The Babylonians Will Attack Jerusalem
1The Lord says, “People of Benjamin, run for safety!
Run away from Jerusalem!
Blow trumpets in the city of Tekoa!
Warn everyone in Beth Hakkerem!
Horrible trouble is coming from the north.
The Babylonians will destroy everything with awful power.
2I will destroy the city of Zion,
even though it is very beautiful.
3Shepherds will come against it with their flocks.
They will set up their tents around it.
All of them will take care of their own sheep.”
4The Babylonians say, “Prepare for battle against Judah!
Get up! Let’s attack them at noon!
But the daylight is fading.
The shadows of evening are getting longer.
5So get up! Let’s attack them at night!
Let’s destroy their strongest forts!”
6The Lord who rules over all speaks to the Babylonians. He says,
“Cut down some trees.
Use the wood to build ramps against Jerusalem’s walls.
I must punish that city.
It is filled with people who treat others badly.
7Wells keep giving fresh water.
And Jerusalem keeps on sinning.
Its people are always fighting and causing trouble.
When I look at them,
I see nothing but sickness and wounds.
8Jerusalem, listen to my warning.
If you do not, I will turn away from you.
Your land will become a desert.
No one will be able to live there.”
9The Lord rules over all. He says to me,
“People gather the few grapes left on a vine.
So let Israel’s enemies gather the few people left alive in the land
Look carefully at the branches again.
Do this like someone who gathers the last few grapes.”
10Who can I speak to? Who can I warn?
Who will even listen to me?
Their ears are closed
so they can’t hear.
The Lord’s message displeases them.
They don’t take any delight in it.
11But the Lord’s anger burns inside me.
I can no longer hold it in.
The Lord says to me, “Pour out my anger on the children in the street.
Pour it out on the young men who are gathered together.
Husband and wife alike will be caught in it.
So will those who are very old.
12I will reach out my hand
against those who live in the land,”
announces the Lord.
“Then their houses will be turned over to others.
So will their fields and their wives.
13Everyone wants to get richer and richer,
from the least important of them to the most important.
Prophets and priests alike
try to fool everyone they can.
14They bandage the wounds of my people
as if they were not very deep.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say.
But there isn’t any peace.
15Are they ashamed of their hateful actions?
No. They do not feel any shame at all.
They do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall like others who have already fallen.
They will be brought down when I punish them,”
says the Lord.
16The Lord tells the people of Judah,
“Stand where the roads cross, and look around.
Ask where the old paths are.
Ask for the good path, and walk on it.
Then your hearts will find rest in me.
But you said, ‘We won’t walk on it.’
17I appointed prophets to warn you. I said,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpets!’
But you said, ‘We won’t listen.’
18So pay attention, you nations.
You are witnesses for me.
Watch what will happen to my people.
19Earth, pay attention.
I am going to bring trouble on them.
I will punish them because of the evil things they have done.
They have not listened to my words.
They have said no to my law.
20What do I care about incense from the land of Sheba?
Why should I bother with sweet-smelling cane from a land far away?
I do not accept your burnt offerings.
Your sacrifices do not please me.”
21So the Lord says,
“I will bring an army against the people of Judah.
Parents and children alike will trip and fall.
Neighbors and friends will die.”
22The Lord says to Jerusalem,
“Look! An army is coming
from the land of the north.
I am stirring up a great nation.
Its army is coming from a land that is very far away.
23Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.
They are mean. They do not show any mercy at all.
They come riding in on their horses.
They sound like the roaring ocean.
They are lined up for battle.
They are marching out
to attack you, city of Zion.”
24We have heard reports about them.
And our hands can’t help us.
We are suffering greatly.
It’s like the pain of a woman having a baby.
25Don’t go out to the fields.
Don’t walk on the roads.
Our enemies have swords.
And there is terror on every side.
26My people, put on the clothes of sadness.
Roll among the ashes.
Mourn with bitter weeping
just as you would mourn for an only son.
The one who is going to destroy us
will come suddenly.
27The Lord says to me, “I have made you like one who tests metals.
My people are the ore.
I want you to watch them
and test the way they live.
28All of them are used to disobeying me.
They go around telling lies about others.
They are like bronze mixed with iron.
All of them do very sinful things.
29The fire is made very hot
so the lead will burn away.
But it is impossible to make these people pure.
Those who are evil are not removed.
30They are like silver that is thrown away.
That is because I have not accepted them.”
Atamfo Atwa Yerusalem Ho Ahyia
1“Benyaminfo, munguan nkɔbɔ mo ho aguaa!
Munguan mfi Yerusalem!
Monhyɛn torobɛnto no wɔ Tekoa!
Munsi frankaa no wɔ Bet-Hakerem!
Efisɛ amanehunu bobɔw fi atifi fam,
ɔsɛe bi a ɛyɛ hu.
2Mɛsɛe Ɔbabea Sion,
ɔhoɔfɛfo sɔɔnɔ no.
3Nguanhwɛfo ne wɔn nguankuw bɛba abetia no;
wobesisi wɔn ntamadan atwa ne ho ahyia,
wɔn mu biara bɛhwɛ ne kyɛfa so.”
4“Munsiesie mo ho ne no nkɔko!
Monsɔre, momma yɛnkɔtow nhyɛ ne so owigyinae!
Nanso hwɛ, onwini redwo,
na anwummere sunsuma reware.
5Enti monsɔre, momma yɛnkɔtow nhyɛ ne so anadwo
na yɛnsɛe nʼaban ahorow!”
6Nea Asafo Awurade se ni:
“Muntwitwa nnua no ngu fam
na muntwa Yerusalem ho dantaban.
Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔtwe kuropɔn yi aso;
nhyɛso ahyɛ no ma.
7Sɛnea abura puw ne nsu no,
saa ara na opuw nʼamumɔyɛ.
Wɔte awurukasɛm ne ɔsɛe nka wɔ ne mu;
ne yare ne nʼapirakuru wɔ mʼanim daa.
8Fa kɔkɔbɔ, Yerusalem,
anyɛ saa metwe me ho afi wo ho
na mama wʼasase ada mpan
a obiara ntumi ntena so.”
9Nea Asafo Awurade se ni:
“Ma wonyiyi Israel nkae no mu yiye
sɛnea woyiyi bobe mu yiye no;
fa wo nsa fa mman no so bio,
sɛ obi a ɔretetew bobe aba.”
10Hena na metumi akasa akyerɛ no na mabɔ no kɔkɔ?
Hena na obetie me?
Wɔn aso asisiw
enti wɔnte asɛm.
Awurade asɛm yɛ akyiwade ma wɔn,
na wɔn ani nnye ho.
11Nanso Awurade abufuwhyew ahyɛ me ma,
na mintumi nkora so.
“Hwie gu mmofra a wɔwɔ mmɔnten so
ne mmerante a wɔahyia;
ɛbɛka okunu ne ɔyere,
mmasiriwa, wɔn a onyin ahunhuan wɔn no so.
12Wɔbɛdan wɔn afi ama afoforo,
wɔn mfuw ne wɔn yerenom bɛka ho;
sɛ meteɛ me nsa
wɔ wɔn a wɔte asase no so a,”
sɛnea Awurade se ni.
13“Efi akumaa so kosi ɔkɛse so,
wɔn nyinaa yɛ adifudepɛfo de pɛ ahonya;
adiyifo ne asɔfo te saa,
wɔn nyinaa yɛ asisifo.
14Wɔtoto me nkurɔfo apirakuru
te sɛnea ɛnyɛ hu.
Wɔka se, ‘Asomdwoe, asomdwoe’
wɔ mmere a asomdwoe nni hɔ.
15Wɔn ani wu wɔ wɔn animguase nneyɛe no ho ana?
Dabi da, wɔn ani nnwu koraa;
wonnim fɛre mpo.
Enti wɔbɛtotɔ wɔ atɔfo mu;
wɔbɛhwehwe ase, sɛ metwe wɔn aso a,”
sɛnea Awurade se ni.
16Eyi ne nea Awurade se,
“Munnyina nkwantanan no so na monhwɛ;
mummisa tete akwan no,
mummisa faako a ɔkwan pa no da na monnantew so,
na mubenya home ama mo akra.
Nanso mokae se, ‘yɛnnantew so.’
17Mede awɛmfo sisii mo so na mekae se,
‘Muntie torobɛnto nnyigyei no!’
Nanso mokae se, ‘Yɛrentie.’
18Ɛno nti monyɛ aso, mo amanaman;
mo a moyɛ nnansefo, monhwɛ,
monhwɛ nea ɛbɛto wɔn.
19Tie, wo asase:
Mede amanehunu reba saa nnipa yi so,
wɔn nneyɛe so aba,
efisɛ wɔantie me nsɛm
na wɔapo me mmara.
20Nnuhuam a efi Seba
anaa ahwerew pa a efi akyirikyiri asase so fa me ho bɛn?
Minnye wo hyew afɔre no nto mu,
wʼafɔrebɔ ahorow no nsɔ mʼani.”
21Ɛno nti, nea Awurade se ni:
“Mede akwanside begu saa nkurɔfo yi anim.
Agyanom ne mmabarima nyinaa behintiw wɔ so;
yɔnkonom ne nnamfonom bɛyera.”
22Sɛnea Awurade se ni:
“Monhwɛ, nsraadɔm bi reba,
wofi atifi fam asase so;
wɔrehwanyan wɔn
afi nsase ano.
23Wokurakura bɛmma ne mpeaw;
wɔn tirim yɛ den, na wonni ahummɔbɔ.
Wɔn nnyigyei te sɛ po asorɔkye.
Sɛ wɔtete wɔn apɔnkɔ so a,
wɔba te sɛ mmarima a wɔrekɔ ɔko.
Wɔrebɛtow ahyɛ wo so, Ɔbabea Sion.”
24Yɛate wɔn ho nsɛm,
na yɛn nsa sesa yɛn ho sɛ nea awuwu.
Awerɛhow akyekyere yɛn
yɛte yaw sɛ ɔbea a ɔreko awo.
25Mfi adi nkɔ wuram
na nnantew akwan no so,
efisɛ ɔtamfo no wɔ afoa,
na baabiara ayɛ hu.
26Me nkurɔfo, mumfura atweaatam
na mommunummunum wɔ nsõ mu,
momfa adwadwotwa yaayaw nni awerɛhow
sɛnea wosu ma ɔbabarima koro,
efisɛ ɔsɛefo no
bɛba yɛn so mpofirim.
27“Mayɛ wo obi a ɔsɔ agude hwɛ
na me nkurɔfo dadeben,
a wobɛhwɛ
na woasɔ wɔn akwan ahwɛ.
28Wɔn nyinaa yɛ atuatewfo a wɔyɛ den,
wɔnenam di nseku.
Wɔyɛ kɔbere ne dade;
wɔn nyinaa yɛ wɔn ade wɔ porɔwee kwan so.
29Afa no bɔ mframa dennen
de ogya nan sumpii no,
nanso ɔnan no yɛ ɔkwa.
Entumi nyiyii bɔne no mfii wɔn mu ɛ.
30Wɔfrɛ wɔn dwetɛ a wɔapo,
efisɛ Awurade apo wɔn.”
