Jeremiah and the Covenant
1 The Lord said to me, 2 “Listen to the terms of the covenant. Tell the people of Judah and of Jerusalem 3 that I, the Lord God of Israel, have placed a curse on everyone who does not obey the terms of this covenant. 4 It is the covenant I made with their ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, the land that was like a blazing furnace to them. I told them to obey me and to do everything that I had commanded. I told them that if they obeyed, they would be my people and I would be their God. 5 Then I would keep the promise I made to their ancestors that I would give them the rich and fertile land which they now have.”
I said, “Yes, Lord.”
6 Then the Lord said to me, “Go to the cities of Judah and to the streets of Jerusalem. Proclaim my message there and tell the people to listen to the terms of the covenant and to obey them. 7 When I brought their ancestors out of Egypt, I solemnly warned them to obey me, and I have kept on warning the people until this day. 8 But they did not listen or obey. Instead, everyone continued to be as stubborn and evil as ever. I had commanded them to keep the covenant, but they refused. So I brought on them all the punishments described in it.”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and of Jerusalem are plotting against me. 10 They have gone back to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to do what I said; they have worshiped other gods. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors. 11 So now I, the Lord, warn them that I am going to bring destruction on them, and they will not escape. And when they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the people of Judah and of Jerusalem will go to the gods to whom they offer sacrifices and will cry out to them for help. But those gods will not be able to save them when this destruction comes. 13 The people of Judah have as many gods as they have cities, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have set up as many altars for sacrifices to that disgusting god Baal as there are streets in the city. 14 Jeremiah, don't pray to me or plead with me on behalf of these people. When they are in trouble and call to me for help, I will not listen to them.”
15 The Lord says, “The people I love are doing evil things. What right do they have to be in my Temple? Do they think they can prevent disaster by making promises and by offering animal sacrifices? Will they then rejoice? 16 I once called them a leafy olive tree, full of beautiful fruit; but now, with a roar like thunder I will set its leaves on fire and break its branches.
17 “I, the Lord Almighty, planted Israel and Judah; but now I threaten them with disaster. They have brought this on themselves because they have done wrong; they have made me angry by offering sacrifices to Baal.”
A Plot against Jeremiah's Life
18 The Lord informed me of the plots that my enemies were making against me. 19 I was like a trusting lamb taken out to be killed, and I did not know that it was against me that they were planning evil things. They were saying, “Let's chop down the tree while it is still healthy; let's kill him so that no one will remember him any more.”
20 Then I prayed, “Almighty Lord, you are a just judge; you test people's thoughts and feelings. I have placed my cause in your hands; so let me watch you take revenge on these people.”
21 The people of Anathoth wanted me killed, and they told me that they would kill me if I kept on proclaiming the Lord's message. 22 So the Lord Almighty said, “I will punish them! Their young men will be killed in war; their children will die of starvation. 23 I have set a time for bringing disaster on the people of Anathoth, and when that time comes, none of them will survive.”
Omerikutiropamwe wa Muhona ya teyewa
1 Muhona wa tja nai ku Jeremia: 2 “Puratena komambo womerikutiropamwe wandje! Raera kovandu va Juda na kovature va Jerusalem 3 kutja ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona, Ndjambi wa Israel, me sengi auhe ngu hi nonḓuviro komambo womerikutiropamwe nga. 4 Inga owo omerikutiropamwe ngu mba tjitire nooihe mukururume, indu tji mbe ve pitisire mOengipte, ehi nda ri otja ezuko romuriro ku wo. Ami mbe ve raerere kutja ve kare nonḓuviro ku ami, nu ve tjite oviṋa avihe mbi mbe ve rakizire. Mbe ve raerere kutja tji va kara nonḓuviro mave rire otjiwaṋa tjandje, nu ami me rire Ndjambi wawo. 5 Ami otji me ṱakamisa omakwizikiro ngu mba tjitire kooihe mukururume wokutja meve pe ehi etumbe nehapise, ndi ve na ro nambano.”
Ami, Jeremia, mba zira nai: “Ii, Muhona.”
6 Muhona wa tja ku ami: “Twende kovihuro vya Juda na komivanda vya Jerusalem. Kazuvarise ombuze yandje ngo, nu u karaere ovandu avehe kutja ve puratene komambo womerikutiropamwe nga, nokutja ve kare nonḓuviro ku wo. 7 Ami tji mba pitisire ooihe mukururume mOengipte, mbe ve rongere nomasa kutja ve kare nonḓuviro ku ami; nami mba kara pokuronga otjiwaṋa nga ku ndinondi. 8 Nungwari otjo katji puratenene ko nu katji karere ko nonḓuviro. Moruveze rwanao, omundu auhe wa ririra ko otjirangaranga nomurunde. Ami mbe ve rakiza kutja ve ṱakamise omerikutiropamwe nga, nungwari owo va panḓa. Ami opu mba etera omberero aihe kombanda yawo ndja tjangwa momerikutiropamwe nga.”
9 Muhona wa tja ku ami: “Otjiwaṋa tja Juda novature va Jerusalem mave ndji pirukire. 10 Owo va yaruka komauvi wooihe mukururume, mba panḓere okupuratena komambo wandje; owo ve rikotamena koomukuru varwe. Ovaisrael nOvajuda va teya omerikutiropamwe ngu mba tjitire nooihe mukururume. 11 Nambano ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona, otji meve raerere po kutja me eta otjiwonga ku wo, nowo kamaave poṋa. Nu tji mave ku ombatero ku ami, hi nokuvezuvira ko. 12 Ovandu va Juda novature va Jerusalem mave i koomukuru ku ve punguha ozombunguhiro, nu mave kakwa ombatero ku wo. Nungwari oomukuru mbo kave nokuyenena okuvevatera, otjiwonga hi tji tje ya. 13 Ovandu va Juda ve noomukuru ovengi pu pe ṱa ovihuro mbi ve na vyo; novature va Jerusalem va zika ovipunguhiro ovingi mbi ṱeki pomivanda motjihuro okupunguhira ko komukuru omuyaukise Baal. 14 Jeremia, o kumbu, nu o riheke ku ami mena rotjiwaṋa hi orondu ami himee puratene ko ku wo tji ve ri moumba nave ku ombatero ku ami.”
15 Muhona ma tja nai: “Otjiwaṋa tji mba suvera matji tjiti ouvi. Tji nousemba watjike okukara mondjuwo yandje? Matji tjangovasi matji sora okutjaera otjiwonga mokutjita omakwizikiro na mokupunguha ozombunguhiro zovinamuinyo are? Imbi mavi tji yorokisa are? 16 Otjikando tjimwe ami mbe tji isanene kutja otjo omuṋinga womaso mbwe ura nozoṋinga ozombwa ozomanise; nungwari nambano ami me twa omaso momuriro nombosiro onene tjimuna yoruṱuṱumo, nu e teya otutavi twawo.
17 “Ami, ngu mbi ri Muhona Omunamasaaehe, mba kuna Israel na Juda; nungwari nambano meve tanda notjiwonga mena rourunde wawo. Owo ve riyetera otjiwonga hi kombanda yawo; orondo ve ndji pindikisa mokupunguhira Baal ozombunguhiro.”
Okupirukira omuinyo wa Jeremia
18 Muhona we ndji tjivisa omapirukiro ovanavita na ami ngu mave tjiti ku ami. 19 Ami mba ri otja ondjona ongozu, ndji mai twarewa kokukaṱa, nu hi tjivirwe kutja owo va tunga ondunge yourunde okupirukira ami. Owo ave tja: “Ngatu ke omuti ngunda au ri omutarazu; ngatu u zepe kutja ape ha kakara umwe ngu me u zemburuka rukwao.”
20 Ami arire tji mba kumbu nai: “Muhona Omunamasaaehe, oove omupangure omusemba; u rora omeripuriro wovandu nomitima vyawo. Ami mba twa otjiposa tjandje momake woye; ndji esa mbi ku tarere tji mo sutisa ovandu mba.”
21 Ovarumendu va Anatot va vanga kutja mbi ṱe; nowo ve ndji raera kutja mave ndji zepa tji me panḓere pokuzuvarisa ombuze ya Muhona. 22 Muhona Omunamasaaehe otja tja nai: “Ami meve vere. Omitanda vyawo omizandu mavi ṱu movita; novanatje vawo mave ṱondjara. 23 Ami mba twa po oruveze rwokueta otjiwonga kovature va Anatot; noruveze ndo tji rweya, kape na ngu ma hupisiwa.”
