< Yeremia 50 >

1 Asɛm a Awurade nam odiyifo Yeremia so ka faa Babilonia ne Babiloniafo asase ho ni:
Yahweh gave to [me, ] Jeremiah the prophet, a message about Babylon [city] and the country of Babylonia.
2 “Mommɔ no dawuru na mompae mu nka wɔ amanaman mu. Momma frankaa so na mompae mu nka; na momma wɔnte sɛ, ‘Wɔbɛfa Babilonia; wobegu Bel anim ase, na ehu bɛhyɛ Merodak ma. Wobegu ne nsɛsode anim ase na ehu bɛhyɛ nʼahoni ma.’
[This is what Yahweh says]: “Proclaim [DOU] [a message] among the nations; do not withhold any of it; raise up a signal flag to announce that Babylon will be captured. [Its chief god] Marduk, [whose other name is] Bel, will be completely disgraced, and all the [other] statues and idols will be shattered.
3 Ɔman bi fi atifi fam bɛtow ahyɛ ne so na wɔbɛyɛ nʼasase amamfo. Obiara rentena so; nnipa ne mmoa beguan afi so.
[The army of] a nation will come from the north to attack Babylon and destroy the city very thoroughly, [with the result that] no one will live there [again]. Both people and animals will run away.”
4 “Nna no mu ne saa bere no,” Awurade na ose, “Israelfo ne Yudafo bɛka abɔ mu de nusu akɔhwehwɛ wɔn Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn.
“But [I, ] Yahweh, say that in the future, when that is about to happen, the people of Israel and the people of Judah will join together. They will be weeping and wanting [to worship] me, their God.
5 Wobebisa ɔkwan a ɛkɔ Sion na wɔde wɔn ani akyerɛ hɔ. Wɔbɛba de wɔn ho abɛbɔ Awurade wɔ daa apam a werɛ remfi mu.
They will inquire about the road to Jerusalem, [and then] they will start traveling [IDM] toward it. They will say [to each other], ‘We must return to Yahweh [again]!’ They will make an everlasting agreement with me that they will never forget.
6 “Me nkurɔfo ayɛ nguan a wɔayera; wɔn nguanhwɛfo ama wɔafom ɔkwan ma wokyinkyin mmepɔw so. Wokyinkyin bepɔw ne koko so na wɔn werɛ fii wɔn ankasa homebea.
My people have been [like] [MET] lost sheep. Their [leaders/rulers] have caused them [to abandon me] like [MET] shepherds who have allowed their sheep to wander in the hills and mountains. [My people are like] [MET] sheep that do not know the path to return to the sheepfold.
7 Obiara a ohuu wɔn no tetew wɔn mu: wɔn atamfo kae se, ‘Yenni fɔ, efisɛ wɔyɛɛ bɔne tiaa Awurade, wɔn nokware didibea no, Awurade wɔn agyanom anidaso no.’
All their enemies who found them attacked them. They said, ‘We did not sin [by attacking them], because they sinned against Yahweh; he is the one who provides what they need; he is the one to whom they should have remained faithful; he is the one whom their ancestors confidently expected [to help them].’
8 “Munguan mfi Babilonia; mumfi Babiloniafo asase so, na monyɛ sɛ mpapo a wodi nguankuw anim.
[But now, I say to the leaders of my people], ‘Flee from Babylon! Leave the land of Babylonia! Be like [SIM] male goats [that go] in front of [the rest of] the flock; [lead my people back to their own land].
9 Mɛkanyan amanaman akɛse nkabom afi atifi fam asase so de wɔn abɛko atia Babilonia. Wobegyinagyina wɔn afa atia no, wobefi atifi fam ako afa no. Wɔn agyan bɛyɛ sɛ dɔmmarima a wɔakwadaw akodi mu, wɔn a wɔmmfa nsapan nsan wɔn akyi.
[Do that] because I am going to gather an army of great nations to the north [of Babylon]. They will join together to attack Babylon and will capture it. Their arrows will be like [SIM] skilled warriors that always hit what they aim at.
10 Enti wɔbɛfow Babilonia; wɔn a wɔfow no nyinaa benya asade bebree,” Awurade na ose.
Babylonia will be conquered, and those who conquer it will take away everything they want. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.’”
11 “Esiane sɛ mo ani gye na mudi ahurusi, mo a mofow mʼagyapade, sɛ muhuruhuruw anigye so te sɛ nantwiforo a ɔwɔ sare frɔmfrɔm mu na musu te sɛ apɔnkɔnini nti,
“You people [of Babylon] who (plundered/stole everything valuable from) my chosen people, now you are very happy [DOU]. You run around joyfully like [SIM] a calf in a meadow, and are happy like [SIM] male horses are happy when they are neighing.
12 wo na ani bewu pa ara; nea ɔwoo wo anim begu ase. Ɔbɛyɛ akumaa wɔ amanaman no mu, sare, asase wosee ne nweatam.
But [soon] your people will be very disgraced [DOU] [as a result of being conquered]. Your country will be the most insignificant nation; it will be a desert, a dry and deserted land.
13 Awurade abufuw nti, obiara rentena hɔ na ɛbɛda mpan korakora. Wɔn a wotwa mu wɔ Babilonia nyinaa ho bedwiriw wɔn na wɔadi ne ho fɛw esiane nʼapirakuru nyinaa nti.
Because [I, ] Yahweh, am angry [with you people of Babylon], I will cause your city to become completely deserted. All who pass by will be horrified and will (gasp/be shocked) because of the destruction there.
14 “Munnyinagyina mo afa ntwa Babilonia ho nhyia, mo a motow agyan nyinaa. Montow no! Munnyaw bɛmma biara, efisɛ wayɛ bɔne atia Awurade.
[All you nations that surround Babylon, ] prepare to attack it! Tell your archers to shoot at their enemies; shoot all of your arrows at them [LIT], because [the people/leaders of Babylon have sinned against me, ] Yahweh.
15 Monteɛ mu ntia no wɔ afanan nyinaa! Ɔma ne nsa so, nʼabandennen bubu, wodwiriw nʼafasu gu fam. Esiane sɛ eyi yɛ Awurade aweretɔ no nti, montɔ ne so were; monyɛ no sɛnea wayɛ afoforo no.
Shout [war-cries] against Babylon from all sides [of the city]. [The soldiers of] Babylon will surrender; the towers and walls will be torn down. It is [I, ] Yahweh, who will be getting revenge [on the people of Babylon], [so help me to] get revenge. Do to [the people of] Babylon what they have done to others!
16 Munyi ogufo mfi Babilonia, ɔne otwafo a okura ne kantankrankyi wɔ otwabere mu no. Esiane nhyɛsofo no afoa nti obiara nsan nkɔ ne nkurɔfo mu, obiara nguan nkɔ nʼankasa asase so.
Take away from Babylon those who plant [crops] and those who reap the harvests! Because of the swords carried by those who will attack [Babylon], [those people in Babylon who have come from other countries] should all run away, back to their own countries [DOU]!”
17 “Israel yɛ nguankuw a wɔahwete a gyata apam wɔn. Nea odii kan tetew ne mu yɛ Asiriahene; na nea ɔdwerɛwee ne nnompe akyiri no yɛ Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar.”
“The Israeli [people] are [like] [MET] sheep that have been scattered by lions. First [the army of] the King of Assyria defeated them. Then [the army of] King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon smashed them.
18 Ɛno nti, sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn se: “Mɛtwe Babiloniahene ne nʼasase aso sɛnea metwee Asiriahene aso no.
So this is what I, the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom the Israeli people [worship], say: ‘Now I will punish the King of Babylon and the people of his land, like I punished the King of Assyria.
19 Na mede Israel bɛsan aba nʼankasa didibea, na obedidi wɔ Karmel ne Basan; ɔbɛmee wɔ Efraim ne Gilead nkoko so.
And I will bring the people of Israel back to their own land where they will eat [the food that grows] in the fields of the Carmel and Bashan [regions], and [the people in] the hilly areas of Ephraim and Gilead will have all they want to eat.
20 Saa nna no ne saa bere no,” Awurade na ose, “Wɔbɛhwehwɛ Israel afɔbu mu, nanso wɔrennya bi, wɔbɛhwehwɛ Yuda nnebɔne mu, nanso wɔrenhu bi, efisɛ, mede nkae a migyaa wɔn no bɔne bɛkyɛ wɔn.
At that time, there will not be people in Israel and in Judah who [are still guilty for having] sinned [DOU], because I will forgive the small group of people whom I enable to still be alive.’”
21 “Montow nhyɛ Merataim asase so ne nnipa a wɔte Pekod. Montaa wɔn, munkunkum wɔn na monsɛe wɔn korakora,” Awurade na ose. “Monyɛ biribiara a mahyɛ mo no.
“[So, I, Yahweh, say to the enemies of Babylonia, ]‘Attack [the people who live in] the Merathaim [region] and the people in the Pekod [region of Babylonia]. Pursue them, kill them, and completely get rid of them, as I have commanded you to do.
22 Ɔko mu gyegyeegye wɔ asase no so, ɔsɛe kɛse nnyigyei!
Shout your battle cries throughout the land; shout [when you are causing] great destruction.
23 Hwɛ sɛnea wɔabubu na wɔabobɔ asase nyinaa so asae! Hwɛ sɛnea Babilonia ada mpan wɔ amanaman no mu!
[The army of Babylon is like] [MET] the most powerful hammer on the earth, but it will be completely shattered. Babylon will be deserted among the [other] nations.’
24 Misum wo afiri, Babilonia, na eyii wo ansa na worehu; wohuu wo kyeree wo efisɛ woko tiaa Awurade.
You [people of] Babylon, [listen, ] [because] I have set a trap for you; you will be caught [in that trap], because you fought against me.
25 Otumfo Awurade abue nʼakode adekoradan na wayi nʼabufuwhyew akode de apue, efisɛ Asafo Awurade wɔ adwuma yɛ wɔ Babiloniafo asase so.
[It is as though] I have opened the place where I store my weapons, and I have brought out [all] the weapons [to use against the people with whom] I am angry. [I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, have [a lot of] work to do [to punish] the people of Babylonia.
26 Mumfi akyirikyiri mmra ne so. Mummubu nʼasan no ani; monhɔre no siw sɛ awi akuwakuw. Monsɛe no korakora na munnyaw nkae biara mma no.
[So, you enemies of Babylonia, ] come from distant lands and attack it. Break open the places where they store the grain. Crush the walls of the city and the houses and pile up [the rubble like] [SIM] heaps of grain. Destroy everything; do not leave anything that is not destroyed.
27 Munkunkum nʼanatwinini nyinaa; momfa wɔn nkɔ mma wonkokum wɔn! Mmusu nka wɔn! Efisɛ wɔn da no adu, bere a wɔde bɛtwe wɔn aso no.
Destroy all the [young men who are as strong as] [MET] bulls; take them to where you will slaughter them. It will be terrible for them, because it will be time for them to be punished.
28 Muntie akobɔfo ne aguanfo a wofi Babilonia no sɛ wɔreka wɔ Sion sɛnea Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn atɔ were, nʼasɔrefi ho aweretɔ.
Listen to the people who have fled and escaped from Babylon while they tell in Jerusalem how [I, ] Yahweh, have gotten revenge against those who destroyed my temple [in Jerusalem].
29 “Momfrɛ agyantowfo nkɔtoa Babilonia, wɔn a wɔtow agyan nyinaa. Muntwa ne ho nhyia; mommma obiara nguan. Muntua ne nneyɛe so ka; monyɛ no sɛnea wayɛ. Efisɛ wabu Awurade animtiaa, Israel kronkronni no.
Summon archers [DOU] to come to attack Babylon; surround the city in order that no one will escape. Do to [the people of] Babylon what they have done to others [DOU], because they have defied [me, ] the Holy One of the Israeli [people].
30 Enti ne mmerante bɛtotɔ wɔ mmɔnten so; wɔbɛtɔre nʼasraafo nyinaa ase saa da no,” Awurade na ose.
The young men of Babylon will fall in the streets; all their soldiers will be killed in one day.
31 “Hwɛ, mikyi wo; ɔhantanni.” Awurade, Asafo Awurade na ose, “efisɛ wo da no adu bere a wɔde bɛtwe wʼaso no.
[I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, say this: ‘You arrogant/proud people, it is now the time; it is the time [DOU] when I will punish you.
32 Ɔhantanni no behintiw na wahwe ase, obiara remmoa no mma ɔnnsɔre; mɛto ne nkurow mu gya na ahyew wɔn a atwa ne ho ahyia nyinaa.”
[Your land is full of] proud people, but you will stumble and fall, and no one will lift you up [again]. I will light a fire in the cities in Babylonia that will burn up everything that is nearby.’
33 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade se: “Wɔhyɛ Israelfo so, na Yudafo nso saa ara. Wɔn nnommumfafo no kura wɔn dennen a wɔmpɛ sɛ wogyaa wɔn ma wɔkɔ.
[I], the Commander of the armies of angels, also say this: ‘The people of Israel and Judah were (oppressed/treated cruelly); those who captured them guarded them carefully and would not allow them to leave [Babylon].
34 Nanso wɔn Gyefo yɛ ɔhoɔdenfo; ne din ne Asafo Awurade. Obedi wɔn asɛm ama wɔn anibere so, sɛnea ɔde ahotɔ bɛba wɔn asase no so, na wɔn a wɔte Babilonia no nea wahyɛ wɔn ahometew.
But I am strong, and I will free them. I am the Commander of the armies of angels; I will defend my people and enable them [to return to] their land where they will have peace, but the people of Babylonia will not have peace.
35 “Afoa a etia Babiloniafo!” Awurade na ose, “etia wɔn a wɔte Babilonia na etia nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼanyansafo!
[I will send enemy soldiers carrying] swords [PRS] to strike the people of Babylonia; they will strike the officials and wise men and all the [other] people who live in Babylon.
36 Afoa a etia nʼatoro adiyifo! Wɔbɛdan nkwaseafo. Afoa a etia nʼakofo! Ehu bɛhyɛ wɔn ma.
They will strike their false prophets with swords and they will become foolish. They will strike the [strongest] warriors of Babylonia, and they will all be terrified.
37 Afoa a etia nʼapɔnkɔ ne ne nteaseɛnam ne ananafo a wɔwɔ wɔn mu nyinaa! Wɔbɛdan mmea. Afoa a etia nʼademude! Wɔbɛfom.
They will strike their horses and chariots and the foreigners who are in the army of Babylonia, and they will [all] become [as weak] as [MET] women. They will seize [MTY] all the valuable things there in Babylon and take them away.
38 Ɔyow wɔ nʼasu ahorow so! Ɛbɛyoyow. Efisɛ ɛyɛ ahoni asase, ahoni a ehu bɛma wɔabobɔ adam.
[I] cause the streams to become dry. [I will do all those things] because the [entire] land [of Babylonia] is filled with idols, and those [horrible] idols have caused the people [who worship them] to become crazy.
39 “Enti sare so mmoa ne mpataku bɛtena hɔ, na ɛhɔ na patu bɛtena. Obiara rentena so bio efi awo ntoatoaso kosi awo ntoatoaso.
[Soon only] hyenas and [other] wild creatures will live there; and it will be a place where owls live. People will never live there again; it will be uninhabited forever [DOU].
40 Sɛnea Onyankopɔn tuu Sodom ne Gomora ne wɔn nkurow gui no,” Awurade na ose, “saa ara na obiara rentena hɔ; onipa biara rentena mu.
[I will destroy Babylon] like I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the nearby towns; no one will [ever] live there [again] [DOU].
41 “Monhwɛ! Asraafo bi fi atifi fam reba; ɔman kɛse ne ahemfo bebree, wɔrehwanyan wɔn afi nsase ano.
Look! A [great] army will come from the north. A great nation far away with many kings is preparing [to attack you people of Babylon].
42 Wokurakura bɛmma ne mpeaw; wɔn tirim yɛ den, na wonni ahummɔbɔ. Wɔn nnyigyei te sɛ po a ɛworo so. Sɛ wɔtete wɔn apɔnkɔ so a, wɔba sɛ mmarima a wɔrekɔ sa abɛtow ahyɛ wo so, Ɔbabea Babilonia.
Their [army] has bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. [As] they ride along on [their] horses, the sound of the horses’ hooves is like [SIM] the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you, you people of Babylon.
43 Babiloniahene ate wɔn ho nsɛm, ne nsa sesa ne ho kwa. Ahohiahia akyekyere no ɔyaw a ɛte sɛ ɔbea a ɔrekyem wɔ awo so.
The King of Babylon says, “[I] have heard reports about the enemy [approaching]; [so I am very frightened, with the result that] I am weak. I am [very fearful, and] anguished/worried, like [SIM] a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.”
44 Sɛnea gyata a ofi Yordan nkyɛkyerɛ mu rekɔ adidibea frɔmfrɔm no, saa ara na mɛtaa Babilonia fi nʼasase so wɔ bere tiaa bi mu. Hena ne nea mayi no sɛ ɔnyɛ eyi? Hena na ɔte sɛ me, na hena na obetumi ne me adi asi? Na oguanhwɛfo bɛn na obetumi asɔre atia me?”
I, [Yahweh], will come to Babylon [suddenly] like a lion comes out of the jungle and [leaps on the sheep that are eating] the good pastureland. I will quickly chase the people of Babylonia from their land. And [then] I will appoint for them [a leader] whom I will choose; [I will do that] because there is no one [RHQ] like me who can say that what I have done is not right. No ruler can [RHQ] oppose me.
45 Enti tie nea Awurade ahyehyɛ atia Babilonia, nea wabɔ ne tirim sɛ ɔbɛyɛ de atia Babiloniafo asase ni: Nguankuw no mu nkumaa no wɔbɛtwe wɔn akɔ; wɔn nti ɔbɛsɛe adidibea no koraa.
Listen to what I have planned to do to the people of Babylon [city] and the rest of Babylonia: [even] the little children will be dragged away, and I will completely destroy the people [MET] who live there.
46 Babilonia nnommumfa nnyigyei bɛma asase awosow; ne nteɛteɛmu gyegyeegye wɔ amanaman no mu.
When Babylon is destroyed, the noise will be extremely loud, with the result that the earth will shake, and the wailing of the people will be heard by the [people of other] nations.’”

< Yeremia 50 >