Yeremia 23

1 “Nnome nka nguanhwɛfo a wɔsɛe na wɔhwete me nguankuw no!” Awurade na ose.

Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the flocks of my pasture! saith the Lord.

2 Ɛno nti sɛɛ na Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, ka kyerɛ ahwɛfo a wɔhwɛ me nkurɔfo so ni: “Esiane sɛ moabɔ me nguankuw ahwete, na moapam wɔn na moanhwɛ wɔn so yiye no nti, mede asotwe bɛbrɛ mo, mo bɔne a moayɛ no nti,” nea Awurade se ni.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel concerning the shepherds that feed my people, Ye have scattered my flocks, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them: now, behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

3 “Mʼankasa mɛboaboa me nguan nkae no afi aman a mapam wɔn akɔ hɔ nyinaa no so na mede wɔn bɛsan aba wɔn adidibea bio, baabi wɔbɛwowo na wɔn ase atrɛw.

And I will indeed gather the remnant of my flock together out of all the countries whither I have driven them; and I will bring them back again to their folds: and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

4 Na meyi nguanhwɛfo a wɔbɛhwɛ wɔn so, na wɔrensuro na wɔremmɔ hu bio na wɔn mu baako mpo renyera.” Awurade na ose.

And I will raise up over them shepherds who shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, and none of them shall be missing, saith the Lord.

5 “Nna bi reba,” Awurade na ose, “sɛ mɛma trenee dubaa bi so ama Dawid ɔhene bi a obedi ade nyansa mu na wayɛ nea ɛteɛ ne nea eye wɔ asase yi so.

Behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will raise up unto David a righteous sprout, and he shall reign as king, and prosper, and he shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.

6 Ne mmere so, wobegye Yuda nkwa na Israel bɛtena ase wɔ asomdwoe mu. Eyi ne din a wɔde bɛfrɛ no: Awurade Yɛn Trenee.

In his days shall Judah be helped, and Israel shall dwell in safety: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.

7 Na afei nna bi reba,” Awurade na ose, “a nnipa renka bio se, ‘Nokware sɛ Awurade te ase yi, nea oyii Israelfo fii Misraim,’

Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, As the Lord liveth, who hath brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

8 na mmom, wɔbɛka se, ‘Nokware sɛ Awurade te ase yi, nea oyii Israel asefo fii atifi asase so ne aman nyinaa a ɔpam wɔn kɔɔ hɔ no so no.’ Na afei wɔbɛtena wɔn ankasa asase so.”

But, As the Lord liveth, who hath brought up and who hath led forth the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and out of all countries whither I had driven them: and they shall dwell in their own land.

9 Nea ɛfa adiyifo no ho no: Me koma abubu wɔ me mu; me nnompe nyinaa wosow. Mete sɛ ɔsabowfo, mete sɛ obi a nsa abow no, esiane Awurade ne ne nsɛm kronkron no nti.

To the prophets—Broken is my heart within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a person whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of his holy words.

10 Aguamammɔfo ahyɛ asase no so ma; nnome no nti asase no awo wosee, adidibea a ɛwɔ nweatam no so ahyew. Adiyifo no nam ɔkwan bɔne so de wɔn tumi yɛ nea ɛnteɛ.

For of adulterers is the land full; for because of false swearing mourneth the land, dried up are the pastures in the wilderness; because their course was for evil, and their strength was for injustice.

11 “Odiyifo ne ɔsɔfo nyinaa nsuro Nyankopɔn; mʼasɔredan mu mpo mihu wɔn amumɔyɛsɛm,” Awurade na ose.

For both prophet and priest are hypocrites: yea, in my own house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.

12 “Ɛno nti, wɔn kwan so bɛyɛ torotorootoro; wɔbɛpam wɔn akɔ sum mu na hɔ na wɔbɛhwehwe ase. Mede amanehunu bɛba wɔn so wɔ afe a wɔbɛtwe wɔn aso mu no,” Awurade na ose.

Therefore shall their way be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be pushed forward, and fall thereon; for I will bring upon them evil, the year of their punishment, saith the Lord.

13 “Samaria adiyifo mu no mihuu saa atantanne yi: Wɔde Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm nam so maa me nkurɔfo Israelfo fom kwan.

And on the prophets of Samaria have I seen absurdity: they prophesied by Ba'al, and misled my people Israel.

14 Na Yerusalem adiyifo mu no mahu ade a ɛyɛ hu: Wɔsɛe aware na wodi atoro. Wɔhyɛ wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne no mpamuden, enti obiara ntwe ne ho mfi nʼamumɔyɛsɛm ho. Wɔn nyinaa te sɛ Sodom ma me; na Yerusalemfo te sɛ Gomora.”

But on the prophets of Jerusalem have I seen a horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that not one of these doth return from his wickedness: they are become unto me all of them as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.

15 Ɛno nti sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, se fa adiyifo no ho: “Mɛma wɔadi aduan a ɛyɛ nwen na wɔanom nsu a awuduru wɔ mu, efisɛ Yerusalem adiyifo nti, bɔneyɛ ahyɛ asase yi so ma.”

Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poison-water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is hypocrisy gone forth over all the land.

16 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: “Munntie nkɔm a adiyifo no hyɛ kyerɛ mo; wɔma mo nya anidaso a enni nnyinaso. Wɔbɔ wɔn tirim ka anisoadehu, a emfi Awurade anom.

Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you, they bring you unto vanity: a vision of their own heart do they ever speak, not out of the mouth of the Lord.

17 Wɔkɔ so ka kyerɛ wɔn a wobu me animtiaa no se, ‘Awurade se: Mubenya asomdwoe.’ Na wɔn a wodi wɔn komaden akyi no nyinaa, wɔka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Ɔhaw biara remma mo so.’

They say indeed unto those that incense me, The Lord hath spoken, Peace shall ye have; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart, they said, There shall come no evil upon you.

18 Na wɔn mu hena na wasɔre wɔ Awurade agyinatufo mu sɛ ɔbɛhwɛ anaa obetie nʼasɛm? Hena na wayɛ aso ate nʼasɛm?

For who hath stood in the secret counsel of the Lord, that he could perceive and hear his word? who hath listened to his word and heard it?

19 Hwɛ, Awurade ahum betu abufuwhyew mu, mfɛtɛ bedi kyinhyia wɔ amumɔyɛfo mpampam.

Behold, the storm-wind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, yea, a whirling storm: upon the head of the wicked shall it fall grievously.

20 Awurade abufuw rensan kosi sɛ obewie ne koma mu nhyehyɛe nyinaa. Nna a ɛreba no mu no mobɛte ase yiye.

The anger of the Lord will not return, until he have executed, and until he have fulfilled the purposes of his heart: in the end of days shall ye understand this fully.

21 Mansoma saa adiyifo yi, nanso wɔde wɔn asɛm akyinkyin; mamma wɔn nkra biara, nanso wɔahyɛ nkɔm.

I had not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I had not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 Sɛ wɔkaa mʼagyinatufo ho a, anka wɔbɛpae mu aka mʼasɛm akyerɛ me nkurɔfo na ama wɔatwe wɔn ho afi wɔn akwammɔne ne wɔn nneyɛe bɔne ho.

But if they had stood in my secret counsel, they should have announced my words to my people, and have caused them to turn back from their evil way, and from the wrongfulness of their doings.

23 “Meyɛ Onyankopɔn a mebɛn nko ara anaa,” Awurade na ose, “na menyɛ Onyankopɔn a mewɔ akyirikyiri nso?

Am I a God for those near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God for those who are afar off?

24 Obi betumi de ne ho asie baabi a merentumi nhu no ana?” Awurade na ose. “Menyɛɛ ɔsoro ne asase so ma ana?” Awurade na ose.

If a man should hide himself in secret places should I not then see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? saith the Lord.

25 “Mate nea adiyifo a wɔde me din hyɛ atoro nkɔm no keka. Wɔkeka se, ‘Mesoo dae! Mesoo dae!’

I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy falsely in my name, saying, I have dreamt, I have dreamt.

26 Eyi bɛkɔ so akosi da bɛn wɔ atoro adiyifo yi koma mu? Wɔn a wɔbɔ wɔn tirim hyɛ nnaadaa nkɔm?

How long shall it be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy falsehood? yea, the prophets of the deceit of their own heart, —

27 Wodwen sɛ dae a wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛ wɔn ho no bɛma me nkurɔfo werɛ afi me din, sɛnea Baal som nti wɔn agyanom werɛ fii me din no.

[How long] do they think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they relate every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for the sake of Ba'al?

28 Ma odiyifo a waso dae no nka nʼadaeso, na ma nea ɔwɔ mʼasɛm no nka no nokware mu. Na dɛn na ntɛtɛ ne awi wɔ yɛ?” Awurade na ose.

The prophet that hath had a dream, let him relate his dream; and he that hath received my word, let him speak my word of truth. What hath the straw to do with the corn? saith the Lord.

29 “Na mʼasɛm nte sɛ ogya,” Awurade na ose, “ɛnte sɛ asae a ɛpaapae ɔbotan mu nketenkete ana?

Is not thus my word, like the fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that shivereth the rock?

30 “Ɛno nti,” Awurade na ose, “mikyi adiyifo a wɔfa nsɛm a efi wɔn yɔnkonom nkyɛn, na wɔpae mu ka no sɛnea efi me nkyɛn no.

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.

31 Yiw,” Awurade asɛm ni, “mikyi saa adiyifo a wɔde wɔn ankasa tɛkrɛmawo ka se, ‘Awurade na ose.’

Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their own word, and say, [The Lord] saith.

32 Nokware, mikyi wɔn a wɔhyɛ adaeso ho atoro nkɔm,” Awurade na ose. “Wɔka kyerɛ wɔn na wɔde atoro nsɛm daadaa me nkurɔfo ma wɔfom kwan, nso mensomaa wɔn na minnyii wɔn. Wɔn so nni mfaso mma saa nnipa yi koraa,” Awurade na ose.

Behold, I am against those that prophesy with false dreams, saith the Lord, and do relate them, and mislead my people by their falsehoods, and by their vain boasting: while I have not sent them, nor commanded them; and they cannot bring the least profit to this people, saith the Lord.

33 “Sɛ saa nnipa yi, anaa odiyifo anaa ɔsɔfo bisa mo se, ‘Dɛn ne Awurade adiyisɛm no a?’ Monka nkyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Adiyisɛm bɛn? Mɛpo mo, Awurade na ose.’

And if this people, or the prophet, or a priest, should ask thee, saying, What is the message of the Lord? then shalt thou say unto them, Because of this “What is the message?” will I even cast you off, saith the Lord.

34 Sɛ odiyifo bi, ɔsɔfo bi anaa obi foforo si so dua se, ‘Awurade adiyisɛm ni’ a, mɛtwe saa ɔbarima no ne ne fifo aso.

And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that will say, “A message of the Lord,” I will even inflict punishment on that man and on his house.

35 Eyi ne nea mo mu biara kɔ so ka kyerɛ ne yɔnko anaa ne busuani: ‘Awurade mmuae ne dɛn?’ Anaa ‘Dɛn na Awurade aka?’

Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

36 Nanso ɛnsɛ sɛ mobɔ ‘Awurade adiyisɛm’ so bio; efisɛ obiara asɛm bɛyɛ nʼadiyisɛm, ne saa nti modannan nsɛm a efi Onyankopɔn, Ɔteasefo, Asafo Awurade yɛn Nyankopɔn nkyɛn no mu.

But “A message of the Lord” shall ye not mention any more; for the message cometh indeed to the man of his [prophetic] word; but ye pervert the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.

37 Eyi ne nea mokɔ so ka kyerɛ odiyifo: ‘Mmuae bɛn na Awurade de ama mo?’ Anaa ‘Asɛm bɛn na Awurade aka?’

Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

38 Ɛwɔ mu, musi so dua se, ‘Eyi ne Awurade adiyisɛm’ nanso sɛɛ na Awurade ka: Mokae se, ‘Eyi yɛ Awurade adiyisɛm,’ wɔ bere a maka akyerɛ mo se monnka saa nsɛm yi bio.

But if ye will say, “A message of the Lord,” then thus saith the Lord, Because ye say this word, “A message of the Lord,” and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, “A message of the Lord:”

39 Afei, nokware, me werɛ befi mo, na mapam mo ne kuropɔn a mede maa mo ne mo agyanom afi mʼani so.

Therefore, behold, I am here, and I will tear you completely away, and I will cast you off, and the city that I have given to you and to your fathers, out of my presence;

40 Na mede daa animguase, ne daa ahohora a werɛ remfi da bɛba mo so.”

And I will lay upon you an everlasting disgrace, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.