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.”
Ehangano lOmwene
1 Ondjovo ya hanga Jeremia ya dja kOmwene tai ti ngaha: 2 “Udeni eendjovo dehangano eli, di tongeni kovalumenhu vomuJuda nokoonakukalamo muJerusalem, 3 va lombweleni: Omwene Kalunga kaIsrael osho ta ti: ‘Omulumenhu ou ita dulika keendjovo dehangano eli, na fingwe, 4 olo tuu olo nde li pele ooxokulu efiku olo nde va tembula medu laEgipiti, mediko loshivela, eshi nda tile: Pwilikineni ondaka yange ndele wanifeni aishe naanaa ngaashi nde mu lombwela mu ninge, opo tamu kala ovanhu vange, naame ohandi kala Kalunga keni, 5 nondi pameke eano lange nde li anena ooxokulu nokuudaneka ndi va pe oshilongo tashi tondoka omashini nomaadi eenyiki, ngaashi nye mu shi kwete fiyo onena eli.’ ” Ndele ame onda nyamukula nonda tya: “Heeno, oshili, Omwene.” 6 Ndele Omwene okwa lombwela nge: “Eendjovo odo adishe di udifila moilando yaJuda nomomapandavanda aJerusalem u tye: Udeni eendjovo dehangano eli nye mu di wanife! 7 Osheshi onda pukulula shili ooxokulu, eshi nde va tembula medu laEgipiti, nofiyo onena onde va pukulula nonda tya: Pwilikineni ondaka yange. 8 Ndelenee vo inava pwilikina nongaashi inava ameka okutwi kwavo kwaame, ndelenee vo, keshe umwe, ova kala nokweenda moukukutu womitima davo dii. Onghee nda eta kombada yavo eendjovo adishe dehangano eli nde li va pele ve di wanife, ndelenee vo inave di wanifa.”
Okuliteeka po kwoshiwana
9 Ndele Omwene okwa lombwela nge, ndele ta ti: “Mokati kovalumenhu vaJuda nomokati koonakukala muJerusalem omu nehangakeno. 10 Vo ova shunina momanyonauno ooxekulu votete, venya va li va anya okudulika keendjovo dange, ndele va shikula oikalunga noku i longela. Eumbo laIsrael neumbo laJuda okwa teya po ehangano nde li ningilile nooxekulu vavo. 11 Onghee hano Omwene ota ti ngaha: ‘Tala, Ame ohandi va etele oshiponga tashi va nyenge okulixupifa mo. Nongeenge tava ifana nge, itandi va udu. 12 Ndele oilando yaJuda noonakukalamo muJerusalem, ngeenge tava i ko va ka ifane oikalunga oyo ve i xwikila omayambo, yo itai va xupifa mo mefimbo loshiponga shavo. 13 Akutu oove, Juda! Osheshi omuvalu woikalunga yoye, Juda u fike poilando yoye nongaashi omapandavanda omuJerusalem mahapu osho mwa dikila oshikalunga shohoni eealtari, mu xwikile Baal omayambo.’ 14 Ndele ove ino ilikanena ovanhu ava, u twale ondaka yoye pombada oku va popila nomailikaneno, osheshi Ame itandi va udu, ngeenge tava kuwile nge ekwafo omolwoshiponga shavo. 15 Omuholike wange ota kongo mo shike motembeli yange? A wanife omakoto ngeno? Omaudaneko mayapuki nombelela yeyambo otai kufa po tuu mwoove owii woye? Ngeno ngaha, ngeno to kala nokunyakukwa! 16 Omwene okwe ku luka edina loye: ‘Olumono litalala la wapala li neemono da kola nawa,’ ndelenee mokupepa kwomhepo inene okwe li temena omundilo, oitai yalo oya nyonauka po. 17 Ndele Omwene womatanga ovakwaita, ou e ku twika, okwe ku pangelela omhangela u hangike komupya omolwowii weumbo laIsrael noweumbo laJuda, ve u ninga nokuhandukifa nge, eshi va xwikila Baal omayambo.”
Jeremia ta hangakenwa
18 Ndele Omwene okwa shiivifila nge, naame onda shiiva, Ove wa talifa nge omalalakaneno avo. 19 Ndele onda li ngaashi okadjona ka mwena taka twalwa koshidipaelo, ndele shiiva nokutya, vo va kundafana nge ve nondubo naame tava ti: Tu nyonauneni po omuti ou pamwe noiimati yao, ndele tu u dude mo medu lovanamwenyo, edina laye liha dimbulukiwe vali. 20 Ndelenee, akutu, Oove, Omwene womatanga ovakwaita, Oove omutokoli omuyuki, omukonakoni weefiyo nowomutima. Shi itavela, ndi tale onghone yoye yoku va handukila, osheshi onde ku kandulila oihokolola yange. 21 Onghee hano Omwene ota popi ngaha ovalumenhu vomuAnatot ava hava nangele omwenyo woye, eshi hava ti: Ino xunganeka medina lOmwene, opo uha fye komake etu, 22 onghee hano Omwene womatanga ovakwaita ota ti: Tala, Ame ohandi va handukile: ovalumenhu vavo ovanyasha otava dipawa keongamukonda, ovana ovamati noukadona otava fi ondjala. 23 Itapa xupu nande oshixupe shomuvo, osheshi ovalumenhu vomuAnatot ohandi ke va efela oshiponga momudo wokuhandukilwa kwavo.
