Ɔyere Guamanfo Yerusalem
1Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se 2“Onipa ba, fa akyiwade a Yerusalem yɛ no si nʼanim 3na ka se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade ka kyerɛ Yerusalem: Wo nkyi ne wʼawo fi Kanaanfo asase so; na wʼagya yɛ Amorini na wo na nso yɛ Hetini. 4Da a wɔwoo wo no, wɔantwa wo funuma, na wɔamfa nsu anguare wo sɛ wo ho bɛtew nso, wɔamfa nkyene ansra wo, na wɔamfa ntama ankyekyere wo ho. 5Obiara anhu wo mmɔbɔ, na obiara yam anhyehye no sɛ ɔbɛyɛ eyinom biara ama wo. Mmom wɔtow wo kyenee wuram, efisɛ da a wɔwoo wo no, wobuu wo animtiaa.
6“ ‘Mibepuee wo so, na mihuu sɛ worewɔ wʼanan na woda mogya mu, na sɛnea na woda hɔ no, meka kyerɛɛ wo se, “Nya nkwa!” 7Mehwɛɛ wo ma wunyinii sɛ afifide. Wunyinii, na woyɛɛ nsiforo kɔɔ afikyiri. Wo nufu bobɔe, na wo ho fuw nwi, nanso na woda adagyaw.
8“ ‘Akyiri yi mibepuee wo so, na mehwɛɛ wo na mihuu sɛ woaso aware no, mede mʼatade fa bi kataa wʼadagyaw so. Misua kyerɛɛ wo na me ne wo yɛɛ apam na wobɛyɛɛ me dea, Otumfo Awurade na ose.
9“ ‘Mede nsu guaree wo, na mehohoroo wo ho mogya na mede srade ahorow srasraa wo. 10Mede atade a wɔanwen ano hyɛɛ wo, na mehyɛɛ wo mmoa were mpaboa. Mede nwera papa furaa wo na mede ntade aboɔden guguu so. 11Mede agude siesiee wo, mede nkapo guu wo nsa, mede kɔnmuade too wo kɔn mu, 12na mede kaa hyɛɛ wo hwene mu, asokaa hyɛɛ wʼasom na mebɔɔ wo abotiri a ɛyɛ fɛ. 13Enti wɔde sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ siesiee wo, wʼadurade yɛɛ nwera papa ne ntama a ne bo yɛ den ne nea wɔadi mu adwinni. Wʼaduan yɛɛ esiam papa, ɛwo ne ngo. Wo ho yɛɛ fɛ na wobɛyɛɛ ɔhemmea. 14Na wʼahoɔfɛ nti, wo din hyetaa wɔ amanaman mu, efisɛ anuonyam a mahyɛ wo no ma wʼahoɔfɛ no di mu, Awurade asɛm ni.
15“ ‘Nanso wʼahoɔfɛ nti wugyee wo ho dii na wode wo din a ahyeta no bɔɔ aguaman. Wugyaa wo ho maa obiara a ɔretwa mu na woyɛɛ wɔn adɔe. 16Wode wo ntade no bi kɔyɛɛ sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ hyirenn; hɔ na wokɔbɔɔ aguaman. Ɛnsɛ sɛ nneɛma a ɛtete sɛɛ sisi koraa, na ɛnsɛ sɛ ɛba nso. 17Afei wode wo nnwinne fɛfɛ a mede maa wo no, nea mede sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ yɛe no yɛɛ ahoni maa wo ho na wo ne wɔn bɔɔ aguaman. 18Wode wo ntade a wɔadi mu adwinni hyehyɛɛ wɔn na wode me ngo ne nnuhuam brɛɛ wɔn. 19Bio aduan a mede maa wo no, esiam papa, ɛwo ne ngo a mede maa wo sɛ di no, wode brɛɛ wɔn sɛ afɔrebɔde a eyi hua. Saa na esii, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni.
20“ ‘Wofaa wo mmabarima ne wo mmabea, a me ne wo woo wɔn no kɔbɔɔ afɔre sɛ aduan maa ahoni. Wʼaguamammɔ no nnɔɔso ana? 21Wukum me mma de wɔn bɔɔ afɔre maa ahoni no. 22Akyiwade a woyɛɛ ne wʼaguamammɔ akyi no, woankae wo mmabun bere a na wo ho da hɔ na worewɔ wʼanan wɔ mogya mu no.
23“ ‘Nnome! Nnome nka wo, Otumfo Awurade na ose. Wʼamumɔyɛ nyinaa akyi no, 24wusii bammɔ pie maa wo ho, na woyɛɛ abosonnan tenten wɔ aguabɔbea biara. 25Borɔn so baabiara wusisii abosonnan atenten, na wosɛe wʼahoɔfɛ efisɛ honam akɔnnɔ bɔne nti wode wo ho maa obiara a ɔretwa mu. 26Wo ne Misraimfo a honam akɔnnɔ ayɛ wɔn ma no bɔɔ aguaman, na wode honam akɔnnɔ bɔne hyɛɛ me abufuw. 27Enti meteɛɛ me nsa wɔ wo so na metew wʼahye so. Mede wo maa wʼatamfo aniberefo, Filistifo mmabea a wʼahohwi bra no yɛɛ wɔn nwonwa no. 28Wo ne Asiriafo nso bɔɔ aguaman, efisɛ biribiara mmee wo. Na ɛno akyi koraa woammee ara. 29Afei wotoaa wo honam akɔnnɔ bɔne no so de Babilonia, a ɛyɛ aguadifo asase kaa ho, nanso eyi ammee wo ara.
30“ ‘Wunni ahohyɛso koraa, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni, sɛ wutumi yɛ saa nneɛma yi nyinaa te sɛ oguamanfo a nʼani nwu hwee. 31Wusisii bammɔ pie wɔ mmorɔn so na wusisii abosonnan atenten wɔ aguabɔbea biara, na wonsɛ oguamanfo, efisɛ wopoo akatua.
32“ ‘Wo, ɔyere waresɛefo, wopɛ ahɔho sen wo ara wo kunu! 33Oguamanfo biara gye akatua, nanso wo de, wode nneɛma kyekyɛ wʼadɔfo nyinaa de hyɛ wɔn afono mu sɛ, womfi baabiara mmra wo nkyɛn. 34Enti wʼaguamammɔ mu no wo nte sɛ afoforo; obiara mma wo hɔ sɛ yɛ no adɔe. Wo ne wɔn bɔ abira koraa, efisɛ wutua ka na obiara mma wo hwee.
35“ ‘Enti, wo oguamanfo, tie Awurade asɛm! 36Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se. Esiane sɛ wuhwie wʼahonya gui, na wodaa wʼadagyaw adi, wo ho a woma ɛyɛɛ wo dɛ dodo wɔ wo ne wʼadɔfo nhyiamu, wʼahoni a ɛyɛ akyiwade na afei wo mma mogya a wode maa wɔn no nti, 37merebɛboaboa wʼadɔfo a wode wɔn gyee wʼani nyinaa ano; wɔn a wodɔɔ wɔn ne wɔn a woampɛ wɔn. Mɛboaboa wɔn nyinaa ano atia wo afi wo ho baabiara, na mɛpa wo ho wɔ wɔn anim, na wobehu wʼadagyaw nyinaa. 38Mede asotwe a wɔde ma mmea aguamammɔfo ne mogyahwiegufo no bɛyɛ wʼatemmu. Mede me mogya aweretɔ a efi mʼabufuwhyew ne me ninkutwe abufuw mu bɛba wo so. 39Afei mede wo bɛma wʼadɔfo na wobebubu bammɔ pie a woahɔre no, asɛe abosonnan atenten no. Wɔbɛpa wo ho ntama, wɔbɛfa wo nnwinne fɛfɛ no, na wɔagyaw wo hɔ adagyaw mu. 40Wɔde nnipadɔm a wobesiw wo abo na wɔde wɔn afoa atwitwa wo mu nketenkete bɛba wo so. 41Wɔbɛhyehyew wʼafi na wɔatwe wʼaso wɔ mmea bebree anim. Metwa wʼaguamammɔ no so na woagyae akatua a wode ma wʼadɔfo no. 42Afei mʼabufuwhyew ano bedwo na me ninkutwe abufuw no befi wo so. Mɛyɛ bɔkɔɔ na me bo remfuw bio.
43“ ‘Sɛ woankae wo mmabun nna, na wode eyinom nyinaa hyɛɛ me abufuw nti, ɔkwan biara so mɛma nea woayɛ no abɔ wo ti so, Otumfo Awurade na ose. Woanyɛ nneɛma fi anka akyiwade no ho ana?
44“ ‘Obiara a obu bɛ no bebu saa bɛ yi afa wo ho: “Sɛnea ɛna te no saa ara na ne babea te.” 45Woyɛ wo na a ɔsopaa ne kunu ne ne mma no babea kann, na woyɛ wo nuanom mmea a wɔsopaa wɔn kununom ne wɔn mma no nuabea ankasa. Wo na yɛ Hetini na wʼagya yɛ Amorini. 46Na wo nuabea panyin ne Samaria a na ɔne ne mmabea te wʼatifi fam, na wo nuabea kumaa a ɔne ne mmabea te wʼanafo fam, yɛ Sodom. 47Woannantew wɔn akwan mu, ansua wɔn akyiwadeyɛ nko, na mmom, akwan nyinaa mu, wobɛyɛɛ porɔwee sen wɔn. 48Sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfo Awurade na ose, wo nuabea Sodom ne ne mmabea anyɛ nea wo ne wo mmabea ayɛ no da.
49“ ‘Eyi ne bɔne a wo nuabea Sodom yɛe: Ɔno ne ne mmabea yɛɛ ahantan, wodidi traa so na hwee amfa wɔn ho, wɔammoa ahiafo ne mmɔborɔfo. 50Wɔyɛɛ ahomaso ne akyiwade wɔ mʼanim. Ɛno nti miyii wɔn sii nkyɛn sɛnea woahu no. 51Samaria anyɛ bɔne a woyɛɛ no mu fa. Woayɛ akyiwade a ɛboro nea wo nuabeanom no yɛe no so koraa, na woama ayɛ sɛ wo nuabeanom no te, esiane saa nneɛma a woayɛ no nti. 52Gye wʼanimguase, efisɛ woama wo nuabeanom adi bem. Wo bɔne mu yɛ duru sen wɔn de, enti ayɛ sɛ wɔteɛ sen wo. Ɛno de, afei gye wʼanimguase na wama ayɛ sɛ wo nuabeanom te.
53“ ‘Nanso mede Sodom siade ne ne mmabea, Samaria siade ne ne mmabea bɛma wɔn, na mede wo siade bɛka ho, 54sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wubegye wʼanimguase na wʼani bewu wɔ nea woayɛ de ama wɔn ahotɔ nyinaa ho. 55Na wo nuabeanom Sodom ne ne mmabea, Samaria ne ne mmabea bɛsan akɔ wɔn tebea dedaw mu, na wo ne wo mmabea nso bɛsan akɔ mo dedaw mu. 56Woremmɔ wo nuabea Sodom din wɔ wʼahohoahoa da no mpo, 57kosi sɛ wʼamumɔyɛ ho daa hɔ. Ebesi nnɛ Edom mmabea bɔ wo ahohora, wɔne wɔn a wɔatwa wɔn ho ahyia ne Filistifo mmabea; wɔn a wɔatwa wo ho ahyia a wɔbɔ wo ahohora nyinaa. 58Nea ebefi nneɛma fi a woyɛ ne wʼakyiwade mu aba no bɛda wo so, Awurade asɛm ni.
59“ ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Me ne wo bedi no sɛnea ɛfata, efisɛ woasɛe mʼapam de abu me ntam animtiaa. 60Nanso mɛkae apam a me ne wo yɛɛ wo mmabun bere mu, na me ne wo bɛyɛ apam a ɛbɛtena hɔ afebɔɔ. 61Afei wobɛkae wʼakwan na wʼani awu bere a wo nsa aka wo nuabeanom; wɔn a wɔanyinyin sen wo ne nkumaa nyinaa. Mede wɔn bɛma wo sɛ wo mmabea, nanso ɛrennyina apam a me ne wo ayɛ no so. 62Enti me ne wo bɛyɛ apam na wubehu sɛ mene Awurade. 63Afei sɛ meyɛ mpata ma wo wɔ nea woayɛ nyinaa ho a, wobɛkae na wʼani bewu na woremmue wʼano bio wɔ brɛ a wɔabrɛ wo ase no nti, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni.’ ”
Jerusalem as an adulterous wife
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2‘Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices 3and say, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5No-one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
6‘ “Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ 7I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.
8‘ “Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
9‘ “I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11I adorned you with jewellery: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace round your neck, 12and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. 14And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendour I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15‘ “But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favours on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. 16You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.16:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain. 17You also took the fine jewellery I gave you, the jewellery made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. 18And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. 19Also the food I provided for you – the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat – you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.
20‘ “And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? 21You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. 22In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.
23‘ “Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square. 25At every street corner you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by. 26You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your neighbours with large genitals, and aroused my anger with your increasing promiscuity. 27So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct. 28You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied. 29Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia,16:29 Or Chaldea a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.
30‘ “I am filled with fury against you,16:30 Or How feverish is your heart, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute! 31When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
32‘ “You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! 33All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favours. 34So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no-one runs after you for your favours. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.
35‘ “Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! 36This is what the Sovereign Lord says: because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood, 37therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked. 38I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger. 39Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewellery and leave you stark naked. 40They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.
43‘ “Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?
44‘ “Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46Your elder sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. 47You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. 48As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
49‘ “Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 52Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53‘ “However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, 54so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, 57before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom16:57 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate Aram and all her neighbours and the daughters of the Philistines – all those around you who despise you. 58You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.
59‘ “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. 60Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you. 62So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.” ’
