< Jeremiah 2 >

1 Yahweh gave me another message
Ekigambo kya Mukama Katonda ne kinzijira nga kigamba nti,
2 [to proclaim to everyone in Jerusalem. He said that I should tell them this] [MET]: “I, Yahweh, remember that you very much wanted to please me [long ago]. [You tried to please me like] a bride [tries to please her husband]; You loved me, and you followed me through the desert [DOU].
“Genda olangirire nga Yerusaalemi ewulira nti: “Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda nti, “‘Nzijukira okwewaayo kwe weewaayo ng’okyali muto, engeri gye wanjagalamu nga twakafumbiriganwa, wangoberera mu ddungu mu nsi etali nnime.
3 [At that time you] Israelis (were set apart/belonged only) to me; [you belonged to me like] the first part of the harvests belong to me [MET]. I promised to punish all those who harmed you, my people, and truly I did send disasters on them. [That happened because I], Yahweh, said [that it would happen].”
Isirayiri wali mutukuvu wa Mukama, ebibala ebibereberye ebyamakungula ge; bonna abaakulyangako nga bazzizza omusango, akabi nga kabatuukako,’” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda.
4 So, you [descendants of] [MTY] Jacob, all you people of [MTY] Israel,
Muwulirize ekigambo kya Mukama mwe ezzadde lya Yakobo, era n’ab’enju zonna ez’ebika eby’omu Isirayiri.
5 listen to what Yahweh says: “(What sin did I commit [RHQ] that caused your ancestors to turn far away from me?/Though your ancestors found no fault in me, they turned far away from me.) They worshiped worthless idols, and they themselves became worthless.
Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, Kibi ki bakitammwe kye bansangamu ne banvaako ne bagenda ewala ennyo bwe batyo? Baagoberera ebifaananyi bya bakatonda abakole n’emikono ebitaliimu nabo bennyini ne bafuuka ebitaliimu.
6 They did not say, ‘Yahweh brought us [safely] out of Egypt, and he led us through a desert where there were a lot of pits; he led us where there was no water and where it was very dangerous, through a land where no one lives, and no one even travels. (So where is Yahweh now?/So he should be helping us now!) [RHQ]’
Ne batagamba nako nti; “Ali ludda wa Mukama eyatuggya mu nsi y’e Misiri; eyatuyisa mu lukoola, mu nsi ey’amalungu n’obunnya, mu nsi enkalu n’ekisiikirize eky’okufa, mu nsi omutali muntu n’omu, so n’omuntu yenna mw’atayinza kuyita?”
7 And when I brought you into a very fertile land, in order that you could enjoy [all] the fruit and [other] good things that you would harvest, you caused the land that I promised to give to you to be unfit for me and to become disgusting/detestable to me.
Ne mbaleeta mu nsi engimu, mulye ebibala byamu n’ebintu ebirungi. Naye bwe mwajja ne mwonoona ensi yange, ne mufuula omugabo gwange ekivume.
8 [Your] priests also did not say, ‘(Where is Yahweh now?/Yahweh should be helping us now!)’ [RHQ] Those who teach/explain my laws do not [want to] know me, and [your] leaders have rebelled against me. [Your] prophets gave you messages from [their god] Baal, and they worship worthless idols.”
Bakabona ne batabuuzaako nti, “Mukama ali ludda wa?” Abo abakola ku mateeka tebammanya. Abakulembeze ne banjeemera. Bannabbi nga baweereza ku lwa Baali, ne bagoberera ebitagasa.
9 “So, I will accuse you in court. [In future years], I will say what your children and your grandchildren have done that is wrong. [That will happen because I], Yahweh, have said [that it will happen].
“Kyenva nnyongera okubalumiriza,” bw’ayogera Mukama, “Era ndirumiriza n’abaana b’abaana bammwe.
10 If you go [west] to the island of Cyprus, or if you go [east] to Kedar [land, ] and if you ask people in those places, they will tell you that no people [from their countries] have ever done the wicked things that you people have done!
Muwunguke ennyanja mugende ku bizinga bya Kittimu mulabe; era mutume e Kedali, mwetegereze. Mujja kulaba nga tekibangawo.
11 The people of no other nation have ever [RHQ] abandoned their gods that they thought were glorious and started to worship gods that are not really gods, but you people have abandoned me, your glorious God, and are worshiping gods that are useless.
Waali wabaddewo eggwanga erikyusa bakatonda baalyo, wadde nga si bakatonda, naye nga bitaliimu? Naye abantu bange baawaanyisa ekitiibwa kyabwe n’ebitagasa.
12 [It is as though everything in] the sky is surprised and dismayed/appalled [about what you have done]; [it is as though] they tremble because they are very horrified.
Wewuunye ggwe eggulu, era okankane n’entiisa ey’amaanyi,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
13 [You], my people, have done two evil things: You have rejected me, the one who is [like] [MET] a fountain [where you can obtain] fresh water, and you [are worshiping gods that are like] [MET] pits in the ground that are cracked and which are not able to hold any water.
“Kubanga abantu bange bakoze ebibi bibiri, banvuddeko nze ensulo ey’amazzi amalamu ne beesimira ettanka ez’omu ttaka, ettanka ez’omu ttaka ezirimu enjatika ezitanyweeramu mazzi.”
14 You Israeli people, you were certainly not [RHQ] slaves when you were born; you were captured [by your enemies].
“Isirayiri muddu, omuddu omuzaale? Kale lwaki afuuse omuyiggo?
15 [Your enemies] [MET] roared [like] lions, and they destroyed your land. [Now] your towns have been burned, and no one lives in them.
Bamuwulugumirako ng’empologoma bw’ewuluguma, abalabe bawulugumye nnyo. Ensi ye efuuse matongo, ebibuga bye bigyiridde ddala omuliro birekeddwa ttayo, nga temukyali muntu n’omu.
16 Soldiers from Memphis and Tahpenes, [cities in Egypt], have [defeated you] [and] shaved your heads [to show that you are their slaves].
Ate era abasajja b’e Noofu n’e Tapeneesi bamaliddewo ddala ekitiibwa kyo.
17 But it is [RHQ] because you abandoned [me], Yahweh, that these disasters have happened to you.
Si ggwe weeretedde bino ng’ova ku Mukama Katonda wo, eyakukulemberanga akulage ekkubo?
18 So (why are you trying to make an alliance with [MET] the rulers of Egypt?/it certainly will not help you to make an alliance with the rulers of Egypt) [RHQ]. Why are you trying to make an alliance with [MET] the rulers of Assyria who live near the [Euphrates] River?
Kaakano olowooza onooganyulwamu ki okugenda okukolagana ne Misiri? Olowooza kiki ky’onoganyulwa bw’onogenda okukolagana ne Bwasuli?
19 [It is because] you have been [very] wicked that I [PRS] will punish you. It is because you have turned away from me that I [PRS] will condemn you. [When I do that], you will realize that painful and evil [DOU] things will happen to you because you have forsaken [me], Yahweh, your God, and you no [longer] revere me. [That will certainly happen because] I, Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, have said it.
Ebibi byo byennyini bye biri kubonereza, n’okudda kwo emabega kwe kulikusalira omusango. Kale lowooza era otegeere nga bwe kiri ekibi era eky’omutawaana gy’oli bw’ova ku Mukama Katonda wo, n’oba nga tokyantya,” bw’ayogera Mukama, Katonda ow’eggye.
20 Long ago, you stopped obeying [me] [MET], and you would not allow [me] to lead you [MET]; you refused to worship [me]. Instead, you worship idols that are under trees on the top of every hill, and your young women have sex with [EUP] [men at those places].
Mukama ow’eggye agamba nti, “Isirayiri, ebbanga ddene eriyiseewo bukya weggya mu buyinza bwange, n’ogamba nti, ‘Sijja kukugondera.’ Era ddala, ku buli kasozi era na buli wansi w’omuti oguyimiridde wakuba obwamalaaya ng’ovuunamira bakatonda abalala.
21 [It is as though] [MET] you were a grapevine that I planted when it was a cutting from a very good vine. So now it is disgusting that [RHQ] you have become [like] a rotten worthless vine.
Songa nnali nkusimbye ng’oli muzabbibu omulungi, ensigo eteriimu kikyamu n’akatono, naye ate lwaki oyonoonese n’ofuuka ng’omuzabbibu ogw’omu nsiko?
22 Your guilt from your sins is like [MET] very bad stains on a cloth, and you cannot get rid of those stains even by using very strong soap. [This is true because I], Yahweh, have said it.
Kubanga ne bw’onaaba n’oluvu n’okozesa ne sabbuuni omungi, naye era ebbala lyo n’obutali butuukirivu bwo bisigala bikyalabika,” bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda.
23 You say that you have not sinned. You say ‘We have not become unacceptable to God; we have not worshiped Baal.’ But think about [the disgusting things that you do very eagerly] in [Hinnom] Valley [outside Jerusalem]. You are like desperate female camels, running here and there [to find male camels to have sex with].
Oyinza otya okugamba nti, “Sseeyonoonanga, sigobereranga ba Baali?” Jjukira bwe weeyisa ng’oli mu kiwonvu; tegeera kye wakola. Oli ng’eŋŋamira enkazi efuumuuka embiro ngeraga eno n’eri,
24 You are [like] wild female donkeys in the desert. They sniff the air to find where the male donkeys are, and no one can [RHQ] restrain them. The male donkeys that want them do not become tired searching for them, because at mating time they find them [easily].
ng’endogoyi ey’omu nsiko eddukira mu ddungu mw’emanyidde, ng’ewunyiriza mu bbanga eno n’eri mu kwaka kwayo, mu kiseera ekyo ani ayinza okugiziyiza? Ensajja zonna ezigyetaaga tezeetaaga kwekooya; mu biseera by’okulabaganiramu za kugifuna.
25 You constantly run here and there [to find idols to worship], with the result that your sandals are worn out, and your throats have become dry. [I told you to stop doing that], but you said, ‘We cannot stop, because we love foreign gods, and we must worship them.’”
Tokooya bigere byo, era tokaza mimiro gyo. Naye n’oddamu nti, “Ebyo bya bwereere, sisobola kukyuka, nayagala bakatonda abalala, nteekwa okubanoonya.”
26 [Yahweh says this]: “A robber is disgraced when he is caught. And all of you, including your kings and priests and prophets, are similarly disgraced.
Ng’omubbi bw’aswala ng’akwatiddwa, n’ennyumba ya Isirayiri bw’eswala bw’etyo, bakabaka baayo, n’abalangira baayo, ne bakabona baayo, era ne bannabbi baayo,
27 You say to [a piece of] wood [that is carved to become a sacred idol], ‘You are our father!’ And you say to a stone [that you have set up], ‘You are our mother!’ You have rejected [IDM] me, but when you experience troubles, you cry out to me to rescue you.
nga bagamba emiti nti, “Ggwe kitange,” era n’ejjinja nti, “Ggwe wanzaala.” Bankubye amabega, naye bwe balaba ennaku bankaabirira nti, “Yimuka ojje otulokole.”
28 Why do you not [RHQ] cry out to the gods that you made? You have as many gods as you have cities [and towns] in Judah. So why do you not plead with them to rescue you when you experience disasters?
Kale bakatonda be weekolera baluwa? Leka bajje, bwe baba basobola okukulokola mu biseera eby’emitawaana. Kubanga obungi bwa bakatonda bammwe bwenkanankana n’ebibuga byo ggwe Yuda.
29 You complain that it was wrong for me [not to have rescued you], but you have all rebelled against me.
“Lwaki munneemulugunyiza? Mwenna mwanneeddiimira,” bw’ayogera Mukama.
30 I punished some of you, but you did not learn anything from my doing that. You have killed many of the prophets that I [sent to you], like [SIM] fierce lions kill [other animals].
Abaana bammwe nababonereza naye nga bwerere, tebakkiriza kugololwa. Mmwe bennyini ne mwettira bannabbi bammwe ng’empologoma bw’etta.
31 You people of Israel, pay attention to what I say. I have certainly [RHQ] never [abandoned you] in a desert; I have never [left you] in a land full of darkness. So, why do you, my people, say ‘We are free from God’s control; we will not return to [worship] God any more’?
Mmwe ab’omulembe guno muwulirize ekigambo kya Katonda. Mbadde nga ddungu gye muli ng’ensi ejjudde ekizikiza eky’amaanyi? Kale lwaki abantu bange bagamba nti, “Tulina eddembe, tetukyadda gy’oli?”
32 A young woman would certainly never [RHQ] forget [to wear] her jewelry, and a bride would never [RHQ] forget to wear her wedding dress, but you my people have forgotten me for many years.
Omuwala omuto ayinza okwerabira ebikomo, oba omugole okwerabira ekyambalo kye? Naye ng’ate abantu bange Bannerabidde!
33 You know how to easily find [gods from other countries] whom you can love. You can find them as easily as a prostitute [can find men to sleep with].
Ng’omanyi nnyo okukuba amakubo ag’okunoonya abanaakwagala! N’asembayo okuba omukugu mu bamalaaya aba alina kuyigira ku ggwe.
34 Although you have on your clothes the blood of poor people whom you have murdered, people who (were innocent/had not done things that are wrong),
Engoye zo zijjudde omusaayi gw’abaavu n’abatalina musango, awatali kugamba nti bakwatibwa nga babba. Ate nga wadde byonna biri bwe bityo
35 you say ‘We have not done anything that is wrong; so surely [Yahweh] is not angry with us.’ But I will punish [MTY] you [severely] for saying ‘We have not sinned.’
ogamba nti, “Sirina musango, ddala takyanninako busungu!” Laba, ŋŋenda kukusalira omusango olw’okugamba nti, “Sirina kibi kye nkoze.”
36 Previously you requested [the army of] Assyria to help you, but they were not able to help you. Now you have requested [the army of] Egypt to help you, but they will not be able to help you, either.
Lwaki ogenda ng’okyusakyusa amakubo go! Misiri ejja kukuswaza nga Bwasuli bwe yakuswaza.
37 They will capture you, and you will be [their prisoners] [MTY], led to Egypt, [very ashamed] with your hands on your heads. That will happen because I, Yahweh, have rejected those [nations] that you are relying on, and they will not be able to help you at all.”
Era n’eyo olivaayo ng’emikono ogyetisse ku mutwe, kubanga Mukama agaanye abo be weesiga; tagenda kukuyamba.

< Jeremiah 2 >