Jeremiah's Linen Shorts
1 The Lord told me, “Go and buy a pair of linen shorts. Wear them for a while, but don't wash them.” 2 So I bought a pair of shorts and put them on.
3 Then the Lord said, 4 “Take off the shorts. Go to Parah and hide the shorts in a crack between some large rocks.” 5 And that's what I did.
6 Some time later the Lord said, “Go back and get the shorts.” 7 I went back and dug the shorts out of their hiding place, but the cloth had rotted, and the shorts were ruined.
8 Then the Lord said:
9 Jeremiah, I will use Babylonia to destroy the pride of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 10 The people of Judah are evil and stubborn. So instead of listening to me, they do whatever they want and even worship other gods. When I am finished with these people, they will be good for nothing, just like this pair of shorts. 11 These shorts were tight around your waist, and that's how tightly I held onto the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. I wanted them to be my people. I wanted to make them famous, so that other nations would praise and honor me, but they refused to obey me.
Wine Jars
The Lord said:
12 Jeremiah, tell the people of Judah, “The Lord God of Israel orders you to fill your wine jars with wine.”
They will answer, “Of course we fill our wine jars with wine! Why are you telling us something we already know?”
13 Then say to them:
I am the Lord, and what I'm going to do will make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem appear to be full of wine. And the worst ones will be the kings of David's family and the priests and the prophets. 14 Then I will smash them against each other like jars. I will have no pity on the young or the old, and they will all be destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The People of Judah Will Be Taken Away
15 People of Judah,
don't be too proud to listen
to what the Lord has said.
16 You hope for light,
but God is sending darkness.
Evening shadows already deepen
in the hills.
So return to God
and confess your sins to him
before you trip and fall.
17 If you are too proud to listen,
I will weep alone.
Tears will stream from my eyes
when the Lord's people
are taken away as prisoners.
18 The Lord told me to tell you
that your king and his mother
must surrender their thrones
and remove their crowns.
19 The cities in the Southern Desert
are surrounded;
no one can get in or out.
Everyone in Judah
will be taken away.
20 Jerusalem, you were so proud
of ruling the people of Judah.
But where are they now?
Look north, and you will see
your enemies approaching.
21 You once trusted them to help,
but now I'll let them rule you.
What do you say about that?
You will be in pain
like a woman giving birth.
22 Do you know why
your clothes were torn off
and you were abused?
It was because
of your terrible sins.
23 Can you ever change
and do what's right?
Can people change the color
of their skin,
or can a leopard
remove its spots?
If so, then maybe you can change
and learn to do right.
24 I will scatter you,
just as the desert wind
blows husks from grain
tossed in the air.
25 I won't change my mind.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
You rejected me
and worshiped false gods.
* 26 You were married to me,
but you were unfaithful.
You even became a prostitute
by worshiping disgusting gods
on hilltops and in fields.
27 So I'll rip off your clothes
and leave you naked and ashamed
for everyone to see.
You are doomed!
Will you ever be worthy
to worship me again?
Ekwamo rerapi
1 Muhona we ndji raera kutja mbi kerirandere ekwamo rerapi okukuta pehuri; nungwari we ndji raera kutja e he ri twa momeva. 2 Ami otji mba randa ekwamo ndi ne ri zara. 3 Muhona wa hungira ku ami rukwao a tja: 4 “Twende konḓonḓu Eufrat u kahoreke ekwamo ndi motjitoto.” 5 Ami otji mba kahoreka ro popezu nonḓonḓu Eufrat.
6 Kombunda yomayuva omengi Muhona we ndji raera kutja mbi yaruke konḓonḓu, mbi kaete ekwamo ndi. 7 Ami arire tji mba yaruka; nu tji mba kavaza poṋa pu mba horekere ro, otji mba muna kutja oro ra hahauka, nu ra rire otjiṋa uriri.
8 Tjazumba Muhona otja hungira ku ami rukwao a tja: 9 “Momuhingo tjingewo mbwi ami opunga ame yandeke omeritongamisiro wa Juda, na inga omeritongamisiro omanene wa Jerusalem wina. 10 Otjiwaṋa otjivi hi tja panḓa okukara nonḓuviro ku ami; aruhe tja kakatera kourangaranga na kouvi, nu tje rikotamena koomukuru varwe nokuvekarera. Otjiwaṋa hi otji matji sana nekwamo ndi nda rira otjiṋa uriri. 11 Otja ekwamo punga ari pama pehuri, ami opunga amba vangere kutja Ovaisrael nOvajuda wina ve kakatere nomasa ku ami. Ami mba tjita nai, kokutja owo ve rire otjiwaṋa tjandje, nondangero nondjozokiro nourenga; nungwari owo kave vangere okukara nonḓuviro ku ami.”
Otjikuve tjomavinu
12 Muhona Ndjambi wa tja ku ami: “Jeremia, raera otjiwaṋa tja Israel kutja otjikuve atjihe tjomavinu tji urisiwe nomavinu. Ovandu mave ku ziri ave tja: Matu tjiwa kutja otjikuve atjihe tjomavinu matji urisiwa nomavinu. 13 Ve raera kutja ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona, me hire ovature avehe vehi omavinu nga tji va puruka, okutja ozombara, inḓa ozondekurona za David, novapristeri novaprofete novature avehe va Jerusalem. 14 Tjazumba otji meve nyainyine kumwe tjimuna ovikuve, novanene nouṱiṱi. Kape nondjenda poo ounyaṋutima poo otjari tji matji ndji tjaere okuvezepa.”
Jeremia ma rongo otjiwaṋa atji he ritongamisa
15 Tjiwaṋa tja Israel, Muhona wa hungire!
Risusupariseye nu mu puratene ku ye.
16 Yozikeye Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu,
eye ngunda e hiya eta onḓorera,
neṋe ngunda amu hiya putara
mozondundu komuihi,
eye ngunda e hiya rundurura ondjerera
i rire onḓorera ṱukuṱuku,
okutja oyo ndji ondjerera eṋe ndji mu undja.
17 Tji mu hi nokupuratena,
ami me riri ongumumu mena
romeritongamisiro weṋu;
me riri tjinene nonyengo, nomahoze wandje aye pupu,
orondu otjiwaṋa tja Muhona tja huurwa.
18 Muhona wa tja nai ku ami: “Raera ombara na ina ve heruke kovihavero vyawo vyouhona, orondu omakori wawo wouhona omamanise ya u koviuru vyawo. 19 Ovihuro vyehi ra Juda rokokumuho kweyuva vya koverwa; kape na umwe ngu ma yenene okukahita mu vyo. Ovajuda avehe va twarewa kouhuura.”
20 Tara, Jerusalem! Ovanavita na ove mave ya okuza komukuma wokokunene kweyuva. Ovandu, mba tuwa kehi yondjeverero yoye, nu mbu we ritongamisira, ve ri pi? 21 Ove motja tjike, imba ovandu mbu wa tjangovasi omapanga woye tji ve ku havere nave ku honaparere? Ove mo kara momihihamo tjimuna omukazendu mombandukiro. 22 Tji we ripura kutja okutjavi imbi avihe tji mavi tjitwa ku ami, tjiwa kutja omena rouvi woye ounene tjinene mbu u tjita. 23 Omuzorondu ma yenene okurundurura otjivara tjomukova we poo otjitotongwe matji yenene okuisa ko omavara watjo are? Tji mape yenene okutjitwa nao, eṋe mbu mu ha tjiti otjiṋa posi yourunde porwe, mamu sora okutjita imbi mbi ri ovisemba. 24 Muhona me mu rimbi otja ovihozu, mbi mavi hingwa i ombepo yokuti onguza. 25 Eye wa tja ihi kove matji rire omupya mbu hi nomapengero. Eye we ripura okutjita nai kove, tjinga awe mu zemba nawe riyameka koomukuru woposyo. 26 Muhona omuini me ku hukura ozombanda zoye, nove mo ṱohoṋi tjinga au ri mutundu. 27 Eye we ku muna amo tjiti oviṋa eye mbya tonda. We ku muna amo kongorere oomukuru vovisenginina kozondunda na momahi womakunino tjimuna omurumendu ngu ma nanukire omukazendu womuraranganda na ye poo tjimuna okakambe okatwezu ku make nanukire okazenḓu. Owee ku eṋe, vature va Jerusalem! Hapo mamu rire ovakohoke ruṋe?
