Yeremia 2

1 Awurade asɛm baa me so:

Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Kɔpae mu ka ma Yerusalem nte: “Mekae sɛdeɛ wode wo ho maa me wo mmabunu berɛ mu, sɛdeɛ wo dɔɔ me wʼayeforɔ berɛ mu na wodii mʼakyi wɔ ɛserɛ so, asase a wɔnnuaa so hwee.

“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

3 Na Israel yɛ kronkron ma Awurade, ne twaberɛ mu abukan; wɔn a wɔdii nʼani no, wɔbuu wɔn fɔ, na amanehunu baa wɔn so,” sɛdeɛ Awurade, seɛ nie.

Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.

4 Montie Awurade asɛm, Ao Yakob fiefoɔ, mo Israel mmusuakuo nyinaa.

Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.

5 Yei ne deɛ Awurade seɛ: “Mfomsoɔ bɛn na mo agyanom hunuu wɔ me ho a ɛma wɔtwee wɔn ho kɔɔ akyirikyiri sei? Wɔdii ahoni a wɔn ho nni mfasoɔ akyi, ma wɔn ankasa bɛyɛɛ ahuhufoɔ.

This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

6 Wɔammisa sɛ, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ? Deɛ ɔyii yɛn firii Misraim na ɔde yɛn faa ɛserɛ wesee so, anweatam ne amenamena asase a awo na ayɛ owubɔn no. Na ɛyɛ asase a obiara mfa so na obiara nte soɔ no.’

They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’

7 Mede mo bɛduaa asase bereɛ so sɛ monni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mobɛguu mʼasase ho fi na moyɛɛ mʼagyapadeɛ akyiwadeɛ.

I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable.

8 Asɔfoɔ no ammisa sɛ, ‘Ɛhe na Awurade wɔ?’ Wɔn a wɔde mmara yɛ adwuma no anhwehwɛ me; ntuanofoɔ sɔre tiaa me. Adiyifoɔ no de Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm, na wɔdii ahoni huhuo akyi.

The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

9 “Ɛno enti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.

Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.

10 Montwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔ hwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yie; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sei asi wɔ hɔ:

Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

11 Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn anaa? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ de wɔn animuonyam asesa ahoni huhuo.

Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

12 Ao ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiri mo yei ho, na mo ho nwoso akomatuo mu,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.

Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,”

13 “Me nkurɔfoɔ ayɛ bɔne ahodoɔ mmienu: Wɔapa mʼakyi, me a meyɛ nkwa asutire no, na wɔatutu wɔn ankasa nsukora amena, amena a ɛho apaapae a ɛntumi nkora nsuo.

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns— broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

14 Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfoɔ firi awoɔ mu anaa? Adɛn enti na wayɛ afodeɛ yi?

Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?

15 Agyata abobɔ mu; wɔapɔ no so. Wɔasɛe nʼasase; wɔahyehye ne nkuro ayɛ no amanfo.

The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.

16 Afei, Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo tiri so nwi.

The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.

17 Ɛnyɛ wo na woama yei aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi, wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔrekyerɛ wo ɛkwan?

Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?

18 Afei adɛn enti na mokɔ Misraim kɔnom Sihor mu nsuo? Na adɛn enti na mokɔ Asiria kɔnom Asubɔnten no mu nsuo?

Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

19 Wo amumuyɛ bɛtwe wʼaso; wʼakyirisane bɛka wʼanim. Enti dwene ho na hunu sɛ, sɛ wopa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi na woannya ne ho suro a, ɛyɛ bɔne ne ɔyea ma wo.” Awurade, Asafo Awurade na ɔseɛ.

Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,”

20 “Mmerɛ bi atwam, wobubuu wo kɔnnua mu, na wotetee wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu; na wokaa sɛ, ‘Merensom wo!’ Nokorɛm, wɔ kokoɔ biara so ne dua biara a adendan ase na wotena bɔɔ adwaman.

“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

21 Meduaa wo sɛ bobe amapa a ɛfiri bobe ase a ɛyɛ pa ara mu. Na ɛyɛɛ dɛn na wodanee wʼakyi kyerɛɛ me bɛyɛɛ bobe a anyini asɛeɛ wɔ wura mu yi?

I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

22 Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree dware mpo a, wʼafɔdie nkekaawa da so wɔ hɔ ara,” sɛdeɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie.

Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,”

23 “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na woaka sɛ, ‘Meho nguu fi; mennii Baalnom akyi’? Hwɛ sɛdeɛ woyɛɛ wo ho wɔ bɔnhwa no mu; dwene deɛ woayɛ no ho. Woyɛ yoma bereɛ hoɔharefoɔ a wotu mmirika kɔ ha ba ha,

“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there,

24 wiram afunumu a anweatam so tena akokwa no, ɔhuahua ɛberɛ a ɔpɛ sɛ onini hyia no. Sɛ nʼakɔnnɔ no ano yɛ den a hwan na ɔbɛsianka no? Anini biara a wɔtaa no no nha wɔn ho bebree; ɛduru ɛberɛ a wɔhyia no a, wɔbɛnya no.

a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.

25 Ntu mmirika kɔsi sɛ wobɛyi wo mpaboa na wo mene mu bɛwe. Nanso wokaa sɛ, ‘Ɛho nni mfasoɔ! Mepɛ ananafoɔ anyame, na ɛsɛ sɛ medi wɔn akyi.’

You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

26 “Sɛdeɛ wɔkyere ɔkorɔmfoɔ a wɔgu nʼanim ase no, saa na wɔagu Israel efie anim ase, wɔn ankasa, wɔn ahemfo ne wɔn adwumayɛfoɔ, wɔn asɔfoɔ ne wɔn adiyifoɔ.

As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets

27 Wɔka kyerɛ dua sɛ, ‘Woyɛ mʼagya,’ ne ɛboɔ sɛ, ‘Wo na wowoo me.’ Wɔadane wɔn akyi akyerɛ me na ɛnyɛ wɔn anim; nanso sɛ amanehunu bi ba wɔn so a, wɔka sɛ, ‘Bra bɛgye yɛn!’

say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’

28 Anyame a moyɛ maa mo ho no wɔ he? Momma wɔmmra sɛ wobɛtu agye mo ɛberɛ a mowɔ amanehunu mu! Ɛfiri sɛ mowɔ anyame bebree te sɛ deɛ mowɔ nkuro bebree no, Ao Yuda.

But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.

29 “Adɛn enti na mobɔ me soboɔ? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,”

30 “Metwee mo nkurɔfoɔ aso kwa; wɔamfa me ntenesoɔ. Wʼakofena akunkum wʼadiyifoɔ te sɛ gyata a nʼani abereɛ.

“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

31 “Mo nnɛmmafoɔ, monnwene Awurade asɛm ho: “Mayɛ sɛ anweatam ama Israel anaa? Anaasɛ asase a ɛso aduru sum kabii anaa? Adɛn enti na me nkurɔfoɔ ka sɛ, ‘Yɛwɔ ho ɛkwan sɛ yɛkyinkyin; yɛremma wo nkyɛn bio.’

You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?

32 Ɔbaabunu werɛ firi ne mpompranneɛ, ayeforɔyere werɛ bɛfiri nʼahyehyɛdeɛ anaa? Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ werɛ afiri me, nna a wɔntumi nkan.

Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.

33 Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfoɔ! Mmaa a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.

How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.

34 Mo aduradeɛ mu, nnipa hunu ahiafoɔ a wɔdi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mo dan mu. Yeinom nyinaa akyi

Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things

35 woka sɛ, ‘Medi bem; ne bo mfuu me.’ Nanso mɛbu wo atɛn ɛfiri sɛ wo ka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara.’

you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 Adɛn enti na wokyinkyini se, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bɛdi wo hwammɔ sɛdeɛ Asiria yɛeɛ no.

How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.

37 Afei wobɛfiri saa beaeɛ hɔ a wo nsa gu wo tiri so. Ɛfiri sɛ Awurade apo wɔn a wode wo ho too wɔn so no; wɔremmoa wo.

Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”