Yeremia 13

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

The LORD said to me, “Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.”

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

So I bought a belt according to the LORD’s word, and put it on my waist.

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

The LORD’s word 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 belt that you have bought, which is on your waist, 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 the LORD 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.”

After many days, the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you 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 belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined. It was profitable for nothing.

8 Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ,

Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

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

“The LORD says, ‘In this way I will ruin 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, will even be as this belt, which is profitable 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 belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says the LORD; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for 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 you shall speak to them this word: ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Every container should be filled with wine.”’ They will tell you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every container should 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 tell them, ‘The LORD says, “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, 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.’”

I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD: “I will not pity, spare, or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.”’”

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

Hear, and give ear. Don’t be proud, for the LORD 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 the LORD your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it deep 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 you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

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

Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns 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 no one to open them. Judah is carried away captive: all of them. They are 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 see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your 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 you say when he sets over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? Won’t sorrows take hold of you, 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.

If you say in your heart, “Why have these things come on me?” Your skirts are uncovered because of the greatness of your iniquity, and your 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 may you also 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 your lot, the portion measured to you from me,” says the LORD, “because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.”

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

Therefore I will also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame will 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 your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”