A Prophecy Against Jerusalem
1Here is a prophecy against Jerusalem that the Lord gave me. Jerusalem is also known as the Valley of Vision.
People of Jerusalem, what’s the matter with you?
Why have all of you gone up on the roofs of your houses?
2Why is your town so full of noise?
Why is your city so full of the sound of wild parties?
Those among you who died weren’t killed by swords.
They didn’t die in battle.
3All your leaders have run away.
They’ve been captured without a single arrow being shot.
All you who were caught were taken away as prisoners.
You ran off while your enemies were still far away.
4So I said, “Leave me alone.
Let me weep bitter tears.
Don’t try to comfort me.
My people have been destroyed.”
5The Lord who rules over all sent the noise of battle against you.
The Lord brought disorder and terror
to the Valley of Vision.
The walls of the city were knocked down.
Cries for help were heard in the mountains.
6Soldiers from Elam came armed with bows and arrows.
They came with their chariots and horses.
Soldiers from Kir got their shields ready.
7Your rich valleys filled up with chariots.
Horsemen took up their battle positions at your city gates.
8The Lord made Judah a place where it wasn’t safe to live anymore.
At that time, you depended
on the weapons in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
9You saw that the walls of the City of David
were broken through in many places.
You stored up water
in the Lower Pool.
10You picked out the weaker buildings in Jerusalem.
You tore them down and used their stones
to strengthen the city walls against attack.
11You built a pool between the two walls.
You used it to save the water
that was running down from the Old Pool.
But you didn’t look to the God who made it all possible.
You didn’t pay any attention to the God
who planned everything long ago.
12The Lord who rules over all
called out to you at that time.
The Lord told you to weep and cry.
He told you to tear your hair out.
And he told you to put on the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad.
13Instead, you are enjoying yourselves at wild parties!
You are killing cattle and sheep.
You are eating their meat and drinking wine.
You are saying, “Let’s eat and drink,
because tomorrow we’ll die.”
14I heard the Lord who rules over all speaking. “Your sin can never be paid for as long as you live,” says the Lord.
15The Lord who rules over all speaks. The Lord says,
“Go and speak to Shebna, the head servant.
He is in charge of the palace. Tell him,
16‘What are you doing here outside the city?
Who allowed you to cut out a tomb for yourself here?
Who said you could carve out your grave on the hillside?
Who allowed you to cut out your resting place in the rock?
17“ ‘Watch out, you mighty man!
The Lord is about to grab you.
He is about to throw you away.
18He will roll you up tightly like a ball.
He will throw you into a very large country.
There you will die.
And that’s where the chariots you were so proud of will be.
Those chariots will then bring nothing but shame on your master’s family!
19The Lord will remove you from your job.
You will be brought down from your high position.
20“ ‘At that time he will send for his servant Eliakim. He is the son of Hilkiah. 21The Lord will put your robe on Eliakim. He will tie your belt around him. He will hand your authority over to him. Eliakim will be like a father to the people of Jerusalem and Judah. 22The Lord will give Eliakim the key of authority in David’s royal house. No one can shut what he opens. And no one can open what he shuts. 23The Lord will set him firmly in place like a peg driven into a wall. He will hold a position of honor in his family. 24The good name of his whole family will depend on him. They will be like bowls and jars hanging on a peg.
25“ ‘But a new day is coming,’ ” announces the Lord who rules over all. “ ‘At that time the peg that was driven into the wall will give way. It will break off and fall down. And the heavy load hanging on it will also fall.’ ” The Lord has spoken.
Nkɔmhyɛ A Ɛfa Yerusalem Ho
1Nkɔmhyɛ a etia Anisoadehu Bon no:
Dɛn na ɛhaw mo mprempren,
a mo nyinaa aforo kɔ adan atifi yi,
2kurow a basabasayɛ ahyɛ no ma,
huuyɛ ne ahosɛpɛw kuropɔn?
Ɛnyɛ afoa ano na wʼatɔfo hweree wɔn nkwa,
na wɔanwuwu wɔ ɔko ano nso.
3Mo akannifo nyinaa abɔ mu aguan;
wɔamfa tadua ankyekye wɔn.
Mo a wɔkyeree mo nyinaa wɔfaa mo nneduafo
mo a muguan wɔ bere a na atamfo no wɔ akyirikyiri.
4Enti mekae se, “Mumfi me so
na mintwa adwo.
Monnkyekye me werɛ
wɔ me nkurɔfo sɛe ho.”
5Awurade, Asafo Awurade wɔ da bi
ma huuyɛ, ntiatiaso ne ehu
wɔ Anisoadehu Bon no mu,
da a wɔde bubu afasu
na wɔde su kyerɛ mmepɔw.
6Elam fa bɛmma no
ka ne nteaseɛnamkafo ne apɔnkɔ ho;
Kir ama kyɛm no so.
7Nteaseɛnam ayɛ mo bon fɛfɛ no ma,
na wɔde apɔnkɔsotefo agyinagyina kuropɔn apon no ano.
8Wɔayi Yuda ho bammɔ no.
Na da no wode wʼani too
akode a ɛwɔ Kwae mu Ahemfi no so;
9wuhuu sɛ Dawid Kuropɔn no,
akwan bebree deda ne bammɔ mu
woboaa nsu ano
wɔ Ase Abura mu.
10Wokan adan a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no
na wudwiriw afi de boaa ɔfasu no ahoɔden.
11Woyɛɛ nsukorae wɔ afasu abien no ntam
maa nsu a ɛwɔ Abura Dedaw mu no,
nanso woanhwehwɛ Onipa ko a ɔyɛe,
na woammu Onipa a ɔhyehyɛe dedaada no.
12Awurade, Asafo Awurade,
frɛɛ wo saa da no
sɛ su na twa adwo,
sɛ yi wo tinwi na fura atweaatam.
13Nanso hwɛ, anigye ne ahosɛpɛw wɔ hɔ;
wokunkum anantwi ne nguan;
wɔwe nam na wɔbow nsa!
Wɔka se, “Momma yennidi na yɛnnom,
efisɛ, ɔkyena yebewu!”
14Awurade, Asafo Awurade ayi me asotiw se, “Wɔremfa saa bɔne yi nkyɛ wo da kosi wo wuda,” sɛnea Awurade, Asafo Awurade se ni.
15Sɛɛ na Awurade, Asafo Awurade se,
“Kɔ, kɔka kyerɛ saa ɔsomfo yi,
Sebna a, ɔhwɛ ahemfi no so se,
16Dɛn na woreyɛ wɔ ha na hena na ɔmaa wo kwan
sɛ bɔ wo da wɔ ha,
worebɔ wo da wɔ baabi a ɛkorɔn
na woretwa wo homebea wɔ ɔbotan mu?
17“Hwɛ yiye, na Awurade rebeso wo mu den
atow wo akyene, wo ɔhoɔdenfo.
18Ɔbɛbobɔw wo, ama woayɛ kurukuruwa,
na watow wo akyene ɔman kɛse bi so
hɔ na wubewu
na wo teaseɛnam fɛfɛ no aka hɔ,
wo a woyɛ ahohora ma wo wura fi!
19Megye wʼadwuma afi wo nsa mu
na wɔayi wo afi wo dibea so.
20“Saa da no, mɛfrɛ me somfo Eliakim a ɔyɛ Hilkia babarima. 21Mede wʼatade yuu bɛhyɛ no na mede wʼabɔso abebare nʼasen mu na mede wo tumi ahyɛ ne nsa. Ɔbɛyɛ agya ama wɔn a wɔtete Yerusalem ne Yuda fi. 22Mede Dawid fi safe bɛma no; nea obebue no obiara rentumi nto mu; na nea ɔbɛto mu nso a obiara rentumi mmue. 23Mɛbɔ ne so sɛ pɛe ama watim, ɔbɛyɛ anuonyam agua ama nʼagya fi. 24Nʼabusua anuonyam nyinaa begyina ne so: nʼasefo ne ne nenanom, ne nkuku ne nkaka, fi nsanka, mprɛte so kosi nhina nyinaa so.
25“Saa da no,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni, “pɛe a wɔabɔ so ama atim no, betu ahwe fam na nʼadesoa no nso asɛe, Awurade, akasa!”
