Yeremia 18

1 Eyi ne Awurade asɛm a ɛbaa Yeremia nkyɛn.

The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 “Kɔ ɔnwemfo no fi, na hɔ na mede mʼasɛm no bɛma wo.”

“Arise and go out to the potter's house, for I will have you hear my word there.”

3 Ɛno nti, mekɔɔ ɔnwemfo no fi na mihuu no sɛ, ɔreyɛ adwuma wɔ ne ntwahode so.

So I went out to the potter's house, and behold! The potter was working on the potter's wheel.

4 Nanso kuku a na ɔde dɔte no reyɛ ho adwuma no sɛe wɔ ne nsam; ɛno nti ɔnwemfo no yɛɛ kuku foforo, sɛnea eye pa ara ma no.

But the object of clay that he was molding was ruined in his hand, so he changed his mind and made another object that seemed good in his eyes to do.

5 Afei Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

6 “Israelfi, merentumi nyɛ mo sɛnea ɔnwemfo yi yɛ ana?” Awurade na ose. “Sɛnea dɔte te wɔ ɔnwemfo nsam no, saa ara na mote wɔ me nsam, Israelfi.

“Should I not be able to act like this potter with you, house of Israel?—this is Yahweh's declaration. Behold! Like clay in a potter's hand—that is how you are in my hand, house of Israel.

7 Sɛ bere biara meka se ɛsɛ sɛ wotutu ɔman bi anaa ahenni bi ase, dwerɛw wɔn, sɛe wɔn a,

At one moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will drive it out, tear it down, or destroy it.

8 na sɛ ɔman a mebɔɔ no kɔkɔ no sakra fi ne bɔne ho a, mɛsakra mʼadwene na meremfa amanehunu a misusuwii sɛ mede bɛba wɔn so mma bio.

But if the nation about which I have made that proclamation turns from its evil, then I will relent from the disaster that I was planning to bring upon it.

9 Na sɛ mmere foforo bi meka se, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkyekye ɔman anaa ahenni bi gye no si hɔ,

At another moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will build it up or plant it.

10 na sɛ ɔyɛ bɔne wɔ mʼani so na wanyɛ osetie amma me a, ɛno de mesan adwene papa a mepɛɛ sɛ meyɛ no no ho.

But if it does evil in my eyes by not listening to my voice, then I will stop the good that I had said I would do for them.

11 “Na afei ka kyerɛ Yudafo ne wɔn a wɔtete Yerusalem no se, ‘Sɛɛ na Awurade se: Hwɛ! mede amanehunu reba mo so, na mereyɛ nhyehyɛe a etia mo. Ɛno nti mo mu biara nnan mfi nʼakwammɔne so na munsiesie mo akwan ne mo nneyɛe.’

So now, speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to form disaster against you. I am about to devise a plan against you. Repent, each person from his wicked way, so your ways and your practices will bring good to you.'

12 Nanso wobebua se, ‘So nni mfaso. Yɛbɛkɔ so adi yɛn ara yɛn nhyehyɛe so; yɛn mu biara bɛyɛ asoɔden a efi ne koma bɔne mu.’”

But they will say, 'This is no use. We will act according to our own plans. Each one of us will do what his evil, stubborn heart desires.'

13 Ɛno nti nea Awurade se ni, “Mummisa wɔ amanaman no mu se, hena na wate biribi sɛɛ pɛn? Ɔbabun Israel ayɛ ade bi a ɛyɛ hu yiye.

Therefore Yahweh says this, 'Ask the nations, who has ever heard of such a thing as this? The virgin Israel has committed a horrible act.

14 So sukyerɛmma a ɛwɔ Lebanon no yera fi nʼabotan a esian no so ana? So nʼatifi nsu wiridudu a efi akyirikyiri no gyae sen ana?

Does the snow in Lebanon ever leave the rocky hills on its sides? Are the mountain streams coming from far away ever destroyed, those cold streams?

15 Nanso me nkurɔfo werɛ afi me. Wɔhyew nnuhuam ma ahoni huhuw, a ɛma wohintihintiw wɔ wɔn akwan so ne tete atempɔn so. Wɔma wɔfa kwatikwan ne akwan a wɔmmɔe so.

Yet my people have forgotten me. They have made offerings to useless idols and been made to stumble in their paths; they have left the ancient paths to walk lesser paths.

16 Wɔn asase bɛda mpan, na ayɛ ade a wobebu no animtiaa daa; wɔn a wotwa mu hɔ no ho bedwiriw wɔn na wobehinhim wɔn ti.

Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

17 Sɛnea apuei mframa te no, mɛbɔ wɔn ahwete wɔ wɔn atamfo anim; mɛdan mʼakyi akyerɛ wɔn na ɛnyɛ mʼanim wɔ wɔn amanehunu da no.”

I will scatter them before their enemies like an eastern wind. I will show them my back, and not my face, on the day of their disaster.'”

18 Wɔkae se, “Mommra ma yɛmfa adwene ntia Yeremia; sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a asɔfo no nkyerɛkyerɛ a ɛfa mmara no ho, anyansafo no afotu anaa asɛm a efi adiyifo hɔ no renyera. Mommra na yentu yɛn ano ngu ne so a yɛrentie nea ɔbɛka biara.”

So the people said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, since the law will never perish from the priests, or advice from the wise men, or words from the prophets. Come, let us attack him with our words and no longer pay attention to anything he proclaims.”

19 Yɛ aso ma me, Awurade; tie nea wɔn a wɔpam me ti so no reka!

Pay attention to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of my enemies.

20 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde bɔne tua papa so ka ana? Nanso wɔatu amoa ama me. Kae sɛ migyinaa wʼanim na mekasa maa wɔn, sɛnea wubeyi wʼabufuwhyew afi wɔn so.

Will disaster from them really be my reward for being good to them? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before you to speak for their welfare, to cause your fury to turn away from them.

21 Ɛno nti, ma ɔkɔm nne wɔn mma; yi wɔn ma afoa. Ma wɔn yerenom nyɛ abonin ne akunafo; ma wonkunkum wɔn mmarima, na wɔmfa afoa nkunkum wɔn mmerante wɔ ɔko mu.

Therefore give their children over to famine, and give them to the hands of those who use the sword. So let their women become bereaved and widows, and their men be killed, and their young men killed by the sword in battle.

22 Ma wɔnte osu wɔ wɔn afi mu bere a atamfo atu wɔn so sa mpofirim, efisɛ wɔatu amoa ama me, na wɔasunsum mʼanan mfiri.

Let a distressed shout be heard from their houses, as you suddenly bring raiders against them. For they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for my feet.

23 Nanso wunim Awurade, pɔw a wɔabɔ nyinaa se wobekum me. Mfa wɔn nsɛmmɔne nkyɛ wɔn, na nyi wʼani mfi wɔn bɔne so. Ma wonni nkogu wɔ wʼanim; na wo ne wɔn nni wɔ wʼabufuw mu.

But you, Yahweh, you know all of their plans against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquities and sins. Do not wipe their sins away from you. Instead, let them be overthrown before you. Act against them in the time of your wrath.