Jeremiah 21

¹ King Zedekiah of Judah send Pashhur son of Malchiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah con beg me for this:

² “Abeg help us follow God talk, because king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia and him army dey attack the city. Maybe God go perform one of him miracle for us and force Nebuchadnezzar to go back.”

³ Then God speak to me, and I tell men wey the king send to me say

⁴ Make dem tell Zedekiah say the LORD, God of Israel, don talk say, “Zedekiah, I go defeat your army wey dey fight against king of Babylonia and him army. I go gather your soldier weapon for centre of the city.

⁵ I go fight you with all my strength, and anger.

⁶ I go kill everybody wey dey live for this city; terrible disease go kill people and animal.

⁷ But as for you, your official, and people wey survive the war, the hunger, and the disease- I go allow king Nebuchadnezzar and una enemy wey wan kill una, capture una. Nebuchadnezzar go kill una. He no go leave any of una, or show una mercy or pity any of una. I, the LORD, don talk.”

⁸ Then God, tell me make I tell the people say, “Make una hear me! I, the LORD, I dey give una choice between way wey lead to life and the way wey lead to death.

⁹ Anyone wey stay in the city go die for war or by hunger or disease. But those wey go out and surrender to Babylonians, wey dey attack the city now, no go die; at least dem go escape with their lives.

¹⁰ I don make up my mind say I no go leave this city unharm, but to destroy am. King of Babylonia go take am and he go burn am to ground. I, the LORD, don talk.”

¹¹ God tell me make I give royal house of Judah this message,

¹² Descendant of David say: “Make una hear wetin I, the LORD, dey talk. Make una dey sure say una dey do justice every day. Make una protect person wey dem cheat from the hand of person wey dey cheat him. If una no do am, the evil wey una dey do go make my anger burn like fire wey nobody fit stop.

¹³ Jerusalem, you dey sit high above low land, like rock wey dey rise above flat land. But I go fight against you. You talk say nobody fit attack you or break through your defence.

¹⁴ But I go punish you for wetin you don do. I go set your palace on fire, and the fire go burn down everything wey round am. I, the LORD, don talk.”