< Yeremia 2 >

1 Awurade asɛm baa me so:
And the word of Yahweh came unto 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 cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying—Thus saith Yahweh, I remember in thy behalf, the lovingkindness of thy youthful days, The love of thy bridal estate, —Thy coming out after me, Through the desert, Through 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.
Holiness, was Israel unto Yahweh, The first-fruit of his increase, —All that devoured it, were held guilty, Calamity used to come upon them, —Declareth Yahweh.
4 Montie Awurade asɛm, Ao Yakob fiefoɔ, mo Israel mmusuakuo nyinaa.
Hear ye the word of Yahweh O house of Jacob, And all the 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.
Thus, saith Yahweh, —What did your fathers find in me by way of perversity, that they removed far from me, —and went after vanity, and became vain?
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.’
Neither said they, Where is Yahweh, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, —Who led us Through the desert, Through a land of wastes and clefts, Through a land of parched places and of death-shade, Through a land, Along which no man had passed, And in which no son of earth dwelt?
7 Mede mo bɛduaa asase bereɛ so sɛ monni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mobɛguu mʼasase ho fi na moyɛɛ mʼagyapadeɛ akyiwadeɛ.
Then brought I you into a country of garden land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof, —and yet when ye entered, then defiled ye my land, and mine inheritance, ye made an abomination
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, said not Where is Yahweh? And, they who handled the law, did not acknowledge me, And the shepherds transgressed against me, —And the prophets, prophesied by Baal, And so after things that could not profit, did they walk.
9 “Ɛno enti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.
Therefore yet further will I plead with you Declareth Yahweh, Yea with your children’s children, will I plead.
10 Montwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔ hwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yie; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sei asi wɔ hɔ:
For—pass through the coastlands of the West and see, And unto Kedar, send ye and consider diligently, —And see—whether there hath been the like of this!
11 Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn anaa? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ de wɔn animuonyam asesa ahoni huhuo.
Hath a nation, changed gods, although they were No-gods? Yet my people have changed my glory for that which could not profit!
12 Ao ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiri mo yei ho, na mo ho nwoso akomatuo mu,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
Be amazed, O ye heavens, at this, —And shudder, be dried up utterly, Urgeth Yahweh.
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 two wicked things, have my people committed, —Me, have they forsaken a fountain of living water, To hew out for themselves cisterns broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.
14 Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfoɔ firi awoɔ mu anaa? Adɛn enti na wayɛ afodeɛ yi?
Was Israel a servant? Born in the house, was he? Wherefore hath he become a prey?
15 Agyata abobɔ mu; wɔapɔ no so. Wɔasɛe nʼasase; wɔahyehye ne nkuro ayɛ no amanfo.
Against him, have been roaring wild lions, They have uttered their voice, —and have made his land a desolation, His cities, have been burned, so as to have no inhabitant.
16 Afei, Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo tiri so nwi.
Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have been crushing the crown of the head.
17 Ɛnyɛ wo na woama yei aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi, wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔrekyerɛ wo ɛkwan?
Is not this what thou wast certain to do for thyself, —in that thou didst forsake Yahweh thy God, when he was leading thee by 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, therefore what hast thou to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River ["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.
Let thy wickedness correct thee And thine apostasies, rebuke thee, Know therefore and see That it is a wicked thing and a bitter, that thou shouldest have forsaken Yahweh thy God, And that the dread of me should not have pertained to thee, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh of hosts.
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, in age-past time, I brake thy yoke, I tare off thy fetters, And thou saidst, I will not transgress, —Nevertheless, on every high hill, and under every green tree, wast thou lying down as an unchaste woman.
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?
Yet, I, planted thee a precious vine, a wholly true seed, —How then didst thou change thyself towards me, into the degenerate plantings of the alien vine?
22 Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree dware mpo a, wʼafɔdie nkekaawa da so wɔ hɔ ara,” sɛdeɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie.
For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity inscribed before me Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
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 canst thou say, I have not defiled myself, After the Baalim, have I not gone? See thy way, in the valley, Own what thou hast done, —A nimble young she-camel, crossing her own ways;
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 ass, taught of the desert, In the desire of her soul, she snuffeth the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her back? None who seek her, will weary themselves, In her month, they shall 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.’
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou saidst Hopeless! No! for I love foreigners and after them, will I go.
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 shame of a thief when he is found, So, hath been put to shame, the house of Israel, —They, their kings their princes, and 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!’
Saying, to a tree, My father, art thou! And to a stone, Thou, didst give us birth, For they have turned unto me the back and not the face, —But in the time of their calamity, they will say, Arise, 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.
Where then are thy gods which thou hast made for thyself? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy calamity, —For according to the number of thy cities, have become thy gods O Judah.
29 “Adɛn enti na mobɔ me soboɔ? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.
Wherefore, should ye plead against me, All of you, have transgressed against me Declareth Yahweh.
30 “Metwee mo nkurɔfoɔ aso kwa; wɔamfa me ntenesoɔ. Wʼakofena akunkum wʼadiyifoɔ te sɛ gyata a nʼani abereɛ.
In vain, have I smitten your children, Correction, have they not accepted, —Your sword hath devoured your prophets, as a lion that destroyeth.
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.’
O generation see, ye, the word of Yahweh, A desert, became I unto Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore, have my people said, We have roved about, We will not come in any more unto thee?
32 Ɔbaabunu werɛ firi ne mpompranneɛ, ayeforɔyere werɛ bɛfiri nʼahyehyɛdeɛ anaa? Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ werɛ afiri me, nna a wɔntumi nkan.
Can, a virgin, forget, her ornaments, —A bride, her girdle? Yet, my people, have forgotten me, days without number.
33 Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfoɔ! Mmaa a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.
How thou dost make winsome thy way, to seek love! Therefore, even unto wicked women, hast thou taught thy ways.
34 Mo aduradeɛ mu, nnipa hunu ahiafoɔ a wɔdi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mo dan mu. Yeinom nyinaa akyi
Even in thy skirts, is there found, The blood of the lives of the helpless innocents, —Not in the act of breaking in, didst thou find them, yet [the blood is] on all these.
35 woka sɛ, ‘Medi bem; ne bo mfuu me.’ Nanso mɛbu wo atɛn ɛfiri sɛ wo ka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara.’
Although thou saidst, Because I am innocent, surely hath his anger turned back from me, —Behold me! entering into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned!
36 Adɛn enti na wokyinkyini se, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bɛdi wo hwammɔ sɛdeɛ Asiria yɛeɛ no.
How vigorously, thou goest about changing thy way! Even of Egypt, shalt thou be ashamed, just as thou wast ashamed of 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.
Even from this one, shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head, —For Yahweh hath rejected those in whom thou confidest, and thou shalt not prosper with them.

< Yeremia 2 >