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?
Okuhandukilwa kwOvajuda taku xunganekwa
1 Omwene okwa lombwela nge ngaha: “Inda u ke lilandele ekwamo loshiyata, ove u li djale moshiya, ndelenee ino li efa li ye momeva.” 2 Ndele ame onde lilandela ekwamo, ngaashi Omwene a lombwela nge nonde li djala moshiya shange. 3 Opo nee ondjovo yOmwene oya hanga nge lutivali tai ti: 4 “Kufa ekwamo we li lilandela, we li djala moshiya shoye, fikama u ye komulonga waEufrat, ove u ke li holeke kwinya mokakololo kemanya.” 5 Ndele ame onda ya ko, nonde li holeka puEufrat, ngaashi Omwene a lombwela nge ndi ninge. 6 Eshi pa pita omafiku mahapu, Omwene okwa lombwela nge: Fikama, inda ko kuEufrat, ove u ka tale ekwamo nde ku lombwela u li holeke ko. 7 Opo nee ame onda ya ko kuEufrat, nonda fudula mo nonda kufa ekwamo konhele inya nde li holekele, ndele tala, ekwamo ola nyonauka kali na vali oshilonga. 8 Ondjovo ei yOmwene oya hanga nge tai ti: 9 Omwene ota ti ngaha: Osho ngaha ohandi ka shundula elinenepeko linene laJuda nolaJerusalem. 10 Oshiwana eshi shii tashi anye okupwilikina eendjovo dange, ndele tashi kala nokweenda moukukutu womutima washo, tashi shikula oikalunga noku i longela nokulinyongamena kuyo, tashi ka kala ngaashi ekwamo eli, kali na vali oshilonga. 11 Osheshi ngaashi ekwamo lomulumenhu hali kwata oshiya, osho yo ame handi ka kwatakanifila mwaame mwene eumbo alishe laIsrael neumbo alishe laJuda, Omwene osho ta ti, opo vo va ninge oshiwana shange nefimano lange nehambelelo lange noshinge shange. Ndelenee vo inava dulika.
12 Onghee hano va lombwela ondjovo ei: Omwene Kalunga kaIsrael ota ti ngaha: “Oshitoo keshe otashi yadifwa omaviinyu. Nongeenge tave ku lombwele: Fye vene katu shi shii ngeno oshitoo keshe tashi yadifwa omaviinyu? 13 Opo nee va lombwela u tye: Omwene osho ta ti: Taleni oonakukala aveshe vomoshilongo, eehamba edi tadi kala omutumba kolukalwapangelo laDavid, ovapristeli novaxunganeki noonakukala muJerusalem aveshe, handi ke va yadifa oukolwe va kolwe. 14 Ndele Ame ohandi ke va nyanyaulifafana nooxe novana mumwe, Omwene osho ta ti, itandi kenukile, itandi xupifa, itandi fi onghenda, ndi va efe ngeno itandi va nyono po.”
15 Pwilikineni hano nye mu didilike, inamu kala nokulinenepeka, osheshi Omwene okwa popya. 16 Fimanekeni Omwene, Kalunga keni fimbo inaku laula nofimbo eemhadi deni inadi koyauka keemhunda momilaulu. Opo nee nye otamu kala nokuteelela ouyelele, ndelenee Ye ote u lundulula tau ningi omudidimbe wefyo, note u ningi omilaulu fokofoko. 17 Ndelenee ngeenge itamu di udu odo, ope nee omwenyo wange otau kala nokulila meholeko molwelinenepeko li fike opo, tau lili shili nomahodi otaa tondoka momesho ange, osheshi oshiwana shOmwene otashi ka twalwa moupika. 18 Tya kohamba nokomumbada: Kaleni omutumba poshi, poshielela, osheshi oshishani shetumbalo leni osha wa ko komitwe deni. 19 Oilando yokoumbuwanhu oya idilwa po nokape na ou te i yeulula vali. Juda ashishe osha twalwa moupika, aveshe ngaashi ve li. 20 Lyaameneni ko, mu tale, nhumbi tava di koumbangalanhu. Oshiwana we shi pelwe oshi li peni, eedi odo doye, etumbalo loye? 21 Oto ti ngahelipi, ye eshi ta ningi ovapangeli voye ovo we liikililifa oku va tala ovo ookaume koye? Ito hangika kefeto ngaashi omwalikadi omudali ta fetwa? 22 Ndele ngeenge ho lipopile momwenyo woye to ti: oinima i fike apa oya hangela nge shike? Molwomanyonauno oye eenyemba doshikutu shoye oda xumwa noififinwa yeemhadi doye oya monika.
23 Omuetiopia ota dulu tuu okushitukifa oshipa shaye ile ongwe omavala ayo? Ngeno tashi dulika, ngeno nanye yo otamu dulu okuwanifa ouwa, onye ava mwa ikilila owii. 24 Onghee hano Ame ohandi ke mu halakanifa ngaashi olungu tali i omhepo yokombuwa. 25 Oshipewa shoye noshitukulwa shoye nde shi ku tukulila, osho eshi, Omwene ta ti, shaashi ove owa dimbwa nge nowe lineekela oipupulu. 26 Onghee hano naame yo handi yelula omudjalo woye komesho opo u monike epenge. 27 Okuteya kwoye kwehombo nohole yoye yoipala noixuna yoye yoluhaelo loye kombada yoikulundudu yomoixwa, onde i mona. Woo oove Jerusalem! Ku na apa to koshoka. Tapa piti efimbo li fike peni natango, to ka koshoka?
