Yeremia 29

1 Yei ne krataa mu nsɛm a odiyifoɔ Yeremia twerɛ firii Yerusalem kɔmaa nnommumfoɔ no mu mpanimfoɔ nkaeɛ, asɔfoɔ, adiyifoɔ ne nnipa a wɔaka nyinaa a Nebukadnessar afa wɔn nnommum afiri Yerusalem akɔ Babilonia.

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders of the captivity, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon,

2 (Yei yɛ ɛberɛ a ɔhene Yehoiakin ne ɔhemmaa no, asɛnniiɛ adwumayɛfoɔ, Yuda ne Yerusalem ntuanofoɔ, adwumfoɔ ahodoɔ nyinaa afiri Yerusalem akɔ nnommumfa mu no akyi.)

after that Jeconiah the king, and the queen-mother, and the officers, and the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;

3 Ɔde krataa no hyɛɛ Safan babarima Elasa ne Hilkia babarima Gemaria nsa, wɔn na Yudahene Sedekia somaa wɔn kɔɔ Ɔhene Nebukadnessar nkyɛn wɔ Babilonia. Krataa no mu nsɛm nie:

by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying:

4 Yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, ka kyerɛ wɔn a mema wɔfaa wɔn nnommum firi Yerusalem kɔɔ Babilonia no nyinaa:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all the captivity, whom I have caused to be carried away captive from Jerusalem unto Babylon:

5 “Monsisi afie, na momfa mmɔ atenaseɛ; monyɛ nturo na monni mu aba.

Build ye houses, and dwell in them, and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

6 Monwareware, na monwowo mmammarima ne mmammaa. Monhwehwɛ yerenom mma mo mmammarima na momfa mo mmammaa nso mma awadeɛ, na wɔn nso nwowo mmammarima ne mmammaa. Monnɔre wɔ hɔ na mo so ante.

take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply ye there, and be not diminished.

7 Afei, monhwehwɛ kuropɔn a mema wɔtuu mo kɔtenaa so no asomdwoeɛ ne yiedie. Mommɔ Awurade mpaeɛ mma no, ɛfiri sɛ ne yiedie mu na mo nso mobɛdi yie.”

And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray unto the LORD for it; for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.

8 Aane, yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn seɛ: “Mommma adiyifoɔ ne nkɔmhyɛfoɔ a wɔwɔ mo mu no nnaadaa mo. Monntie wɔn adaeɛ a mohyɛ wɔn nkuran ma wɔsoso no.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Let not your prophets that are in the midst of you, and your diviners, beguile you, neither hearken ye to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.

9 Wɔhyɛ nkɔntorɔ wɔ me din mu. Mensomaa wɔn,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

For they prophesy falsely unto you in My name; I have not sent them, saith the LORD.

10 Deɛ Awurade seɛ nie: “Sɛ mosom Babilonia mfeɛ aduɔson a, mɛba abɛhwɛ mo na mɛma mʼadom mu bɔhyɛ sɛ mede mo bɛba ha bio no aba mu.

For thus saith the LORD: After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will remember you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 Menim nhyehyɛeɛ a mewɔ ma mo,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “Nhyehyɛeɛ a ɛde mo bɛsi yie na ɛrenha mo, nhyehyɛeɛ a ɛbɛma mo anidasoɔ ne awieeɛ pa.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

12 Afei mobɛfrɛ me na moaba abɛbɔ me mpaeɛ, na mɛtie mo.

And ye shall call upon Me, and go, and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.

13 Mobɛhwehwɛ me na mobɛhunu me, sɛ mode mo akoma nyinaa hwehwɛ me dea.

And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.

14 Mobɛhunu me,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “na mɛyi mo afiri nkoasom mu de mo asane aba. Mɛboaboa mo ano afiri amanaman ne beaeɛ a mepamoo mo kɔɔ so no nyinaa,” Awurade na ɔseɛ, “na mede mo bɛsane aba baabi a metuu mo firi kɔɔ nnommum mu no bio.”

And I will be found of you, saith the LORD, and I will turn your captivity, and gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you back unto the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 Mobɛka sɛ, “Awurade ama yɛn adiyifoɔ wɔ Babilonia,”

For ye have said: 'The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon.'

16 nanso, sei na Awurade ka fa ɔhene a ɔte Dawid ahennwa so ne nnipa a wɔaka wɔ kuropɔn no mu nyinaa, mo manfoɔ a wɔne mo ankɔ nnommumfa mu no,

For thus saith the LORD concerning the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;

17 aane, yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ: “Mɛma akofena, ɛkɔm ne yaredɔm aba wɔn so, na wɔayɛ sɛ borɔdɔma a asɛeɛ enti wɔntumi nni.

thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.

18 Mede akofena, ɛkɔm ne yaredɔm bɛti wɔn, na mɛyɛ wɔn atantanneɛ ama ahennie a ɛwɔ asase no so nyinaa, ne nnome ne ahodwiredeɛ, fɛdideɛ ne animtiabudeɛ wɔ amanaman a mepamoo wɔn kɔɔ so no mu.

And I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will make them a horror unto all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them;

19 Ɛfiri sɛ, wɔantie me nsɛm,” sei na Awurade seɛ, “nsɛm a mede somaa mʼasomfoɔ adiyifoɔ mpɛn bebree baa mo nkyɛn. Na mo nnommumfoɔ nso antie,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

because they have not hearkened to My words, saith the LORD, wherewith I sent unto them My servants the prophets, sending them betimes and often; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD.

20 Afei montie Awurade asɛm, mo nnommumfoɔ a mama mo afiri Yerusalem akɔ Babilonia no nyinaa.

Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon:

21 Yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn ka fa Kolaia babarima Ahab ne Maaseia babarima Sedekia a wɔde me din rehyɛ mo nkɔmtorɔ no ho nie: “Mede wɔn bɛhyɛ Babiloniahene Nebukadnessar nsa, na wakum wɔn wɔ mo anim.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie unto you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;

22 Esiane wɔn enti, Yuda nnommumfoɔ a wɔwɔ Babilonia nyinaa de saa nnome yi bɛdome sɛ: ‘Awurade nyɛ wo sɛ, Sedekia ne Ahab a Babiloniahene hyee wɔn wɔ ogya mu no.’

and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah that are in Babylon, saying: 'The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire';

23 Na wɔayɛ akyiwadeɛ a ɛboro so wɔ Israel: wɔne wɔn yɔnkonom yerenom adeda de asɛe awadeɛ, na wɔde me din adi atorɔ a mennka nkyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnyɛ. Menim na medi ho adanseɛ,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

because they have wrought vile deeds in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours' wives, and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I commanded them not; but I am He that knoweth, and am witness, saith the LORD.

24 Ka kyerɛ Nehelamni Semaia sɛ,

And concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou shalt speak, saying:

25 “Yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn seɛ: Watwerɛ krataa wɔ wo din mu akɔma nnipa a wɔwɔ Yerusalem nyinaa, ɔsɔfoɔ Maaseia babarima Sefania, ne asɔfoɔ a aka no nyinaa. Woka kyerɛɛ Sefania sɛ,

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: Because thou hast sent letters in thine own name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying:

26 ‘Awurade ahyɛ wo ɔsɔfoɔ asi Yehoiada anan mu sɛ hwɛ Awurade efie no so; Ɛsɛ sɛ wode nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn ne dadeɛ kɔnnua gu obiara a wabɔ dam na ɔyɛ ne ho sɛ odiyifoɔ.

'The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that there should be officers in the house of the LORD for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in the stocks and in the collar.

27 Afei adɛn enti na wontwi Yeremia a ɔfiri Anatot a ɔyɛ ne ho sɛ odiyifoɔ wɔ mo mu no anim?

Now therefore, why hast thou not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who maketh himself a prophet to you,

28 Ɔde saa nkra yi abrɛ yɛn wɔ Babilonia: Ɛbɛkyɛ. Ɛno enti monsisi afie mfa mmɔ atenaseɛ; monyɛ nturo na monni emu aba.’”

forasmuch as he hath sent unto us in Babylon, saying: The captivity is long; build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them?'

29 Ɔsɔfoɔ Sefania kenkanee krataa no kyerɛɛ odiyifoɔ Yeremia.

And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

30 Na Awurade asɛm baa Yeremia nkyɛn sɛ,

Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying:

31 “Fa saa nkra yi kɔma nnommumfoɔ no nyinaa sɛ, ‘Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka fa Nehelamni Semaia ho: Esiane sɛ wahyɛ mo nkɔm a mpo mansoma no, na wama moagye atorɔ adi enti,

Send to all them of the captivity, saying: Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he hath caused you to trust in a lie;

32 deɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Nokorɛm, mɛtwe Nehelamni Semaia ne nʼasefoɔ aso. Ɔrennya obiara a ɔbɛka wɔ saa nkurɔfoɔ yi mu, na ɔrenhunu nneɛma pa a mɛyɛ ama me nkurɔfoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ waka atuateɛ nsɛm atia me,’” Awurade na ɔseɛ.

therefore thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed; he shall not have a man to dwell among this people, neither shall he behold the good that I will do unto My people, saith the LORD; because he hath spoken perversion against the LORD.