Jeremiah 23

1 “Ègbé ni fún àwọn olùṣọ́-àgùntàn tí ń tú agbo ẹran mi ká tí ó sì ń pa wọ́n run!” ni Olúwa wí.

Yahweh declares, “Terrible things will happen to [the leaders] [MET] [of my people—those who are like] shepherds of [the people who are like] my sheep—because they have scattered my people and sent them away, and have not taken care of them.

2 Nítorí náà, èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa Ọlọ́run Israẹli sọ ní ti àwọn olùṣọ́-àgùntàn tí ń darí àwọn ènìyàn mi: “Nítorí tí ẹ̀yin tú agbo ẹran mi ká, tí ẹ lé wọn dànù tí ẹ̀yin kò sì bẹ̀ wọ́n wò. Èmi yóò jẹ yín ní yà nítorí nǹkan búburú tí ẹ ti ṣe,” ni Olúwa wí.

So, this is what [I, ] Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli [people worship], say to those leaders: ‘Instead of taking care of my people and [leading them to places where they are safe, like a shepherd does for] his sheep, you have scattered them. So I will punish you for the evil things that you have done.

3 “Èmi Olúwa tìkára mi yóò kó ìyókù agbo ẹran mi jọ láti inú gbogbo orílẹ̀-èdè tí mo ti lé wọn, Èmi yóò mú wọn padà sínú pápá oko wọn, níbẹ̀ ni wọn ó ti bí sí i, tí wọn ó sì pọ̀ sí i.

But later I will gather those who are still alive, from the countries where I have forced them to go. I will bring them back to their own country, where they will have many children, and their number/population will increase.

4 Èmi ó wá olùṣọ́-àgùntàn fún wọn, tí yóò darí wọn, wọn kì yóò bẹ̀rù tàbí dààmú, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni ọ̀kan kì yóò sọnù,” ni Olúwa wí.

[Then] I will appoint [other] leaders for my people, leaders who will take care of them. And my people will never be afraid [DOU] of anything again, and none of them will be [like a] lost [sheep].’”

5 “Ọjọ́ ń bọ̀,” ni Olúwa wí, “tí Èmi yóò gbé ẹ̀ka òdodo dìde fún Dafidi, ọba tí yóò lo ìjọba pẹ̀lú ọgbọ́n tí yóò sì ṣe òdodo àti ohun tí ó yẹ lórí ilẹ̀ náà.

Yahweh [also] says, “Some day I will appoint for you a righteous man who will be a descendant of King David. He will be a king who rules wisely. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.

6 Ní ọjọ́ rẹ̀ ni a ó gba Juda là, Israẹli yóò sì máa gbé ní aláìléwu. Èyí ni orúkọ tí a ó fi máa pè é: Olúwa Òdodo wa.

At that time, all the Israeli people [DOU] will be saved [from their enemies], and they will be safe. And his name will be ‘Yahweh, the one who vindicates/defends us.’”

7 Nítorí náà, ọjọ́ ń bọ̀,” ni Olúwa wí, “tí ènìyàn kì yóò tún wí pé, ‘Dájúdájú Olúwa wà láààyè tí ó mú àwọn ọmọ Israẹli jáde kúrò ní ilẹ̀ Ejibiti.’

Yahweh [also] says that at that time, people [who are solemnly promising to do something] will no longer say, “[I will do it as surely] as Yahweh lives, who rescued the Israeli people from Egypt.”

8 Ṣùgbọ́n wọn yóò máa wí pé, ‘Dájúdájú Olúwa ń bẹ tí ó mú irú-ọmọ ilé Israẹli wá láti ilẹ̀ àríwá àti láti àwọn ilẹ̀ ibi tí mo tí lé wọn lọ,’ wọn ó sì gbé inú ilẹ̀ wọn.”

Instead, they will say, “[I will do it] as surely as Yahweh lives, who brought [us] Israeli people back to our own land, from the land to the northeast and from all the [other] countries to which he had exiled us.” And they will live in their own land [again].

9 Nípa ti àwọn wòlíì èké. Ọkàn mi ti bàjẹ́ nínú mi, gbogbo egungun mi ni ó wárìrì. Èmi dàbí ọ̀mùtí ènìyàn, bí ọkùnrin tí ọtí wáìnì ń pa; nítorí Olúwa àti àwọn ọ̀rọ̀ mímọ́ rẹ̀.

I am very shocked because of the sacred message that Yahweh has spoken about [what will happen to] the [false] prophets; [it is as though] all my bones shake. I stagger like a man who is drunk after drinking a lot of wine.

10 Ilẹ̀ náà kún fún panṣágà ènìyàn; nítorí ègún, ilẹ̀ náà gbẹ, àwọn koríko orí aṣálẹ̀ ilẹ̀ náà rọ. Àwọn wòlíì tẹ̀lé ọ̀nà búburú, wọ́n sì ń lo agbára wọn lọ́nà àìtọ́.

The land is full of [people who commit] adultery; and [Yahweh] has cursed the land. Even the pastures in the desert are all dried up, because the people do what is evil, and [the false prophets] use their power to do things that are not just/fair.

11 “Wòlíì àti àlùfáà kò gbé ìgbé ayé ìwà-bí-Ọlọ́run; kódà nínú tẹmpili mi ni mo rí ìwà búburú wọn,” ni Olúwa wí.

Yahweh says, “[Yes, even] the priests and the prophets are ungodly; they do wicked things even in my temple.

12 “Nítorí náà, ọ̀nà wọn yóò di yíyọ́, a ó lé wọn jáde sínú òkùnkùn; níbẹ̀ ni wọn yóò ṣubú. Èmi yóò mú ìdààmú wá sórí wọn, ní ọdún tí a jẹ wọ́n ní ìyà,” ni Olúwa wí.

Therefore, [it will be as though] the paths that they walk on are slippery. [It will be as though] they are being chased in the darkness, and there they will fall down, because I will cause them to experience disasters at the time that I will punish them. [That will surely happen because I], Yahweh, have said it.”

13 “Láàrín àwọn wòlíì Samaria, Èmi rí ohun tí ń lé ni sá. Wọ́n sọ àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ lórúkọ Baali wọ́n sì mú Israẹli ènìyàn mi ṣìnà.

[Previously] I saw that the prophets in Samaria were doing something that was wrong; they were prophesying, saying that Baal [gave them the messages that they were proclaiming], and they were deceiving my people.

14 Àti láàrín àwọn wòlíì Jerusalẹmu, èmi ti rí ohun búburú. Wọ́n ṣe panṣágà, wọ́n sì ń ṣèké. Wọ́n fún àwọn olùṣe búburú ní agbára, tó bẹ́ẹ̀ tí kò sí ẹnìkan tí ó yípadà kúrò nínú ìwà búburú rẹ̀. Gbogbo wọn dàbí Sodomu níwájú mi, àti àwọn ènìyàn olùgbé rẹ̀ bí Gomorra.”

And [now] I have seen the prophets in Jerusalem doing terrible things. They commit adultery and habitually tell lies. They encourage evil people to continue to do evil things, with the result that the people do not stop sinning. Those prophets are as wicked as the people in Sodom and Gomorrah were.

15 Nítorí náà, báyìí ni Olúwa Ọlọ́run Alágbára wí ní ti àwọn wòlíì: “Èmi yóò mú wọn jẹ oúnjẹ kíkorò, wọn yóò mu omi májèlé nítorí láti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn wòlíì Jerusalẹmu ni àìwà-bí-Ọlọ́run ti tàn ká gbogbo ilẹ̀.”

So, this is what the Commander of the armies of angels says about those [false] prophets: “I will give those prophets bitter things to eat and poison to drink, because it is because of them that this land is filled with [people who do] wicked things.”

16 Èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun wí: “Ẹ má ṣe fi etí sí àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ tí àwọn wòlíì èké ń sọ fún un yín. Wọ́n ń kún inú ọkàn yín pẹ̀lú ìrètí asán. Wọ́n ń sọ ìran láti ọkàn ara wọn, kì í ṣe láti ẹnu Olúwa.

This is what the Commander of the armies of angels says: “Do not pay any attention to what those [false] prophets say to you, because they are just deceiving you. They tell you about visions that they have thought/created [only] in their own minds, not about visions that I have given them.

17 Wọ́n ń sọ fún àwọn tí ó ń gàn mí pé, ‘Olúwa ti wí pé, ẹ̀yin ó ní àlàáfíà.’ Wọ́n sì wí fún gbogbo àwọn tí ó rìn nípa agídí ọkàn rẹ̀ pé, ‘Kò sí ìpalára kan tí yóò ṣẹlẹ̀ sí yín.’

They habitually say to those who hate me, ‘[Yahweh says that] you will have peace.’ And they say to those who stubbornly do what they want to do, ‘Nothing bad will happen to you [because of your doing those things].’

18 Ṣùgbọ́n èwo nínú wọn ni ó dúró nínú ìgbìmọ̀ Olúwa láti rí i tàbí gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ rẹ̀? Ta ni ó gbọ́ tí ó sì fetí sí ọ̀rọ̀ náà?

But none of them has ever been in a council [meeting] in heaven in order to listen to a message from me. None of them has paid attention to anything that [I], Yahweh, have said.

19 Wò ó, afẹ́fẹ́ Olúwa yóò tú jáde pẹ̀lú ìbínú à fẹ́ yíká ìjì yóò fẹ́ sí orí àwọn olùṣe búburú.

So, listen to this: I will punish them; it will be [like] a great storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of those wicked people.

20 Ìbínú Olúwa kì yóò yẹ̀ títí tí yóò sì fi mú èrò rẹ̀ ṣẹ, ní àìpẹ́ ọjọ́, yóò yé e yín yékéyéké.

I will not stop being angry until I completely accomplish all that I have planned. In the future, you will understand [all of] this clearly.”

21 Èmi kò rán àwọn wòlíì wọ̀nyí síbẹ̀ wọ́n lọ pẹ̀lú ọ̀rọ̀ wọn. Èmi kò tilẹ̀ bá wọn sọ̀rọ̀, síbẹ̀ wọ́n sọ àsọtẹ́lẹ̀.

[Yahweh also says, ] “I have not appointed those prophets, but they run [around telling people their messages]. I did not speak to them, but they [continue to] prophesy.

22 Ṣùgbọ́n ì bà ṣe pé wọn dúró nínú ìgbìmọ̀ mi, wọn ìbá ti kéde ọ̀rọ̀ mi fún àwọn ènìyàn mi. Wọn ìbá ti wàásù ọ̀rọ̀ mi fun àwọn ènìyàn wọn ìbá ti yípadà kúrò nínú ọ̀nà àti ìṣe búburú wọn.

If they had been in my council [meetings], they would have been able to speak messages from me, and they would have caused people to turn away from committing evil things.”

23 “Ǹjẹ́ Ọlọ́run tòsí nìkan ni Èmi bí?” ni Olúwa wí, “kì í sì í ṣe Ọlọ́run ọ̀nà jíjìn.

Yahweh [also] says, “Am I a God who is only nearby? No, I am a God who is far away, also.

24 Ǹjẹ́ ẹnikẹ́ni lè sá pamọ́ sí ibi kọ́lọ́fín kan, kí èmi má ba a rí?” ni Olúwa wí. “Ǹjẹ́ èmi kò ha a kún ọ̀run àti ayé bí?” ni Olúwa wí.

So, no one can hide in some secret place with the result that I cannot see him. I am everywhere, in heaven and on the earth! [That is what I], Yahweh, say!

25 “Mo ti gbọ́ gbogbo ohun tí àwọn wòlíì èké tí ń sọ àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ ní orúkọ mi ń sọ. Wọ́n sọ wí pé, ‘Mo lá àlá! Mo lá àlá!’

I have heard those prophets prophesy lies, saying that they are telling people messages from me. They say, ‘[Listen to me tell you] the dream that God gave me last night! I [really] had this dream!’

26 Títí di ìgbà wo ni èyí yóò fi máa tẹ̀síwájú ni ọkàn àwọn wòlíì èké wọ̀nyí tí wọ́n ń sọ àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ ìtànjẹ ọkàn wọn?

How long will they continue to do this? How long will those lying prophets continue to prophesy things that come only from their own minds?

27 Wọ́n rò wí pé àlá tí wọ́n ń sọ fún ara wọn yóò mú kí àwọn ènìyàn mi gbàgbé orúkọ mi, gẹ́gẹ́ bí àwọn baba wọn ṣe gbàgbé orúkọ mi nípa sí sin òrìṣà Baali.

They think that because of the dreams that they tell to each other, people will forget me, like their ancestors forgot about me when they started to worship Baal.

28 Jẹ́ kí wòlíì tí ó bá lá àlá sọ àlá rẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n jẹ́ kí ẹni tí ó ní ọ̀rọ̀ mí sọ ọ́ ní òtítọ́. Kí ni koríko gbígbẹ ní í ṣe nínú ọkà?” ni Olúwa wí.

Allow those [false] prophets to tell people their dreams, but those who have messages that [really] come from me should proclaim those messages faithfully. I, Yahweh, say [that like] straw and grain are certainly very different, [my messages and the messages from those false prophets are certainly very different].

29 “Ọ̀rọ̀ mi kò ha a dàbí iná?” ni Olúwa wí, “àti bí òòlù irin tí ń fọ́ àpáta túútúú?

[It is as though] my messages [burn] like a fire; they [strike people’s inner beings like] someone strikes a rock with a hammer and smashes it into pieces.

30 “Nítorí náà, èmi lòdì sí àwọn wòlíì ni,” Olúwa wí, “Tí ń jí ọ̀rọ̀ tí ó yẹ kí ó ti ọ̀dọ̀ mi wá lò lọ́dọ̀ ara wọn.

Therefore, [I, ] Yahweh say, 'I oppose all those prophets who steal messages from each other and claim that those messages came from me.

31 Bẹ́ẹ̀,” ni Olúwa wí, “Èmi lòdì sí àwọn wòlíì tí wọ́n lo ahọ́n wọn káàkiri, síbẹ̀ tí wọ́n ń sọ wí pé, ‘Olúwa wí.’

I oppose those prophets who speak their own messages but claim that those messages came from me.

32 Nítòótọ́, mo lòdì sí àwọn tí ń sọ àsọtẹ́lẹ̀ nípa àlá èké,” ni Olúwa wí. “Wọ́n ń sọ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni wọ́n sì ń mú àwọn ènìyàn mi ṣìnà nípa onírúurú èké wọn, síbẹ̀ èmi kò rán wọn tàbí yàn wọ́n. Wọn kò sì ran àwọn ènìyàn wọ̀nyí lọ́wọ́ bí ó ti wù kí ó kéré mọ,” ni Olúwa wí.

I oppose those prophets who falsely say that I told them something in a vision, but they are [only] telling lies that cause my people to sin. I did not send those prophets. I did not even appoint them [to be prophets]. And they have no messages that will benefit my people at all.' [That is what I, ] Yahweh, declare.”

33 “Nígbà tí àwọn ènìyàn wọ̀nyí, tàbí wòlíì tàbí àlùfáà bá bi ọ́ léèrè wí pé, ‘Kí ni ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ Olúwa?’ Sọ fún wọn wí pé, ‘Ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ wo? Èmi yóò pa yín tì ni Olúwa wí.’

[Yahweh said to me], “If one of those prophets or priests or one of the [other] people asks you, ‘What problem has Yahweh told you about [now]?’, you must reply, ‘You are the problem! And Yahweh says that he will abandon you!’

34 Bí wòlíì tàbí àlùfáà tàbí ẹnikẹ́ni bá sì gbà wí pé, ‘Èyí ni ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ Olúwa.’ Èmi yóò fi ìyà jẹ ọkùnrin náà àti gbogbo agbo ilé rẹ̀.

And if any prophet or priest or anyone [else falsely] says, ‘[I have] a prophecy from Yahweh,’ I will punish that person and his family.

35 Èyí ni ohun tí ẹnìkọ̀ọ̀kan yín ń sọ fún ọ̀rẹ́ àti ará ilé rẹ̀: ‘Kí ni ìdáhùn Olúwa?’ Tàbí ‘Kí ni ohun tí Olúwa sọ?’

What you should continually ask each other is, ‘[When you spoke to Yahweh, ] what did he reply? What is he saying [to us]?’

36 Ṣùgbọ́n ẹ̀yin kò gbọdọ̀ dárúkọ ọ̀rọ̀ ‘ìjìnlẹ̀ Olúwa’ mọ́, nítorí pé ọ̀rọ̀ oníkálùkù ènìyàn di ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ rẹ̀. Nítorí náà, ẹ̀yin ń yí ọ̀rọ̀ Ọlọ́run alààyè, Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun, Ọlọ́run wa padà.

But stop saying ‘[I have] a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ because those who say that are doing it only because they want people to accept their ideas, and by doing that they distort/change the messages that are from our God, the Commander of the armies of angels.

37 Èyí ni ohun tí ẹ̀yin ń sọ fún wòlíì: ‘Kí ni ìdáhùn Olúwa sí ọ́?’ Tàbí ‘Kí ni ohun tí Olúwa bá ọ sọ?’

This is what you should ask each prophet: ‘What did Yahweh reply [when you talked to him]? What is he saying [to us]?’

38 Bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé ẹ̀yin ń sọ wí pé, ‘Èyí ni ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ Olúwa,’ èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa sọ, Ẹ̀yin ń lo ọ̀rọ̀ yìí, ‘Èyí ni ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ Olúwa,’ bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ pé mo sọ fún un yín láti má ṣe lò ó mọ́, ‘Èyí ni ọ̀rọ̀-ìjìnlẹ̀ Olúwa.’

If he replies, ‘[What I told you] is a prophecy/message from Yahweh,’ you should say to him, ‘You have continued to say, “[I received] a prophecy/message from Yahweh” even though I told you to not claim that you have received prophecies/messages from Yahweh.’

39 Nítorí náà, Èmi yóò gbàgbé yín, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni n ó lé e yín kúrò níwájú mi pẹ̀lú àwọn ìlú tí mo fi fún un yín àti àwọn baba yín.

So I [, Yahweh, ] will get rid of you [false prophets]. I will expel you from my presence. And I will get rid of this city that I gave to you and to your ancestors.

40 Èmi yóò sì mú ìtìjú ayérayé wá sí orí yín, ìtìjú tí kò ní ní ìgbàgbé.”

I will cause people to make fun of you forever. People will never forget that you were disgraced.”