< Isaiah 3 >

1 Take a look! The Lord, the Lord Almighty, is going to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah everything they rely on—all their stocks of food and all means of supplying water,
Afei hwɛ, Awurade, Asafo Awurade, rebɛgyae deɛ ɔde ma wɔ Yerusalem ne Yuda nyinaa: aduane ne nsuo a ɔde ma wɔn nyinaa.
2 their strong fighters and soldiers, leaders and prophets, fortune-tellers and elders,
Nnɔmmarima ne akofoɔ, ɔtemmufoɔ ne odiyifoɔ, nkɔmhyɛni ne ɔpanin,
3 army captains, state officials, counselors, craftsmen, masters of magic, and experts in the occult.
aduonum so panin ne deɛ ɔwɔ diberɛ, ɔfotufoɔ, odwumfoɔ nyansafoɔ ne nkaberɛkyerefoɔ oniferefoɔ.
4 I will give them boys as their leaders who will rule over them in childish ways.
“Mede mmerantewaa bɛyɛ wɔn nnwuma so mpanimfoɔ; na mmɔfra adi wɔn so.”
5 People will mistreat one another, person against person, neighbor against neighbor; the young will assault the old, and the dregs of society will attack those who are reputable.
Nnipa bɛhyɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho so, ɔbarima bɛtia ɔbarima, ɔyɔnko bɛtia ne yɔnko. Mmabunu bɛsɔre atia wɔn mpanimfoɔ, apapahwekwaa bɛtia onimuonyamfoɔ.
6 A man will grab hold of one of his brothers in their father's house, and tell him, “You've got a coat, you can be our leader! Take over the running of this pile of ruins!”
Ɔbarima bɛsɔ ne nuanom baako mu wɔ nʼagya efie aka sɛ, “Wowɔ atadeɛ, bɛyɛ yɛn dikanfoɔ; wɔ kuro a adane mmubuiɛ sie yi so.”
7 But immediately his brother will shout back, “No, not me! I can't take care of this family's problems. In my house I don't have food or clothes. Don't put me in charge as your leader!”
Nanso, ɛda no ɔbɛteam sɛ, “Menni deɛ mede bɛyɛ. Menni aduane anaa ntoma wɔ me fie; mfa me nyɛ nnipa no so dikanfoɔ.”
8 For Jerusalem has collapsed and Judah has fallen because of what they said and did in opposition to the Lord, rebelling right in front of him.
Yerusalem retɔ ntintan, Yuda rehwe ase; wɔn nsɛm ne nneyɛeɛ tia Awurade. Wɔmmu nʼanimuonyam a ɛwɔ wɔn mu.
9 The look on their faces proves what they've done, proclaiming their sin just like Sodom—they don't even bother to try and hide it! Tragedy is coming to them! They have brought disaster down upon themselves.
Sɛdeɛ wɔn anim teɛ no di adanseɛ tia wɔn; wɔda wɔn bɔne adi te sɛ Sodom; wɔmmfa nsie. Nnome nka wɔn! Wɔakɔfa amanehunu aba wɔn ho so.
10 Tell those who live right that they will be fine, for they will be happy to receive the reward for what they have done.
Ka kyerɛ teneneefoɔ sɛ ɛbɛsi wɔn yie, ɛfiri sɛ wɔbɛdi wɔn nneyɛeɛ so aba.
11 But tragedy comes to the wicked, for what they did will be done to them.
Nnome nka amumuyɛfoɔ! Amanehunu wɔ wɔn so! Wɔbɛtua wɔn so ka wɔ deɛ wɔn nsa ayɛ no ho.
12 Leaders who act in childish ways mistreat my people; women rule over them. My people, your leaders are misleading you, confusing you about which way to go.
Mmabunu hyɛ me nkurɔfoɔ so, mmaa di wɔn so. Ao me nkurɔfoɔ, mo akwankyerɛfoɔ ma mo yera; wɔma mo mane firi kwantempɔn no so.
13 The Lord stands up to prosecute his case. The Lord stands up to judge the people.
Awurade tena ase wɔ nʼasɛnniiɛ. Ɔma ne mu so bu nkurɔfoɔ no atɛn.
14 The Lord comes to give his judgment against the elders and leaders of his people: You are the ones who have destroyed my vineyard; your houses are full with everything you've stolen from the poor.
Awurade bu atɛn de tia ne nkurɔfoɔ mpanimfoɔ ne akannifoɔ sɛ, “Mo na moasɛe me bobe turo; apoobɔdeɛ a ɛfiri ahiafoɔ nkyɛn wɔ mo afie mu.
15 Why have you crushed my people? Why have you ground the faces of the poor into the dirt? the Lord Almighty demands to know.
Aseɛ ne sɛn enti na modwɛre me nkurɔfoɔ na mode ahiafoɔ anim twitwiri fam?” Sɛdeɛ Asafo Awurade seɛ nie.
16 The Lord says, The women of Zion are so conceited, walking with their heads held high, giving flirty glances, tripping along with their ankle bracelets jingling.
Awurade kasa sɛ, “Sion mmammaa yɛ ahantan; wɔnante toto wɔn kɔn, wɔdeda wɔn ani akyi, wɔtutu wɔn anammɔn ntiawa ntiawa, na wɔn nan ase nkawa gyegye.
17 So the Lord will make their heads full of scabs, and the Lord will expose their private parts.
Enti Awurade bɛma tikuro abɛgu Sion mmaa tiri ho. Awurade bɛma wɔn tiri so apa.”
18 At that time the Lord will remove their fine ornaments: ankle bracelets, headbands, crescent necklaces,
Ɛda no Awurade bɛyiyi wɔn afɛfɛdeɛ: nkawa, ntomaban ne kɔnmuadeɛ,
19 pendant earrings, bracelets, veils,
nsomuadeɛ, nkapo ne nkatanimu,
20 headdresses, bangles, sashes, perfume holders, lucky charms,
Wɔn mmɔtire, ananse ntweaban, abɔwomu, nnuhwam ntoa ne nkaberɛ,
21 rings, nose rings,
ntimsoɔ mpɛtea ne hwenemu nkawa,
22 festival clothes, gowns, cloaks, handbags,
ntadetenten pa, ngugusoɔ tiawa a ɛnni nsa, ntadeɛ yuu ne sika nkotokuo;
23 hand mirrors, fine linen underwear, head wraps, and shawls.
nhwehwɛ, serekye ntadeɛ, tirinwi so nkawa ne abatiri so ngugusoɔ.
24 What will happen is that instead of smelling of perfume, she will stink. Instead of a wearing a sash, she will be tied with a rope. Instead of styled hair, she will be bald. Instead of fine clothes, she will wear sackcloth. Instead of looking beautiful, she will be shamed.
Nkabɔne bɛsi deɛ ɛyɛ hwam anan mu; ntampehoma bɛsi nkatakɔnmu anan mu; tire a ɛso apa bɛsi tirinwi a wɔasiesie anan mu; ayitoma bɛsi ntoma pa anan mu; honam ani atwaatwa bɛsi ahoɔfɛ anan mu.
25 Your men will be killed by the sword; your soldiers will die in battle.
Wo mmarima bɛtotɔ akofena ano, wʼakofoɔ bɛtotɔ wɔ ɔko mu.
26 The gates of Zion will cry and mourn. The city will be like a banished woman sitting on the ground.
Sion apono bɛtwa adwo, adi awerɛhoɔ; na deɛ ɔnnibie bɛtena fam asu.

< Isaiah 3 >