Habakkuk 1
1 This is the burden that Habakkuk the prophet received in a vision:
Yei ne asɛm a odiyifoɔ Habakuk nya firii Awurade nkyɛn wɔ anisoadehunu mu.
2 How long, O LORD, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?
Ao, Awurade, memfrɛ mmisa mmoa nkɔsi da bɛn, a nso wontie me? Meteam mefrɛ wo, akakabensɛm enti, nanso womma mmɛgye me.
3 Why do You make me see iniquity? Why do You tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me. Strife is ongoing, and conflict abounds.
Adɛn na woma mehwɛ ntɛnkyea? Adɛn enti na wotena bɔne ho? Ɔsɛeɛ ne akakabensɛm da mʼanim, basabasayɛ ne abɛbrɛsɛ atwa me ahyia.
4 Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.
Enti, mmara nyɛ adwuma na atɛntenenee nni baabiara, atirimuɔdenfoɔ aka ateneneefoɔ ahyɛ, enti wɔkyea atemmuo.
5 “Look at the nations and observe— be utterly astounded! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe even if someone told you.
“Momma ɛnyɛ mo nwanwa, na mo ho nnwiri mo! Merebɛyɛ biribi wɔ mo berɛ so, na sɛ obi ka kyerɛ mo a, morennye nni.
6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans — that ruthless and impetuous nation which marches through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.
Mema Babiloniafoɔ asɔre, ɔman a wɔyɛ atirimuɔdenfoɔ ne ntɔkwapɛfoɔ; wɔbufa asase nyinaa so, na wɔfa tenabea a ɛnyɛ wɔn dea.
7 They are dreaded and feared; from themselves they derive justice and sovereignty.
Wɔn ho yɛ hu na nnipa suro wɔn; wɔyɛ wɔn bo so adeɛ, de pɛ animuonyam ma wɔn ho.
8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.
Wɔn apɔnkɔ ho yɛ herɛ sene asebɔ, na wɔn ho yɛ hu sene pataku a ɔnam anadwo, wɔn apɔnkɔsotefoɔ kɔ wɔn anim mmarima so, wɔfiri akyirikyiri nsase so, na wɔto hoo sɛ akroma a ɔrekɔkye aboa.
9 All of them come bent on violence; their hordes advance like the east wind; they gather prisoners like sand.
Wɔn nyinaa ba sɛ wɔrebɛyɛ basabasayɛ. Wɔn dɔm pem kɔ wɔn anim te sɛ anweatam so mframa, na wɔtase nneduafoɔ sɛ anwea.
10 They scoff at kings and make rulers an object of scorn. They laugh at every fortress and build up siege ramps to seize it.
Wɔmmmu ahene, wɔdi aman sodifoɔ ho fɛw, na wɔtwee nkuropɔn ho banbɔ denden. Wɔsisi dɔteɛ epie nam so kyekyere atamfoɔ.
11 Then they sweep by like the wind and pass on through. They are guilty; their own strength is their god.”
Wɔbɔ hoo te sɛ mframa kɔ wɔn anim. Afɔdifoɔ a wɔn ahoɔden yɛ wɔn nyame.”
12 Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. O LORD, You have appointed them to execute judgment; O Rock, You have established them for correction.
Ao, Awurade, wonni hɔ firi tete anaa? Me Onyankopɔn, me Kronkronni, wo a wote ase daa. Ao, Awurade, woapa wɔn sɛ wɔmmu atɛn; Ao Ɔbotantim, woahyɛ wɔn sɛ wɔntwe aso.
13 Your eyes are too pure to look upon evil, and You cannot tolerate wrongdoing. So why do You tolerate the faithless? Why are You silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?
Wʼaniwa yɛ kronkron, a wontumi nhwɛ nnebɔne; wonnyegye bɔne so. Na ɛdeɛn enti na wogyegye nnipa kɔntɔnkye so, na ɛdeɛn enti na wayɛ komm wɔ ɛberɛ a atirimuɔdenfoɔ remene ateneneefoɔ?
14 You have made men like the fish of the sea, like creeping things that have no ruler.
Woama nnipa ayɛ sɛ nsuomnam a ɛwɔ ɛpo mu, te sɛ abɔdeɛ a ɛwɔ ɛpo mu a wonni sodifoɔ.
15 The foe pulls all of them up with a hook; he catches them in his dragnet, and gathers them in his fishing net; so he rejoices gladly.
Ɔtamfoɔ tirimuɔdenfoɔ no de darewa yi wɔn, ɔgu nʼasau de buma wɔn, na afei ɔsɛpɛ ne ho ma nʼani gye.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his dragnet and burns incense to his fishing net, for by these things his portion is sumptuous and his food is rich.
Ne saa enti ɔbɔ afɔdeɛ ma nʼasau na wahye aduhwam ama no, ɛfiri sɛ asau yi so na ɔnam nya ateyie, na ɔdi nʼakɔnnɔ aduane.
17 Will he, therefore, empty his net and continue to slay nations without mercy?
Enti ɔnkɔ so nni nʼasau mu nam, na ɔmfa atirimuɔden nsɛe aman anaa?
