Worshiping Other Gods Brings Horrible Trouble
1A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah. It was about all the Jews living in Lower Egypt. They were living in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis. It was also about all the Jews living in Upper Egypt. 2The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He said, “You saw all the trouble I brought on Jerusalem. I also brought it on all the towns in Judah. Today they lie there deserted and destroyed. 3That’s because of the evil things their people did. They made me very angry. They burned incense to other gods. And they worshiped them. They and you and your people of long ago never knew those gods. 4Again and again I sent my servants the prophets. They said, ‘Don’t worship other gods! The Lord hates it!’ 5But the people didn’t listen. They didn’t pay any attention. They didn’t turn from their sinful ways. They didn’t stop burning incense to other gods. 6So my burning anger was poured out. It blazed out against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. It made them the dry and empty places they are today.”
7The Lord God who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, “Why do you want to bring all this trouble on yourselves? You are removing from Judah its men and women, its children and babies. Not one of you will be left. 8Why do you want to make me angry with the gods your hands have made? Why do you burn incense to the gods of Egypt, where you now live? You will destroy yourselves. All the nations on earth will use your name as a curse. They will say you are shameful. 9Have you forgotten the evil things done by your people of long ago? The kings and queens of Judah did those same things. So did you and your wives. They were done in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. 10To this day the people of Judah have not made themselves humble in my sight. They have not shown any respect for me. They have not obeyed my law. They have not followed the rules I gave you and your people of long ago.”
11The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, “I have decided to bring horrible trouble on you. I will destroy the whole land of Judah. 12I will destroy the people of Judah who are left. They had decided to go to Egypt and make their homes there. But all of them will die in Egypt. They will die of war or hunger. All of them will die, from the least important of them to the most important. They will die of war or hunger. People will use their name as a curse. They will be shocked at them. They will say bad things about them. And they will say they are shameful. 13I will use war, hunger and plague to punish the Jews who live in Egypt. I punished Jerusalem in the same way. 14None of the people of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape. Not one of them will live to return to Judah. They long to return and live there. But only a few will escape from Egypt and go back.”
15All the Jews who were living in Lower and Upper Egypt gathered to give Jeremiah their answer. A large crowd had come together. It included men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods. Their wives were there with them. All of them said to Jeremiah, 16“We won’t listen to the message you have spoken to us in the Lord’s name! 17We will certainly do everything we said we would. We’ll burn incense to the female god called the Queen of Heaven. We’ll pour out drink offerings to her. We’ll do just as we and our people of long ago have done. Our kings and our officials also did it. All of us did it in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food. We were well off. We didn’t suffer any harm. 18But then we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven. We stopped pouring out drink offerings to her. And ever since that time we haven’t had anything. Instead, we’ve been dying of war and hunger.”
19The women added, “We burned incense to the Queen of Heaven. We poured out drink offerings to her. And our husbands knew we were making cakes that looked like her. They knew we were pouring out drink offerings to her.”
20Then Jeremiah spoke to all the people who were answering him. He spoke to men and women alike. He said, 21“Didn’t the Lord know you were burning incense in the towns of Judah? Didn’t he care that you were also doing it in the streets of Jerusalem? You and your people of long ago were doing it. Your kings and officials were doing it too. So were the rest of the people in the land. 22The Lord couldn’t put up any longer with the evil things you were doing. He hated the things you did. So your land became a curse. It became a dry and empty desert. No one lived there. And that’s the way it still is today. 23You have burned incense to other gods. You have sinned against the Lord. You haven’t obeyed him or his law. You haven’t followed his rules. You haven’t lived up to the terms of the covenant he made with you. That’s why all this trouble has come on you. You have seen it with your own eyes.”
24Then Jeremiah spoke to all the people. That included the women. He said, “All you people of Judah in Egypt, listen to the Lord’s message. 25The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, ‘You and your wives have done what you promised you would do. You said, “We will certainly keep the promises we made to the Queen of Heaven. We’ll burn incense to her. We’ll pour out drink offerings to her.” ’
“Go ahead then. Do what you said you would! Keep your promises! 26But listen to the Lord’s message. Listen, all you Jews living in Egypt. ‘I make a promise by my own great name,’ says the Lord. ‘Here is what I promise. “No one from Judah who lives anywhere in Egypt will ever again pray in my name. None of them will ever make this promise. They will never say, ‘You can be sure that the Lord and King is alive.’ ” 27I am watching over them to do them harm and not good. The Jews in Egypt will die of war and hunger until all of them are destroyed. 28Some will not be killed. They will return to Judah from Egypt. But they will be very few. Then all the people of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know the truth. They will know whether what I say or what they say will come true.
29“ ‘I will give you a sign that I will punish you in this place,’ announces the Lord. ‘Then you can be sure that my warnings of harm against you will come true.’ 30The Lord says, ‘I am going to hand over Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt. I will hand him over to his enemies who want to kill him. In the same way, I handed over King Zedekiah to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. He was the enemy who wanted to kill Zedekiah.’ ”
Àjálù nítorí ṣinṣin òrìṣà
1Ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa tọ Jeremiah wá nípa àwọn Júù tí ń gbé ní ìsàlẹ̀ Ejibiti ní Migdoli, Tafanesi àti Memfisi àti ní apá òkè Ejibiti: 2“Èyí ni ohun tí Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun Ọlọ́run Israẹli wí: Wo ibi tí mo mú bá Jerusalẹmu àti gbogbo ìlú Juda. Lónìí, wọ́n wà ní ìyapa àti ìparun. 3Nítorí pé ibi tí wọ́n ti ṣe. Wọ́n mú mi bínú nípa tùràrí fínfín àti nípa bíbọ àwọn òrìṣà, yálà èyí tí ìwọ tàbí àwọn baba rẹ kò mọ̀. 4Ní ọ̀pọ̀lọpọ̀ ìgbà ní mo rán wòlíì mi, èyí tí ó wí báyìí pé, ‘Má ṣe àwọn ohun ìríra yìí tí èmi kórìíra.’ 5Ṣùgbọ́n wọn kò fetísílẹ̀ láti fi ọkàn si. Wọn kò sì yípadà kúrò nínú búburú wọn tàbí dáwọ́ ẹbọ sísun sí àwọn òrìṣà dúró. 6Fún ìdí èyí, ìbínú gbígbóná mi ni èmi yóò yọ sí àwọn ìlú Juda àti òpópó Jerusalẹmu àti sísọ wọ́n di ìparun bí ó ṣe wà lónìí yìí.
7“Báyìí tún ni Olúwa Ọlọ́run àwọn ọmọ-ogun Israẹli wí: Kí ló dé tí ẹ fi ń mu ibi ńlá yìí wá sí orí ara yín nípa yíyapa kúrò lára Juda ọkùnrin àti obìnrin, ọmọdé àti èwe, tí ẹ kò sì ku ọ̀kankan? 8Èéṣe tí ẹ fi mú mi bínú pẹ̀lú ohun tí ọwọ́ yín ṣe pẹ̀lú ẹbọ sísun sí àwọn òrìṣà Ejibiti, níbi tí ẹ wá láti máa gbé? Ẹ̀ ò pa ara yín run, ẹ̀ ó sì sọ ara yín di ẹni ìfiré àti ẹ̀gàn láàrín àwọn orílẹ̀-èdè ayé gbogbo. 9Ṣé ẹ̀yin ti gbàgbé ibi tí àwọn baba ńlá yín àti àwọn ọba; àwọn ayaba Juda, àti àwọn ibi tí ẹ ti ṣe àti àwọn ìyàwó yín ní ilẹ̀ Juda àti ní òpópó Jerusalẹmu? 10Láti ìgbà náà sí àkókò yìí, wọn kò rẹ ara wọn sílẹ̀ tàbí fi ìtẹríba hàn tàbí kí wọn ó tẹ̀lé òfin àti àṣẹ tí mo pa fún un yín àti àwọn baba yín.
11“Fún ìdí èyí, báyìí ni Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun, Ọlọ́run àwọn Israẹli wí: Mo ti pinnu láti mú ibi wá sí orí yín àti láti pa Juda run. 12Èmi yóò sì mú àwọn èérún tí ó kù ní Juda, tí wọ́n ṣetán láti lọ Ejibiti. Wọn yóò ṣubú pẹ̀lú idà tàbí kí wọn kú pẹ̀lú ìyàn láti orí ọmọdé títí dé àgbà ni wọn yóò kú láti ọwọ́ ìyàn tàbí idà. Wọn yóò di ẹni ìfiré àti ìparun, ẹni ẹ̀kọ̀ àti ẹni ẹ̀gàn. 13Èmi yóò fi ìyà jẹ ẹni tí ó bá ń gbé ní Ejibiti pẹ̀lú idà, ìyàn àti àjàkálẹ̀-ààrùn bí mo ṣe fi ìyà jẹ Jerusalẹmu. 14Kò sí èyí tí ó kéré jù nínú Juda tí ó kù, tí ó ń gbé ilẹ̀ Ejibiti tí yóò sá àsálà padà sórí ilẹ̀ Juda, èyí tí wọ́n nífẹ̀ẹ́ láti padà sí, àti láti máa gbé; àyàfi àwọn aṣàtìpó mélòó kan.”
15Lẹ́yìn èyí, gbogbo àwọn ọkùnrin tí ẹ bá mọ̀ pé, ìyàwó wọn sun tùràrí sí àwọn òrìṣà pẹ̀lú àwọn obìnrin tí ó bá wá àwọn ènìyàn púpọ̀, pàápàá àwọn ènìyàn tí wọ́n ń gbé ní òkè àti ìsàlẹ̀ Ejibiti, bẹ́ẹ̀ ni a wí fún Jeremiah. 16“Wọn sì wí pé: Àwa kò ní fetísílẹ̀ ọ̀rọ̀ tí o bá bá wa sọ ní orúkọ Olúwa. 17Dájúdájú; à ó ṣe gbogbo nǹkan tí a sọ pé à ò ṣe: A ó sun tùràrí sí ayaba ọ̀run; à ó sì da ohun mímu sílẹ̀ gẹ́gẹ́ bí ẹbọ sí àwa àti àwọn baba wa, àwọn ọba àti àwọn aláṣẹ ti ṣe ní àwọn ìlú Juda àti ni àwọn ìgboro Jerusalẹmu. Nígbà naà àwa ní oúnjẹ púpọ̀ a sì ṣe rere a kò sì rí ibi 18Ṣùgbọ́n láti ìgbà tí a ti dáwọ́ tùràrí sísun sí Ayaba Ọ̀run àti láti da ẹbọ ohun mímu fún un, àwa ti ṣaláìní ohun gbogbo, a sì run nípa idà àti nípa ìyàn.”
19Àwọn obìnrin náà fi kún un pé, “Nígbà tí à ń jó tùràrí sí ayaba ọ̀run, tí a sì ń fi ohun mímu rú ẹbọ si; ǹjẹ́ àwọn ọkọ wa kò mọ pé àwa ń ṣe àkàrà bí i, àwòrán rẹ, àti wí pé à ń da ọtí si gẹ́gẹ́ bi ohun ìrúbọ?”
20Wàyí o, Jeremiah sọ fún àwọn ọ̀pọ̀ ènìyàn náà, ọkùnrin àti obìnrin, tí wọn sì ń dáhùn pé, 21“Ṣe Ọlọ́run kò rántí ẹbọ sísun ní ìlú Juda àti àwọn ìgboro Jerusalẹmu láti ọ̀dọ̀ rẹ àti ọ̀dọ̀ àwọn baba rẹ, àwọn ọba àti àwọn aláṣẹ àti àwọn ènìyàn ìlú. 22Nígbà tí Ọlọ́run kò lè fi ara da ìwà búburú yín àti àwọn nǹkan ìríra gbogbo tí ẹ ṣe, ilẹ̀ yín sì di ohun ìfiré àti ìkọ̀sílẹ̀, láìsí olùgbé gẹ́gẹ́ bí ó ti ṣe wà lónìí. 23Nítorí pé ẹ ti sun ẹbọ, tí ẹ sì ti ṣẹ̀ sí Olúwa àti pé ẹ kò gbọ́rọ̀ sí i lẹ́nu, àti pé ẹ kò sì tẹ̀lé òfin rẹ̀ àti àwọn àṣẹ. Ibi náà yóò wá sórí rẹ àti bí o ṣe rí i.”
24Nígbà náà ni Jeremiah dáhùn pẹ̀lú obìnrin náà pé, “Gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa, ẹ̀yin ọmọ Juda tí ó wà ní Ejibiti. 25Èyí ni ọ̀rọ̀ tí Olúwa àwọn ọmọ-ogun Ọlọ́run Israẹli wí: Ìwọ àti àwọn Ìyàwó rẹ fihàn pẹ̀lú àwọn ìhùwà rẹ àti àwọn ohun tí ó ṣèlérí nígbà tí o wí pé, ‘Àwa yóò mú ẹ̀jẹ́ tí a jẹ́ ṣẹ lórí sísun tùràrí àti dída ẹbọ ohun mímu sí orí ère Ayaba Ọ̀run.’
“Tẹ̀síwájú nígbà náà, ṣe ohun tí o sọ, kí o sì mú ẹ̀jẹ́ rẹ ṣẹ. 26Ṣùgbọ́n gbọ́ ọ̀rọ̀ Olúwa Olódùmarè, gbogbo ẹ̀yin Júù tí ń gbé ilẹ̀ Ejibiti, mo gégùn ún: ‘Mo búra pẹ̀lú títóbi orúkọ mi,’ bẹ́ẹ̀ ni Olúwa, ‘wí pé, kò sí ẹnikẹ́ni láti Juda tí ń gbé ibikíbi ní Ejibiti ni tí ó gbọdọ̀ ké pe orúkọ mi tàbí búra. “Gẹ́gẹ́ bí Ọlọ́run tí ó dá wa ti wà láààyè.” 27Nítorí náà, èmi ó ṣọ wọ́n fún ibi, kì í ṣe fún rere. Àti gbogbo àwọn ọkùnrin Juda tí ó wà ní ilẹ̀ Ejibiti ni a ó parun pẹ̀lú idà àti ìyàn títí tí gbogbo wọn yóò fi tán. 28Àwọn tí ó bá sá àsálà kúrò lọ́wọ́ ìparun idà àti pípadà sí ilẹ̀ Juda láti Ejibiti yóò kéré níye. Gbogbo àwọn tí ó bá kú ní ilẹ̀ Juda, tí ó wá gbé ilẹ̀ Ejibiti yóò mọ ọ̀rọ̀ ẹni tí yóò dúró yálà tèmi tàbí tiyín.
29“ ‘Èyí ni yóò jẹ́ ààmì fún un yín pé èmi yóò fi ìyà jẹ yín níbi tí Olúwa ti sọ láti lè jẹ́ kí ẹ mọ̀ pé ìjìyà mi tí mo sọ pé ẹ̀ ó jẹ yóò ṣẹ.’ 30Báyìí ni Olúwa wí: ‘Èmi yóò fi Farao Hofira ọba Ejibiti lé àwọn ọ̀tá rẹ̀ lọ́wọ́, èyí tí ó lè pa ayé rẹ́; gẹ́gẹ́ bí mo ti fi Sedekiah ọba Juda lé Nebukadnessari ọba Babeli lọ́wọ́ ọ̀tá tó ń lépa ẹ̀mí rẹ̀.’ ”
