mponina.
[Your enemies] [MET] roared [like] lions, and they destroyed your land. [Now] your towns have been burned, and no one lives in them.
16 Ny mponina tao Memfisa sy Tapanesa aza efa nampangadihady ny tampon-dohanao.
Soldiers from Memphis and Tahpenes, [cities in Egypt], have [defeated you] [and] shaved your heads [to show that you are their slaves].
17 Moa tsy ny nahafoizanao an’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao tamin’ ny andro nitondrany anao teny an-dalana va no nahatonga izany taminao?
But it is [RHQ] because you abandoned [me], Yahweh, that these disasters have happened to you.
18 Koa inona no anton’ ny ankanesanao amin’ ny lalana mankany Egypta Hisotro ny ranon’ i Sihora? Ary inona no anton’ ny ankanesanao amin’ ny lalana mankany Asyria hisotro ny rano amin’ ny Ony?
So (why are you trying to make an alliance with [MET] the rulers of Egypt?/it certainly will not help you to make an alliance with the rulers of Egypt) [RHQ]. Why are you trying to make an alliance with [MET] the rulers of Assyria who live near the [Euphrates] River?
19 Ny haratsianao no anafaizana anao, ary ny fihodinanao no ananarana anao; Koa fantaro sy hevero fa ratsy sady mangidy ny nahafoizanao an’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao sy ny tsy nisian’ ny tahotrao Ahy, hoy Jehovah, Tompon’ ny maro.
[It is because] you have been [very] wicked that I [PRS] will punish you. It is because you have turned away from me that I [PRS] will condemn you. [When I do that], you will realize that painful and evil [DOU] things will happen to you because you have forsaken [me], Yahweh, your God, and you no [longer] revere me. [That will certainly happen because] I, Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, have said it.
20 Fa hatramin’ ny ela no efa nanapahanao ny zioga taminao sy efa nanitosanao ny fatoranao, ka hoy ianao: Tsy hety hanompo aho; Nefa teny amin’ ny havoana andrandraina sy teny ambanin’ ny hazo maitso rehetra no nandrianao nijangajanganao.
Long ago, you stopped obeying [me] [MET], and you would not allow [me] to lead you [MET]; you refused to worship [me]. Instead, you worship idols that are under trees on the top of every hill, and your young women have sex with [EUP] [men at those places].
21 Fa Izaho namboly anao ho karazam-boaloboka tsara indrindra, dia rantsana tsara avokoa; Ka ahoana no nanjary sampany ratsy ianao ho voaloboka hafa?
[It is as though] [MET] you were a grapevine that I planted when it was a cutting from a very good vine. So now it is disgusting that [RHQ] you have become [like] a rotten worthless vine.
22 Fa na dia misasa sirahazo aza ianao ka maka lavenona betsaka hanadiovana anao, ny helokao dia mbola voasoratra eo anatrehako ihany, hoy Jehovah Tompo.
Your guilt from your sins is like [MET] very bad stains on a cloth, and you cannot get rid of those stains even by using very strong soap. [This is true because I], Yahweh, have said it.
23 Ahoana no anaovanao hoe: Tsy nanao izay nahaloto ahy aho, tsy nanaraka ireo Bala aho? Hevero ny nalehanao tany amin’ ilay lohasaha, fantaro izay nataonao, ry ramevavavy haingam-pandeha mivezivezy amin’ ny alehany,
You say that you have not sinned. You say ‘We have not become unacceptable to God; we have not worshiped Baal.’ But think about [the disgusting things that you do very eagerly] in [Hinnom] Valley [outside Jerusalem]. You are like desperate female camels, running here and there [to find male camels to have sex with].
24 Sy ry borikivavi-dia tamàna any an-efitra, izay manimbolo ny rivotra noho ny faniriany; Ary ny fahamaimaizany iza no mahasakana azy? Izay rehetra mitady azy dia tsy ho sasa-poana; Fa amin’ ny volany no hahitany azy.
You are [like] wild female donkeys in the desert. They sniff the air to find where the male donkeys are, and no one can [RHQ] restrain them. The male donkeys that want them do not become tired searching for them, because at mating time they find them [easily].
25 Aza esorina ny kapa amin’ ny tongotrao; Ary aoka tsy ho maina ny tendanao; Nefa hoy ianao: Tsy misy fanantenana; Tsia! fa ny hafa no tiako, ka dia hanaraka azy aho.
You constantly run here and there [to find idols to worship], with the result that your sandals are worn out, and your throats have become dry. [I told you to stop doing that], but you said, ‘We cannot stop, because we love foreign gods, and we must worship them.’”
26 Toy ny fangaihain’ ny mpangalatra, raha azo, dia toy izany ny fangaihain’ ny taranak’ Isiraely, eny, izy sy ny mpanjakany sy ny lehibeny sy ny mpisorony ary ny mpaminaniny,
[Yahweh says this]: “A robber is disgraced when he is caught. And all of you, including your kings and priests and prophets, are similarly disgraced.
27 Dia izay manao amin’ ny tapa-kazo hoe: Raiko ianao, ary amin’ ny vato hoe: Hianao no niteraka ahy; Fa efa niamboho Ahy izy ka tsy nanatrika Ahy; Nefa amin’ ny andro fahoriany kosa dia vao hanao hoe izy: Mitsangàna, ka vonjeo izahay.
You say to [a piece of] wood [that is carved to become a sacred idol], ‘You are our father!’ And you say to a stone [that you have set up], ‘You are our mother!’ You have rejected [IDM] me, but when you experience troubles, you cry out to me to rescue you.
28 Fa aiza ireny andriamanitrao izay nataonao ho anao? Aoka hitsangana ireny, raha mahavonjy anao amin’ ny andro fahorianao fa araka ny isan’ ny tanànanao, ry Joda, no isan’ ny andriamanitrao.
Why do you not [RHQ] cry out to the gods that you made? You have as many gods as you have cities [and towns] in Judah. So why do you not plead with them to rescue you when you experience disasters?
29 Nahoana no mifandahatra amiko ianareo? Fa samy efa niodina tamiko ianareo rehetra, hoy Jehovah.
You complain that it was wrong for me [not to have rescued you], but you have all rebelled against me.
30 Foana ny namelezako ny zanakareo, fa tsy zaka nanarina izy; Ny sabatrareo nandringana ny mpaminaninareo, toy ny liona mamiravira.
I punished some of you, but you did not learn anything from my doing that. You have killed many of the prophets that I [sent to you], like [SIM] fierce lions kill [other animals].
31 Ry taranaka, dinihonareo ny tenin’ i Jehovah! Moa efa nanjary tany efitra ho an’ ny Isiraely va Aho, na tany maizim-pito? Nahoana ny oloko no manao hoe: Afaka mikarenjy izahay ka tsy hankany aminao intsony?
You people of Israel, pay attention to what I say. I have certainly [RHQ] never [abandoned you] in a desert; I have never [left you] in a land full of darkness. So, why do you, my people, say ‘We are free from God’s control; we will not return to [worship] God any more’?
32 Hanadino ny firàvany va ny virijina, na hanadino ny fehin-kibony misy haingony va ny ampakarina? Nefa tsy hita isa ny andro nanadinoan’ ny oloko Ahy.
A young woman would certainly never [RHQ] forget [to wear] her jewelry, and a bride would never [RHQ] forget to wear her wedding dress, but you my people have forgotten me for many years.
33 Kanto izany fandehanao hitady fitia izany, ka zarinao ho amin’ ny ratsy ny dianao!
You know how to easily find [gods from other countries] whom you can love. You can find them as easily as a prostitute [can find men to sleep with].
34 Ary koa eo an-tsisin-dambanao no ahitana ny ran’ ny olona malahelo izay tsy manan-tsiny, tsy tamin’ ny tami-trano no nahazoanao azy, fa tamin’ izany rehetra izany.
Although you have on your clothes the blood of poor people whom you have murdered, people who (were innocent/had not done things that are wrong),
35 Nefa hoy ianao: Tsy manan-tsiny aho, efa afaka amiko tokoa ny fahatezerany. Indro, hifandahatra aminao Aho noho ny anaovanao hoe: Tsy nanota aho.
you say ‘We have not done anything that is wrong; so surely [Yahweh] is not angry with us.’ But I will punish [MTY] you [severely] for saying ‘We have not sinned.’
36 Nahoana ianao no maika hanova ny alehanao? Fa ho menatra noho ny amin’ i Egypta koa ianao, toy ny nahamenaranao noho ny amin’ i Asyria.
Previously you requested [the army of] Assyria to help you, but they were not able to help you. Now you have requested [the army of] Egypt to help you, but they will not be able to help you, either.
37 Izany koa dia hialanao, ka hiloloha tanana ianao; Fa nolavin’ i Jehovah ny tokinao, ka tsy hambinina amin’ ireo ianao.
They will capture you, and you will be [their prisoners] [MTY], led to Egypt, [very ashamed] with your hands on your heads. That will happen because I, Yahweh, have rejected those [nations] that you are relying on, and they will not be able to help you at all.”

< Jeremia 2 >