Jeremiah Buys a Field
1 The Lord spoke to me in the tenth year that Zedekiah was king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylonia. 2 At that time, the Babylonian army had surrounded Jerusalem, and I was in the prison at the courtyard of the palace guards. 3 Zedekiah had ordered me to be held there because I told everyone that the Lord had said:
I am the Lord, and I am about to let the king of Babylonia conquer Jerusalem. 4 King Zedekiah will be captured and taken to King Nebuchadnezzar, who will speak with him face to face. 5 Then Zedekiah will be led away to Babylonia, where he will stay until I am finished with him. So, if you people of Judah fight against the Babylonians, you will lose. I, the Lord, have spoken.
6 Later, when I was in prison, the Lord said:
7 Jeremiah, your cousin Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will visit you. He must sell his field near the town of Anathoth, and because you are his nearest relative, you have the right and the responsibility to buy it and keep it in the family.
8 Hanamel came, just as the Lord had promised. And he said, “Please buy my field near Anathoth in the territory of the Benjamin tribe. You have the right to buy it, and if you do, it will stay in our family.”
The Lord had told me to buy it 9 from Hanamel, and so I did. The price was 17 pieces of silver, and I weighed out the full amount on a scale. 10-11 I had two copies of the bill of sale written out: an official copy containing the details of our agreement and another copy, without the details. Some witnesses and I signed the official copy, which was folded and tied, before being sealed shut with hot wax. Then I gave Hanamel the silver. 12 And while he, the witnesses, and all the other Jews sitting in the courtyard were still watching, I gave both copies to Baruch son of Neriah.
13-14 I told Baruch that the Lord had said:
Take both copies of this bill of sale, one sealed shut and the other open, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. 15 I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, and I promise you that people will once again buy and sell houses, farms, and vineyards in this country.
Jeremiah Questions the Lord
16 Then I prayed:
17 Lord God, you stretched out your mighty arm and made the sky and the earth. You can do anything. 18 You show kindness for a thousand generations, but you also punish people for the sins of their parents. You are the Lord All-Powerful. 19 With great wisdom you make plans, and with your great power you do all the mighty things you planned. Nothing we do is hidden from your eyes, and you reward or punish us as we deserve.
20 You are famous because you worked miracles in Egypt, and you are still working them in Israel and in the rest of the world as well. 21 You terrified the Egyptians with your miracles, and you reached out your mighty arm and rescued your people Israel from Egypt. 22 Then you gave Israel this land rich with milk and honey, just as you had promised our ancestors.
23 But when our ancestors took over the land, they did not obey you. And now you have punished Israel with disaster. 24 Jerusalem is under attack, and we suffer from hunger and disease. The Babylonians have already built dirt ramps up to the walls of our city, and you can see that Jerusalem will be captured just as you said.
25 So why did you tell me to get some witnesses and buy a field with my silver, when Jerusalem is about to be captured by the Babylonians?
The Lord Explains about the Field
26 The Lord explained:
27 Jeremiah, I am the Lord God. I rule the world, and I can do anything!
28 It is true that I am going to let King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia capture Jerusalem. 29 The Babylonian army is already attacking, and they will capture the city and set it on fire. The people of Jerusalem have made me angry by going up to the flat roofs of their houses and burning incense to Baal and offering wine sacrifices to other gods. Now these houses will be burned to the ground!
30-33 The kings and the officials, the priests and the prophets, and everyone else in Israel and Judah have turned from me and made me angry by worshiping idols. Again and again I have tried to teach my people to obey me, but they refuse to be corrected.
I am going to get rid of Jerusalem, because its people have done nothing but evil. 34 They have set up repulsive idols in my temple, and now it isn't a fit place to worship me. 35 And they led Judah into sin by building places to worship Baal in Hinnom Valley, where they also sacrificed their sons and daughters to the god Molech. I have never even imagined they would commit such disgusting sins.
36 Jeremiah, what you said is true. The people of Jerusalem are suffering from hunger and disease, and so the king of Babylonia will be able to capture Jerusalem.
37 I am angry with the people of Jerusalem, and I will scatter them in foreign countries. But someday I will bring them back here and let them live in safety. 38 They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39-41 I will make their thoughts and desires pure. Then they will realize that, for their own good and the good of their children, they must worship only me. They will even be afraid to turn away from me. I will make an agreement with them that will never end, and I won't ever stop doing good things for them. With all my heart I promise that they will be planted in this land once again. 42 Even though I have brought disaster on the people, I will someday do all these good things for them.
43 Jeremiah, when you bought the field, you showed that fields will someday be bought and sold again. You say that this land has been conquered by the Babylonians and has become a desert, emptied of people and animals. 44 But someday, people will again spend their silver to buy fields everywhere—in the territory of Benjamin, the region around Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, and in the hill country, the foothills to the west, and the Southern Desert. Buyers and sellers and witnesses will sign and seal the bills of sale for the fields. It will happen, because I will give this land back to my people. I, the Lord, have spoken.
Yeremaya ka Ämvu Ogye
1 OPI atate märi ndroa 'butealo 'dimiri Zedekia 'bädri'ba Yuda ro rosi, se kpa orivoya ndroa 'butealo fonjidriena 'dimiri Nebukadenezara 'Bädri'ba Babelona ro rosi. 2 Tu ana si 'dooko kyila'bai 'bädri'ba Babelona ro ro kayite Yerusalema gota, ago asekala ma Yeremaya rote goko zo'desi miri ro 'bädri'ba roya. 3 'Bädri'ba Zedekia vo mate kamba ya lau ago kicu mate ta tase OPI katabe mayo tana be ana rota se ekye: “Ma oye 'bakici ono ozone drì 'bädri'ba Babelona ro roya ago nda ka oye urune. 4 'Bädri'ba Zedekia unina ko voopane ni Babelona'bai rigyesi. Ozona nda 'da drì 'bädri'ba Babelona ro roya; nda ondrena nda 'da miya miya ago atana 'da nda modo ri. 5 Äruna Zedekia 'da Babelona ya, ago nda orina 'da lau madale mäfuna nda gwo. Ondro ka'do nda koye kyila gica Babelona'bai be, nda unina ko takado aza oyene. Ma, OPI, matani.”
6 OPI atate ma Yeremaya ri, 7 ekye; Hanamela, ŋgwa adroa maro Saluma ro, kaoye ikyine mare ma ejine ämvu ndaro se Anatota ya ana ogyene, tana ma orivoya 'didiri paca ndaro ago ṛoni märi ogyene andivo maro ri. 8 'Dooko, dori ondro OPI katate märi oso inye oko, Hanamela ikyite mare goko ya lau ago eji mate ämvu ndaro Anatota ya wari Benjamina roya ana ogyene, tana ma ṛoni 'didiri paca se ogyene owo. 'Dooko mäni dori anjioko endaro OPI atani märi. 9 Magye ämvu Hanamela ro ana te ago mozo parata te ndäri; lagyena oso tonyo mo'di ro 'butealo fonjidrieri. 10 Megyi ävuru te zeleigye ago abe kalana te, tazevoedre'bai orivoya, ago ojo läŋgyi parata se ana rote ŋga ŋgaojoro si. 11 'Dooko märu gyere taegyi se ŋga ogyero se abe kalana be ana te, gyerena se abe kalana be ana tadriole orivoya kigye, ndi se kalana obeako ana be; 12 ago mozo ànya te Baruka, ŋgwa Neraya ro kwozo Maseya ro rigye. Mozo ànya te nda rigye Hanamela ndi tazevoedre'bai be milesi se kegyiyi ävuru ànyaro be zeleigye kai ago kpa mile lidri se koriyibe goko ya kai ro yasi. 13 Matate Baruka ri mile ànyaro yasi makye: 14 “OPI Mbaraekye, Lu Yisaraele ro, ozotate miri taegyi se ŋga ogyero ono urune, se abe kalana be 'do ndi riti gyerena se kalana obeako 'do be, ago ànya o'bane lakaza ludri ro ya, tana ànya kori robe ruenjiako madaro. 15 OPI Mbaraekye, Lu Yisaraele ro, atate ekye zoi, ämvui, ndi ämvui kono robe ago agyena 'da kpa to'di wari ono ya.”
Mätu Yeremaya ro
16 Ondro mozo taegyi tadriole ŋga ogyero ana te Baruka rigye oko, maye mätu te OPI ri makye: 17 “OPI Mbarapara, mi'ba vo'buyakuru ni ndi 'bädri be te mbara para ndi aṛi miro be si; ŋga aza a'do kote rritiro miri. 18 Nyaka'da ŋgalu 'duro miro te kutu du ri, oko nya kpa lidri eza eza ta takozi uti'bai ànyaro rota. Mi orivoya Lu se 'desi ago mbaraekye ono owo; ävuru miro ni OPI Mbaraekye owo. 19 Nyani tavoora tavouni si ago nyani ŋga mbaraekye azaka oyena; nya ŋgase cini lidri kabe oyena ono ondrena, ago nya päläti ozo lidri ri a'do ànyaro voro ago taoye ànyaro voro. 20 Tu kyeno ana ya, miye talaroro ndi rubä be te Ezipeto ya, ago nya drigi ugu oyena le tu ono si, Yisaraele ya ago kpa tu'dei cini azaka lako, ta'doro yauono äni mite vocini yasi. 21 Nyolofo lidri miro Yisaraele rote ni Ezipeto yasi, talaroro ndi rubä be oyena si, mbara ndi aṛi miro be si ago ŋga gbegbe amba si. 22 Nyozo wari se ono te ànyari, oso mi'ba tao'ba na be zutui ànyaro ri ronye, wari se ŋgadriamba be ago kadoro. 23 Oko ondro ànya kikyiyite wari se ono ya ago kuruyi te oko, ànya royi ota miro kote ago riyi kote ŋgaemba miro voro; ànya yeyi ŋgase mita ànya be oyene ono kote. Tana ta'doro nyezi taezaro se cini kwoi te ànya dri.
24 “Babelona'bai 'beyi ŋga driumu rote gbikyi 'bakici ono lomvosi uruzana, ago ànya kayite gotana. Ta kyila, mä'bu, ndi adravo kozi be rosi 'bakici ono ka oyete o'dene drì Babelona'bai ro ya. Mindre tase cini nyatabe ono esate taŋgye ro. 25 Caoko mi OPI Mbarapara, nyatate märi ämvu se ono ogyene mile tazevoedre'bai ro yasi, Babelona'bai kayi oye gica 'bakici ono urune ono owo.”
26 'Dooko OPI atate ma Yeremaya ri ekye: 27 “Ma ni OPI, Lu lidri cini ro owo. Ŋga aza a'do kote rritiro märi. 28 Ta'doro ma oye 'bakici ono ozone Nebukadenezara 'Bädri'ba Babelona ro ndi kyila'bai ndaro be rigye; ago ànya urunayi 'da. 29 Ànya ikyinayi osonayi asi 'da driigye; ago ozanayi 'da riya, tro zoi se ànya kozayi ŋga ŋgutruro be Bala ri driku'du'du paraga nai ro yasi ago kodayi ŋgapäṛi vino robe lui azaka ri kigyesi iyi be se 'ba mate kyilaro. 30 Lidri Yisaraele ro ndi lidri Yuda robe yeyi; nga kado aza kote ago 'bayi mate a'done kyilaro tase ànya koyeyibe omba ànyaro si ono si. 31 Lidri 'bakici ono ro 'bayi mate a'done kyilaro ndra ṛoni tuse abebe ana si madale ondro. Musutate perene, 32 tana ta takozi se cini lidri Yuda ro ndi Yerusalema robe koyeyibe ma o'basi kyilaro ono rota, tro tase 'bädri'bai ànyaro, ndi dri'bai ànyaro, kohanii ànyaro ndi nebii ànyaro koyeyibe ono be. 33 Ànya siyi kundu te märi ago ezayi mi kote mari; ago mugu ànya emba gica, caoko ànya eriyi tana kote ago niyi tana kote. 34 Ago ànya 'bayi lui edeedero se konjiekye ànyaro iyi te Yekalu se abebe ma mätuzana ono enjizana. 35 Ànya beyi vo tori oloro te Bala ri Vodelero Inoma roya, ŋgwàagoro ànyaro ndi ndiriŋwa ànyaro be oloza tori ro lu Moleka ri, se mozo ota koni ànyari oyene inye, ago tana ci kote drî maro ya makye ànya kayi oye ŋga kozipara loyene oso inye ago lidri Yuda ro o'bane takozi oyene.”
Tao'ba Mio'ba ro
36 OPI, Lu Yisaraele ro, atate märi ekye: “Yeremaya, nyà ata mìkye kyila, mä'bu, ndi adravo kozi be ka oye 'bakici ono o'bane o'dene drì 'bädri'ba Babelona ro roya. 37 Oko mindre ma oye kala lidri ro otone ni 'bädri se cini mepere ànya be kyila si ago siomba si kigyesi iyi yasi, ago ma oye ànya logone vo ono ya ago ma'bana ànya 'da orine vo ono ya londroro. 38 'Dooko ànya a'donayi 'da lidri maro, ago ma'dona 'da Lu ànyaro. 39 Mozona toto ta alodi ayani ànyari ori ànyaro ya; tana ànya koroyi ma robe äduako, ta takado ànyaro ndi zelevoi ànyaro robe ta. 40 Ma'bana tao'baro äduako 'da ànya yibe. Mänina ko orine takado oyeako ànyari alona, ago ma'bana ànya 'da ma turine ya cini ànyaro si, tana ukyi ànya onaru 'da ni maresi. 41 Ma'dona 'da yai'dwesi takado cini oyevoya ànyari, ago ma'bana ànya 'da orine ŋgyiri wari ono ya ta'dirisi ago ya cini maro si.
42 “Oso mezi taezaro be lidri kwoi dri ono ronye, ma oye kpa ŋga kado cini se ma'ba tana be iyi ozone ànyari oso inye. 43 Ago agyena ämvui 'da kpa to'di wari gi lidri ka ata ekye ka oye a'done tandro ro se lidri ca koronyai ri kote kigye, ago ozona 'da Babelona'bai ri ono ya. 44 Lidri ogyena ämvui 'da, ago egyinayi ävurui 'da oti lagyena ro zelesi, abena kalana 'da, ago tazevoedre'bai a'dona 'da. Ta ono ka oye a'done wari Benjamina roya, 'baŋwai se gbikyi Yerusalema lomvosi iyi yasi, 'ba'desii Yuda ro yasi, ago 'ba'desii se lutui lakosi iyi yasi, lutui pasi, ago Negebe yasi. Mago mologona lidri 'da wari ànyaro ya. Ma, OPI, Matani.”