Yeremia 18

1 Yei ne Awurade asɛm a ɛbaa Yeremia nkyɛn.

The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 “Kɔ ɔnwomfoɔ no efie, na ɛhɔ na mede mʼasɛm no bɛma wo.”

“Arise and go out to the potter's house, for I will have you hear my word there.”

3 Ɛno enti, mekɔɔ ɔnwomfoɔ no efie na mehunuu no sɛ, ɔreyɛ adwuma wɔ ne ntwahodeɛ so.

So I went out to the potter's house, and behold! The potter was working on the potter's wheel.

4 Nanso kukuo a na ɔde dɔteɛ no reyɛ ho adwuma no sɛeɛ wɔ ne nsa mu; ɛno enti ɔnwomfoɔ no yɛɛ kukuo foforɔ, sɛdeɛ ɛyɛ pa ara ma no.

But the object of clay that he was molding was ruined in his hand, so he changed his mind and made another object that seemed good in his eyes to do.

5 Afei, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn sɛ:

Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

6 “Ao, Israel fiefoɔ, merentumi nyɛ mo sɛdeɛ ɔnwomfoɔ yi yɛ anaa?” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Sɛdeɛ dɔteɛ teɛ wɔ ɔnwomfoɔ nsa mu no, saa ara na moteɛ wɔ me nsa mu, Ao Israel fiefoɔ.

“Should I not be able to act like this potter with you, house of Israel?—this is Yahweh's declaration. Behold! Like clay in a potter's hand—that is how you are in my hand, house of Israel.

7 Sɛ ɛberɛ biara meka sɛ ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtutu ɔman bi anaa ahennie bi ase, dwerɛ wɔn, sɛe wɔn a,

At one moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will drive it out, tear it down, or destroy it.

8 na sɛ ɔman a mebɔɔ no kɔkɔ no sakra firi ne bɔne ho a, mɛsesa mʼadwene na meremfa amanehunu a mesusuiɛ sɛ me de bɛba wɔn so mma bio.

But if the nation about which I have made that proclamation turns from its evil, then I will relent from the disaster that I was planning to bring upon it.

9 Na sɛ mmerɛ foforɔ bi meka sɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔkyekyere ɔman anaa ahennie bi gye no si hɔ,

At another moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will build it up or plant it.

10 na sɛ ɔyɛ bɔne wɔ mʼani so na wanyɛ ɔsetie amma me a, ɛnneɛ mesane adwene papa a mepɛɛ sɛ meyɛ noɔ no ho.

But if it does evil in my eyes by not listening to my voice, then I will stop the good that I had said I would do for them.

11 “Na afei ka kyerɛ Yudafoɔ ne wɔn a wɔtete Yerusalem sɛ, ‘Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: Hwɛ! Mede amanehunu reba mo so, na mereyɛ nhyehyɛeɛ a ɛtia mo. Ɛno enti mo mu biara nnane mfiri nʼakwammɔne so na monsiesie mo akwan ne mo nneyɛɛ.’

So now, speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to form disaster against you. I am about to devise a plan against you. Repent, each person from his wicked way, so your ways and your practices will bring good to you.'

12 Nanso wɔbɛbua sɛ, ‘Ɛho nni mfasoɔ. Yɛbɛkɔ so adi yɛn ara yɛn nhyehyɛeɛ so; yɛn mu biara bɛyɛ asoɔden a ɛfiri nʼakoma bɔne mu.’”

But they will say, 'This is no use. We will act according to our own plans. Each one of us will do what his evil, stubborn heart desires.'

13 Ɛno enti deɛ Awurade seɛ nie, “Mommisa wɔ amanaman no mu sɛ, hwan na wate biribi sɛi pɛn? Ɔbaabunu Israel ayɛ adeɛ bi a ɛyɛ hu yie.

Therefore Yahweh says this, 'Ask the nations, who has ever heard of such a thing as this? The virgin Israel has committed a horrible act.

14 Sukyerɛmma a ɛwɔ Lebanon nane firi nsaneɛ mu abotan no so anaa? Nsuo wiridudu a nʼatifi wɔ akyirikyiri gyae sene anaa?

Does the snow in Lebanon ever leave the rocky hills on its sides? Are the mountain streams coming from far away ever destroyed, those cold streams?

15 Nanso, me nkurɔfoɔ werɛ afiri me. Wɔhye nnuhwam ma ahoni huhuo, a ɛma wɔn suntisunti wɔ wɔn akwan so ne tete atempɔn so. Wɔma wɔfa akwan nkyɛn ne akwan a wɔmmɔeɛ so.

Yet my people have forgotten me. They have made offerings to useless idols and been made to stumble in their paths; they have left the ancient paths to walk lesser paths.

16 Wɔn asase bɛda mpan, na ayɛ adeɛ a wɔbɛbu no animtia daa; wɔn a wɔtwam hɔ no ho bɛdwiri wɔn na wɔbɛwosowoso wɔn ti.

Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

17 Mɛbɔ wɔn ahwete wɔ wɔn atamfoɔ anim te sɛ deɛ apueeɛ mframa yɛ no. Mɛdane mʼakyi akyerɛ wɔn, na ɛnyɛ mʼanim, wɔ wɔn amanehunu da no.”

I will scatter them before their enemies like an eastern wind. I will show them my back, and not my face, on the day of their disaster.'”

18 Wɔkaa sɛ, “Mommra mma yɛmfa adwene ntia Yeremia; yɛremma asɔfoɔ no anaa anyansafoɔ no anaa adiyifoɔ no nkyerɛkyerɛ no nyera. Mommra na yɛntu yɛn ano ngu ne so a yɛnntie deɛ ɔbɛka biara.”

So the people said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, since the law will never perish from the priests, or advice from the wise men, or words from the prophets. Come, let us attack him with our words and no longer pay attention to anything he proclaims.”

19 Yɛ aso ma me, Ao, Awurade; tie deɛ wɔn a wɔpam me tiri so reka!

Pay attention to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of my enemies.

20 Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔde bɔne tua papa so ka anaa? Nanso wɔatu amena ama me. Kae sɛ megyinaa wʼanim na mekasa maa wɔn sɛdeɛ wobɛyi wʼabufuhyeɛ afiri wɔn so.

Will disaster from them really be my reward for being good to them? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before you to speak for their welfare, to cause your fury to turn away from them.

21 Ɛno enti, ma ɛkɔm nne wɔn mma; yi wɔn ma akofena. Ma wɔn yerenom nyɛ abonini ne akunafoɔ; ma wɔnkunkum wɔn mmarima na wɔmfa akofena nkunkum wɔn mmeranteɛ wɔ ɔko mu.

Therefore give their children over to famine, and give them to the hands of those who use the sword. So let their women become bereaved and widows, and their men be killed, and their young men killed by the sword in battle.

22 Ma wɔnte osu wɔ wɔn afie mu ɛberɛ a atamfoɔ atu wɔn so sa mpofirim, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔatu amena ama me, na wɔasumsum me nan mfidie.

Let a distressed shout be heard from their houses, as you suddenly bring raiders against them. For they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for my feet.

23 Nanso wonim Ao, Awurade, ɛpɔ a wɔabɔ nyinaa sɛ wɔbɛkum me. Mfa wɔn nsɛmmɔne nkyɛ wɔn, na nyi wʼani mfiri wɔn bɔne so. Ma wɔnni nkoguo wɔ wʼanim; na wo ne wɔn nni wɔ wʼabofuo mu.

But you, Yahweh, you know all of their plans against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquities and sins. Do not wipe their sins away from you. Instead, let them be overthrown before you. Act against them in the time of your wrath.