The Lord Judges Evil Kings
1The Lord said to Jeremiah, “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah. Announce my message there. Tell him, 2‘King of Judah, listen to the Lord’s message. You are sitting on David’s throne. You and your officials and your people come through these gates. 3The Lord says, “Do what is fair and right. Save those who have been robbed. Set them free from the people who have treated them badly. Do not do anything wrong to outsiders or widows in this place. Do not harm children whose fathers have died. Do not kill those who are not guilty of doing anything wrong. 4Be careful to obey these commands. Then kings who sit on David’s throne will come through the gates of this palace. They will come riding in chariots and on horses. Their officials and their people will come along with them. 5But suppose you do not obey these commands,” announces the Lord. “Then I promise you that this palace will be destroyed. You can be as sure of this promise as you are sure that I live.” ’ ”
6The Lord speaks about the palace of the king of Judah. He says,
“You are like the land of Gilead to me.
You are like the highest mountain in Lebanon.
But I will make you like a desert.
You will become like towns that no one lives in.
7I will send destroyers against you.
All of them will come with their weapons.
They will cut up your fine cedar beams.
They will throw them into the fire.
8“People from many nations will pass by this city. They will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’ 9And the answer will be, ‘This happened because of what its people have done. They have turned away from the covenant the Lord their God made with them. They have worshiped other gods. And they have served them.’ ”
10Don’t weep over dead King Josiah.
Don’t be sad because he’s gone.
Instead, weep bitterly over King Jehoahaz.
He was forced to leave his country.
He will never return.
He’ll never see his own land again.
11Jehoahaz became king of Judah after his father Josiah. But he has gone away from this place. That’s because the Lord says about him, “He will never return. 12He will die in Egypt. That is where he was taken as a prisoner. He will not see this land again.”
13The Lord says, “How terrible it will be for King Jehoiakim!
He builds his palace
by mistreating his people.
He builds its upstairs rooms
with money gained by sinning.
He makes his own people work for nothing.
He does not pay them for what they do.
14He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace.
It will have large rooms upstairs.’
So he makes big windows in it.
He covers its walls with cedar boards.
He decorates it with red paint.
15“Jehoiakim, does having more and more cedar boards
make you a king?
Your father Josiah had enough to eat and drink.
He did what was right and fair.
So everything went well with him.
16He stood up for those who were poor or needy.
So everything went well with him.
That is what it means to know me,”
announces the Lord.
17“Jehoiakim, the only thing on your mind
is to get rich by cheating others.
You would even kill people who are not guilty
of doing anything wrong.
You would mistreat them.
You would take everything they own.”
18So the Lord speaks about King Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah. He says,
“His people will not mourn for him.
They will not say,
‘My poor brother! My poor sister!’
They will not mourn for him.
They will not say,
‘My poor master! How sad that his glory is gone!’
19In fact, he will be buried like a donkey.
His body will be dragged away and thrown
outside the gates of Jerusalem.”
20The Lord says, “People of Jerusalem, go up to Lebanon.
Cry out for help.
Let your voice be heard in the land of Bashan.
Cry out from the mountains of Abarim.
All those who were going to help you are crushed.
21When you felt secure, I warned you.
But you said, ‘I won’t listen!’
You have acted like that ever since you were young.
You have not obeyed me.
22The wind will drive away all your shepherds.
All those who were going to help you will be carried off as prisoners.
Then you will be dishonored and put to shame.
That will happen because you have been so sinful.
23Some of you live in Jerusalem in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.
You are comfortable in your cedar buildings.
But you will groan when pain comes on you.
It will be like the pain of a woman having a baby.
24“King Jehoiachin, you are the son of Jehoiakim,” announces the Lord. “Suppose you were a ring on my right hand. And suppose the ring even had my royal mark on it. Then I would still pull you off my finger. And that is just as sure as I am alive. 25I will hand you over to those who want to kill you. I will hand you over to people you are afraid of. I will give you to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. I will hand you over to his armies. 26I will throw you out into another country. I will throw your mother out. Neither of you was born in that country. But both of you will die there. 27You will never come back to the land you long to return to.”
28This man Jehoiachin is like a broken pot.
Everyone hates him. No one wants him.
Why will he and his children be thrown out of this land?
Why will they be sent to a land
they don’t know about?
29Land, land, land,
listen to the Lord’s message!
30The Lord says,
“Let the record say that this man did not have any children.
Let it report that he did not have any success in life.
None of his children will have success either.
None of them will sit on David’s throne.
None of them will ever rule over Judah.
Ìdájọ́ fún àwọn ọba búburú
1Báyìí ni Olúwa wí, “Sọ̀kalẹ̀ lọ sí ààfin ọba Juda, kí o sì sọ ọ̀rọ̀ yìí níbẹ̀: 2‘Gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa ìwọ ọba Juda, tí ó jókòó ní ìtẹ́ Dafidi, ìwọ, àwọn ènìyàn rẹ àti àwọn ìránṣẹ́ rẹ, tí ó wọlé láti ẹnu ibodè wọ̀nyí. 3Báyìí ni Olúwa wí: Ṣé ohun tí ó jẹ́ òtítọ́ tí ó sì yẹ, kí o sì gba ẹni tí a fi ẹ̀tọ́ rẹ̀ dù ú kúrò lọ́wọ́ aninilára. Kí ó má ṣe fi agbára àti ìkà lé àlejò, aláìní baba, tàbí opó, ìwọ kò sì gbọdọ̀ ta ẹ̀jẹ̀ aláìṣẹ̀ sílẹ̀ níbí yìí. 4Nítorí bí ẹ̀yin bá tẹ̀lé àṣẹ wọ̀nyí, nígbà náà ni àwọn ọba tí ó jókòó lórí ìtẹ́ Dafidi yóò gba inú ààfin láti ẹnu-ọ̀nà, wọn yóò gun kẹ̀kẹ́ àti ẹṣin, àwọn àti ìránṣẹ́ wọn àti àwọn ènìyàn wọn. 5Ṣùgbọ́n bí ẹ̀yin kò bá tẹ̀lé àṣẹ wọ̀nyí, mo búra fúnra mi pé ààfin yìí yóò di ìparun ni Olúwa wí.’ ”
6Nítorí báyìí ni Olúwa wí, nípa ààfin ọba Juda,
“Bí ó tilẹ̀ jẹ́ wí pé ìwọ dàbí Gileadi sí mi,
gẹ́gẹ́ bí góńgó òkè Lebanoni,
dájúdájú Èmi yóò sọ ọ́ di aṣálẹ̀,
àní gẹ́gẹ́ bí ìlú tí a kò gbé inú wọn.
7Èmi ó ya àwọn apanirun sọ́tọ̀ fún ọ,
olúkúlùkù ọkùnrin pẹ̀lú ohun ìjà rẹ̀,
wọn yóò sì gé àṣàyàn igi kedari rẹ lulẹ̀,
wọn ó sì kó wọn jù sínú iná.
8“Àwọn ènìyàn láti ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ orílẹ̀-èdè yóò rékọjá lẹ́bàá ìlú yìí wọn yóò sì máa bi ara wọn léèrè pé, ‘Èéṣe tí Olúwa ṣe irú èyí sí ìlú ńlá yìí?’ 9Ìdáhùn wọn yóò sì jẹ́: ‘Nítorí tí wọ́n ti kọ májẹ̀mú Olúwa Ọlọ́run wọn sílẹ̀, wọn ti ń fi orí balẹ̀ fún ọlọ́run mìíràn, wọ́n sì sìn wọ́n.’ ”
10Nítorí náà má ṣe sọkún nítorí ọba tí ó ti kú tàbí ṣọ̀fọ̀ fún àdánù rẹ̀,
ṣùgbọ́n ẹ sọkún kíkorò fún ẹni tí a lé kúrò nílùú
nítorí kì yóò padà wá mọ́
tàbí fi ojú rí ilẹ̀ tí a ti bí i.
11Nítorí báyìí ni Olúwa wí, nípa Ṣallumu ọmọ Josiah ọba Juda tí ó jẹ ọba lẹ́yìn baba rẹ̀, ṣùgbọ́n tí ó jáde kúrò níhìn-ín: “Òun kì yóò padà wá mọ́. 12Yóò kú ni ibi tí a mú u ní ìgbèkùn lọ, kì yóò sì rí ilẹ̀ yìí mọ́.”
13“Ègbé ni fún ẹni tí a kọ́ ààfin rẹ̀ lọ́nà àìṣòdodo,
àti àwọn yàrá òkè rẹ̀ lọ́nà àìtọ́
tí ó mú kí àwọn ará ìlú rẹ ṣiṣẹ́ lásán
láìsan owó iṣẹ́ wọn fún wọn.
14Ó wí pé, ‘Èmi ó kọ́ ààfin ńlá fún ara mi
àwọn yàrá òkè tí ó fẹ̀,
ojú fèrèsé rẹ̀ yóò tóbi.’
A ó sì fi igi kedari bò ó,
a ó fi ohun aláwọ̀ pupa ṣe é ní ọ̀ṣọ́.
15“Ìwọ ó ha jẹ ọba
kí ìwọ kí ó lè ní ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ igi kedari?
Baba rẹ kò ha ní ohun jíjẹ àti mímu?
Ó ṣe ohun tí ó tọ́ àti òdodo,
nítorí náà ó dára fún un.
16Ó gbèjà òtòṣì àti aláìní,
ohun gbogbo sì dára fún un.
Bí a ti mọ̀ mí kọ́ ni èyí?”
ni Olúwa wí.
17“Ṣùgbọ́n ojú rẹ àti ọkàn rẹ
wà lára èrè àìṣòótọ́
láti ta ẹ̀jẹ̀ aláìṣẹ̀ sílẹ̀
ìnilára àti ìlọ́nilọ́wọ́gbà.”
18Nítorí náà báyìí ni Olúwa wí, nípa Jehoiakimu ọmọ Josiah ọba Juda:
“Wọn kì yóò ṣọ̀fọ̀ fún un:
wí pé, ‘Ó ṣe, arákùnrin mi! Ó ṣe, arábìnrin mi!’
Wọn kì yóò ṣọ̀fọ̀ fún un:
wí pé, ‘Ó ṣe, olúwa tàbí ó ṣe ọlọ́lá!’
19A ó sin òkú rẹ̀ bí i kẹ́tẹ́kẹ́tẹ́
tí a wọ́ sọnù láti ẹnu ibodè
Jerusalẹmu.”
20“Gòkè lọ sí Lebanoni, kígbe síta
kí a sì gbọ́ ohùn rẹ ní Baṣani,
kí o kígbe sókè láti Abarimu,
nítorí a ti ṣẹ́ gbogbo olùfẹ́ rẹ túútúú.
21Èmi ti kìlọ̀ fún ọ nígbà tí o rò pé kò séwu,
ṣùgbọ́n o sọ pé, ‘Èmi kì yóò fetísílẹ̀!’
Èyí ni iṣẹ́ rẹ láti ìgbà èwe rẹ,
ìwọ kò fìgbà kan gba ohùn mi gbọ́.
22Ẹ̀fúùfù yóò lé gbogbo àwọn olùṣọ́-àgùntàn rẹ̀ lọ,
gbogbo àwọn olùfẹ́ rẹ yóò lọ sí ìgbèkùn,
nígbà náà ni a ó kẹ́gàn rẹ, ojú yóò tì ọ́
nítorí gbogbo ìwà búburú rẹ.
23Ìwọ tí ń gbé ‘Lebanoni,’
tí ó tẹ́ ìtẹ́ sí orí igi kedari,
ìwọ yóò ti kérora pẹ́ tó, nígbà tí ìrora bá dé bá ọ,
ìrora bí i ti obìnrin tí ń rọbí!
24“Dájúdájú bí èmi ti wà láààyè,” ni Olúwa wí, “Bí Koniah ọmọ Jehoiakimu ọba Juda tilẹ̀ jẹ́ òrùka èdìdì lọ́wọ́ ọ̀tún mi, síbẹ̀ èmi ó fà ọ́ tu kúrò níbẹ̀. 25Èmi ó sì fà ọ́ lé ọwọ́ àwọn tí ó ń wá ẹ̀mí rẹ, àwọn tí ìwọ bẹ̀rù, àní lé ọwọ́ Nebukadnessari, ọba Babeli àti ọwọ́ àwọn ará Babeli. 26Èmi ó fi ìwọ àti ìyá tí ó bí ọ sọ̀kò sí ilẹ̀ mìíràn, níbi tí a kò bí ẹnikẹ́ni nínú yín sí. Níbẹ̀ ni ẹ̀yin méjèèjì yóò kú sí. 27Ẹ̀yin kì yóò padà sí ilẹ̀ tí ẹ̀yin fẹ́ mọ́ láéláé.”
28Ǹjẹ́ Jehoiakini ẹni ẹ̀gàn yàtọ̀ sí ìkòkò òfìfo,
ohun èlò tí ẹnìkan kò fẹ́?
Èéṣe tí a fi òun àti àwọn ọmọ rẹ̀ sókè
sí ilẹ̀ tí wọn kò mọ̀.
29Ìwọ ilẹ̀, ilẹ̀, ilẹ̀,
gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa!
30Báyìí ni Olúwa wí:
“Kọ àkọsílẹ̀ ọkùnrin yìí sínú ìwé gẹ́gẹ́ bí aláìlọ́mọ,
ẹni tí kì yóò ṣe rere ní ọjọ́ ayé rẹ̀;
nítorí ọ̀kan nínú irú-ọmọ rẹ̀ kì yóò ṣe rere,
èyíkéyìí wọn kì yóò jókòó lórí ìtẹ́ Dafidi
tàbí jẹ ọba ní Juda mọ́.”
