Yeremia 13

1 Sɛɛ na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me: “Kɔ na kɔtɔ nwera abɔso bɔ wʼasen, nanso mma no nka nsu.”

This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.”

2 Enti metɔɔ abɔso sɛnea Awurade kyerɛe no, na mede bɔɔ mʼasen.

So I bought a loincloth as the LORD had instructed me, and I put it around my waist.

3 Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn ne mprenu so se,

Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time:

4 “Fa abɔso a wotɔe a ɛbɔ wʼasen no kɔ Eufrate ho mprempren ara na fa kosie ɔbotan tokuru bi mu.”

“Take the loincloth that you bought and are wearing, and go at once to Perath and hide it there in a crevice of the rocks.”

5 Enti mede kosiee Eufrate ho, sɛnea Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me no.

So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD had commanded me.

6 Nna bebree akyi no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, “Afei kɔ Eufrate ho na kɔfa abɔso a meka kyerɛɛ wo se fa kosie hɔ no.”

Many days later the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to Perath, and get the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.”

7 Enti mekɔɔ Eufrate ho kotuu abɔso no wɔ beae a mede siei no, nanso na asuw atetew a so nni mfaso biara.

So I went to Perath and dug up the loincloth, and I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But now it was ruined—of no use at all.

8 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,

Then the word of the LORD came to me:

9 “Sɛɛ na Awurade se, ‘Saa ara na mɛsɛe Yuda ahantan ne Yerusalem ahantankyɛnee no.

“This is what the LORD says: In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 Saa amumɔyɛfo yi a wɔmpɛ sɛ wotie mʼasɛm na wodi wɔn komaden akyi na wodi anyame afoforo akyi som wɔn, sɔre wɔn no, bɛyɛ sɛ saa abɔso yi, na wɔn so remma mfaso biara!

These evil people, who refuse to listen to My words, who follow the stubbornness of their own hearts, and who go after other gods to serve and worship them, they will be like this loincloth—of no use at all.

11 Sɛnea abɔso kyekyere onipa asen no, saa ara na mede Israelfi ne Yudafi nyinaa bataa me ho sɛ wɔnyɛ me nkurɔfo a wɔbɛma me din so, aka mʼayeyi na wɔahyɛ me anuonyam, nanso wɔantie me,’ nea Awurade se ni.

For just as a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I have made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to Me, declares the LORD, so that they might be My people for My renown and praise and glory. But they did not listen.

12 “Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nea Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn se ni, Wɔmfa nsa nhyɛ nsa kotoku biara ma.’ Na sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo se, ‘Yenim sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde nsa hyɛ nsa kotoku biara ma a,’

Therefore you are to tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every wineskin shall be filled with wine.’ And when they reply, ‘Don’t we surely know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’

13 afei ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nea Awurade se ni: Mede nsabow bɛhyɛ wɔn a wɔtete asase yi so nyinaa ma, a ahemfo a wɔte Dawid ahengua so, asɔfo, adiyifo ne wɔn a wɔtete Yerusalem nyinaa ka ho bi.

then you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘I am going to fill with drunkenness all who live in this land—the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the people of Jerusalem.

14 Mɛtotow wɔn abobɔ wɔn ho wɔn ho, agyanom ne mmabarima nyinaa, Awurade na ose. Meremma ahummɔbɔ anaa ayamye anaa ayamhyehye nsiw ɔsɛe a merebɛsɛe wɔn no ho kwan.’”

I will smash them against one another, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no mercy or pity or compassion to keep Me from destroying them.’”

15 Muntie na monyɛ aso, na monnyɛ ahantan, efisɛ Awurade akasa.

Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant, for the LORD has spoken.

16 Monhyɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, anuonyam ansa na wama sum aduru, ansa na mo anan ahintihintiw wɔ nkoko a ɛso reduru sum no so. Mo ani da hann so, nanso ɔbɛdan no sum kusuu na wɔasesa ayɛ no sum kabii.

Give glory to the LORD your God before He brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the dusky mountains. You wait for light, but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.

17 Nanso sɛ moantie a, mesu wɔ kokoa mu esiane mo ahantan nti; mʼani bɛtaataa nsu, na nusu aguare me, efisɛ wɔbɛfa Awurade nguankuw no akɔ nnommum mu.

But if you do not listen, I will weep in secret because of your pride. My eyes will overflow with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

18 Monka nkyerɛ ɔhene ne ɔhemmea se, “Mumfi mo ahengua so nsi fam, na mo anuonyam ahenkyɛw befi mo ti so.”

Say to the king and to the queen mother: “Take a lowly seat, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”

19 Wɔbɛtoto Negeb nkuropɔn apon mu, na obiara nni hɔ a obebuebue. Wɔbɛsoa Yudafo akɔ nnommum mu wobetwa wɔn asu koraa.

The cities of the Negev have been shut tight, and no one can open them. All Judah has been carried into exile, wholly taken captive.

20 Mo mpagyaw mo ani nhwɛ wɔn a wofi atifi fam reba no. Nguankuw a wɔde hyɛɛ mo nsa no, nguan a mode wɔn hoahoaa mo ho no wɔ he?

Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your pride?

21 Sɛ Awurade de wɔn a wɔyɛ mo nnamfonom yɛ mo so atitiriw a, dɛn na mobɛka? Na ɛrenyɛ mo yaw te sɛnea ɔbea ɔreko awo ana?

What will you say when He sets over you close allies whom you yourself trained? Will not pangs of anguish grip you, as they do a woman in labor?

22 Na sɛ wubebisa wo ho se, “Adɛn nti na eyi aba me so a?” Na efi wʼamumɔyɛ bebrebe no nti na wɔatetew wo fam atade mu ayɛ wo nipadua basaa no.

And if you ask yourself, “Why has this happened to me?” It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity that your skirts have been stripped off and your body has been exposed.

23 Etiopiani betumi asesa nʼahosu ana? Na ɔsebɔ nso betumi asesa ne ho nsisimu no? Saa ara na worentumi nyɛ papa, wo a bɔneyɛ akokwaw wo no.

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Neither are you able to do good— you who are accustomed to doing evil.

24 “Mɛbɔ mo ahwete sɛ ntɛtɛ a, nweatam so mframa rebɔ no.

“I will scatter you like chaff driven by the desert wind.

25 Eyi ne nea mubenya, mo kyɛfa a mahyɛ ama mo,” Awurade na ose, “efisɛ mo werɛ afi me na mode mo ho ato anyame huhuw so.

This is your lot, the portion I have measured to you,” declares the LORD, “because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.

26 Mɛtwe mo fam ntade abua mo anim na wɔahu mo ahohora.

So I will pull your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be seen.

27 Mo aguamammɔ ne mo akɔnnɔ bɔne, mo aguamammɔ a momfɛre ho! Mahu mo nneyɛe bɔne no wɔ nkoko ne sare so. Due, Yerusalem! Wobɛyɛ fi akosi da bɛn?”

Your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution on the hills and in the fields— I have seen your detestable acts. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?”