Yeremia 2
1 Awurade asɛm baa me so:
Yahweh’s word came to 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 proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says, “I remember for you the kindness of your youth, your love as a bride, how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was 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.
Israel was holiness to Yahweh, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him will be held guilty. Evil will come on them,”’ says Yahweh.”
4 Montie Awurade asɛm, Ao Yakob fiefoɔ, mo Israel mmusuakuo nyinaa.
Hear Yahweh’s word, 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.
Yahweh says, “What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after worthless vanity, and have become worthless?
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.’
They didn’t say, ‘Where is Yahweh who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that no one passed through, and where no man lived?’
7 Mede mo bɛduaa asase bereɛ so sɛ monni so nnuaba ne ɛso nnepa. Nanso mobɛguu mʼasase ho fi na moyɛɛ mʼagyapadeɛ akyiwadeɛ.
I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage 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 didn’t say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’ and those who handle the law didn’t know me. The rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed things that do not profit.
9 “Ɛno enti, merebɔ mo kwaadu bio,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Na mɛbɔ mo mma mma kwaadu.
“Therefore I will yet contend with you,” says Yahweh, “and I will contend with your children’s children.
10 Montwa nkɔ Kitim mpoano nkɔ hwɛ, monsoma nkɔ Kedar nkɔhwehwɛ mu yie; monhwɛ sɛ biribi a ɛte sei asi wɔ hɔ:
For pass over to the islands of Kittim, and see. Send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.
11 Ɔman bi asesa wɔn anyame pɛn anaa? Nso wɔnnyɛ anyame mpo. Nanso me nkurɔfoɔ de wɔn animuonyam asesa ahoni huhuo.
Has a nation changed its gods, which really are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which doesn’t profit.
12 Ao ɔsorosoro, momma mo ho nnwiri mo yei ho, na mo ho nwoso akomatuo mu,” deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
“Be astonished, you heavens, at this and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate,” says 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 my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut out cisterns for themselves: broken cisterns that can’t hold water.
14 Israel yɛ akoa anaa ɔsomfoɔ firi awoɔ mu anaa? Adɛn enti na wayɛ afodeɛ yi?
Is Israel a slave? Is he born into slavery? Why has he become a captive?
15 Agyata abobɔ mu; wɔapɔ no so. Wɔasɛe nʼasase; wɔahyehye ne nkuro ayɛ no amanfo.
The young lions have roared at him and raised their voices. They have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
16 Afei, Memfis ne Tapanhes mmarima ayi wo tiri so nwi.
The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of your head.
17 Ɛnyɛ wo na woama yei aba wo so sɛ wopaa Awurade wo Onyankopɔn akyi, wɔ ɛberɛ a ɔrekyerɛ wo ɛkwan?
“Haven’t you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, when he led you 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 what do you gain by going to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or why do you go on the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
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.
“Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backsliding will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing, that you have forsaken Yahweh your God, and that my fear is not in you,” says the Lord, Yahweh of Armies.
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 long ago I broke off your yoke, and burst your bonds. You said, ‘I will not serve;’ for on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed yourself, playing the prostitute.
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 had planted you a noble vine, a pure and faithful seed. How then have you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?
22 Sɛ wode soda ne samina bebree dware mpo a, wʼafɔdie nkekaawa da so wɔ hɔ ara,” sɛdeɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie.
For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me,” says the 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 can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her 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 donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs the wind in her craving. When she is in heat, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they will 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.’
“Keep your feet from being bare, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.’
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 thief is ashamed when he is found, so the house of Israel is ashamed— they, their kings, their princes, 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!’
who tell wood, ‘You are my father,’ and a stone, ‘You have given birth to me,’ for they have turned their back to me, and not their face, but in the time of their trouble 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.
“But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble, for you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah.
29 “Adɛn enti na mobɔ me soboɔ? Mo nyinaa ayɛ dɔm atia me,” Awurade na ɔseɛ.
“Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me,” says Yahweh.
30 “Metwee mo nkurɔfoɔ aso kwa; wɔamfa me ntenesoɔ. Wʼakofena akunkum wʼadiyifoɔ te sɛ gyata a nʼani abereɛ.
“I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
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.’
Generation, consider Yahweh’s word. Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We have broken loose. We will come to you no more’?
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, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.
33 Hwɛ nyansa a mowɔ de pɛ mo adɔfoɔ! Mmaa a wɔnsɛ hwee koraa tumi sua mo akwan.
How well you prepare your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.
34 Mo aduradeɛ mu, nnipa hunu ahiafoɔ a wɔdi bem mogya, nanso moankyere wɔn sɛ wɔrebubu akɔ mo dan mu. Yeinom nyinaa akyi
Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You didn’t find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.
35 woka sɛ, ‘Medi bem; ne bo mfuu me.’ Nanso mɛbu wo atɛn ɛfiri sɛ wo ka sɛ, ‘Menyɛɛ bɔne biara.’
“Yet you said, ‘I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.’ “Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Adɛn enti na wokyinkyini se, sesa wʼakwan? Misraim bɛdi wo hwammɔ sɛdeɛ Asiria yɛeɛ no.
Why do you go about so much to change your ways? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were 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.
You will also leave that place with your hands on your head; for Yahweh has rejected those in whom you trust, and you won’t prosper with them.
