God's Care for Israel
1 The Lord told me 2 to proclaim this message to everyone in Jerusalem.
“I remember how faithful you were when you were young,
how you loved me when we were first married;
you followed me through the desert,
through a land that had not been planted.
3 Israel, you belonged to me alone;
you were my sacred possession.
I sent suffering and disaster
on everyone who hurt you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
The Sin of Israel's Ancestors
4 Listen to the Lord's message, you descendants of Jacob, you tribes of Israel. 5 The Lord says:
“What accusation did your ancestors bring against me?
What made them turn away from me?
They worshiped worthless idols
and became worthless themselves.
6 They did not care about me,
even though I rescued them from Egypt
and led them through the wilderness:
a land of deserts and sand pits,
a dry and dangerous land
where no one lives
and no one will even travel.
7 I brought them into a fertile land,
to enjoy its harvests and its other good things.
But instead they ruined my land;
they defiled the country I had given them.
8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’
My own priests did not know me.
The rulers rebelled against me;
the prophets spoke in the name of Baal
and worshiped useless idols.
The Lord's Case against His People
9 “And so I, the Lord, will state my case against my people again.
I will bring charges against their descendants.
10 Go west to the island of Cyprus,
and send someone eastward to the land of Kedar.
You will see that nothing like this has ever happened before.
11 No other nation has ever changed its gods,
even though they were not real.
But my people have exchanged me,
the God who has brought them honor,
for gods that can do nothing for them.
12 And so I command the sky to shake with horror,
to be amazed and astonished,
13 for my people have committed two sins:
they have turned away from me,
the spring of fresh water,
and they have dug cisterns,
cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.
The Results of Israel's Unfaithfulness
14 “Israel is not a slave;
he was not born into slavery.
Why then do his enemies hunt him down?
15 They have roared at him like lions;
they have made his land a desert,
and his towns lie in ruins, completely abandoned.
16 Yes, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked his skull.
17 Israel, you brought this on yourself!
You deserted me, the Lord your God,
while I was leading you along the way.
18 What do you think you will gain by going to Egypt
to drink water from the Nile?
What do you think you will gain by going to Assyria
to drink water from the Euphrates?
19 Your own evil will punish you,
and your turning from me will condemn you.
You will learn how bitter and wrong it is
to abandon me, the Lord your God,
and no longer to remain faithful to me.
I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken.”
Israel Refuses to Worship the Lord
20 The Sovereign Lord says,
“Israel, long ago you rejected my authority;
you refused to obey me and worship me.
On every high hill
and under every green tree
you worshiped fertility gods.
21 I planted you like a choice vine
from the very best seed.
But look what you have become!
You are like a rotten, worthless vine.
22 Even if you washed with the strongest soap,
I would still see the stain of your guilt.
23 How can you say you have not defiled yourself,
that you have never worshiped Baal?
Look how you sinned in the valley;
see what you have done.
You are like a wild camel in heat,
running around loose,
24 rushing into the desert.
When she is in heat, who can control her?
No male that wants her has to trouble himself;
she is always available in mating season.
25 Israel, don't wear your feet out,
or let your throat become dry
from chasing after other gods.
But you say, ‘No! I can't turn back.
I have loved foreign gods
and will go after them.’”
Israel Deserves to Be Punished
26 The Lord says, “Just as a thief is disgraced when caught, so all you people of Israel will be disgraced—your kings and officials, your priests and prophets. 27 You will all be disgraced—you that say that a tree is your father and that a rock is your mother. This will happen because you turned away from me instead of turning to me. But when you are in trouble, you ask me to come and save you.
28 “Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? When you are in trouble, let them save you—if they can! Judah, you have as many gods as you have cities. 29 What is your complaint? Why have you rebelled against me? 30 I punished you, but it did no good; you would not let me correct you. Like a raging lion, you have murdered your prophets. 31 People of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Have I been like a desert to you, like a dark and dangerous land? Why, then, do you say that you will do as you please, that you will never come back to me? 32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can be counted. 33 You certainly know how to chase after lovers. Even the worst of women can learn from you. 34 Your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and innocent, not with the blood of burglars.
“But in spite of all this, 35 you say, ‘I am innocent; surely the Lord is no longer angry with me.’ But I, the Lord, will punish you because you deny that you have sinned. 36 You have cheapened yourself by turning to the gods of other nations. You will be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria. 37 You will turn away from Egypt, hanging your head in shame. I, the Lord, have rejected those you trust; you will not gain anything from them.”
Banisirayila mu Alla taa senuŋo le ti
1 Yaawe* la kumoo naata nte Yeremiya kaŋ ko, 2 n si taa Yerusalaamu, ŋa kankulaaroo ke, ì tuloolu ye a moyi ko:
“Yaawe hakiloo muruta le, Banisirayila foroyaata ñaameŋ
biriŋ a be dindiŋ,
a maañoo kutamaa ye Yaawe kanu ñaameŋ.
A bulata a nooma keñewuloo* kono le,
wo banku senebaloo.
3 Ite Banisirayila mu nte Yaawe taa senuŋo le ti,
i keta n ye le ko n na fiifeŋ kuŋ foloolu.
Mennu bee ye i maa, ŋa ì muta kuu la le,
aduŋ ŋa kuu jawu le laa ì kaŋ.”
Yaawe le ye a fo.
Banisirayilankoolu mumuñolu la junuboo
4 Alitolu Yaakuba koomalankoolu, ali i lamoyi Yaawe la kumoo la,
alitolu mennu mu Isirayila lasiloolu ti.
5 Yaawe ye ñiŋ ne fo ko:
“Ali mumuñolu ye muŋ jenke le je nte la karoo la,
fo ì ye ì koo dii n na fereŋ?
Ì bulata jalaŋ fuuriŋolu le nooma,
fo itolu faŋolu naata fuu.
6 Ì maŋ ñiŋ fo ko, ‘Yaawe lee,
meŋ ye m bondi naŋ Misira bankoo kaŋ,
meŋ tambita ǹ ñaato keñewuloo kono,
dinka jawoolu be daameŋ?
Wo wula jaara jiintaŋo,
jaa niŋ dibi fiŋo be daameŋ,
moo buka tambi niŋ jee la,
sako moo si sabati jee.’
7 Ŋa ali samba naŋ banku kendiŋo le kaŋ,
fo ali si i munafaŋ a fiifeŋolu
niŋ a feŋ kendoolu la.
Bari kabiriŋ ali naata,
ali ye n na bankoo kosondi le,
ka n na keetaafeŋo ke feŋ ñewundiŋo ti.
8 Piriisoolu* maŋ a fo ko, ‘Yaawe lee?’
Wolu mennu mu Luwaa karammoolu* ti,
ì maŋ n loŋ.
Ñaatonkoolu balanta m ma le.
Annabiyomoolu ka kuma Baali* jalaŋo tooyaa le la,
ka jalaŋ kenseŋolu batu.”
Yaawe ye kiitii kumoolu mennu fo a la moolu ma
9 Yaawe le ye ñiŋ fo ko:
“Wo to nte niŋ ali be janjuŋ na le.
Janjuŋo, n niŋ ali diŋolu,
aniŋ ali mamariŋolu be wo le ke la.
10 Niŋ i teyita ka taa Kitimu baajooyoo to,
waraŋ i ye moo kii Kedari bankoo kaŋ
ka koroosiroo ke kendeke,
i be a je la le fo ñiŋ kuu siifaa nene ka ke le.
11 Banku le nene ka a la alloolu faliŋ baŋ,
ì maŋ ke Alla tooñaa ti ñaa-wo-ñaa?
Bari nte la moolu ye ì la Mansa Kallankewo faliŋ
jalaŋ kenseŋolu le la.
12 Kooni, saŋ fatoolu, ali kaawa ñiŋ na,
ali ye jarajara, ka silaŋ baake.”
Yaawe le ye a fo.
13 “N na moolu ye junube kuu jawu fula le ke,
ì ye m bula le,
nte meŋ mu baluwo jiyo diilaa ti,
ì ye koloŋolu siŋ ì faŋ ye,
koloŋ tiñaariŋolu mennu te jii bondi noo la kotenke.”
Banisirayilankoolu la badaloo ye meŋ saabu ì ma
14 Yaawe ko:
“Fo ite Banisirayila mu joŋo le ti baŋ?
Fo i wuluuta joŋyaa le kono?
Wo to muŋ ne ye a tinna i keta ñapinkaŋ feŋo ti?
15 Ì jatamaalu bumbunta i kamma le,
ì ye i ŋuura,
ì ye i la bankoo kenseŋyandi,
ì ye i la saatewolu tumbuŋ,
moo maŋ tu sabatiriŋ ì kono.
16 Misirankoolu,
mennu bota Memfisi, aniŋ Tapanesi saatewolu to,
wolu ye ite Banisirayila kunkoloo teyi le.
17 Fo i faŋo le maŋ ñiŋ laa i faŋ kaŋ baŋ,
biriŋ i ye i koo dii nte Yaawe i la Alla la,
tuma meŋ n tarata i ñaato ka i samba siloo la?
18 Silaŋ, i be muŋ nafaa le soto la ka taa Misira,
ka i miŋ Nayili Boloŋo jiyo la?
I be muŋ nafaa le soto la ka taa Asiriya,
ka i miŋ Yufurati Boloŋo jiyo la?
19 I la kuu jawoo le be kuluuroo naati la i kaŋ,
aduŋ i badalita m ma,
wo le be jalayiroo saabu la i ma.
I si a loŋ aniŋ ka a je ko,
kuu jawu le mu, aniŋ kuu dimindiŋ,
ka i koo dii nte Yaawe i la Alla la.
I maŋ n ñaasilaŋo soto.”
Yaawe Alihawaa Maariyo* le ye a fo.
Banisirayila dunta Baali jalambatoo to
20 Yaawe ko:
“Biriŋ waati jaŋ koomanto le
ite Banisirayila ye i la yookoo* kati,
i ye i la juloolu kuntu ka balaŋ.
I ko i te m batu la.
Silaŋ, konko jaŋolu meŋ-wo-meŋ kaŋ,
yirisuŋ biireeriŋolu koto taariŋ,
i ka laañooyaa tuluŋo ke le ko cakoo.
21 Nte le ŋa i tutu komeŋ wayini* yiri kendoo,
meŋ bota turu betoo bala,
wo to muŋ ne ye a tinna i yelemata m bulu,
ka ke wulakono wayini yiri kaatibaloo ti?
22 Hani i si i kuu muŋ ne la,
waraŋ ka saafuna jamaa taa ka i kuu a la,
n ñaa be tara la i la boyidaa noo kaŋ ne.”
Yaawe Alla le ye a fo.
23 A ko:
“I si a fo noo ñaadii le ko, i maŋ i faŋ kosondi,
ko i maŋ bula Baali jalaŋo nooma ka i faŋ kosondi?
A juubee, i ka maañaa meŋ ke wulumbaŋo kono,
i ye i miira i ye kuwolu mennu ke.
I ka munta le ñonkome yeerewo,
waamoo ye meŋ maa,
a be boriŋ-boriŋ na taariŋ,
24 komeŋ wulakono faloo,
a be kosiri ñiniŋo la,
ka foñoo fee a nuŋo la taariŋ.
Jumaa le si a la jaraboo daŋ noo?
Mennu be lafiriŋ a la, ì kana ì faŋ batandi.
A kosi waatoo kono, ì be a soto la le.
25 Banisirayila, kana i sinto samatoo baŋ yaayoo la,
waraŋ i kaŋo ye jaa mindoo la!
Bari i ko wo mu kuma kenseŋo le ti,
ite ye banku koteŋ jalaŋolu le kanu nte ti,
fo i si bula wolu nooma doroŋ.”
Kuluuroo ñanta laa la Banisirayila kaŋ ne
26 Yaawe ko:
“Ko maloo ka laa suŋo kaŋ ñaameŋ niŋ ì ye a muta,
maloo be laa la Banisirayila kaŋ wo le ñaama.
Itolu, ì la mansoolu, mansakundaa dookuulaalu,
piriisoolu, aniŋ annabiyomoolu,
27 wolu mennu ka a fo ko, yiroo le mu ì faamaa ti,
aniŋ ko, beroo le mu ì baamaa ti.
Ì ye ì koo dii n na le,
ì maŋ ì ñaa tiliŋ n na.
Bari niŋ ì bulata mantooroo kono,
ì ka n kumandi le ka naa ì kiisa.
28 Yahuuda, i la alloolu lee,
i ye mennu dadaa i faŋo ye?
Batu, wolu ye naa,
niŋ ì si i kiisa noo mantooroo kono,
bayiri ite Yahuuda bankoo la alloolu siyaata le,
ì niŋ i la saatewolu yaatewo le kaañanta.
29 Alitolu si muŋ ne fo noo nte ma,
bayiri ali bee le balanta m ma?”
Yaawe le ye a fo.
30 A ko:
“Banisirayilankoolu, ŋa ali kuluu le,
bari a maŋ nafaa soto.
Ali maŋ soŋ tilindiroo la.
Komeŋ jata konkoriŋo,
ali ye ali la annabiyomoolu faa
niŋ ali la hawusaroo* le la.
31 “Alitolu ñiŋ jamaanoo moolu,
ali nte Yaawe la ñiŋ kumoo lamoyi baŋ:
Fo n nene keta Banisirayila ye le komeŋ keñewuloo?
Fo n nene finta a ma le komeŋ banku dibiriŋ baa?
Wo to muŋ ne ye a tinna n na moolu ka a fo ko,
‘Ntolu be m̀ faŋ ne bulu taariŋ.
Ǹ te muru la i kaŋ kotenke?’
32 Fo sunkutoo ka ñina a la ñara feŋolu la le baŋ,
waraŋ maañoo ye ñina a la maañoo feŋolu la?
Bari nte la moolu ñinata n na ñaameŋ,
wo luŋolu te yaatee noo la.
33 I ka i la feeroolu taamandi kuu le
ka kanuñoolu ñini,
hani musoolu bee kuruŋo,
a si kuruŋyaa karaŋ noo i bulu le.
34 I la duŋ feŋolu bala niŋ fuwaaroolu yeloo le mu,
moolu mennu maŋ kuu ke,
i maŋ mennu muta dulaa teyi la,
bari hani wo bee,
35 i ka a fo ko i maŋ kuu ke.
I ko a be koyiriŋ ne ko,
nte Yaawe maŋ tara kamfaariŋ i kamma.
Bari a juubee, m be i kiitindi la le,
bayiri i ko i maŋ junube ke.
36 Muŋ ne ye a tinna,
i ye i faŋ kuŋo feeyandi yaayoo la taariŋ?
Misira bankoo be bo la i koto le,
ko Asiriya bankoo bota i koto ñaameŋ.
37 I be bo la wo to fanaa le,
i buloo ye tara laariŋ i kunto,
kaatu i jikita mennu la, nte Yaawe ye wolu koŋ ne.
I te ñaatotaa soto la wolu la maakoyiroo kaŋ.”
