Selemaia 50

1 Ko e folofola eni naʻe folofola ʻaki ʻe Sihova ki Papilone, pea mo e fonua ko Kalitia, ʻia Selemaia ko e palōfita.

Yahweh gave to [me, ] Jeremiah the prophet, a message about Babylon [city] and the country of Babylonia.

2 “Fakahā ki he ngaahi puleʻanga, pea fakaʻilo, pea hiki hake ʻae fuka: fakaʻilo, pea ʻoua naʻa fakafufū: fakahā kuo kapa ʻa Papilone, kuo fakamaaʻi ʻa Peli, kuo maumauʻi ke lailai ʻa Melotaki; kuo fakamaaʻi ʻene ngaahi tamapua, kuo laiki ʻaupito hono ngaahi meʻa fakatātā.’

[This is what Yahweh says]: “Proclaim [DOU] [a message] among the nations; do not withhold any of it; raise up a signal flag to announce that Babylon will be captured. [Its chief god] Marduk, [whose other name is] Bel, will be completely disgraced, and all the [other] statues and idols will be shattered.

3 “He kuo haʻu kiate ia ʻae puleʻanga mei he tokelau, ʻaia te ne fakalala hono fonua, pea ʻe ʻikai nofo ki ai ha taha: te nau hiki, te nau ʻalu, ʻae tangata mo e manu fakatouʻosi.”

[The army of] a nation will come from the north to attack Babylon and destroy the city very thoroughly, [with the result that] no one will live there [again]. Both people and animals will run away.”

4 ‌ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova, “ʻI he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia, pea ʻi he kuonga ko ia, ʻe haʻu ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli, ko kinautolu mo e fānau ʻa Siuta fakataha, te nau ʻalu mo e tangi: te nau ʻalu pea kumi kia Sihova ko honau ʻOtua.

“But [I, ] Yahweh, say that in the future, when that is about to happen, the people of Israel and the people of Judah will join together. They will be weeping and wanting [to worship] me, their God.

5 Te nau fehuʻi ki he hala ki Saione, pea fakahanga honau mata ki ai, ʻo pehē, ‘Haʻu ke tau fakataha ʻakitautolu kia Sihova ʻi he fuakava taʻengata ʻaia ʻe ʻikai fakangaloʻi.’

They will inquire about the road to Jerusalem, [and then] they will start traveling [IDM] toward it. They will say [to each other], ‘We must return to Yahweh [again]!’ They will make an everlasting agreement with me that they will never forget.

6 “Ko hoku kakai ko e fanga sipi kuo mole: kuo fakahēʻi ʻakinautolu ʻe honau kau tauhi, kuo nau fakaafe ʻakinautolu ki he ngaahi moʻunga: kuo nau ʻalu mei he moʻunga ki he moʻunga, kuo nau fakangalongaloʻi ʻa honau mālōlōʻanga.

My people have been [like] [MET] lost sheep. Their [leaders/rulers] have caused them [to abandon me] like [MET] shepherds who have allowed their sheep to wander in the hills and mountains. [My people are like] [MET] sheep that do not know the path to return to the sheepfold.

7 Naʻe maumauʻi ʻakinautolu ʻekinautolu kotoa pē naʻe ʻiloʻi ʻakinautolu: pea naʻe pehē ʻe honau ngaahi fili, ‘ʻOku ʻikai te mau fai kovi, koeʻuhi kuo nau fai angahala kia Sihova, ko e nofoʻanga ʻoe angatonu, ʻio, kia Sihova, ko e ʻamanaki leleiʻanga ʻo ʻenau ngaahi tamai.’

All their enemies who found them attacked them. They said, ‘We did not sin [by attacking them], because they sinned against Yahweh; he is the one who provides what they need; he is the one to whom they should have remained faithful; he is the one whom their ancestors confidently expected [to help them].’

8 “Mou hiki ʻi Papilone, pea ʻalu ʻi he fonua ʻoe kau Kalitia, pea te mou hangē ko e fanga kosi tangata, ʻoku muʻomuʻa ʻi he fanga manu.

[But now, I say to the leaders of my people], ‘Flee from Babylon! Leave the land of Babylonia! Be like [SIM] male goats [that go] in front of [the rest of] the flock; [lead my people back to their own land].

9 “Vakai, he te u langa pea ʻomi ki Papilone, ʻae fakataha ʻoe ngaahi puleʻanga lahi mei he fonua tokelau: pea te nau teu tau kiate ia; pea te nau ʻave ia; ko ʻenau ngaahi ngahau ʻoku tatau mo e ngaahi ngahau ʻae tangata tau ʻoku poto; pea ʻe ʻikai foki taʻeʻaonga mai ha taha.

[Do that] because I am going to gather an army of great nations to the north [of Babylon]. They will join together to attack Babylon and will capture it. Their arrows will be like [SIM] skilled warriors that always hit what they aim at.

10 Pea ʻe hoko ʻa Kalitia ko e papaniʻanga; pea ʻe fiemālie ʻakinautolu kotoa pē ʻoku papani mei ai,” ʻoku pehē ʻe Sihova.

Babylonia will be conquered, and those who conquer it will take away everything they want. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.’”

11 “ʻAkimoutolu ʻae kau fakaʻauha ʻo hoku tofiʻa, koeʻuhi kuo mou nekeneka, pea kuo mou fiefia, koeʻuhi ʻoku mou sino ʻo hangē ko e manu mui ʻoku kai mohuku, pea tangi ʻo hangē ko e fanga hoosi mālohi;

“You people [of Babylon] who (plundered/stole everything valuable from) my chosen people, now you are very happy [DOU]. You run around joyfully like [SIM] a calf in a meadow, and are happy like [SIM] male horses are happy when they are neighing.

12 ‌ʻE puputuʻu lahi ʻa hoʻomou faʻē; ʻe mā lahi ʻaia naʻe fanauʻi ʻakimoutolu: vakai, te ke hoko ko e kimui ʻi he ngaahi puleʻanga, ko e potu lala, ko e fonua mōmoa, pea ko e toafa.

But [soon] your people will be very disgraced [DOU] [as a result of being conquered]. Your country will be the most insignificant nation; it will be a desert, a dry and deserted land.

13 ‌ʻE ʻikai fakakakai ia koeʻuhi ko e houhau ʻo Sihova, ka ʻe fakalala ʻaupito ia: ʻe ofo ʻakinautolu kotoa pē ʻoku ʻalu ʻi Papilone, pea fakaʻiseʻisa koeʻuhi ko hono ngaahi tautea.

Because [I, ] Yahweh, am angry [with you people of Babylon], I will cause your city to become completely deserted. All who pass by will be horrified and will (gasp/be shocked) because of the destruction there.

14 Mou teu tau ki Papilone ʻo kāpui ia: ko kimoutolu kotoa pē ʻoku faʻa teke ʻae kaufana, fanaʻi ia, pea ʻoua naʻa taʻofi ʻae ngaahi ngahau: koeʻuhi kuo ne fai angahala kia Sihova.

[All you nations that surround Babylon, ] prepare to attack it! Tell your archers to shoot at their enemies; shoot all of your arrows at them [LIT], because [the people/leaders of Babylon have sinned against me, ] Yahweh.

15 Kalanga ʻakimoutolu ʻoku takatakai ia: kuo ne tuku mai hono nima: kuo hinga hono ngaahi tuʻunga, kuo holoki hifo hono ngaahi ʻā: koeʻuhi ko e houhau ia ʻo Sihova: mou totongi kiate ia; fai kiate ia, ʻo hangē ko ʻene fai ʻe ia.

Shout [war-cries] against Babylon from all sides [of the city]. [The soldiers of] Babylon will surrender; the towers and walls will be torn down. It is [I, ] Yahweh, who will be getting revenge [on the people of Babylon], [so help me to] get revenge. Do to [the people of] Babylon what they have done to others!

16 Tuʻusi ʻae tangata tūtuuʻi mei Papilone, pea mo ia ʻoku ala ki he hele tuʻusi ʻi he ututaʻu: he ko e manavahē ki he heletā ʻoe fakaʻauha, te nau taki taha afe ai ki hono kakai, pea te nau taki taha hola ki hono fonua.

Take away from Babylon those who plant [crops] and those who reap the harvests! Because of the swords carried by those who will attack [Babylon], [those people in Babylon who have come from other countries] should all run away, back to their own countries [DOU]!”

17 “Ko e sipi hē ʻa ʻIsileli; kuo fakahēʻi ia ʻe he fanga laione: kuo tomuʻa keina ia ʻe he tuʻi ʻo ʻAsilia; pea muimui ʻa Nepukanesa ni ko e tuʻi ʻo Papilone kuo ne fesiʻi hono ngaahi hui.

“The Israeli [people] are [like] [MET] sheep that have been scattered by lions. First [the army of] the King of Assyria defeated them. Then [the army of] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon smashed them.

18 Ko ia ʻoku pehē ʻe Sihova ʻoe ngaahi kautau, ko e ʻOtua ʻo ʻIsileli; Vakai, te u tautea ʻae tuʻi ʻo Papilone pea mo hono fonua, ʻo hangē ko ʻeku tautea ʻae tuʻi ʻo ʻAsilia.

So this is what I, the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom the Israeli people [worship], say: ‘Now I will punish the King of Babylon and the people of his land, like I punished the King of Assyria.

19 Pea te u toe ʻomi ʻa ʻIsileli ki hono nofoʻanga, pea ʻe fafanga ia ʻi Kameli mo Pesani, pea ʻe mākona hono laumālie ʻi he moʻunga ko ʻIfalemi mo Kiliati.”

And I will bring the people of Israel back to their own land where they will eat [the food that grows] in the fields of the Carmel and Bashan [regions], and [the people in] the hilly areas of Ephraim and Gilead will have all they want to eat.

20 ‌ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova, “ʻI he ngaahi ʻaho ko ia, pea ʻi he kuonga ko ia ʻe kumi ki ha angahala ʻa ʻIsileli, ka ʻe ʻikai ʻilo ia; pea mo e angahala ʻa Siuta, ka ʻe ʻikai ʻiloa: he te u fakamolemole ʻakinautolu ʻaia kuo u fakatoe.

At that time, there will not be people in Israel and in Judah who [are still guilty for having] sinned [DOU], because I will forgive the small group of people whom I enable to still be alive.’”

21 “ʻAlu hake ki he fonua ʻoe kau angatonu, te u tau kiate ia, mo e kakai ʻo Pikote:” ʻoku pehē ʻe Sihova, “Ngaohi ke lala mo fakaʻauha ʻa honau hako, pea fai ʻo hangē ko e meʻa kotoa pē kuo u fekau kiate koe.

“[So, I, Yahweh, say to the enemies of Babylonia, ]‘Attack [the people who live in] the Merathaim [region] and the people in the Pekod [region of Babylonia]. Pursue them, kill them, and completely get rid of them, as I have commanded you to do.

22 ‌ʻOku ai ʻae longolongo tau ʻi he fonua, pea mo e fakaʻauha lahi.

Shout your battle cries throughout the land; shout [when you are causing] great destruction.

23 Hono ʻikai tuʻusi mo maumauʻi ʻae hamala ʻo māmani kotoa pē! Hono ʻikai hoko ʻa Papilone ko e meʻa fakaofo ʻi he ngaahi puleʻanga!

[The army of Babylon is like] [MET] the most powerful hammer on the earth, but it will be completely shattered. Babylon will be deserted among the [other] nations.’

24 ‌ʻE Papilone kuo u ʻai ʻae tauhele kiate koe, pea kuo ke moʻua foki, pea naʻe ʻikai te ke ʻilo: kuo ʻilo koe, pea kuo maʻu koe foki, koeʻuhi kuo ke angatuʻu kia Sihova.

You [people of] Babylon, [listen, ] [because] I have set a trap for you; you will be caught [in that trap], because you fought against me.

25 Kuo fakaava ʻe Sihova hono fale mahafutau, pea kuo ʻomi mei ai ʻae ngaahi mahafu ʻo hono houhau: he ko e ngāue eni ʻa Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻoe ngaahi kautau ʻi he fonua ʻoe kau Kalitia.

[It is as though] I have opened the place where I store my weapons, and I have brought out [all] the weapons [to use against the people with whom] I am angry. [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, have [a lot of] work to do [to punish] the people of Babylonia.

26 Haʻu kiate ia mei he ngaahi potu mamaʻo, fakaava ʻa hono ngaahi feleoko: pea laku hake ia ke hangē ko e ngaahi tafungofunga, pea fakaʻauha ia; ʻoua naʻa fakatoe ha meʻa siʻi kiate ia.

[So, you enemies of Babylonia, ] come from distant lands and attack it. Break open the places where they store the grain. Crush the walls of the city and the houses and pile up [the rubble like] [SIM] heaps of grain. Destroy everything; do not leave anything that is not destroyed.

27 Tāmateʻi ʻene fanga pulu kotoa pē, tuku ke nau ʻalu hifo ki he tāmateʻi: ʻe malaʻia ʻakinautolu! He kuo hokosia honau ʻaho, ko e kuonga ʻo honau ʻaʻahi.”

Destroy all the [young men who are as strong as] [MET] bulls; take them to where you will slaughter them. It will be terrible for them, because it will be time for them to be punished.

28 Ko e leʻo ʻokinautolu ʻoku hola pea hao mei he fonua ʻo Papilone, ke fakahā ʻi Saione ʻae houhau ʻo Sihova ko hotau ʻOtua, ko e totongi koeʻuhi ko hono fale tapu.

Listen to the people who have fled and escaped from Babylon while they tell in Jerusalem how [I, ] Yahweh, have gotten revenge against those who destroyed my temple [in Jerusalem].

29 “Ui ke fakataha ʻae kau tangata fakakaufana ki Papilone: ko kimoutolu kotoa pē ʻoku teke ʻae kaufana, mou nofo takatakai ki ai; ke ʻoua naʻa hao ha taha mei ai: totongi kiate ia ʻo hangē ko ʻene ngāue; fai kiate ia ʻo hangē ko e meʻa kotoa pē kuo ne fai, koeʻuhi kuo ne fielahi kia Sihova, ki he tokotaha māʻoniʻoni ʻo ʻIsileli.

Summon archers [DOU] to come to attack Babylon; surround the city in order that no one will escape. Do to [the people of] Babylon what they have done to others [DOU], because they have defied [me, ] the Holy One of the Israeli [people].

30 Ko ia ʻe tō ai ʻa hono kau talavou ʻi he hala, pea ʻe tuʻusi ʻa hono kau tangata tau ʻi he ʻaho ko ia,” ʻoku pehē ʻe Sihova.

The young men of Babylon will fall in the streets; all their soldiers will be killed in one day.

31 ‌ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova ko e ʻOtua ʻoe ngaahi kautau, “Vakai ʻoku ou fili ʻaki koe, ʻa koe ko e fielahi, he kuo hokosia mai ho ʻaho, pea mo e kuonga te u ʻaʻahi ai kiate koe.

[I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say this: ‘You arrogant/proud people, it is now the time; it is the time [DOU] when I will punish you.

32 Pea ʻe tōhumu ʻo hinga ʻae fielahi, pea ʻe ʻikai fokotuʻu hake ia ʻe ha taha: pea te u tutu ʻae afi ʻi hono ngaahi kolo, pea te ne fakaʻauha takatakai kotoa pē ia.”

[Your land is full of] proud people, but you will stumble and fall, and no one will lift you up [again]. I will light a fire in the cities in Babylonia that will burn up everything that is nearby.’

33 ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova ʻoe ngaahi kautau; “Naʻe taʻomia fakataha ʻae fānau ʻa ʻIsileli pea mo e fānau ʻa Siuta: pea kuku maʻu ʻekinautolu kotoa pē naʻe ʻave pōpula ʻakinautolu; pea naʻe ʻikai te nau loto ke tukuange ʻakinautolu.

[I], the Commander of the armies of angels, also say this: ‘The people of Israel and Judah were (oppressed/treated cruelly); those who captured them guarded them carefully and would not allow them to leave [Babylon].

34 ‌ʻOku mālohi ʻa honau Huhuʻi; ko hono huafa ko Sihova ʻoe ngaahi kautau: te ne langomakiʻi ʻaupito ʻakinautolu, koeʻuhi ke ne foaki ʻae fiemālie ki he fonua, pea mo e maveuveu ki he kakai ʻo Papilone.

But I am strong, and I will free them. I am the Commander of the armies of angels; I will defend my people and enable them [to return to] their land where they will have peace, but the people of Babylonia will not have peace.

35 “ʻOku pehē ʻe Sihova, ʻE hoko ʻae heletā ki he kau Kalitia, mo e kakai ʻo Papilone, mo e houʻeiki, pea mo hono kau tangata poto.

[I will send enemy soldiers carrying] swords [PRS] to strike the people of Babylonia; they will strike the officials and wise men and all the [other] people who live in Babylon.

36 Pea ʻe hoko ʻae heletā ki he kau kākā; pea te nau loto vale: pea ʻe hoko ʻae heletā ki hono kau mālohi; pea te nau manavahē.

They will strike their false prophets with swords and they will become foolish. They will strike the [strongest] warriors of Babylonia, and they will all be terrified.

37 Pea ʻe hoko ʻae heletā ki heʻenau fanga hoosi, mo ʻenau ngaahi saliote, mo e kakai kehekehe ʻoku ʻiate ia pea te nau liliu ʻo hangē ko e kau fefine: ʻe hoko ʻae heletā ki heʻene koloa; pea ʻe kaihaʻasia ʻakinautolu.

They will strike their horses and chariots and the foreigners who are in the army of Babylonia, and they will [all] become [as weak] as [MET] women. They will seize [MTY] all the valuable things there in Babylon and take them away.

38 ‌ʻE laʻāina ʻa hono ngaahi vai; pea te nau maha: he ko e fonua ia ʻoe meʻa fakatātā kuo tā, pea ʻoku nau vikiviki ʻi he ngaahi tamapua.

[I] cause the streams to become dry. [I will do all those things] because the [entire] land [of Babylonia] is filled with idols, and those [horrible] idols have caused the people [who worship them] to become crazy.

39 Ko ia ʻe nofo ai ʻae fanga manu hehengi ʻoe toafa, pea mo e fanga manu hehengi ʻoe ngaahi motu, pea ʻe nofo ai ʻae fanga lulu; pea ʻe ʻikai fakakakai ia ʻo taʻengata; pea ʻe ʻikai ha toe nofo ʻe fai ai mei he toʻutangata ki he toʻutangata.

[Soon only] hyenas and [other] wild creatures will live there; and it will be a place where owls live. People will never live there again; it will be uninhabited forever [DOU].

40 ‌ʻE tatau ia mo e fakaʻauha ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa Sotoma mo Komola, pea mo e ngaahi kolo ofi ki ai,” ʻoku pehē ʻe Sihova; “ʻE ʻikai nofo ai ha tangata, pea ʻe ʻikai ʻāunofo ki ai ʻae foha ʻoe tangata.

[I will destroy Babylon] like I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the nearby towns; no one will [ever] live there [again] [DOU].

41 “Vakai, ʻe haʻu ʻae kakai mei he tokelau, ko e puleʻanga lahi, pea ʻe tuʻu hake ʻae ngaahi tuʻi mei he ngaahi fonua mamaʻo.

Look! A [great] army will come from the north. A great nation far away with many kings is preparing [to attack you people of Babylon].

42 Te nau kuku ki he kaufana mo e tao: te nau ʻita, pea ʻe ʻikai fai ʻaloʻofa: ʻe longoaʻa honau leʻo ʻo hangē ko e tahi, pea te nau heka ki he fanga hoosi, pea ʻe teu tau taki taha, ʻo hangē ko e tangata tau kiate koe, ʻE taʻahine ʻo Papilone.

Their [army] has bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. [As] they ride along on [their] horses, the sound of the horses’ hooves is like [SIM] the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you, you people of Babylon.

43 Naʻe fanongo ki heʻenau ongoongo ʻe he tuʻi ʻo Papilone, pea kuo hoko ʻo vaivai hono nima: pea kuo maʻu ia ʻe he mamahi, mo e feinga ʻo hangē ko e fefine ʻoku langā.

The King of Babylon says, “[I] have heard reports about the enemy [approaching]; [so I am very frightened, with the result that] I am weak. I am [very fearful, and] anguished/worried, like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.”

44 Vakai te ne ʻalu hake ʻo hangē ko e laione, mei he fonu mahakehake ʻo Sioatani ki he nofoʻanga ʻoe mālohi: ka te u pule ke nau hola fakafokifā meiate ia: pea ko hai ha tangata kuo fili koeʻuhi ke u tuʻutuʻuni ke puleʻi ia? He ko hai ʻoku tatau mo au? Pea ko hai te ne akonakiʻi au? Pea ko hai ʻae tauhi ko ia ke ne tuʻu ʻi hoku ʻao?”

I, [Yahweh], will come to Babylon [suddenly] like a lion comes out of the jungle and [leaps on the sheep that are eating] the good pastureland. I will quickly chase the people of Babylonia from their land. And [then] I will appoint for them [a leader] whom I will choose; [I will do that] because there is no one [RHQ] like me who can say that what I have done is not right. No ruler can [RHQ] oppose me.

45 Ko ia mou fanongo ki he fakakaukau ʻa Sihova, ʻaia kuo ne tuʻutuʻuni ki Papilone; pea mo e tuʻutuʻuni, kuo ne tuʻutuʻuni ki he kakai ʻo Kalitia: ko e moʻoni ʻe ʻave ʻakinautolu ʻe he siʻi hifo: ko e moʻoni te ne ngaohi honau nofoʻanga ko e potu liʻaki ʻiate kinautolu.

Listen to what I have planned to do to the people of Babylon [city] and the rest of Babylonia: [even] the little children will be dragged away, and I will completely destroy the people [MET] who live there.

46 ‌ʻOku ngalulu ʻae kelekele ʻi he longoaʻa ʻoe kapa ʻo Papilone, pea ʻe ongo atu ʻene tangi ki he kakai kotoa pē.”

When Babylon is destroyed, the noise will be extremely loud, with the result that the earth will shake, and the wailing of the people will be heard by the [people of other] nations.’”