< Yeremia 2 >

1 Awurade asɛm baa me so:
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Kɔpae mu ka ma Yerusalem nte: “‘Mekae sɛnea wode wo ho maa me wo mmabun bere mu, sɛnea wodɔɔ me wɔ wʼayeforo bere mu na wudii mʼakyi wɔ sare so, asase a wonnuaa hwee wɔ so no.
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the LORD; I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, when you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
3 Na Israel yɛ kronkron ma Awurade, ne twabere mu aduankan; wɔn a wodii nʼani no wobuu wɔn fɔ, na amanehunu baa wɔn so,’” sɛnea Awurade, se ni.
Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, says the LORD.
4 Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo Yakob asefo, mo Israel mmusuakuw nyinaa.
Hear all of you the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
5 Eyi ne nea Awurade se: “Mfomso bɛn na mo agyanom huu wɔ me ho a ɛma wɔtwee wɔn ho kɔɔ akyirikyiri sɛɛ? Wodii ahoni a wɔn so nni mfaso akyi, maa wɔn ankasa bɛyɛɛ ahuhufo.
Thus says the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
6 Wɔammisa se, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ? Nea oyii yɛn fii Misraim na ɔde yɛn faa sare wosee so, nweatam ne abonabon asase a awo na ayɛ owubon no. Asase a obiara mfa so na obiara nte so no.’
Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?
7 Mede mo beduaa asasebere so sɛ munni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mubeguu mʼasase ho fi, na moyɛɛ mʼagyapade akyiwade.
And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when all of you entered, all of you defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
8 Asɔfo no ammisa se, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ?’ Wɔn a wɔde mmara yɛ adwuma no anhwehwɛ me; ntuanofo sɔre tiaa me. Adiyifo no de Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm, na wodii ahoni huhuw akyi.
The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
9 “Ɛno nti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” nea Awurade se ni. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, says the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
10 Muntwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔhwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yiye; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sɛɛ asi wɔ hɔ:
For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.
11 Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn ana? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfo de wɔn anuonyam asesa ahoni huhuw.
Has a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.
12 Mo ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiriw mo wɔ eyi ho, na mo ho nwosow wɔ akomatu mu,” nea Awurade se ni.
Be astonished, O all of you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be all of you very desolate, says the LORD.
13 “Me nkurɔfo ayɛ bɔne ahorow abien: Wɔapa me, me a meyɛ nkwa asubura no, na wɔatutu wɔn ankasa mmura amoa, mmura a apaapae a entumi nkora nsu.
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfo fi awo mu ana? Adɛn nti na wayɛ asade yi?
Is Israel a servant? is he a native slave? why is he spoiled?
15 Gyata abobɔ mu; wɔaworo so akyerɛ no. Wɔama nʼasase ada mpan; wɔahyehyew ne nkurow ayɛ no amamfo.
The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
16 Afei Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo ti so nwi.
Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of your head.
17 Ɛnyɛ wo na woama eyi aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Nyankopɔn akyi, wɔ bere a ɔrekyerɛ wo kwan no?
Have you not procured this unto yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when he led you by the way?
18 Afei adɛn nti na wokɔ Misraim kɔnom Sihor mu nsu? Na adɛn nti na wokɔ Asiria kɔnom Asubɔnten no mu nsu?
And now what have you to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what have you to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?
19 Wo amumɔyɛ bɛtwe wʼaso; wo nsanakyi bɛka wʼanim. Enti dwene ho na hu sɛ, sɛ wopa Awurade wo Nyankopɔn akyi na woannya ne ho suro a, ɛyɛ bɔne ne ɔyaw ma wo.” Awurade, Asafo Awurade na ose.
your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.
20 “Tete mmere no, wububuu wo konnua mu, na wotetew wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu; na wokae se, ‘Merensom wo!’ Ampa, wɔ koko biara so ne dua biara a adennan ase na wotena bɔɔ aguaman.
For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bands; and you said, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree you wander, playing the harlot.
21 Miduaa wo sɛ bobe ankasa a efi bobe a ase ye pa ara mu. Na ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wodan wʼakyi kyerɛɛ me bɛyɛɛ bobe a anyin asɛe wɔ wura mu yi?
Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
22 Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree guare mpo a, wʼafɔdi nkekae da so wɔ mʼanim ara,” sɛnea Otumfo Awurade se ni.
For though you wash you with alkali, and take you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me, says the Lord GOD.
23 “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaka se, ‘Me ho nguu fi ɛ; minnii Baalnom akyi ɛ’? Hwɛ sɛnea woyɛɛ wo ho wɔ obon no mu; dwene nea woayɛ no ho. Woyɛ yomabere hoɔharefo a wutu mmirika kɔ ha ba ha,
How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see your way in the valley, know what you have done: you are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
24 wura mu afurum a nweatam so tena akokwaw no, ohuahua bere a ɔpɛ sɛ onini hyia no. Sɛ nʼakɔnnɔ no ano yɛ den a hena na obesianka no? Anini biara a wɔtaa no no nhaw wɔn ho bebree; edu bere a ɛsɛ sɛ wohyia no a wobenya no.
A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
25 Ntu mmirika nkosi sɛ wʼanan ase bɛyɛ kwaterekwa, na wo mene mu bɛyow. Nanso wokae se, ‘So nni mfaso! Mepɛ ananafo anyame, na ɛsɛ sɛ midi wɔn akyi.’
Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst: but you said, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
26 “Sɛnea wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfo a wogu nʼanim ase no, saa na wɔagu Israelfi anim ase, wɔn ankasa, wɔn ahemfo ne wɔn adwumayɛfo, wɔn asɔfo ne wɔn adiyifo.
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.
27 Wɔka kyerɛ dua se, ‘Woyɛ mʼagya,’ ne ɔbo se, ‘Wo na wowoo me.’ Wɔadan wɔn akyi akyerɛ me na ɛnyɛ wɔn anim; nanso sɛ amanehunu bi ba wɔn so a, wɔka se, ‘Bra begye yɛn!’
Saying to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You have brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
28 Anyame a moyɛ maa mo ho no wɔ he? Momma wɔmmra sɛ wobetumi agye mo bere a mowɔ amanehunu mu! Efisɛ mowɔ anyame bebree te sɛ nea mowɔ nkurow bebree no, Yuda.
But where are your gods that you have made you? let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble: for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.
29 “Adɛn nti na mobɔ me sobo? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ose.
Wherefore will all of you plead with me? all of you all have transgressed against me, says the LORD.
30 “Metwee mo nkurɔfo aso kwa; wɔamfa me nteɛso. Wʼafoa akunkum wʼadiyifo te sɛ gyata a nʼani abere.
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
31 “Mo nnɛmmafo, munnwen Awurade asɛm ho: “Mayɛ sɛ, nweatam ama Israel ana? Anaasɛ asase a so aduru sum kabii ana? Adɛn nti na me nkurɔfo ka se, ‘Yɛwɔ ho kwan sɛ yekyinkyin; yɛremma wo nkyɛn bio.’
O generation, see all of you the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto you?
32 Ɔbabun werɛ fi ne mpempranne, ayeforo werɛ befi nʼahyehyɛde ana? Nanso me nkurɔfo werɛ afi me nna a wontumi nkan.
Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfo! Mmea a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.
Why trim you your way to seek love? therefore have you also taught the wicked ones your ways.
34 Mo adurade mu wɔ ahiafo a wodi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mu. Eyinom nyinaa akyi
Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocent persons: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
35 woka se, ‘Midi bem; ne bo mfuw me.’ Nanso mebu wo atɛn efisɛ woka se, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara ɛ.’
Yet you say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with you, because you say, I have not sinned.
36 Adɛn nti na wukyinkyin sɛɛ, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bedi wo huammɔ sɛnea Asiria yɛe no.
Why arm you about so much to change your way? you also shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assyria.
37 Afei wubefi saa beae hɔ a wo nsa gu wo ti so. Efisɛ Awurade apo wɔn a wode wo ho too wɔn so no; wɔremmoa wo.
Yea, you shall go forth from him, and your hands upon your head: for the LORD has rejected your confidences, and you shall not prosper in them.

< Yeremia 2 >