Yeremia 13

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

Thus says the Lord to me: “Go, and obtain for yourself a linen waistcloth. And you shall place it over your loins, and you shall not put it into water.”

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

And so I obtained a waistcloth, according to the word of the Lord, and I placed it around my loins.

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

And the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying:

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

“Take the waistcloth, which you obtained, which is around your loins, and, rising up, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in an opening of the rock.”

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

And so I went, and I hid it by the Euphrates, just as the Lord had instructed 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.”

And it happened that, after many days, the Lord said to me: “Rise up, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the waistcloth, which I instructed 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.

And so I went to the Euphrates, and I dug up and took the waistcloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the waistcloth had rotted, so that it was not fit for any use.

8 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

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

“Thus says the Lord: In the same way, I will cause the arrogance of Judah and the arrogance of Jerusalem to rot.

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!

This most wicked people, they are not willing to listen to my words, for they walk in the depravity of their own heart, and they have gone after strange gods, so as to serve them and to adore them. And so, they will become like this waistcloth, which is not fit for any use.

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 the waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so have I brought close to me the entire house of Israel and the entire house of Judah, says the Lord, so that they would be to me: a people, and a name, and a praise, and a 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 shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Every bottle will be filled with wine.’ And they will say to you: ‘Are we ignorant that every bottle will 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.

And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings from the stock of David who sit upon his throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, unto inebriation.

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.’”

And I will scatter them, a man from his brother, and fathers and sons similarly, says the Lord. I will not spare them, and I will not pardon them, and I will not take pity, so as not to destroy them.”

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

Hear and pay close attention. Do not choose to lift yourself up, 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 darkness falls, and before your feet stumble on the darkened mountains. You will expect light, but he will turn it into the shadow of death and into utter 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 will not listen to this, then my soul will weep in secret before the face of your pride. It will weep bitterly, and my eyes will flow with tears, because the flock of the Lord 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 female ruler: Humble yourselves, sit down. For the crown of your glory has gone down from your head.

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 south have been closed, and there is no one who may open them. All of Judah has been taken away into complete captivity.

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, you who are arriving from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your famous cattle?

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 visits upon you? For you have taught them against you, and you have instructed them with your own head. Will not pains take hold of you, as with 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.

But if you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things happened to me?’ it is because of the greatness of your iniquity that your shame has been uncovered and the soles of your feet have been defiled.

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.

If the Ethiopian is able to change his skin, or the leopard is able to change his spots, then you also may be able to do well, though you have learned evil.

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

And I will scatter them like chaff, which is carried away by the wind in the desert.

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, and this is the portion of your measure from me, says the Lord, because you have forgotten me, and you have had confidence in what is false.

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

Therefore, I have even bared your thighs before your face, and your shame has been 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?”

For I have seen your adulteries, and your neighing for the wickedness of your fornication, and your abominations upon the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! How much longer before you will be made clean after me?”