Yeremia 23

1 “Nnome nka nnwanhwɛfoɔ a wɔsɛe na wɔhwete me nnwankuo no” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

Woe unto the shepherds that destroy and scatter the flocks of my pasture! saith the Lord.

2 Ɛno enti yei ne deɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, ka kyerɛ ahwɛfoɔ a wɔhwɛ me nkurɔfoɔ so nie: “Esiane sɛ, moabɔ me nnwankuo ahweteɛ, na moapam wɔn na moanhwɛ wɔn so yie no enti, mede asotwe bɛbrɛ mo wɔ mo bɔne a moayɛ no nti,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.

Therefore thus hath said the Lord the God of Israel concerning the shepherds that feed my people, Ye have scattered my flocks, and driven them away, and have not taken care of them: now, behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the Lord.

3 “Me ara ankasa mɛboaboa me nnwan nkaeɛ no afifiri aman a mapam wɔn akɔ hɔ nyinaa no so na mede wɔn bɛsane aba wɔn adidibea bio, baabi wɔbɛwowo na wɔn ase atrɛ.

And I will indeed gather the remnant of my flock together out of all the countries whither I have driven them; and I will bring them back again to their folds: and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

4 Na mɛyi nnwanhwɛfoɔ a wɔbɛhwɛ wɔn so, na wɔrensuro na wɔremmɔ hu bio na wɔn mu baako mpo renyera.” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

And I will raise up over them shepherds who shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, and none of them shall be missing, saith the Lord.

5 “Nna bi reba,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “Mɛma tenenee dubaa bi so ama Dawid, ɔhene bi a ɔbɛdi adeɛ nyansa mu na wayɛ deɛ ɛtene ne deɛ ɛyɛ wɔ asase yi so.

Behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will raise up unto David a righteous sprout, and he shall reign as king, and prosper, and he shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.

6 Ne mmerɛ so, wɔbɛgye Yuda nkwa na Israel bɛtena ase wɔ asomdwoeɛ mu. Yei ne edin a wɔde bɛfrɛ no: Awurade Yɛn Tenenee.

In his days shall Judah be helped, and Israel shall dwell in safety: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.

7 Na afei nna bi reba,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “a nnipa renka bio sɛ, ‘Nokorɛm sɛ Awurade te ase yi, deɛ ɔyii Israelfoɔ firii Misraim,’

Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, As the Lord liveth, who hath brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

8 na mmom, wɔbɛka sɛ, ‘Nokorɛm sɛ Awurade te ase yi, deɛ ɔyii Israel asefoɔ firii atifi asase so ne aman nyinaa a ɔpamoo wɔn kɔɔ hɔ no so.’ Na afei wɔbɛtena wɔn ankasa asase so.”

But, As the Lord liveth, who hath brought up and who hath led forth the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and out of all countries whither I had driven them: and they shall dwell in their own land.

9 Ɛfa adiyifoɔ no ho no: Mʼakoma abubu wɔ me mu; me nnompe nyinaa woso. Mete sɛ ɔsabofoɔ, mete sɛ obi a nsã aboro noɔ, ɛsiane Awurade ne ne nsɛm kronkron no enti.

To the prophets—Broken is my heart within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a person whom wine hath overcome, because of the Lord, and because of his holy words.

10 Awaresɛefoɔ ahyɛ asase no so ma; nnome no enti asase no awo wesee adidibea a ɛwɔ anweatam no so ahye. Adiyifoɔ no nam ɛkwan bɔne so de wɔn tumi yɛ deɛ ɛntene.

For of adulterers is the land full; for because of false swearing mourneth the land, dried up are the pastures in the wilderness; because their course was for evil, and their strength was for injustice.

11 “Odiyifoɔ ne ɔsɔfoɔ nyinaa nsuro Onyankopɔn; mʼasɔredan mu mpo mehunu wɔn amumuyɛsɛm,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

For both prophet and priest are hypocrites: yea, in my own house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord.

12 “Ɛno enti, wɔn ɛkwan so bɛyɛ torotorotoro; wɔbɛpam wɔn akɔ esum mu na ɛhɔ na wɔbɛhwehwe ase. Mede amanehunu bɛba wɔn so wɔ afe a wɔbɛtwe wɔn aso mu no,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

Therefore shall their way be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be pushed forward, and fall thereon; for I will bring upon them evil, the year of their punishment, saith the Lord.

13 “Samaria adiyifoɔ mu no mehunuu saa atantanneɛ yi: Wɔde Baal hyɛɛ nkɔm nam so maa me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ fom ɛkwan.

And on the prophets of Samaria have I seen absurdity: they prophesied by Ba'al, and misled my people Israel.

14 Na Yerusalem adiyifoɔ mu no mahunu adeɛ a ɛyɛ hu: Wɔsɛe awadeɛ na wɔdi atorɔ. Wɔhyɛ wɔn a wɔyɛ bɔne no mpamuden, enti obiara nntwe ne ho mfiri nʼamumuyɛsɛm ho. Wɔn nyinaa te sɛ Sodom ma me; na Yerusalemfoɔ te sɛ Gomora.”

But on the prophets of Jerusalem have I seen a horrible thing; they commit adultery, and walk in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that not one of these doth return from his wickedness: they are become unto me all of them as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.

15 Ɛno enti, yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ fa adiyifoɔ no ho: “Mema wɔadi aduane a ɛyɛ nwono na wɔanom nsuo a awuduro wɔ mu, ɛfiri sɛ Yerusalem adiyifoɔ enti, abɔnefosɛm ahyɛ asase yi so ma.”

Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets, Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink poison-water; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is hypocrisy gone forth over all the land.

16 Yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ: “Monntie nkɔm a adiyifoɔ no hyɛ kyerɛ mo; wɔma mo nya anidasoɔ a ɛnni nnyinasoɔ. Wɔbɔ wɔn tirim ka anisoadehunu, a ɛmfiri Awurade anom.

Thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you, they bring you unto vanity: a vision of their own heart do they ever speak, not out of the mouth of the Lord.

17 Wɔkɔ so ka kyerɛ wɔn a wɔbu me animtia sɛ, ‘Awurade se: Mobɛnya asomdwoeɛ.’ Na wɔn a wɔdi wɔn akomadenyɛ akyi no nyinaa, wɔka kyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Ɔhaw biara remma mo so.’

They say indeed unto those that incense me, The Lord hath spoken, Peace shall ye have; and unto every one that walketh in the stubbornness of his own heart, they said, There shall come no evil upon you.

18 Na wɔn mu hwan na waka Awurade agyinatufoɔ ho sɛ ɔbɛhwɛ anaa ɔbɛtie nʼasɛm? Hwan na wayɛ aso ate nʼasɛm?

For who hath stood in the secret counsel of the Lord, that he could perceive and hear his word? who hath listened to his word and heard it?

19 Hwɛ, Awurade ahum bɛtu abufuhyeɛ mu, ntwahoframa bɛdi kyinhyia wɔ amumuyɛfoɔ mpampam.

Behold, the storm-wind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, yea, a whirling storm: upon the head of the wicked shall it fall grievously.

20 Awurade abufuo rennwo kɔsi sɛ ɔbɛwie nʼakoma mu nhyehyɛeɛ nyinaa. Nna a ɛreba no mu no mobɛte aseɛ yie.

The anger of the Lord will not return, until he have executed, and until he have fulfilled the purposes of his heart: in the end of days shall ye understand this fully.

21 Mansoma saa adiyifoɔ yi, nanso wɔde wɔn asɛm akyinkyini; manto wɔn nkra biara, nanso wɔahyɛ nkɔm.

I had not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I had not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

22 Sɛ wɔkaa mʼagyinatufoɔ ho a, anka wɔbɛpae mu aka mʼasɛm akyerɛ me nkurɔfoɔ na ama wɔatwe wɔn ho afiri wɔn akwammɔne ne wɔn nneyɛɛ bɔne ho.

But if they had stood in my secret counsel, they should have announced my words to my people, and have caused them to turn back from their evil way, and from the wrongfulness of their doings.

23 “Meyɛ Onyankopɔn a mebɛn nko ara anaa,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “na mennyɛ Onyankopɔn a mewɔ akyirikyiri nso?

Am I a God for those near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God for those who are afar off?

24 Obi bɛtumi de ne ho asie baabi a merentumi nhunu no anaa?” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Menyɛɛ ɔsoro ne asase so ma anaa?” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

If a man should hide himself in secret places should I not then see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? saith the Lord.

25 “Mate deɛ adiyifoɔ a wɔde medin hyɛ nkɔmtorɔ no keka. Wɔkeka sɛ, ‘Mesoo daeɛ! Mesoo daeɛ!’

I have heard what the prophets have said, that prophesy falsely in my name, saying, I have dreamt, I have dreamt.

26 Yei bɛkɔ so akɔsi da bɛn wɔ atorɔ adiyifoɔ yi akoma mu? Wɔn a wɔbɔ wɔn tirim hyɛ nnaadaa nkɔm?

How long shall it be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy falsehood? yea, the prophets of the deceit of their own heart, —

27 Wɔdwene sɛ daeɛ a wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛ wɔn ho no bɛma me nkurɔfoɔ werɛ afiri me din, sɛdeɛ Baalsom enti wɔn agyanom werɛ firii me din no.

[How long] do they think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they relate every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for the sake of Ba'al?

28 Ma odiyifoɔ a waso daeɛ no nka nʼadaeso, na ma deɛ ɔwɔ mʼasɛm no nka no nokorɛm. Na ɛdeɛn na ntɛtɛ ne ayuo wɔ yɛ?” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

The prophet that hath had a dream, let him relate his dream; and he that hath received my word, let him speak my word of truth. What hath the straw to do with the corn? saith the Lord.

29 “Na mʼasɛm nte sɛ ogya?” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “Ɛnte sɛ asaeɛ a ɛpaapae ɔbotan mu nketenkete anaa?

Is not thus my word, like the fire? saith the Lord, and like a hammer that shivereth the rock?

30 “Ɛno nti,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “mekyi adiyifoɔ a wɔfa nsɛm a ɛfiri wɔn yɔnkonom nkyɛn, na wɔpae mu ka no sɛdeɛ ɛfiri me nkyɛn no.

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.

31 Aane,” Awurade asɛm nie, “mekyi saa adiyifoɔ a wɔde wɔn ankasa tɛkrɛmawoɔ ka sɛ, ‘Awurade na ɔseɛ.’

Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their own word, and say, [The Lord] saith.

32 Nokorɛm, mekyi wɔn a wɔhyɛ adaeɛso ho nkɔmtorɔ,” Awurade na ɔseɛ. “Wɔka kyerɛ wɔn na wɔde atorɔ nsɛm daadaa me nkurɔfoɔ ma wɔfom ɛkwan, nso mensomaa wɔn na mennyii wɔn. Wɔn ho nni mfasoɔ mma saa nnipa yi koraa,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

Behold, I am against those that prophesy with false dreams, saith the Lord, and do relate them, and mislead my people by their falsehoods, and by their vain boasting: while I have not sent them, nor commanded them; and they cannot bring the least profit to this people, saith the Lord.

33 “Sɛ saa nnipa yi, anaa odiyifoɔ anaa ɔsɔfoɔ bisa mo sɛ, ‘Ɛdeɛn ne Awurade adiyisɛm no a?’ Monka nkyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Adiyisɛm bɛn? Mɛpo mo, Awurade na ɔseɛ.’

And if this people, or the prophet, or a priest, should ask thee, saying, What is the message of the Lord? then shalt thou say unto them, Because of this “What is the message?” will I even cast you off, saith the Lord.

34 Sɛ odiyifoɔ bi, ɔsɔfoɔ bi anaa obi foforɔ si so dua sɛ, ‘Awurade adiyisɛm ni’ a, mɛtwe saa ɔbarima no ne ne fiefoɔ aso.

And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that will say, “A message of the Lord,” I will even inflict punishment on that man and on his house.

35 Yei ne deɛ mo mu biara kɔ so ka kyerɛ ne yɔnko anaa ne busuani: ‘Awurade mmuaeɛ ne sɛn?’ Anaa ‘Ɛdeɛn na Awurade aka?’

Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

36 Nanso ɛnsɛ sɛ mobɔ ‘Awurade adiyisɛm’ so bio; ɛfiri sɛ, obiara asɛm bɛyɛ nʼadiyisɛm, ne saa enti modanedane nsɛm a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn, Teasefoɔ, Asafo Awurade yɛn Onyankopɔn nkyɛn mu.

But “A message of the Lord” shall ye not mention any more; for the message cometh indeed to the man of his [prophetic] word; but ye pervert the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.

37 Yei ne deɛ mokɔ so ka kyerɛ odiyifoɔ: ‘Mmuaeɛ bɛn na Awurade de ama mo?’ Anaa ‘Ɛdeɛn na Awurade aka?’

Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and, What hath the Lord spoken?

38 Ɛwom, mosi so dua sɛ, ‘Yei ne Awurade adiyisɛm’ nanso sei na Awurade ka: Mokaa sɛ, ‘Yei yɛ Awurade adiyisɛm,’ wɔ ɛberɛ a maka akyerɛ mo sɛ monnka saa nsɛm yi bio.

But if ye will say, “A message of the Lord,” then thus saith the Lord, Because ye say this word, “A message of the Lord,” and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, “A message of the Lord:”

39 Afei, nokorɛm, me werɛ bɛfiri mo, na mapam mo ne kuropɔn a mede maa mo ne mo agyanom afiri mʼani so.

Therefore, behold, I am here, and I will tear you completely away, and I will cast you off, and the city that I have given to you and to your fathers, out of my presence;

40 Na mede daa animguaseɛ, ne daa ahohora a werɛ remfi da bɛba mo so.”

And I will lay upon you an everlasting disgrace, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.