A Warning for the People of Jerusalem
The Lord said:
1 Run for your lives,
people of Benjamin.
Get out of Jerusalem.
Sound a trumpet in Tekoa
and light a signal fire
in Beth-Haccherem.
Soon you will be struck
by disaster from the north.
2 Jerusalem is a lovely pasture,
3 but shepherds will surround it
and divided up,
then let their flocks
eat all the grass.
4 Kings will tell their troops,
“If we reach Jerusalem
in the morning,
we'll attack at noon.
But if we arrive later,
5 we'll attack after dark
and destroy its fortresses.”
6 I am the Lord All-Powerful,
and I will command these armies
to chop down trees
and build a ramp up to the walls
of Jerusalem.
People of Jerusalem,
I must punish you
for your injustice.
7 Evil pours from your city
like water from a spring.
Sounds of injustice and violence
echo within your walls;
victims are everywhere,
wounded and dying.
8 Listen to me,
you people of Jerusalem
and Judah.
I will abandon you,
and your land will become
an empty desert.
9 I will tell your enemies
to leave your nation bare
like a vine stripped of grapes.
I, the Lord All-Powerful,
have spoken.
Jeremiah's Anger
10 I have told the people
that you, Lord,
will punish them,
but they just laugh
and refuse to listen.
11 Your anger against Judah
flames up inside me,
and I can't hold it in
much longer.
The Lord's Anger Will Sweep Everyone Away
The Lord answered:
Don't hold back my anger!
Let it sweep away everyone—
the children at play
and all adults,
young and old alike.
12 I'll punish the people of Judah
and give to others
their houses and fields,
as well as their wives.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
13 Everyone is greedy and dishonest,
whether poor or rich.
Even the prophets and priests
cannot be trusted.
14 All they ever offer
to my deeply wounded people
are empty hopes for peace.
15 They should be ashamed
of their disgusting sins,
but they don't even blush.
And so, when I punish Judah,
they will end up on the ground,
dead like everyone else.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The People of Judah Rejected God's Way of Life
16 The Lord said:
My people, when you stood
at the crossroads,
I told you, “Follow the road
your ancestors took,
and you will find peace.”
But you refused.
17 I also sent prophets
to warn you of danger,
but when they sounded the alarm,
you paid no attention.
18 So I tell all nations on earth,
“Watch what I will do!
19 My people ignored me
and rejected my laws.
They planned to do evil,
and now the evil they planned
will happen to them.”
20 People of Judah,
you bring me incense from Sheba
and spices from distant lands.
You offer sacrifices of all kinds.
But why bother?
I hate these gifts of yours!
21 So I will put stumbling blocks
in your path,
and everyone will die,
including parents and children,
neighbors and friends.
An Army from the North
22 The Lord said,
“Look toward the north,
where a powerful nation
has prepared for war.
23 Its well-armed troops are cruel
and never show mercy.
Their galloping horses sound
like ocean waves
pounding on the shore.
This army will attack you,
lovely Jerusalem.”
24 Then the people said,
“Just hearing about them
makes us tremble with fear,
and we twist and turn in pain
like a woman giving birth.”
25 The Lord said,
“Don't work in your fields
or walk along the roads.
It's too dangerous.
The enemy is well armed
26 and attacks without warning.
So mourn, my people, as though
your only child had died.
Wear clothes made of sackcloth
and roll in the ash pile.”
The Lord's People Must Be Tested
The Lord said:
27 Jeremiah, test my people
as though they were metal.
28 And you'll find they are hard
like bronze and iron.
They are stubborn rebels,
always spreading lies.
* 29-30 Silver can be purified
in a fiery furnace,
but my people are too wicked
to be made pure,
and so I have rejected them.
Yerusalaamu jawoolu la a kasaaroo te baayi la
1 Yaawe* le ye ñiŋ fo ko:
“Alitolu Benjamini lasiloo moolu,
ali bori ka tanka,
ali ye finti Yerusalaamu kono.
Ali kelebinoo fee Tekowa saatewo to,
ali ye taamanseeroo wulindi santo Beti-Hakeremu,
kaatu maasiiboo le ka kurukuru naŋ maraa kara maafaŋo la,
aniŋ kasaara baa.
2 Dimmusuriŋ* Siyoni* niŋ a la ñiiñaa niŋ a la kekuwo,
m be a kasaara la le.
3 Mansakewolu be naa le ko kantarilaalu,
ì niŋ ì la koorewolu le be naa a kamma,
ì ye ì la tiriliisoolu* loo ka a murubeŋ,
meŋ-wo-meŋ ye a taalu daañini a la kantari buloo la.
4 Ì be a fo la le ko,
‘Ali i paree a kamma keloo la.
Ali wuli, ŋà a boyinkaŋ tilikuntewo!
Kooroo boyita ǹ kaŋ,
tiloo fele a be boyi la m̀ ma,
wulaarandiŋo be taa kaŋ laalaa.
5 Wo to ali ŋà wuli, ŋà a boyinkaŋ suutoo,
ka a tatoolu teyi.’ ”
6 Yaawe Alihawaa Maariyo* ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“Ali yiroolu boyi,
ali ye seleraŋ sapoolu* loo Yerusalaamu kamma.
Ñiŋ saatewo ñanta le ka jarabi,
kaatu tilimbaliyaa le be faariŋ a kono.
7 Koloŋo ka tu jiyo bondi la ñaameŋ,
kuu kuruŋo ka tu woyi la ñiŋ moolu bulu wo le ñaama.
Fitinoo niŋ kasaaroo, i ka wo dammaa le moyi jee,
n ñaa ka tara yankankatoo niŋ dimiŋo doroŋ ne la.
8 Muna Yerusalaamu, dandalaaroo muta,
niŋ wo nte, m be n koo dii la i la le,
ŋa i la bankoo kenseŋyandi,
moo te tara la siiriŋ jee.”
9 Yaawe Alihawaa Maariyo ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“Banisirayila moo toomaalu mennu be tu la,
ì be wolu kiliŋ-kiliŋ karaŋ feefee la le
ko ì ka yiridiŋolu karaŋ feefee ñaameŋ.
Ì be a yiribuloolu bululakaraŋ feefee la le
ko wayini* yiridiŋ kafuŋ-kafuŋ naa.”
Yeremiya ye Yaawe la kamfaa yitandi
10 N si diyaamu noo jumaa le ye ka a dandalaa?
Jumaa le be i lamoyi la n na?
Ì tuloolu sukita le,
ì te i moyi noo la.
Ì ka jutu Yaawe la kumoo la le,
a buka ì kontaani.
11 Wo kamma la Yaawe la kamfaa be faariŋ n kono le tep,
aduŋ n te a muta noo la n kono kotenke.
Yaawe ko n ye ko:
“A kupi dindiŋolu kaŋ mbeedoolu kono,
ka taa fondinkee beŋolu to.
Kewolu niŋ ì la musoolu be bula la a kono le,
ka taa keebaalu, hani fo keebaa kotoo baalu.
12 Ì la buŋolu be ke la moo doolu le taa ti,
ka taa ì la kunkoolu niŋ ì la musoolu.
M be m buloo teeka la le,
a ye laa ñiŋ banku moolu kaŋ.”
Yaawe le ye a fo.
13 Yaawe ko:
“Biriŋ moondiŋ, fo moo baa,
ì bee le hadumeta ka sotoo ke niŋ jenkoo la.
Biriŋ a annabiyomu, fo a piriisi*,
ì bee le ka taama faniyaa la.
14 Ì ka n na moolu la dimiŋo feeyaatoo jaara le,
ì ka a fo ko, ‘Kayira, kayira,’
a ye a tara kayira te keriŋ.
15 Ì ye kuu ñewundiŋolu mennu ke,
wolu ñanta ì malu la le,
bari hanii, wo maŋ ì malu fereŋ,
ka malu fo i ye tara, itolu maŋ wo loŋ.
Wo to ì niŋ moolu le be busandi la ñoo la
mennu ñanta ka busandi, ì ye kasaara.
N na ì jarabi waatoo la,
ì be baŋ na le.”
Yaawe le ye a fo.
Banisirayilankoolu ye ì koo dii Yaawe la siloo la
16 Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“Ali loo sila fatoolu to, ali ye juubeeroo ke,
ali sila kotoolu la kuu ñininkaa,
ali ye ñininkaari ke sila betoo la, ali ye taama a la,
wo to le ali niyo si dahaa soto.
Bari ali ko ali te wo le ke la.
17 Ŋa kantarilaalu le bula ali kunna,
n ko, ì si i lamoyi binoo kumakaŋo la,
bari ì ko ì te wo ke la.
18 Wo to bankoolu bee ye i lamoyi,
jamaa bee ye kalamutari ke,
meŋ be ke la ñiŋ moolu la.
19 Duniyaa bee ye i lamoyi! A juubee,
nte be kuu jawu le laa la ñiŋ moolu kaŋ,
meŋ be ke la ì la kuruŋyaa feeroolu joo ti,
kaatu ì maŋ i moyi n na kumoolu la,
aduŋ ì balanta n na karandiroolu la le.
20 Nte la suula le be cuuraayoo kaŋ baŋ,
ì ka meŋ bondi n ye naŋ Seba
ka a siisindi n ye,
waraŋ karabaanijii diimaalu,
mennu bota banku jamfariŋolu to?
Ali la jani sadaalu* maŋ ke n ye mutataa ti,
sako ali la beeyaŋ sadaalu si n seewoo.”
21 Wo to Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“M be takiŋ-takiŋ beroolu le landi la ñiŋ moolu ñaato,
ì be kali taki la mennu la, ì ye boyi,
faalu niŋ diŋolu, ka taa siiñoolu niŋ teeroolu,
ì bee le be kasaara la ñoo la.”
Banisirayila jawoolu be naa a kamma
22 Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“A juubee, kelediŋ kafoo le ka bo naŋ
maraa kara bankoo kaŋ.
Wo bankoo be maamaŋ kaŋ naŋ
duniyaa dulaa jamfariŋ baalu le to.
23 Ì niŋ tamboolu niŋ hawusaroolu* le mu,
ì tilimbaliyaata aduŋ balafaa te ì la.
Ì maakaŋo ka munta le ko fankaasoo kumakaŋo,
ì be suwoolu le koo to naŋ,
ì be looriŋ ñoo nooma
ko kewolu ka i paree keloo kamma ñaameŋ,
ite Dimmusuriŋ Siyoni kamma.”
24 Yerusalaamunkoolu ko,
“Ŋà ì kibaaroo moyi le,
m̀ buloolu tuta yondiŋ.
Niitooroo le laata ǹ kaŋ
komeŋ niŋ tiŋo ye musoo maa.
25 Moo kana taa kunkoolu to,
waraŋ ka taama siloolu kaŋ,
kaatu hawusaroolu le be ǹ jawoolu bulu,
ka maasiiboo saabu karoo bee la.”
26 Yaawe ko:
“Hee n na kanu moolu, ali booto funtoolu duŋ,
ka ali la niikuyaa yitandi,
ali ye i bidibidi seebuutoo kono,
ali ye saŋakumboo ke ko meŋ dinkee kiliŋo faata,
ka kumboo kendeke,
kaatu kataba kiliŋ wo tiñaarilaa kafoo be boyi la ali kaŋ.”
27 A ko:
“Ŋa ite Yeremiya le ke n na moolu kotobolaa ti,
ko numoo ka newo kotobo ñaameŋ,
i si ì koroosi ka ì kotobo ì taañaalu to.
28 Ì bee mu balannaa jusu jaaroolu le ti,
mennu be ko jaawaloo aniŋ newo.
Ì ka tara koomakumaroo le la taariŋ,
aduŋ ì ka taama kuruŋyaa le la.
29 Dimbaa ka hilihili nee yelundiraŋ fuuroo kono le,
a ka neebuwo bondi newo bala, a ye seneyaa.
Hani niŋ itolu keta wo ñaama, kenseŋ ne mu,
kaatu wo te ì la kuruŋyaa bondi la.
30 Ì ka ì kumandi neebuu nafantaŋo le la,
kaatu nte Yaawe ye n koo dii ì la le.”
