Yeremia 13

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

Thus said YHWH to me: “Go, and you have acquired a girdle of linen for yourself, and have placed it on your loins, and you do not cause it to enter into water.”

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

And I get the girdle, according to the word of YHWH, and I place [it] on my loins.

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

And there is a word of YHWH 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 girdle that you have acquired, that [is] on your loins, and rise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock”;

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

and I go and hide it by the Euphrates, as YHWH 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.”

And it comes to pass, at the end of many days, that YHWH says to me, “Rise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle there, 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.

and I go to the Euphrates, and dig, and take the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and behold, the girdle has been marred, it is not profitable for anything.

8 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,

And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying, “Thus said YHWH:

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

Thus I mar the excellence of Judah, And the great excellence 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!

This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, Who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, And go after other gods to serve them, And to bow themselves to them, Indeed it is—as this girdle, that is not profitable for anything.

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 as the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man, So I caused to cleave to Me The whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah,” A declaration of YHWH, “To be to Me for a people, and for a name, And for praise, and for beauty, And they have not listened.

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,’

And you have said this word to them, Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Every bottle is full of wine, And they have said to you: Do we not certainly know that every bottle is full of 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 have said to them, Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am filling all the inhabitants of this land, And the kings who sit for David on his throne, And the priests, and the prophets, And all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, [With] drunkenness,

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 have dashed them against one another, And the fathers and the sons together,” A declaration of YHWH, “I do not pity, nor spare, nor do I have mercy, So as not to destroy them.”

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

Hear, and give ear—do not be haughty, For YHWH 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 your God YHWH, Before He causes darkness, And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, And you have waited for light, And He has made it for death-shade, And has appointed [it] for 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.

And if you do not hear it, My soul weeps in secret places, because of pride, Indeed, it weeps and wails, And the tear comes down my eyes, For the flock of YHWH 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 mistress: Make yourselves low—sit still, For your principalities have come down, The crown of your beauty.

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 shut up, And there is none opening, Judah has been removed—all of her, She has been completely removed—

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 in from the north, Where [is] the drove given to you, your beautiful flock?

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 do you say when He looks after you? And you have taught them [to be] over you—leaders for head? Do pangs not seize you as a travailing woman?

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 when you say in your heart, “Why have these met me?” For the abundance of your iniquity Have your skirts been uncovered, Have your heels suffered violence.

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.

“Does a Cushite change his skin? And a leopard his spots? Can you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil?

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

And I scatter them as stubble, Passing away, by a wind of the wilderness.

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 of your measures from Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “Because you have forgotten Me, And trust in falsehood.

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

I have also made your skirts bare 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?”

Your adulteries, and your neighings, The wickedness of your whoredom, on heights in a field, I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem, You are not [yet] made clean—after when [will you be] again?”