No One Is Honest
1The Lord says, “Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem.
Look around.
Think about what you see.
Search through the market.
See if you can find one honest person who tries to be truthful.
If you can, I will forgive this city.
2They make their promises in my name.
They say, ‘You can be sure that the Lord is alive.’
But their promises can’t be trusted.”
3Lord, don’t your eyes look for truth?
You struck down your people.
But they didn’t feel any pain.
You crushed them.
But they refused to be corrected.
They made their faces harder than stone.
They refused to turn away from their sins.
4I thought, “The people of
Jerusalem are foolish.
They don’t know how the Lord wants them to live.
They don’t know what their God requires of them.
5So I will go to the leaders.
I’ll speak to them.
They should know how the Lord wants them to live.
They must know what their God requires of them.”
But all of them had broken off the yoke the Lord had put on them.
They had torn off the ropes he had tied them up with.
6So a lion from the forest will attack them.
A wolf from the desert will destroy them.
A leopard will hide and wait near their towns.
It will tear to pieces anyone who dares to go out.
Again and again they have refused to obey the Lord.
They have turned away from him many times.
7The Lord says, “Jerusalem, why should I forgive you?
Your people have deserted me.
They have made their promises in the names of gods
that are not really gods at all.
I supplied everything they needed.
But they committed adultery.
Large crowds went to the houses of prostitutes.
8Your people are like stallions that have plenty to eat.
Their sinful desires are out of control.
Each of them goes after another man’s wife.
9Shouldn’t I punish them for this?”
announces the Lord.
“Shouldn’t I pay back the nation
that does these things?
10“Armies of Babylon, go through their vineyards and destroy them.
But do not destroy them completely.
Strip off their branches.
These people do not belong to me.
11The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have not been faithful to me at all,”
announces the Lord.
12They have told lies about the Lord.
They said, “He won’t do anything!
No harm will come to us.
We will never see war or be hungry.
13The prophets are nothing but wind.
Their message doesn’t come from the Lord.
So let what they say will happen be done to them.”
14The Lord God rules over all. He says to me,
“The people have spoken these words.
So my words will be like fire in your mouth.
I will make the people like wood.
And the fire will burn them up.”
15“People of Israel, listen to me,”
announces the Lord.
“I am bringing against you
a nation from far away.
It is an old nation. And it will last for a long time.
Its people speak a language you do not know.
You can’t understand what they are saying.
16The bags they carry their arrows in are like an open grave.
All their soldiers are mighty.
17They will eat up your crops and your food.
They will strike down your sons and daughters.
They will kill your sheep and cattle.
They will destroy your vines and fig trees.
You trust in your cities that have high walls around them.
But the people in them will be killed by swords.
18“In spite of that, even in those days I will not destroy you completely,” announces the Lord. 19“ ‘Jeremiah,’ the people will ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ Then you will tell them, ‘You have deserted the Lord. You have served other gods in your own land. So now you will serve another nation in a land that is not your own.’
20“Here is what I want you to announce
to the people of Jacob.
Tell it in Judah.
Tell them I say,
21‘Listen to this, you foolish people,
who do not have any sense.
You have eyes, but you do not see.
You have ears, but you do not hear.
22Shouldn’t you have respect for me?’
announces the Lord.
‘Shouldn’t you tremble with fear in front of me?
I made the sand to hold the ocean back.
It will do that forever.
The ocean can’t go past it.
The waves might roll, but they can’t sweep over it.
They might roar, but they can’t go across it.
23But you people have stubborn hearts.
You refuse to obey me.
You have turned away from me.
You have gone astray.
24You do not say to yourselves,
“Let us have respect for the Lord our God.
He sends rain in the fall and the spring.
He promises us that the harvest will come
at the same time each year.”
25But the things you have done wrong
have robbed you of these gifts.
Your sins have kept these good things
far away from you.’
26“Jeremiah, some of my people are evil.
They hide and wait just as people hide to catch birds.
They set traps for people.
27A hunter uses tricks to fill his cage with birds.
And my people have filled their houses with a lot of goods.
They have become rich and powerful.
28They have grown fat and heavy.
There is no limit to the evil things they do.
In court they do not seek justice.
They don’t protect the rights of children whose fathers have died.
They do not stand up for poor people.
29Shouldn’t I punish them for this?”
announces the Lord.
“Shouldn’t I pay back the
nation that does these things?
30“Something horrible and shocking
has happened in the land.
31The prophets prophesy lies.
The priests rule by their own authority.
And my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?”
Obiara Nyɛ Ɔteneneeni
1“Monni akɔneaba wɔ Yerusalem mmɔntene so,
monhwɛ mo ho nhyia nhwɛ,
monhwehwɛ adwaberem nyinaa.
Sɛ mohunu onipa baako mpo a
ɔyɛ pɛ na ɔdi nokorɛ a,
mede kuropɔn yi ho bɛkyɛ no.
2Ɛwom sɛ wɔka sɛ, ‘Sɛ Awurade te ase yi,’
nanso wɔda so ka ntam hunu.”
3Ao Awurade, wopɛ nokorɛ enti
wobɔɔ wɔn hwee fam, nanso wɔante yea biara;
wodwerɛɛ wɔn, nanso wɔpoo ntenesoɔ.
Wɔyɛɛ wɔn anim denden kyenee ɔboɔ
na wɔpoo ahunu.
4Mesusuu sɛ, “Yeinom nko ara ne ahiafoɔ no;
wɔyɛ nkwaseafoɔ nso,
ɛfiri sɛ wɔnnim Awurade akwan,
deɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ.
5Enti mɛkɔ ntuanofoɔ no nkyɛn
akɔkasa akyerɛ wɔn;
ampa ara wɔnim Awurade akwan
deɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn hwehwɛ.”
Nanso wɔn nso de adwene korɔ abubu kɔnnua no
atete nkyehoma no mu.
6Ɛno enti gyata bi a ɔfiri kwaeɛm bɛto ahyɛ wɔn so,
pataku bi a ɔfiri anweatam so bɛtete wɔn mu.
Ɔsebɔ bi bɛtɛ wɔn abɛn wɔn nkuro
na obiara a ɔbɛyi ne ti no ɔbɛtete ne mu nketenkete,
ɛfiri sɛ wɔn adɔnyɛ no ano yɛ den
na wɔn akyirisane aboro so.
7“Adɛn enti na ɛsɛ sɛ mede mo ho kyɛ mo?
Mo mma apo me
wɔde anyame a wɔnyɛ anyame aka ntam.
Memaa wɔn deɛ wɔhia nyinaa,
nanso, wɔbɔɔ adwamam
na wɔbɔɔ yuu kɔɔ adwamanfoɔ afie mu.
8Mpɔnkɔnini aniberefoɔ a wɔhwɛ wɔn yie,
wɔn mu biara su di ne yɔnko yere akyi.
9Ɛnsɛ sɛ metwe wɔn aso wɔ yei ho?”
Sei na Awurade seɛ.
“Ɛnsɛ sɛ mʼankasa metɔ
ɔman a ɛte sei so were anaa?
10“Momfa ne bobe nturo no mu na monsɛe no,
nanso monnsɛe no koraa.
Mompempan ne mman no,
ɛfiri sɛ saa nnipa yi nyɛ Awurade dea.
11Israel fiefoɔ ne Yuda fiefoɔ
anni me nokorɛ koraa,”
Awurade na ɔseɛ.
12Wɔadi atorɔ afa Awurade ho,
wɔkaa sɛ, “Ɔrenyɛ hwee!
Ɔhaw biara remma yɛn so;
yɛrenhunu akofena anaa ɛkɔm da.
13Adiyifoɔ no yɛ mframa bi kɛkɛ
na asɛm no nte wɔn mu;
enti momma deɛ wɔka no mmra wɔn so.”
14Enti yei ne deɛ Asafo Awurade, Onyankopɔn seɛ:
“Esiane sɛ nnipa no aka saa nsɛm yi enti,
mɛyɛ me nsɛm a ɛwɔ wʼanomu no ogya
na saa nnipa yi ayɛ nnyina a ogya no bɛhye.
15Ao, Israel fiefoɔ,” Awurade na ɔseɛ,
“Mede ɔman bi a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri rebɛtia wo,
tete ɔman a ɛyɛ ɔmantease,
nnipa a monnim wɔn kasa,
na monnte wɔn kasa ase.
16Wɔn agyan mmɔtɔwa te sɛ damena a ano da hɔ;
wɔn nyinaa yɛ nnɔmmarima.
17Wɔbɛsɛe mo nnɔbaeɛ ne mo aduane,
asɛe mo mmammarima ne mo mmammaa;
wɔbɛsɛe mo nnwankuo ne mo anantwikuo,
asɛe mo bobe ne mo mmɔrɔdɔma.
Wɔde akofena bɛsɛe
nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ banbɔ a mode mo werɛ ahyɛ mu no.
18“Afei saa nna no mu mpo,” sei na Awurade seɛ, “Merensɛe mo korakora. 19Na sɛ nnipa no bisa sɛ, ‘Adɛn enti na Awurade, yɛn Onyankopɔn, ayɛ yɛn sei’ a, mobɛka akyerɛ wɔn sɛ, ‘Sɛdeɛ moagya me hɔ akɔsom ananafoɔ anyame wɔ mo ankasa mo asase so no, saa ara na seesei mobɛsom ananafoɔ wɔ asase a ɛnyɛ mo dea so.’
20“Monka yei nkyerɛ Yakob fiefoɔ
na mo mpae mu nka wɔ Yuda sɛ:
21Montie, mo nkwaseafoɔ ne nnipa a monni adwene,
mowɔ ani nso monhunu adeɛ,
na mowɔ aso nso monte asɛm:
22Ɛnsɛ sɛ mosuro me anaa?” Sei na Awurade seɛ.
“Ɛnsɛ sɛ mo ho popo wɔ mʼanim anaa?
Mede anwea ato hyeɛ ama ɛpo,
ɛhyeɛ a ɛwɔ hɔ daa a ɛrentumi ntra.
Asorɔkye bɛbɔ nanso ɛrentumi mmu mfa so;
ɛbɛhuru so nanso ɛrentumi ntra.
23Nanso, saa nnipa yi wɔ asoɔden ne atuateɛ akoma;
wɔatwe wɔn ho afiri me ho kɔ.
24Wɔnnka nkyerɛ wɔn ho sɛ,
‘Momma yɛnsuro Awurade yɛn Onyankopɔn,
a ɔma osu tɔ wɔ ne mmerɛ mu,
deɛ ɔma yɛn awerɛhyɛmu wɔ ɔtwaberɛ nnapɛn a wahyɛ no ho.’
25Mo amumuyɛ abɔ yeinom agu;
mo bɔne ama adepa abɔ mo.
26“Amumuyɛfoɔ bi wɔ me nkurɔfoɔ yi mu
a wɔtɛ sɛ nnipa a wɔsum nnomaa afidie,
na wɔte sɛ wɔn a wɔsum mfidie yi nnipa.
27Sɛdeɛ nnomaa ahyɛ kɛntɛn ma no
saa ara na nsisie ahyɛ wɔn afie ma;
wɔayeyɛ adefoɔ na wɔanya tumi.
28Wɔadodɔre sradeɛ ama wɔn ho ayɛ srasra.
Wɔn amumuyɛsɛm no nni awieeɛ;
wɔnnka nwisiaa asɛm mma wɔn nni bem,
na wɔmmɔ ahiafoɔ tumi ho ban.
29Ɛnsɛ sɛ metwe wɔn aso wɔ yeinom ho anaa?”
Sei na Awurade seɛ.
“Ɛnsɛ sɛ mʼankasa metɔ
ɔman a ɛte sei so were anaa?
30“Adeɛ a ɛyɛ hu ne ahodwirie
asi wɔ asase no so:
31Adiyifoɔ no hyɛ nkɔntorɔ,
asɔfoɔ no de wɔn dibea di tumi,
na me nkurɔfoɔ no pɛ no saa ara.
Nanso awieeɛ no, ɛdeɛn na wobɛyɛ?”
