Isaiah 21
1 The burden of the desert of the sea. Just as the whirlwinds approach from Africa, it approaches from the desert, from a terrible land.
Nkɔmhyɛ a ɛfa Babilonia, anweatam no a ɛda Po no ho: Sɛdeɛ twahoframa a ɛbɔ fa anafoɔ fam asase so no yɛ no, saa ara na ɔtohyɛsoɔni bi firi anweatam so reba. Ɔfiri asase a ɛyɛ hunabɔbrim so.
2 A difficult vision has been announced to me: he who is unbelieving, he acts unfaithfully, and he who is a plunderer, he devastates. Ascend, O Elam! Lay siege, O Media! I have caused all its mourning to cease.
Wɔde anisoadehunu a ɛyɛ nwanwa akyerɛ me: Ɔfatwafoɔ bi redi hwammɔ. Ɔfomfoɔ bi refa afodeɛ. Elam reto ahyɛ ɔman bi so! Media rebɔ pampim! Mede apinisie a Babilonia de baeɛ no nyinaa bɛba awieeɛ.
3 Because of this, my lower back has been filled with pain, and anguish has possessed me, like the anguish of a woman in labor. I fell down when I heard it. I was disturbed when I saw it.
Yei ama ɔyea bi abɛhyɛ me mu, ɔyea aka me, te sɛ ɔbaa a awoɔ aka no; deɛ meteɛ no enti mentumi nnyina me nan so, deɛ mehunu no ama me ho adwiri me.
4 My heart withered. The darkness stupefied me. Babylon, my beloved, has become a wonder to me.
Mʼakoma bɔ paripari, ehu ma me ho popo; na ɛhan a mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu no abɛyɛ adeɛ a ɛbɔ me hu.
5 Prepare the table. Contemplate, from a place of observation, those who eat and drink. Rise up, you leaders! Take up the shield!
Wɔto ɛpono, wɔde kuntu akɛtɛ sesɛ fam, wɔdidi, na wɔnom! Monsɔre mo asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ, momfa ngo nsrasra mo akyɛm ho!
6 For the Lord has said this to me: “Go and station a watchman. And let him announce whatever he will see.”
Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka kyerɛ me: “Fa ɔwɛmfoɔ kɔgyina hɔ na ɔnka deɛ ɔhunu nkyerɛ wo.
7 And he saw a chariot with two horsemen, and a rider on a donkey, and a rider on a camel. And he considered them diligently, with an intense gaze.
Sɛ ɔhunu nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ akuakuo, wɔn a wɔtete mfunumu so ne wɔn a wɔtete nyoma so a, ɔnwɛn nʼaso wɛn pa ara.”
8 And a lion cried out: “I am on the watchtower of the Lord, standing continually by day. And I am at my station, standing throughout the night.
Na ɔwɛmfoɔ no teaam sɛ, “Me wura da biara megyina ɔwɛn aban no so anadwo biara, megyina hɔ.
9 Behold, a certain man approaches, a man riding on a two-horse chariot.” And he responded, and he said: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon! And all its graven gods have been crushed into the earth!
Hwɛ, ɔbarima bi a ɔte teaseɛnam mu na ɔreba yi ɔne apɔnkɔ dɔm. Na ɔwɛmfoɔ no kaa sɛ, ‘Babilonia ahwe ase, wahwe ase! Nʼanyame ne nʼahoni nyinaa abubu agu fam!’”
10 O my threshed grain! O sons of my threshing floor! What I have heard from the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, I have announced to you.”
Ao, me nkurɔfoɔ a wɔadwera mo wɔ ayuporeeɛ ase meka deɛ mateɛ kyerɛ mo, deɛ ɛfiri Asafo Awurade, deɛ ɛfiri Israel Onyankopɔn hɔ.
11 The burden of Dumah, cried out to me from Seir: “Watchman, how goes the night? Watchman, how goes the night?”
Nkɔmhyɛ a ɛfa Duma ho: Obi frɛ me firi Seir, “Ɔwɛmfoɔ, berɛ bɛn na adeɛ bɛkye? Ɔwɛmfoɔ, aka nnɔnhwere ahe ansa na adeɛ akye?”
12 The watchman said: “Morning approaches with the night. If you are seeking: seek, and convert, and approach.”
Ɔwɛmfoɔ no bua sɛ, “Adeɛ rekye, nanso adeɛ bɛsa. Sɛ wobɛbisa bio a sane bra bɛbisa.”
13 The burden in Arabia. In the forest you shall sleep, in the evening on the paths of Dedanim.
Adehunu a ɛfa Arabia ho: Mo Dedan akwantufoɔ a mosoɛ wɔ Arabia adɔtɔ ase,
14 You who inhabit the land of the south: upon meeting the thirsty, bring water; meet the fugitive with bread.
Momfa nsuo mmrɛ wɔn a sukɔm de wɔn; mo a motete Tema, mommrɛ adwanefoɔ aduane.
15 For they are fleeing before the face of swords, before the face of a sword hanging over them, before the face of a bent bow, before the face of a grievous battle.
Wɔdwane firi akofena a watwe tadua a wɔakuntun mu ne ɔko a ɛgyina mu ano.
16 For the Lord said this to me: “After one more year, just like one year for a hired hand, all the glory of Kedar will be taken away.
Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka kyerɛ me, “Afe baako mu no, sɛdeɛ wɔkan ɔpaani mfeɛ no, Kedar kɛseyɛ to bɛtwa.
17 And the remainder of the multitude of strong archers from the sons of Kedar will be few, for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken it.”
Na agyantofoɔ a wɔbɛka ne Kedar akofoɔ bɛyɛ kakraa bi.” Deɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, aka nie.
