Yeremia 31
1 “Saa bere no,” Awurade na ose, “Mɛyɛ Israel mmusuakuw no nyinaa Nyankopɔn, na wɔbɛyɛ me nkurɔfo.”
Yahweh says that at that time, he will be the God [who is worshiped by] all the clans in Israel, and they will be his people.
2 Nea Awurade se ni: “Nnipa a wotumi gyinaa wɔ afoa ano no benya adom wɔ nweatam so; mede ahomegye bɛbrɛ Israel.”
This is what Yahweh says: “Those [people] who remained alive and were not killed by [their enemies’] swords were blessed [by me even] in the desert; I enabled them to have peace.
3 Awurade daa ne ho adi kyerɛɛ yɛn kan no na ɔkae se, “Mede ɔdɔ a ɛnsa da adɔ mo mede adɔe atwe mo.
Long ago [I, ] Yahweh, said to [your ancestors, ] the Israeli people, ‘I have loved you and I will continue to love you forever. By faithfully loving you, I have brought you close to myself.’
4 Mede mo besi hɔ bio na wɔbɛsan de wo, Ɔbabun Israel, asi hɔ. Wobɛfa wʼakasae bio na woafi adi ne anigyefo akɔsaw.
And [now I tell you], my Israeli people whom I love [MET], that I will cause you to be a nation again. You will [joyfully] dance as you play your tambourines.
5 Bio, mobɛyɛ bobe nturo wɔ Samaria nkoko so; akuafo no bedua na wɔadi so aba.
Again you will plant your vineyards on the hills of Samaria, and you will eat the grapes [that grow there].
6 Da bi bɛba a, awɛmfo bɛteɛ mu wɔ Efraim nkoko so se, ‘Mommra, momma yɛnforo nkɔ Sion, nkɔ Awurade yɛn Nyankopɔn nkyɛn.’”
There will be a time when watchmen will call out from the hills of Samaria [MTY], ‘Come, let’s go up to Jerusalem to [worship] Yahweh, our God!'”
7 Nea Awurade se ni: “Momfa ahosɛpɛw nto nnwom mma Yakob; Monteɛ mu mma amanaman mu kannifo. Momma wɔnte mo ayeyi na monka se, ‘Awurade, gye wo nkurɔfo, Israel nkae no.’
And now Yahweh also says this: “Sing joyfully about [what I have done for] the people of Israel! Shout about [your nation, ] the greatest nation! Shout joyfully, praising me and saying, ‘Yahweh, rescue your people, the ones who are still alive!’
8 Hwɛ, mede wɔn befi atifi fam asase so aba na maboa wɔn ano afi nsase ano. Wɔn mu bi bɛyɛ anifuraefo, mpakye, apemfo ne mmea a wɔwɔ awoko mu; dɔm kɛse bɛsan aba.
Do that [because] I will bring them back from the northeast, from the most distant places on the earth. Among them will be blind people and lame people, women who are pregnant and women who are (having labor pains/about to give birth to babies). They will be a huge group of people!
9 Wɔde osu na ɛbɛba; wɔbɛbɔ mpae bere a mede wɔn resan aba no. Mede wɔn bɛfa nsuwa ho; ɔkwan tamaa a wɔrenhintiw wɔ so, efisɛ mɛyɛ Israel agya, na Efraim yɛ me babarima piesie.
They will be crying as they return, and they will be praying [to me]. I will guide them along streams of water, on level paths where they will not stumble. [I will do this] because I am [like] a father to the Israeli people; [it is as though] Israel is my oldest son.”
10 “Muntie Awurade asɛm, mo amanaman; mommɔ no dawuru wɔ mpoano nsase a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri so se, ‘Nea ɔbɔɔ Israel petee no bɛboaboa wɔn ano na wahwɛ ne nguankuw so sɛ oguanhwɛfo.’
Yahweh says, “[You people in the] nations of the world, listen to this message from me. Then proclaim it to [people who live along] the coasts far away. I scattered my people, but I will gather them [again] and will take care of them like [SIM] a shepherd takes care of his sheep.
11 Na Awurade begyina mu ama Yakob na wagye wɔn afi wɔn a wɔwɔ ahoɔden sen wɔn no nsam.
I will buy [my] Israeli people back from those who [conquered them because] they were more powerful [than my people].
12 Wɔbɛba na wɔde ahurusi ateɛ mu wɔ Sion sorɔnsorɔmmea; wɔbɛsɛpɛw wɔn ho wɔ akyɛde bebrebe a efi Awurade hɔ mu, atoko, nsa foforo ne ngo, nguantenmma ne anantwi. Wɔbɛyɛ sɛ turo a wɔagugu so nsu yiye, na wɔrenni awerɛhow bio.
My people will return [to Jerusalem] and shout joyfully on the slopes of Zion Hill. They will rejoice about the things that I have abundantly given to them— grain and new wine and [olive] oil and young sheep and cattle. They themselves will be like a well-watered garden, and they will no longer be sad.
13 Afei mmabaa bɛsaw na wɔn ani agye, mmerante ne nkwakoraa nso ka ho. Mɛma wɔn awerɛhow adan anigye; mɛma wɔn ahotɔ ne ahosɛpɛw de asi awerɛhow anan mu.
The young women will dance joyfully, and [all] the men, young ones and old ones, will join with them. I will cause them to rejoice instead of mourning; I will comfort them and cause them to be happy instead of being sad.
14 Mɛma asɔfo no nea ehia wɔn ama abu so, na mama mʼakyɛde bebrebe amee me nkurɔfo,” Awurade, na ose.
The priests will have plenty of things to eat and drink, and [all] my people will be filled with the good things that I give them. [That will certainly happen because I], Yahweh, have said it!”
15 Sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Wɔte nne bi wɔ Rama, awerɛhow ne agyaadwotwa bebree, Rahel resu ne mma na ɔmpɛ sɛ wɔkyekye ne werɛ, efisɛ ne mma nni hɔ bio.”
Yahweh [also] says this: “Women were weeping in Ramah [town on the border between Israel and Judah]; they were mourning and crying very loudly. [The women who were the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the two grandsons of] Rachel [the wife of Jacob], were weeping about their children, and no one could comfort them because their children were [all] dead.
16 Sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Hyɛ wo ho so na woansu, mia wʼani na woante nusu, efisɛ wobetua wʼadwumayɛ so ka,” Awurade na ose. “Wɔbɛsan afi atamfo no asase so aba.
[But now] this is what [I], Yahweh, say: ‘Do not cry [any more], because I will reward you [for the good things you have done for your children]. Your children will return from the land where their enemies [have taken them].
17 Enti anidaso wɔ hɔ ma wo daakye.” Awurade na ose. Wo mma bɛsan aba wɔn ankasa asase so.
[I], Yahweh, am telling you that there are things that you can confidently expect [me to do for you] in the future. Your children will return to their own land.’
18 “Ampa ara mate sɛ Efraim resu se, ‘Woteɛteɛɛ me so sɛ nantwi ba a nʼani yɛ den, na manya ahohyɛso. Gye me bio, na mɛsan aba, efisɛ wo ne Awurade, me Nyankopɔn.
I have heard [the people of] Israel grieving very much [and saying to me], ‘You punished us severely, like [SIM] calves are beaten [by their owners to train them for pulling a plow]. [So] bring us back [to obey/worship you again], because we are ready to return to you, because you [alone] are Yahweh, our God.
19 Meman akyi no, minyaa adwensakra; na akyiri a minyaa ntease no, mebɔɔ me koko so. Mʼanim guu ase na mefɛree, efisɛ me mmabun mu animguase da so so me.’
We turned away [from you], but we repented; [after you] caused us to realize [that we were guilty]. We beat our chests to show that we were very ashamed [DOU] of the sins that we committed when we were young.’
20 Efraim nyɛ me babarima dɔfo, ɔba a ɔsɔ mʼani ana? Ɛwɔ mu, metaa kasa tia no de, nanso meda so kae no. Enti me koma pere hwehwɛ no; mewɔ ayamhyehye ma no,” sɛɛ na Awurade se.
But [I], Yahweh, say this: The Israeli people certainly are [RHQ] still my dear children [DOU]. It is often necessary for me to threaten [to punish] them, but I still love them. That is why I have not forgotten them, and I will certainly act mercifully toward them.
21 “Momfa agyiraehyɛde nsisi akwan ho; munsisi akwankyerɛ afadum. Monhyɛ ɔtempɔn no nsow, ɔkwan a monam so ba. San wʼakyi, Ɔbabun Israel, san bra wo nkurow so.
[You Israeli people, ] set up road signs; put up posts [along the roads] to mark the road on which you walked [when you were taken from Jerusalem]. My precious/beloved Israeli people, come back to your towns here.
22 Wubekyinkyin akosi da bɛn, Ɔbabea Israel sesafo? Awurade bɛyɛ ade foforo wɔ asase so, ɔbea bɛbɔ ɔbarima ho ban.”
You people who have been like [MET] daughters who have forsaken their parents, how long will you continue to wander [away from me] [RHQ]? I, Yahweh, will cause something to happen on the earth that (is new/has not happened before): The women of Israel will be protecting their husbands as they travel [back here]!”
23 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn no se: “Sɛ mesan de wɔn fi nnommum mu ba a, nnipa a wɔwɔ Yuda asase ne nkurow so bɛsan aka saa nsɛm yi se, ‘Awurade nhyira wo, wo yiyeyɛ kuropɔn ne bepɔw kronkron.’
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israeli people [worship], says: “When I bring them back from the countries to which they have been exiled, all the people from the towns in Judah will again say, [‘I hope that] Yahweh will bless this my home, the holy place where righteous [people will live]!’
24 Nnipa bɛbɔ mu atena ase wɔ Yuda ne ne nkurow nyinaa so, akuafo ne wɔn a wɔde wɔn nguankuw nenam.
[The people of] Judah [who live in] the towns, including the farmers and the shepherds, will all live together [peacefully].
25 Mɛma nea wabrɛ no anya ahoɔden foforo, na nea watɔ piti no nso mɛma no amee.”
I will enable weary people to rest, and enable people who are very exhausted to become strong again.”
26 Minyanee, na mehwɛɛ me ho hyiae. Medaa hatee.
I, [Jeremiah], woke up [after dreaming all those things], and I looked [around]. I had slept [very] delightfully!
27 “Nna bi reba,” Awurade na ose, “A mede nnipa mma ne mmoa mma bedua Israel ne Yuda fi.
[Then] Yahweh said [to me], “There will be a time when I will greatly increase [MET] the number of people and the number of livestock here in Israel and Judah.
28 Sɛnea mehwɛ ma wotutui, wodwiriwii, wobubui, wɔsɛee na wɔde amanehunu bae no, saa ara na mɛhwɛ ama wɔasi na wɔadua,” sɛnea Awurade se ni.
[Previously], I caused [their enemies to] remove the people from their land and to destroy their land and to cause them to experience many disasters [DOU]. But in the future, I will enable them to build houses and to plant crops [here in Israel again]. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.
29 Saa nna no mu, nnipa renka bio se, “‘Agyanom adi bobe nwennaa, na mma se afem.’
[Previously the people often said, ] ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but it is the children’s teeth that ache.’ [They meant that it was not fair for them to be punished for their ancestors’ sins]. But [when I bring them back to their land], they will no longer say that.
30 Mmom, obiara bewu wɔ ɔno ara bɔne ho; nea obedi bobe nwennaa no ɔno na ne se bɛfem.
But now all people will die because of the sins that they themselves have committed.
31 “Bere no reba,” Awurade na ose, “a me ne Israelfi ne Yudafi bɛyɛ apam foforo.
[I], Yahweh, say this: ‘There will be a time when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah.
32 Ɛrenyɛ sɛ apam a me ne wɔn agyanom yɛe no bere a misoo wɔn nsa, dii wɔn anim fii Misraim, esiane sɛ wobuu mʼapam so, wɔ bere a na meyɛ okunu ma wɔn no,” Awurade na ose.
[This new agreement will] not be like the agreement that I made with their ancestors when I took them by their hands and led them out of Egypt. They broke that agreement, even though I [loved them like] [MET] husbands love their wives.’
33 “Eyi ne apam a me ne Israelfi bɛyɛ saa bere no akyi,” Awurade na ose. “Mede me mmara bɛhyɛ wɔn adwene mu, na makyerɛw wɔ wɔn koma so. Mɛyɛ wɔn Nyankopɔn, na wɔbɛyɛ me nkurɔfo.
This is what I, Yahweh, say: ‘This is the new agreement that I will make with the people of Israel some day: I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their inner beings. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
34 Na obiara renkyerɛkyerɛ ne yɔnko bio, anaa ne nua se, ‘Hu Awurade,’ Efisɛ, wɔn nyinaa behu me, efi wɔn mu akumaa so, kosi ɔkɛse so,” Sɛnea Awurade se ni. “Na mede wɔn amumɔyɛ bɛkyɛ wɔn, na merenkae wɔn bɔne bio.”
And it will not be [necessary] for them to teach their neighbors or their relatives and say, “[You need to] know Yahweh,” because everyone, including unimportant people and very important people, will [already] know me. And I will forgive them for having been very wicked, and I will never think again about the sins that they have committed.’”
35 Sɛɛ na Awurade se, nea ɔma owia hyerɛn adekyee, na ɔhyɛ ɔsram ne nsoromma sɛ wɔnhyerɛn anadwo; nea ɔkanyan ɛpo ma nʼasorɔkye bobɔ mu, Asafo Awurade ne ne din.
Yahweh is the one who causes the sun to give light during the day, and who causes the moon and the stars to give light during the night. He stirs up the seas, with the result that waves roar. His name is the Commander of the armies of angels, and this is what he says:
36 “Saa ahyɛde yi twa mu mʼani so a,” Awurade na ose, “ɛno ansa na Israel begyae ɔmanyɛ wɔ mʼanim.”
“I will not reject my Israeli people any more than I will get rid of the laws [that control the universe].
37 Sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Sɛ wobetumi asusuw wim ntrɛwmu na wɔatumi ahwehwɛ asase ase fapem mu a ɛno de, mɛpo Israel asefo nyinaa, esiane nea wɔayɛ nyinaa nti,” Awurade na ose.
And this is what I say: ‘No one can measure the sky, and no one can find out what is supporting the earth. Similarly, I cannot reject forever the descendants of Jacob because of all the [evil] things that they have done.’ [That is certain, because] I, Yahweh, have said it!
38 “Nna no reba,” Awurade na ose, “a wɔbɛkyekye kuropɔn yi bio ama me, fi Hananel abantenten kosi Twɔtwɔw so Pon.
[I], Yahweh, also say that there will be a time when [everything in] Jerusalem will be rebuilt for me, from the tower of Hananel [at the northeast corner, west] to [the gate named] the Corner Gate.
39 Wɔbɛtwe susuhama no mu, afi hɔ de akosi Gareb koko so, na akɔntɔn akɔ Goa.
[Workers] will stretch a measuring line/string over Gareb Hill all the way [southwest] to Goah.
40 Obon a wɔtow afunu ne nsõ gu mu no nyinaa ne asase a ɛkɔ Kidron bon mu wɔ apuei fam, kosi apɔnkɔ pon no twɔtwɔw so bɛyɛ kronkron ama Awurade. Wɔrentutu na wɔrensɛe kuropɔn no da.”
And the whole area, including the place where corpses and ashes are thrown in the [Kidron] Valley, and all the fields to the east as far as the Horse Gate, will become set apart for me. And the city [of Jerusalem] will never again be captured or destroyed.”
