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?
Epaya lyoliina
1 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Ki ilandele epaya lyoliina, u li zale mombunda yoye, ihe ino li yaya tuu momeya.” 2 Onda landa epaya, ngashika Omuwa a ti, nonde li zala mombunda. 3 Oohapu dhOmuwa odha adha ndje ishewe tadhi ti: 4 “Kutha epaya ndyoka wa landa nowe li zala mombunda, inda komulonga Eufrat u li holeke molumbogo lwemanya.” 5 Onda yi nonde li holeke pomulonga Eufrat, ngaashi Omuwa a lombwele ndje.
6 Sho pwa piti omasiku ogendji, Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Inda kuEufrat u ka tale ko epaya ndyoka nde ku lombwelele u ke li holeke ko.” 7 Onda shuna ko nonda kutha mo epaya mehala moka nde li holekele. Ihe olya li lya kulupa lyaa na we oshilonga.
8 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: 9 “Ano osho ngeyi tandi shundula einenepeko lyaJuda nuuntsa waJerusalem. 10 Aantu mbaka aawinayi oya tindi okuvulika kungame. Oya ningi aatangalali notaa simaneke nokulongela iikalunga yaapagani. Onkee ano otaa ka ninga ya fa epaya ndika kaali na we oshilonga. 11 Ngashika epaya lya kwata mombunda, osho ngaaka onda hala okukwatathana nAaisraeli ayehe nAajuda. Onde shi ningi, opo ya kale aantu yandje taa hambelele nokusimaneka edhina lyandje, ihe yo inaa vulika kungame.”
Oshiyuma shomaviinu
12 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Jeremia, lombwela Aaisraeli kutya oshiyuma kehe shomaviinu ohashi udhithwa nomaviinu. Otaa ka yamukula kutya oya tseya kutya iiyuma yomaviinu ohayi udhithwa omaviinu. 13 Ya lombwela nduno kutya ongame Omuwa tandi ka nwetha aantu moshilongo shika nomaviinu, sigo ya kolwa: aakwaniilwa, mboka oluvalo lwaDavid, aayambi, aahunganeki nAajerusalem ayehe. 14 Otandi ke ya nyanyagulithathana, shamukuluntu osho ngaa shamunona. Itandi kankekwa nando kuugelele nenge kesilohenda, opo ndaaye ya dhipage ando.”
Jeremia ta kondjitha uuntsa
15 Aaisraeli ne, Omuwa okwa popya!
Ifupipikeni, mu pulakene.
16 Simanekeni Omuwa, Kalunga keni,
manga inaa tuma omilema,
notamu ka telagana noondundu.
Otamu tegelele uuyelele,
ihe oye te u shitukitha omilema thokothoko.
17 Ngele itamu pulakene elondodho ndika,
uuntsa weni otau lilitha ndje ompompohodhi;
ote lili omahodhi omapyu,
omahodhi otaga pononoka ashike,
aantu yOmuwa sho taa kwatwa po
e taa falwa muupongekwa.
18 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Lombwela omukwaniilwa nayina, ya kuluke ko kiipangelapundi yawo, oshoka iishani yawo yuulenga oya gu ko komitse dhawo. 19 Iilando muumbugantu waJuda oya kondekwa nokaku na ngoka ta vulu oku yi egulula. Aajuda ayehe oya kwatwa po noya falwa muupongekwa.”
20 Tala utale, Jerusalem! Aatondi yoye otaye ya taa ziilile kuumbangalantu. Aantu mboka ye ku inekelelwa, oye li peni, aantu yoye mboka ho inomene? 21 Oto ka popya shike, uuna aantu mboka wa dhiladhila ookuume koye, taye ku sindi notaye ku pangele? Oto ka adhika koshitheta sha fa shomukulukadhi ta vala. 22 Ngele oto pula kutya omolwashike iinima mbika ye ku ningilwa — omolwashike oonguwo dhoye dha togonyonwa po nowa kondjithwa — osha ningwa omoluulunde woye uunene. 23 Omuetiopia ota vulu tuu okulundulula oshipa she, nenge ongwe yi ikuthe iitotono yayo? Ngele otashi vulika, nena nangoye wo ngoka ho longo uuwinayi auke, oto vulu okwiilonga uuyuuki. 24 Omuwa ota ka halakanitha aantu yoye ya fa etutu tali pepwa po kombepo yokombuga. 25 Shika oshipewa shoye, oshitopolelwa shoka Omuwa e shi ku uthile, oshoka owe mu dhimbwa nowi inekela iikalunga yiifundja. 26 Omuwa oye mwenemwene ta yelutha onguwo yoye, epenge lyoye li monike. 27 Okwe ku mono to longo shoka ha tondo. Okwe ku mono to yi kiikalunga yaapagani koondundu nokomalundu, wa fa omuntu a lopela mukadhamushiinda she, wa fa okakambe okatsezi ka lamba okanzinzi. Yaye ne Aajerusalem! Onamu yogoka uunake?
