Yeremia 13

1 Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka kyerɛɛ meɛ, “Kɔ na kɔtɔ nwera abɔsoɔ bɔ wʼasene, nanso mma no nka nsuo.”

Thus says Jehovah to me, Go, and buy thee a linen sash, and put it upon thy loins, and do not put it in water.

2 Enti, metɔɔ abɔsoɔ sɛdeɛ Awurade kyerɛeɛ no, na mede bɔɔ mʼasene mu.

So I bought a sash according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.

3 Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn ne mprenu so sɛ,

And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying,

4 “Fa abɔsoɔ a, wotɔeɛ a ɛbɔ wʼasene mu no, kɔ Eufrate ho seisei ara na fa kɔsie abotan tokuro no bi mu.”

Take the sash that thou have bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.

5 Enti, mede kɔsiee Eufrate ho, sɛdeɛ Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me no.

So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.

6 Nna bebree akyi no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, “Afei kɔ Eufrate ho na kɔfa abɔsoɔ a meka kyerɛɛ wo sɛ fa kɔsie hɔ no.”

And it came to pass after many days, that Jehovah said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the sash from there, which I commanded thee to hide there.

7 Enti, mekɔɔ Eufrate ho kɔtuu abɔsoɔ no firii beaeɛ a, na mede asie hɔ no, nanso, na asu atete a ɛho nni mfasoɔ biara.

Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the sash from the place where I had hid it. And, behold, the sash was rotten. It was good for nothing.

8 Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ,

Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

9 “Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ, ‘Saa ara na mɛsɛe Yuda ahantan ne Yerusalem ahantan kyɛneɛ no.

Thus says Jehovah, After this manner I will mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 Saa amumuyɛfoɔ yi a wɔmpɛ sɛ wɔtie mʼasɛm na wɔdi wɔn akoma den akyi na wɔdi anyame foforɔ akyi som wɔn sɔre wɔn no, wɔbɛyɛ sɛ saa abɔsoɔ yi, na wɔn ho remma mfasoɔ biara!

This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this sash, which is good for nothing.

11 Sɛdeɛ abɔsoɔ kyekyere onipa asene mu no saa ara na mede Israel efie ne Yudafie nyinaa bataa me ho sɛ wɔnyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ a wɔbɛma me din so, aka mʼayɛyie na wɔahyɛ me animuonyam, nanso wɔntiee me,’ deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.

For as the sash clings to the loins of a man, so I have caused to cling to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, says Jehovah, that they may be to me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, but they would not hear.

12 “Ka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Deɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn seɛ nie, Wɔmfa nsã nhyɛ nsã kotokuo biara ma.’ Na sɛ wɔka kyerɛ wo sɛ, ‘Yɛnim sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde nsã hyɛ nsã kotokuo biara ma a,’

Therefore thou shall speak to them this word. Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Every bottle shall be filled with wine. And they shall say to thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

13 afei, ka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Deɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Mede nsãborɔ bɛhyɛ wɔn a wɔtete asase yi so nyinaa ma, a ahemfo a wɔte Dawid ahennwa so, asɔfoɔ, adiyifoɔ ne wɔn a wɔtete Yerusalem nyinaa ka ho.

Then thou shall say to them, Thus says Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14 Mɛtoto wɔn abobɔ wɔn ho wɔn ho, agyanom ne mmammarima nyinaa, Awurade na ɔseɛ. Meremma ahummɔborɔ anaa ayamyɛ anaa ayamhyehyeɛ nsi ɔsɛe a merebɛsɛe wɔn no ho ɛkwan.’”

And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, says Jehovah. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.

15 Montie na monyɛ aso, na monnyɛ ahantan, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade akasa.

Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud, for Jehovah has spoken.

16 Monhyɛ Awurade mo Onyankopɔn, animuonyam ansa na wama esum aduru, ansa na mo nan asuntisunti wɔ nkokoɔ a ɛso reduru sum no so. Mo ani da hann so, nanso ɔbɛdane no esum kusuu na wɔasesa ayɛ no esum kabisii.

Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains. And, while ye look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it gross darkness.

17 Nanso sɛ moantie a, mɛsu wɔ kɔkoam ɛsiane mo ahantan nti; mʼani bɛtetɛ nisuo, na nisuo adware me, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔbɛfa Awurade nnwankuo no akɔ nnommum mu.

But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride. And my eye shall weep greatly, and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.

18 Monka nkyerɛ ɔhene ne ɔhemmaa sɛ, “Momfiri mo ahennwa so nsi fam, na mo animuonyam ahenkyɛ bɛfiri mo tiri so.”

Say thou to the king and to the queen-mother: Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your coronets have come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 Wɔbɛtoto Negeb nkuropɔn apono mu, na obiara nni hɔ a ɔbɛbuebue. Wɔbɛsoa Yudafoɔ akɔ sɛ atukɔfoɔ, wɔbɛtwa wɔn asuo koraa.

The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them. Judah is carried away captive, all of it. It is wholly carried away captive.

20 Mo mpagya mo ani nhwɛ wɔn a wɔfiri atifi fam reba no. Nnwankuo a wɔde hyɛɛ mo nsa no, nnwan a mode wɔn hoahoaa mo ho wɔ he?

Lift up your eyes, and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

21 Sɛ Awurade de wɔn a motetee wɔn sɛ mo apamfoɔ yɛ mo so atitire a ɛdeɛn na mobɛka? Na ɛrenyɛ mo yea sɛ ɔbaa a ɔreko awoɔ anaa?

What will thou say when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou thyself have taught to be friends to thee? Shall not sorrows take hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

22 Na sɛ wobɛbisa wo ho sɛ, “Adɛn enti na yei aba me so” a na ɛfiri wʼamumuyɛ bebrebe no. Ɛno enti na wɔatete wo fam atadeɛ mu ayɛ wo onipadua basaa no.

And if thou say in thy heart, Why have these things come upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity thy skirts are uncovered, and thy heels suffer violence.

23 Etiopiani bɛtumi asesa nʼahosuo anaa? Na ɔsebɔ nso bɛtumi asesa ne ho nsisimu no? Saa ara na worentumi nyɛ papa, wo a bɔneyɛ akokwa wo.

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then ye also may do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

24 “Mɛbɔ mo ahwete sɛ ntɛtɛ a anweatam so mframa rebɔ no.

Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

25 Yei ne deɛ mobɛnya, mo kyɛfa a mahyɛ ama mo,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “ɛfiri sɛ, mo werɛ afiri me na mo de mo ho ato anyame huhuo so.

This is thy lot, the portion measured to thee from me, says Jehovah, because thou have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26 Mɛpagya mo fam ntadeɛ abua mo anim na wɔahunu mo ahohora.

Therefore I will also uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.

27 Mahunu mo awaresɛeɛ ne mo akɔnnɔ bɔne ne mo adwamammɔ a momfɛre ho! Mahunu mo akyiwadeɛ nneyɛeɛ wɔ nkokoɔ ne ɛserɛ so. Due Ao Yerusalem! Mmerɛ bɛn na wo ho bɛte?”

I have seen thine abominations, even thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, on the hills, in the field. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem! Thou will not be made clean. How long shall it yet be?