Jeremiah at the Potter's House
1 The Lord said to me, 2 “Go down to the potter's house, where I will give you my message.” 3 So I went there and saw the potter working at his wheel. 4 Whenever a piece of pottery turned out imperfect, he would take the clay and make it into something else.
5 Then the Lord said to me, 6 “Don't I have the right to do with you people of Israel what the potter did with the clay? You are in my hands just like clay in the potter's hands. 7 If at any time I say that I am going to uproot, break down, or destroy any nation or kingdom, 8 but then that nation turns from its evil, I will not do what I said I would. 9 On the other hand, if I say that I am going to plant or build up any nation or kingdom, 10 but then that nation disobeys me and does evil, I will not do what I said I would. 11 Now then, tell the people of Judah and of Jerusalem that I am making plans against them and getting ready to punish them. Tell them to stop living sinful lives—to change their ways and the things they are doing. 12 They will answer, ‘No, why should we? We will all be just as stubborn and evil as we want to be.’”
The People Reject the Lord
13 The Lord says,
“Ask every nation if such a thing
has ever happened before.
The people of Israel have done a terrible thing!
14 Are Lebanon's rocky heights ever without snow?
Do its cool mountain streams ever run dry?
15 Yet my people have forgotten me;
they burn incense to idols.
They have stumbled in the way they should go;
they no longer follow the old ways;
they walk on unmarked paths.
16 They have made this land a thing of horror,
to be despised forever.
All who pass by will be shocked at what they see;
they will shake their heads in amazement.
17 I will scatter my people before their enemies,
like dust blown by the east wind.
I will turn my back on them;
I will not help them when the disaster comes.”
A Plot against Jeremiah
18 Then the people said, “Let's do something about Jeremiah! There will always be priests to instruct us, the wise to give us counsel, and prophets to proclaim God's message. Let's bring charges against him and stop listening to what he says.”
19 So I prayed, “Lord, hear what I am saying and listen to what my enemies are saying about me. 20 Is evil the payment for good? Yet they have dug a pit for me to fall in. Remember how I came to you and spoke on their behalf, so that you would not deal with them in anger. 21 But now, Lord, let their children starve to death; let them be killed in war. Let the women lose their husbands and children; let the men die of disease and the young men be killed in battle. 22 Send a mob to plunder their homes without warning; make them cry out in terror. They have dug a pit for me to fall in and have set traps to catch me. 23 But, Lord, you know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their evil or pardon their sin. Throw them down in defeat and deal with them while you are angry.”
Jeremia ta yi monzimbogo
1 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: 2 “Kulukila monzimbogo yomuhongi gwiiyuma, omo tandi ku lombwelele oohapu.”Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: “Kulukila monzimbogo…” 3 Onda yi mo nonda adha omuhongi gwiiyuma ta longele poshidhingolokitaafula she. 4 Oshihongwa ngele osha yonuka, ngaashi hashi ningwa olwindji, okwe shi mbumbinga nokwa hongo oshiyuma shilwe shi ili.
5 Omuwa okwa lombwele ndje a ti: 6 “Kandi na uuthemba okuninga aantu yandje Aaisraeli, ngaashi omuhongi gwiiyuma ta ningi neloya? Omu li miikaha yandje ngashika eloya li li miikaha yomuhongi gwiiyuma. 7 Ngele nda ti, otii ka tudha mo oshigwana nenge oshilongo, ndi shi teyagule noku shi hanagula po, 8 ihe oshigwana shoka ngele oshi itedhulula she etha uuwinayi washo, itandi ka ninga we, ngaashi nda tile. 9 Kombinga onkwawo ngele tandi ti, otandi ka tsika nenge ndi tunge po oshigwana nenge oshilongo, 10 ihe oshigwana shoka itashi vulika kungame e tashi kolokosha, itii ka ninga shoka nda tile. 11 Onkee ano lombwela Aajuda nAajerusalem kutya otandi ya dhiladhilile omageelo. Ya lombwela, ya tule po uulunde wawo — ya ethe oondjila dhawo oombwinayi nokwoopaleka iikala niilonga yawo. 12 Otaa ka yamukula taa ti: ‘Aawe, omolwashike tu na oku shi ninga? Otatu kala twa tangalala notatu ningi naanaa ngaashi twa hala, kehe ngoka meikukutiko lyomwenyo gwe.’ ”
Oshigwana tashi ekelehi Omuwa
13 Omuwa ota ti:
“Ka puleni utale koshigwana kehe,
ngele oshinima sha tya ngaaka osha ningilwe nale.
Aaisraeli oya hunu!
14 Oondundu dhaLibanon otadhi kala tuu dhaa na olumi?
Omalunza gomeya koondungu dhadho otaga pwine po tuu,
uupompolonga waahwiyaka waa pompolokithe omeya omatalala?
15 Ihe aantu yandje oya dhimbwa ndje;
otaa fikile iimenka iitsinino.
Oya puka mo mondjila ndjoka ya li ye na okweenda nayo,
itaa landula we ondjila yandje;
otaa ende nomapola inaaga palwa.
16 Oya ningi evi lyawo eha lyehalutho, li dhinike sigo aluhe.
Ayehe mboka taa piti po, otaa pukapuka komitse;
otaa haluka ya kumwa.
17 Aantu yandje otandi ya halakanithile komeho gaatondi yawo,
ya fa ontsi tayi pepwa po kombepo yokuuzilo.
Otandi ya pilamene;
itandi ya kwatha mesiku lyuudhigu wawo.”
Jeremia ta tsilwa ondumbo
18 Aantu oya ti: “Jeremia natu mu ninge sha! Oshoka aayambi ohaye tu longo aluhe ompango, aanandunge ohaye tu tsu omayele, naahunganeki ohaa uvitha oohapu dhaKalunga. Natu mu nukileni nomalaka getu, tse twaa pulakene we shoka ta popi.”
19 Onda galikana nda ti: “Omuwa, uva shoka tandi ti nou pulakene shoka aatondi yandje taa popi ndje. 20 Uuwinayi otau ningi tuu ondjambi yuuwanawa? Oya fulile ndje ekelo, ndi gwile mo. Dhimbulukwa, nkene nde ya kungoye notandi ya popile, opo waaye ya geele. 21 Ihe ngashingeyi, Omuwa oyana naa se kondjala; ya dhipagela miita. Aakiiintu yawo naa ninge aaselekadhi yaa na oluvalo; aalumentu naa se po kelega, aalumentu aagundjuka naa sile miita. 22 Tuma ongundu yaayugi yi hanagule po omagumbo gawo pwaa na elondodho; ya halutha, ya lilagane muumbanda. Oya fulile ndje ekelo, ndi gwile mo, noya lukilile ndje omwigo gu yule ndje. 23 Ihe, Omuwa, oto tseya iipotha yawo yokudhipaga ndje. Ino ya kuthila po uuwinayi wawo nenge u dhime po uulunde mboka ye u ningi. Ya hata pevi, ngoye u ya tamaneke esiku lyondjahi yoye.”
