1“At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”
2This is what the Lord says:
“The people who survive the sword
will find favor in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest to Israel.”
3The Lord appeared to us in the past,31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar saying:
“I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
4I will build you up again,
and you, Virgin Israel, will be rebuilt.
Again you will take up your timbrels
and go out to dance with the joyful.
5Again you will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria;
the farmers will plant them
and enjoy their fruit.
6There will be a day when watchmen cry out
on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
to the Lord our God.’ ”
7This is what the Lord says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob;
shout for the foremost of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
‘Lord, save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
8See, I will bring them from the land of the north
and gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame,
expectant mothers and women in labor;
a great throng will return.
9They will come with weeping;
they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead them beside streams of water
on a level path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,
and Ephraim is my firstborn son.
10“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
proclaim it in distant coastlands:
‘He who scattered Israel will gather them
and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’
11For the Lord will deliver Jacob
and redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they.
12They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion;
they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,
the young of the flocks and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,
and they will sorrow no more.
13Then young women will dance and be glad,
young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into gladness;
I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.
14I will satisfy the priests with abundance,
and my people will be filled with my bounty,”
declares the Lord.
15This is what the Lord says:
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
and refusing to be comforted,
because they are no more.”
16This is what the Lord says:
“Restrain your voice from weeping
and your eyes from tears,
for your work will be rewarded,”
declares the Lord.
“They will return from the land of the enemy.
17So there is hope for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
“Your children will return to their own land.
18“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
‘You disciplined me like an unruly calf,
and I have been disciplined.
Restore me, and I will return,
because you are the Lord my God.
19After I strayed,
I repented;
after I came to understand,
I beat my breast.
I was ashamed and humiliated
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
20Is not Ephraim my dear son,
the child in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
I still remember him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
I have great compassion for him,”
declares the Lord.
21“Set up road signs;
put up guideposts.
Take note of the highway,
the road that you take.
Return, Virgin Israel,
return to your towns.
22How long will you wander,
unfaithful Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing on earth—
the woman will return to31:22 Or will protect the man.”
23This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,31:23 Or I restore their fortunes the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountain.’ 24People will live together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks. 25I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”
26At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.
27“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. 28Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord. 29“In those days people will no longer say,
‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
30Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.
31“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will make a new covenant
with the people of Israel
and with the people of Judah.
32It will not be like the covenant
I made with their ancestors
when I took them by the hand
to lead them out of Egypt,
because they broke my covenant,
though I was a husband to31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from them,31:32 Or was their master”
declares the Lord.
33“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds
and write it on their hearts.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34No longer will they teach their neighbor,
or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more.”
35This is what the Lord says,
he who appoints the sun
to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
to shine by night,
who stirs up the sea
so that its waves roar—
the Lord Almighty is his name:
36“Only if these decrees vanish from my sight,”
declares the Lord,
“will Israel ever cease
being a nation before me.”
37This is what the Lord says:
“Only if the heavens above can be measured
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.
38“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt for me from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39The measuring line will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. 40The whole valley where dead bodies and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate, will be holy to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”
1“Pa nthawi imeneyo,” akutero Yehova, “Ndidzakhala Mulungu wa mafuko onse a Israeli, ndipo iwo adzakhala anthu anga.”
2Yehova akuti,
“Anthu amene anapulumuka ku nkhondo
ndinawakomera mtima mʼchipululu;
pamene Aisraeli ankafuna kupumula.”
3Ine ndinawaonekera ndili chapatali ndipo ndinati,
“Ine ndakukondani ndi chikondi chopanda malire.
Nʼchifukwa chake ndipitiriza kukukondani.
4Ndidzakusamaliraninso, inu anthu a Israeli;
mudzasangalala poyimba tizitoliro tanu,
ndipo mudzapita kukavina nawo
anthu ovina mwachimwemwe.
5Mudzalimanso minda ya mpesa
pa mapiri a Samariya;
alimi adzadzala mphesa
ndipo adzadya zipatso zake.
6Lidzafika tsiku pamene alonda adzafuwula
pa mapiri a Efereimu nati,
‘Tiyeni tipite ku Ziyoni,
kwa Yehova Mulungu wathu.’ ”
7Yehova akuti,
“Imbani mosangalala chifukwa cha Yakobo,
fuwulani chifukwa cha mtundu wopambana mitundu yonse.
Matamando anu amveke, ndipo munene kuti,
‘Yehova wapulumutsa anthu ake
otsala a Israeli.’
8Taonani, ndidzabwera nawo kuchokera ku dziko la kumpoto,
ndidzawasonkhanitsa kuchokera ku malekezero a dziko lapansi.
Anthu osaona, olumala, amayi oyembekezera
ndi amene ali pa nthawi yawo yochira adzabwera nawo pamodzi.
Chidzakhala chikhamu cha anthu obwerera kuno.
9Adzabwera akulira;
koma Ine ndikuwatonthoza mtima, ndidzawaperekeza.
Ndidzawatsogolera ku mitsinje yamadzi
mʼnjira yosalala mmene sadzapunthwamo.
Chifukwa ndine abambo ake a Israeli,
ndipo Efereimu ndi mwana wanga woyamba.
10“Imvani mawu a Yehova inu anthu a mitundu ina;
lalikirani mawuwa kwa anthu a mayiko akutali a mʼmbali mwa nyanja;
‘Iye amene anabalalitsa Israeli adzawasonkhanitsanso
ndipo adzayangʼanira nkhosa zake ngati mʼbusa.’
11Pakuti Yehova wawombola fuko la Yakobo
anawapulumutsa mʼdzanja la anthu owaposa mphamvu.
12Anthuwo adzabwera akuyimba mofuwula pa mapiri a Ziyoni;
adzasangalala ndi zinthu zabwino zochokera kwa Yehova.
Zinthu zabwinozo ndi izi: tirigu, vinyo watsopano ndi mafuta,
ana ankhosa ndi ana angʼombe.
Iwo adzakhala ngati munda wothiriridwa bwino,
ndipo sadzamvanso chisoni.
13Pamenepo anamwali adzavina ndi kusangalala.
Anyamata ndi okalamba nawonso adzasangalala.
Kulira kwawo ndidzakusandutsa chisangalalo;
ndidzawasangalatsa nʼkuchotsa chisoni chawo.
14Ansembe ndidzawadyetsa chakudya chabwino,
ndipo anthu anga adzakhuta ndi zabwino zanga,”
akutero Yehova.
15Yehova akuti,
“Kulira kukumveka ku Rama,
kulira kwakukulu,
Rakele akulirira ana ake.
Sakutonthozeka
chifukwa ana akewo palibe.”
16Yehova akuti,
“Leka kulira
ndi kukhetsa misozi
pakuti udzalandira mphotho ya ntchito yako,”
akutero Yehova.
“Iwo adzabwerako ku dziko la adani.
17Tsono chiyembekezo chilipo pa zamʼtsogolo,”
akutero Yehova.
“Ana ako adzabwerera ku dziko lawo.
18“Ndithu ndamva Efereimu akubuwula kuti,
‘Ife tinali ngati ana angʼombe osamva.
Koma inu mwatiphunzitsa kumvera.
Mutibweze kuti tithe kubwerera,
chifukwa ndinu Yehova Mulungu wanga.
19Popeza tatembenuka mtima,
ndiye tikumva chisoni;
popeza tazindikira
ndiye tikudziguguda pachifukwa.
Tachita manyazi ndipo tanyazitsidwa
chifukwa tinachimwa paubwana wathu.’
20Kodi Efereimu si mwana wanga wokondedwa,
mwana amene Ine ndimakondwera naye?
Ngakhale nthawi zambiri ndimamudzudzula,
ndimamukumbukirabe.
Kotero mtima wanga ukumufunabe;
ndimamumvera chifundo chachikulu kwambiri,”
akutero Yehova.
21“Muyike zizindikiro za mu msewu;
muyimike zikwangwani.
Yangʼanitsitsani msewuwo,
njira imene mukuyendamo.
Bwerera, iwe namwali wa Israeli,
bwerera ku mizinda yako ija.
22Udzakhala jenkha mpaka liti,
iwe mwana wa mkazi wosakhulupirika?
Yehova walenga chinthu chatsopano pa dziko lapansi; mkazi ndiye tsopano aziteteza mwamuna.”
23Yehova Wamphamvuzonse, Mulungu wa Israeli akuti, “Ndikadzabwera nawo anthuwa kuchokera ku ukapolo, anthu a mʼdziko la Yuda ndi amene akukhala mʼmizinda yake adzayankhulanso mawu akuti, ‘Yehova akudalitse, iwe malo achilungamo, iwe phiri lopatulika.’ 24Anthu adzakhala ku Yuda ndi ku mizinda yake pamodzi ndi alimi ndi oweta nkhosa. 25Ndidzatsitsimutsa anthu otopa ndipo ndidzadyetsa anthu anjala.”
26Pamenepo ndinadzuka nʼkuyangʼana uku ndi uku. Tulo tanga tinali tokoma.
27“Masiku akubwera,” akutero Yehova, “pamene ndidzachulukitsa anthu pamodzi ndi ziweto mʼdziko la Israeli ndi la Yuda. 28Monga momwe ndinasamalira powazula, powagwetsa, powagumula, powawononga ndi powachita zoyipa, momwemonso ndidzasamala powamanga ndi powadzala” akutero Yehova. 29“Mʼmasiku amenewo anthu sadzanenanso kuti,
“Makolo adya mphesa zosapsa,
koma mano a ana ndiye achita dziru.
30Mʼmalo wake, munthu aliyense adzafa chifukwa cha tchimo lake. Iye amene adzadye mphesa zosapsazo ndiye amene mano ake adzachite dziru.”
31“Masiku akubwera,” akutero Yehova,
“pamene ndidzachita pangano latsopano
ndi Aisraeli
ndiponso nyumba ya Yuda.
32Silidzakhala ngati pangano
limene ndinachita ndi makolo awo
pamene ndinawagwira padzanja
nʼkuwatulutsa ku Igupto;
chifukwa anaphwanya pangano langa,
ngakhale ndinali mwamuna wawo,”
akutero Yehova.
33“Ili ndi pangano limene ndidzachita ndi Aisraeli
atapita masiku amenewo,” akutero Yehova.
“Ndidzayika lamulo langa mʼmitima mwawo
ndi kulilemba mʼmaganizo mwawo.
Ine ndidzakhala Mulungu wawo
ndipo iwo adzakhala anthu anga.
34Sipadzafunikanso kuti wina aphunzitse mnzake,
kapena munthu wina kuphunzitsa mʼbale wake, kunena kuti, ‘Mudziwe Yehova,’
chifukwa onse adzandidziwa Ine,
kuyambira wamngʼono mpaka wamkulu,”
akutero Yehova.
“Ndidzawakhululukira zoyipa zawo
ndipo sindidzakumbukiranso machimo awo.”
35Yehova akuti,
Iye amene amakhazikitsa dzuwa
kuti liziwala masana,
amene amalamula kuti mwezi ndi nyenyezi
ziziwala usiku,
amene amavundula nyanja
kuti mafunde akokome,
dzina lake ndi Yehova Wamphamvuzonse:
36Ngati zimenezi zilekeka pamaso panga, akutero Yehova, pamenepo padzakhala pamathero a fuko la Israeli pamaso panga.
37Yehova akuti,
“Ndidzataya fuko la Israeli chifukwa cha machimo awo.
Ngati patapezeka munthu
amene angathe kupima zakuthambo
nʼkufufuza maziko a dziko lapansi.”
38“Taonani masiku akubwera,” akutero Yehova, “pamene mzinda wa Yehova udzamangidwanso kuyambira ku Nsanja ya Hananeli mpaka ku Chipata cha Ngodya. 39Malire ake adzayambira pamenepo kupita ku phiri la Garebu, nʼkudzakhota kuloza ku Gowa. 40Chigwa chonse mʼmene amatayiramo mitembo ndi phulusa, ndiponso minda yonse kuyambira ku Chigwa cha Kidroni mpaka ku ngodya ya Chipata cha Akavalo mbali ya kummawa, adzakhala malo opatulika a Yehova. Mzindawu sadzawuzulanso kapena kuwuwononga.”
