Yeremia 51
1 Sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Monhwɛ, mɛkanyan ɔsɛefo bi honhom atia Babilonia ne nnipa a wɔwɔ Leb Kamai.
This is what Yahweh says: “I will inspire/motivate [an army] to destroy Babylon [like a powerful] wind [MET], and [also] to destroy the people of Babylonia.
2 Mɛsoma ananafo akɔ Babilonia sɛ wonkohuhuw ne so na wɔnsɛe nʼasase; wobetia no wɔ afanan nyinaa wɔ nʼamanehunu da no.
I will send a foreign army to come to get rid of Babylonia [like a strong wind] that blows away chaff. They will attack from every direction on that day of disaster.
3 Mma agyantowni pema nʼagyan, mma ɔnhyɛ ne nkatabo. Mma ne mmerante mfa wɔn ho nni; sɛe nʼasraafo no pasaa.
[I will tell them, ] ‘Do not allow the archers [of Babylon] to [have time to] put on their armor or draw their bows. Do not spare the young men of Babylon. Completely destroy their army.’
4 Wɔbɛhwehwe ase a wɔatotɔ wɔ Babilonia, a wɔapirapira yiye wɔ ne mmɔnten so.
Their soldiers will fall dead in Babylonia; [they will die after being] wounded in the streets.
5 Na Israel Nyankopɔn, Asafo Awurade no, nnyaw Israel ne Yuda hɔ ɛ, ɛwɔ mu, afɔdi ahyɛ wɔn asase no so ma wɔ Israel Ɔkronkronni no anim.
[I, ] the Commander of the armies of angels, the Israelis’ God, have not abandoned Israel and Judah. [Even though] their land was full of people who sinned against [me], the Holy God of Israel, I am still their God.
6 “Munguan mfi Babilonia! Muntu mmirika mpere mo nkwa! Mommma wɔnnsɛe mo esiane ne bɔne nti. Awurade aweretɔbere aso; ɔde nea ɛfata no betua no ka.
[You people of Israel and Judah, ] flee from Babylon! Run away from there! Do not stay there and be killed when I punish [the people of Babylon]! It will be the time when I will get revenge; I will do to them what they deserve.
7 Na Babilonia yɛ sikakɔkɔɔ kuruwa wɔ Awurade nsam; ɔmaa asase nyinaa bow nsa. Aman no nom ne nsa; ɛno nti, afei wɔabobɔ adam.
Babylon has been [like] [MET] a gold cup in my hand, [a cup that is full of wine] that caused people all over the earth [who drank some of it to become] drunk. [It is as though] the [rulers of] the nations drank the wine from Babylon, and it caused them to become crazy.
8 Babilonia bɛhwe ase abubu mpofirim. Muntwa ne ho agyaadwo! Mompɛ ne yaw no ano aduru; ebia ne ho bɛtɔ no.
But suddenly Babylon will be conquered. [You foreigners who live in Babylon, ] weep for its people. Give them medicine for their wounds; perhaps they can be healed.”
9 “‘Anka yɛbɛsa Babilonia yare, nanso wontumi nsa no yare; momma yennyaw no hɔ na obiara nkɔ nʼankasa asase so, efisɛ nʼatemmu du sorosoro; ɛforo soro te sɛ omununkum.’
We [foreigners] would have [tried to] heal them, but [now] they cannot be healed. [So we will not try to help them; ] we will abandon them, and return to our own lands, because [it is as though] the punishment they are receiving is so great that it reaches up to the clouds in sky, [so great that no one can measure it].
10 “‘Awurade abu yɛn bem. Mommra, momma yɛnka wɔ Sion, nea Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn ayɛ.’
Yahweh has (vindicated us/shown that we were right); [so] let’s proclaim in Jerusalem everything that Yahweh our God has done [for us].
11 “Monsew agyan no ano! Momfa nkatabo no! Awurade ahwanyan Mede ahemfo no, efisɛ ne botae ne sɛ ɔbɛsɛe Babilonia. Awurade bɛtɔ were, ɔbɛtɔ were ama nʼasɔrefi no.
[You enemy soldiers, ] sharpen your arrows! Lift up your shields, [because] Yahweh has incited your kings of Media [and Persia to march with their armies] to Babylon and to destroy it. That is how Yahweh will get revenge on [those foreigners who entered] his temple [in Jerusalem] and defiled it.
12 Mompagyaw frankaa bi ntia Babilonia afasu! Mummia bammɔ mu, momma awɛmfo no nnyinagyina. Munsiesie ahintawee! Awurade bɛma nʼatirimpɔw aba mu, nea wahyɛ atia Babilonia no.
Lift up a battle flag close to the walls of Babylon! (Reinforce the/Appoint more) guards, and tell the watchmen to stand [in their positions]! Prepare an ambush, because Yahweh is about to accomplish all that he has planned to do to the people of Babylon.
13 Mo a motete nsuwansuwa bebree ho na nnwetɛbona abu mo so, mo awiei aba, bere a ɛsɛ sɛ wotwa mo kyene no.
Babylon is [a city] near the great [Euphrates] River, a city in which there are many rich people, but it is time for Babylon to be finished; the time [for the city] to exist is ended.
14 Asafo Awurade, aka ne ho ntam sɛ: mede nnipa bɛhyɛ wo ma sɛ tɛwtɛw, na wɔabɔ ose wɔ wo so.
The Commander of the armies of angels has solemnly promised, using his own name, “Your cities will be filled with your enemies; I will cause them to be like [SIM] a swarm of locusts; and they will shout triumphantly [when they conquer your city].”
15 “Ɔde ne tumi bɔɔ asase; ɔtoo wiase fapem wɔ ne nyansa mu na ɔde ne nhumu trɛw ɔsorosoro mu.
Yahweh created the earth by his power; he established it by his wisdom, and he stretched out the sky by his understanding.
16 Sɛ ɔbobɔ mu a, ɔsoro nsu woro so; ɔma omununkum ma ne ho so fi nsase ano. Ɔsoma anyinam ka osu ho na ɔma mframa bɔ fi ne koradan mu.
When he speaks loudly, there is thunder in the sky; he causes clouds to form in every part of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and releases the winds from his storehouses.
17 “Onipa biara nnim nyansa, na onni nimdeɛ; sikadwumfo biara anim gu ase, esiane nʼahoni nti. Ne nsɛsode yɛ atoro; wonni ɔhome biara wɔ wɔn mu.
People are senseless, and they know very little [HYP]; those who make idols are [always] disappointed, because their idols [do nothing for them]. The images/statues that they make are not real [gods]; they are lifeless.
18 Wɔn so nni mfaso, wɔn ho yɛ serew; sɛ wɔn atemmu du so a, wɔbɛyera.
Idols are worthless; they deserve to be ridiculed; there will be a time when they will [all] be destroyed.
19 Nea ɔyɛ Yakob Kyɛfa no nte sɛ eyinom, efisɛ ɔno ne ade nyinaa Yɛfo a Israel, abusua a ɛyɛ nʼagyapade nso ka ho. Asafo Awurade ne ne din.
But the God whom [we] Israelis [worship] is not like those [idols]; he is the one who created everything [that exists]; [we], the people of Israel, belong to him; his name is ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’.
20 “Woyɛ me ko abaa, mʼakode a mede kɔ sa mede wo dwerɛw amanaman, mede wo sɛe ahenni bebree,
Yahweh says [about the army of Babylonia] (OR, [about a nation that will attack Babylonia)], “You have been [like] [MET] my battle-axe and war-club; with your [power] I have shattered nations and destroyed [many] kingdoms.
21 mede wo bobɔ ɔpɔnkɔ ne ne sotefo, teaseɛnam ne ne kafo,
With your [power] I have shattered armies [of other nations]: I destroyed [their] horses and their riders, [their] chariots and [their] chariot-drivers.
22 mede wo dwerɛw ɔbarima ne ɔbea, mede wo dwerɛw akwakoraa ne ɔbabun, mede wo dwerɛw aberante ne ababaa,
With your [power] I shattered men and women, old people and children, young men and young women.
23 mede wo dwerɛw oguanhwɛfo ne nguankuw, mede wo dwerɛw okuafo ne anantwi, mede wo dwerɛw amradofo ne adwumayɛfo.
With your [power] I shattered shepherds and their flocks [of sheep], farmers and their oxen, governors and [their] officials.”
24 “Metua Babilonia ne wɔn a wɔtete Babilonia ka wɔ mfomso a, wɔayɛ wɔ Sion nyinaa, wɔ wʼanim,” Awurade na ose.
But, Yahweh [also] says, “[Soon] I will repay/punish [you] people in Babylon and in the rest of Babylonia for all the evil things that you have done in Jerusalem.
25 “Bepɔw sɛefo, me ne wo anya, wo a wosɛe asase nyinaa no,” Awurade na ose. “Mɛteɛ me nsa wɔ wo so mepia wo afi abotan no so, na mayɛ wo sɛ bepɔw a ɛnka hwee.
[Babylonia is] [APO] like [MET] a great mountain [from which bandits descend] to (plunder/steal things from) people all over the earth. But I, Yahweh, am the enemy of you [people of Babylonia]. I will raise my fist to strike you. I will knock you down from the cliffs and cause you to be [only] a huge pile of burned rubble.
26 Wɔremfa ɔbo biara mfi wo so nyɛ tweatibo anaasɛ fapem mpo, efisɛ wobɛda mpan afebɔɔ,” Awurade na ose.
Your [city] will be abandoned forever; [even] the stones in your [city] will never [again] be used for buildings. [Your city will be completely destroyed].”
27 “Momma frankaa so wɔ asase no so! Monhyɛn torobɛnto no wɔ amanaman no mu! Munsiesie amanaman no mma wontu no so sa; Momfrɛfrɛ saa ahenni ahorow yi mma wɔnko ntia no: Ararat, Mini ne Askenas. Munnyi ɔsahene ntia no; momfa apɔnkɔ manyamanya te sɛ tɛwtɛw mmra.
[Tell] the nations to lift up a battle flag! [Tell them to] shout the battle-cry! Gather all their armies to fight against Babylon! Prepare the nations to attack Babylon. Summon [the armies of] the kingdoms [north of Babylonia]—from Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a commander for them, and bring [a great number of] horses; [there must be a huge number of horses]; that [huge number] will resemble [SIM] a swarm of locusts.
28 Munsiesie amanaman no mma wontu no so sa, mo Mede ahemfo, wɔn amradofo ne wɔn adwumayɛfo nyinaa, ne aman a wodi so nyinaa.
Prepare the [armies of other nations], armies that will be led by the kings of Media [and Persia], their governors and [their] officials.
29 Asase no wosow, na onukunuku ne mu, efisɛ Awurade atirimpɔw a etia Babilonia sɛ ɔbɛsɛe Babilonia asase a obiara rentumi ntena so no nsakraa ɛ.
[When they attack Babylon, it will be as though] the earth will shake and writhe [in pain], because [those armies] will accomplish everything that Yahweh has planned to do to Babylon; they will destroy it completely, [with the result that] no one will live there [again].
30 Babilonia dɔmmarima agyae ko wɔhyehyɛ wɔn aban mu. Wɔn ahoɔden asa; wɔayɛ sɛ mmea. Wɔatoto nʼatenae ahorow no mu gya, na wɔabubu nʼapon akyi adaban.
[When their enemies attack], the strongest warriors in Babylon will not fight. They will remain in their barracks, without any strength. They will be as timid/weak as [SIM] women. [The enemy soldiers] will burn the buildings in the city and pull down the bars [of the city gates].
31 Abɔfo didi so na asomafo didi so a wɔrekɔbɔ Babiloniahene amanneɛ se, wɔafa ne kuropɔn no,
Messengers will go quickly, one after another, to tell the king that his city has been captured.
32 wɔagye asutwabea ahorow a ɛdeda asubɔnten no ano no afa, na wɔde ogya ato ɔwora no mu, na asraafo no abɔ huboa.”
The places at which people can cross the river [to escape from the city] will be blocked. The dry reeds in the marshes/swamps will be set on fire, and the soldiers of Babylon will be terrified.
33 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, se: “Babilonia Babea ayɛ sɛ, awiporowbea wɔ bere a wɔretiatia hɔ. Aka kakraa bi, na bere a ɛsɛ sɛ wotwa no sɛ nnɔbae no adu.”
This is what the Commander of the armies of angels, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], says; “Babylon is like [SIM] wheat on the ground where it is about to be threshed by [animals] tramping on it. Very soon [their enemies] will trample on [the city of] Babylon [MET].”
34 “Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar adwerɛw yɛn, ɔde yɛn ato ɔhaw mu, wayɛ yɛn sɛ ahina a hwee nni mu. Wamene yɛn sɛ ɔwɔ no na ɔde yɛn nneɛma a ɛyɛ dɛ ahyɛ ne yafunu ma, na wapuw yɛn afi nʼanom agu.
[The army of] Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, has attacked and crushed us [Israeli people], and we have no strength [left]. [It is as though] they have swallowed us like a [great] monster that filled its belly with all our tasty parts, and then has spit out [what it did not like].
35 Ma ayakayakade a wɔde dii yɛn honam no mmra Babilonia so,” nnipa a wɔtete Sion na wɔka. “Ma yɛn mogya ngu wɔn a wɔtete Babilonia so,” Yerusalem na ɔka.
[So] the people of [PRS] Jerusalem say [to Yahweh], “Cause the people of Babylon to suffer like they caused us to suffer! Cause the people of Babylonia to be punished for killing [MTY] our people!”
36 Enti sɛɛ na Awurade se: “Hwɛ, medi mo asɛm ama mo na matɔ were ama mo; Mɛma po a ɛyɛ ne de no ayow na mama ne nsubɔnten ayoyow.
And this is what Yahweh replies to the people of Jerusalem: “I will [be like your lawyer to] defend you, and I will avenge you. I will dry up the river in Babylon and [all] the springs of water.
37 Babilonia bɛyɛ mmubui siw, sakraman atu ahodwiriwde ne fɛwdi, baabi a obiara nte.
Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a place where jackals/wolves live. It will become a place that people are horrified about and will ridicule; it will be a place where no one lives.
38 Ne nkurɔfo nyinaa bobɔ mu sɛ gyata, wɔbobɔ mu te sɛ gyatamma.
The people of Babylon will [all] roar like young lions; they will growl like baby lions.
39 Nanso bere a wɔahwanyan wɔn ho no, mɛto pon ama wɔn na mama wɔabobow nsa, sɛnea wɔde nteɛteɛmu bedi ahurusi, na wɔadeda a wɔrennyan bio,” Awurade na ose.
But while they are extremely hungry, I will prepare a [different kind of] feast for them. [It is as though] I will cause them to drink wine until they are very drunk, [with the result that] they will fall asleep. But they will never wake up from that sleep!
40 “Mede wɔn bɛba te sɛ nguantenmma a wɔrekokum wɔn, te sɛ adwennini ne mpapo.
I will bring them down to a place where they will be slaughtered, like [SIM] [someone who takes] lambs or rams or goats [to where they will be slaughtered for sacrifices].
41 “Sɛnea wɔbɛfa Sesak, wɔbɛfa asase nyinaa so ahohoahoa! Babilonia bɛyɛ ahodwiriwde wɔ amanaman no mu!
People all over the earth [now] (honor/praise) Babylon; they say that it is a great city. But I will cause it to become a [place about which people of all] nations are horrified.
42 Po bebunkam afa Babilonia so; na nʼasorɔkye bɛkata ne so.
The [enemies of Babylon] will cover the city [like] huge waves of the sea [DOU].
43 Ne nkurow bɛda mpan, nweatam a so awo, asase a obiara nte so, na obiara ntu kwan mfa so.
The towns in Babylonia will become ruins, Babylonia will become a dry desert area. It will be a land in which no one lives and which no one walks through.
44 Mɛtwe Bel aso wɔ Babilonia na mama wapuw nea wamene agu. Amanaman no rento santen nkɔ ne nkyɛn bio. Na Babilonia fasu bebubu.
And I will punish Bel, [the god that the people] of Babylon [worship], and I will cause the people to give back what they have stolen [MET]. [People of other] nations will no longer come to [worship] Bel. And the walls of Babylon will collapse.”
45 “Me nkurɔfo, mumfi ne mu! Muntu mmirika mpere mo nkwa! Munguan mfi Awurade abufuwhyew ano.
[Yahweh also says, ] “My people, come out of Babylon! Run away from there! Run, because [I], Yahweh, am extremely angry [MTY] [with the people of Babylon, and I will get rid of them]!
46 Mommma mo koma ntu na munnsuro sɛ mote huhuhuhu wɔ asase no so a; huhuhuhu ba afe yi na foforo ba afe a ɛbɛba, basabasayɛ ho huhuhuhu wɔ asase no so ɛfa ɔhene a ɔsɔre tia ɔfoforo ho.
Do not be discouraged/worried [IDM] or afraid when you hear reports [about what is happening in Babylon]. People will report rumors like that every year, rumors about violent things being done in the land, and rumors about leaders fighting against each other.
47 Na ampa ara bere no bɛba a mɛtwe Babilonia ahoni aso; nʼasase no nyinaa anim begu ase na nʼatɔfo nyinaa bɛtotɔ ase wɔ ne so.
But it will soon be the time for me to get rid of the idols in Babylon. [People all over] the land will be ashamed [because of being defeated]; and the corpses of their [soldiers] will lie in the streets.
48 Ɔsoro ne asase ne nea ɛwɔ mu nyinaa de ahosɛpɛw bɛteɛ mu agu Babilonia so, efisɛ ɔsɛefo befi atifi fam abɛtow ahyɛ ne so,” Awurade na ose.
Then all [the angels in] heaven and all the [people on] [PRS] the earth will rejoice, because from the north will come [armies] that will destroy Babylon.
49 “Ɛsɛ sɛ Babilonia hwe ase, esiane Israel atɔfo nti sɛnea atɔfo a wɔwɔ wiase nyinaa ahwehwe ase esiane Babilonia nti no.
Like [the soldiers of Babylon] killed the people of Israel and [also] killed others all over the world [HYP], [the people of] Babylon must also be killed.
50 Mo a mo aguan afi afoa ano, monkɔ, na monntwentwɛn mo nan ase! Monkae Awurade wɔ akyirikyiri asase so, na munnwen Yerusalem ho.”
You [Israeli people] who have not been killed [MTY], get out of Babylon! Do not wait! [Even though you are in a land] far away [from Israel], think about Yahweh, and think about Jerusalem!”
51 “Wɔagu yɛn anim ase, efisɛ wayeyaw yɛn na fɛre akata yɛn anim, efisɛ ananafo ahyɛn Awurade fi kronkronbea ahorow hɔ.”
[The Israeli people say], “We are ashamed. We are completely disgraced [DOU], because foreigners have entered Yahweh’s temple [and (defiled it/caused it to become unfit for worship)].”
52 “Nanso nna bi reba,” Awurade na ose, “a mɛtwe nʼahoni aso, na nʼasase so nyinaa apirafo besi apini.
Yahweh replies, “[That is true], but there will soon be a time when I will destroy the idols in Babylon, and throughout Babylonia there will be wounded people who will groan.
53 Sɛ Babilonia kɔka soro mpo, na omiamia nʼaban tenten bammɔ mu a, mɛsoma ɔsɛefo ne no abedi asi,” Awurade na ose.
Even if [the walls around] Babylon could extend up to the sky, and if its walls/fortifications were extremely strong, I will send [armies] that will destroy the city. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
54 “Osu nnyigyei bi fi Babilonia, ɔsɛe kɛse bi nnyigyei fi Babiloniafo asase so.
Listen to [the people of] Babylon crying [for help]! And listen to the sounds of things being destroyed all over Babylonia!
55 Awurade bɛsɛe Babilonia; ɔbɛma nʼasotuatua nnyigyei no agyae. Atamfo a wɔte sɛ ahum betu sɛ nsu akɛse; wɔn mmubomu bɛyɛ gyegyeegye.
Yahweh will be destroying Babylon. He will cause the loud noises in the city to cease.
56 Ɔsɛefo bi bɛsɔre atia Babilonia; wɔbɛfa ne dɔmmarima nnommum na wobebubu wɔn tadua mu. Efisɛ Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔhyɛ anan mu; obetua so ka pɛpɛɛpɛ.
Enemy troops will surge against the city like [SIM] a great wave. They will capture the city’s mighty soldiers and break their weapons. [That will happen] because Yahweh is a God who punishes [his enemies] justly; he will punish them as they deserve.
57 Mɛma nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼanyansafo abow nsa nʼamradonom, ne mpanyimfo ne dɔmmarima nso saa ara; wɔbɛdeda afebɔɔ a wɔrennyan,” sɛɛ na ɔhempɔn a ne din ne Asafo Awurade, no se.
The king, the Commander of the armies of angels says, “I will cause the city officials and wise men, the army captains and soldiers [in Babylon] to become drunk. They will fall asleep, but they will never wake up [again]!”
58 Sɛɛ na Asafo Awurade, se: “Wobedwiriw Babilonia afasu a ɛtrɛw no agu fam na wɔbɛto nʼapon atenten no mu gya; nnipa no haw wɔn ho kwa, ɔman no adwumayɛ ma ogya no dɛw mmom.”
Yahweh also says, “The thick walls around Babylon will be flattened to the ground. The city gates will be burned. People [from other countries] will work hard [to save the city], but it will be (in vain/useless), because everything [that they have built] will be destroyed by fire.”
59 Eyi ne asɛm a Yeremia ka kyerɛɛ Neria babarima Seraia a ɔyɛ adwumayɛfo panyin na ɔyɛ Maseia nena no, bere a ɔne Yudahene Sedekia kɔɔ Babilonia wɔ nʼadedi afe a ɛto so anan no mu.
Seraiah was the man who made arrangements for the King of Babylon [whenever he traveled]. He was the son of Neraiah and grandson of Mahseiah. When he was about to go to Babylon with King Zedekiah, after Zedekiah had been ruling Judah for almost four years, the prophet Jeremiah gave him a message.
60 Na Yeremia akyerɛw amanehunu a ɛbɛba Babilonia so no nyinaa agu nhoma mmobɔwee so, nea wakyerɛw a ɛfa Babilonia ho nyinaa.
Jeremiah had written on a scroll a list of all the disasters that he had written about, disasters that would soon occur in Babylon.
61 Ɔka kyerɛɛ Seraia se, “Sɛ wudu Babilonia a, hwɛ sɛ wobɛkenkan saa nsɛm yi nyinaa sɛnea obiara bɛte.
He said to Seraiah, “When you arrive in Babylon, read [aloud] everything that I have written [on this scroll].
62 Afei ka se, ‘Awurade, woaka se wobɛsɛe beae yi sɛnea onipa anaa aboa biara rentumi ntena so; na ɛbɛda mpan afebɔɔ.’
Then pray, ‘Yahweh, you said that you will thoroughly destroy Babylon, with the result that people and animals will no [longer] live there. You said that it will be desolate forever.’
63 Sɛ wokenkan nhoma mmobɔwee yi wie a, kyekyere fam ɔbo ho, na tow kyene Asubɔnten Eufrate mu.
[Then], when you have finished reading [what I have written on] the scroll, tie it to a [heavy] stone and throw it into the Euphrates [River].
64 Afei ka se, ‘Sɛɛ na Babilonia ne ne nkurɔfo bɛmem a wɔrensɔre bio, esiane amanehunu a mede bɛba ne so no nti.’” Yeremia nsɛm no awiei ni.
Then say, ‘In the same way, Babylon [and its people] will disappear and never exist again, because of the disasters that Yahweh will cause to occur there’” That is the end of Jeremiah’s messages.
