Ezekiel 24
1 Almost nine [after we had been taken to Babylonia], on the tenth day of the tenth month [of that year], Yahweh gave me this message:
Afe a ɛto so akron no sram a ɛto so du no nnafua du so no, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:
2 “You human, write down what day of the month this is. On this [the army of] King of Babylon has surrounded Jerusalem.
“Onipa ba, kyerɛw saa da yi, saa da yi ara, efisɛ Babiloniahene atua Yerusalem nnɛ da yi ara.
3 Tell those rebellious Israeli people [MTY] [in Babylon] a parable. Say this to them: This is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Pour water into the [cooking] pot and put the pot [the fire].
Ka kyerɛ saa atuatewfo yi, ka no wɔ mmebu mu kyerɛ wɔn se: ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: “‘Fa ɔsɛn no si gya so; fa si so na hwie nsu gu mu.
4 Put into the pot some pieces of [from one of your best sheep]: Put in the leg and shoulder, [which are] the best pieces. [Then] fill [the rest of] the pot with the best bones.
Fa namkum no gu mu, namkum a ɛyɛ akɔnnɔ no nyinaa, anan ne abasa. Fa nnompe a ɛte apɔw hyɛ no ma;
5 Pile wood on the fire, and cook the bones and the meat in the boiling water.’
fa nguankuw no mu nea odi mu. Fa nnyentia hyehyɛ ase ma nnompe no; ma enhuru na noa nnompe a ɛwɔ mu no.
6 [Do that] because this is what Yahweh the Lord says: ‘Terrible things will happen [Jerusalem]; it is city that is full of murderers [MTY], [a city that is like] [MET] a scorched pot whose black residue inside cannot be removed. Take the pieces [of meat] out of the pot, but do not choose which pieces to take out.
“‘Na sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: “‘Mogyahwiegu kuropɔn no nnue, nnome nka ɔsɛn a agye nkannare mprempren, na nea ɛwɔ mu aka mu no! Yiyi namkum no mmaako mmaako fi mu a wompaw mu koraa.
7 The blood of the people who were murdered in Jerusalem is still there; they were murdered on the bare rocks, not on the soil, where their blood could be covered.
“‘Mogya a ohwie guu no wɔ ne mfimfini: ohwie guu ɔbotan wosee so; wanhwie angu fam, baabi a mfutuma bɛkata so.
8 But I am the one who caused the blood of those who were murdered [MTY] to be smeared on the bare rock, where their blood could not be covered; I did that in order [I could see it and] then be angry and get revenge.’
Sɛ ɛbɛhwanyan abufuwhyew ama aweretɔ nti mede ne mogya guu ɔbotan wosee so sɛnea ɛso renkata.
9 Therefore, this is what [I], Yahweh the Lord say: ‘Terrible things will happen to that city that is full of murderers [MTY]! [It will be as though] I also will pile high [the wood in the fire].
“‘Enti sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: “‘Mogyahwiegu kuropɔn no nnue! Me nso mɛhyehyɛ nnyansin no ama akɔ sorosoro.
10 [So], heap on the wood and light the fire! Cook the meat well, and mix some spices with it; cook it until the bones are charred.
Enti hyehyɛ nnyansin no na sɔ gya no. Noa nam no yiye, fa ahuamhuanne fra mu; na ma nnompe no nhyew.
11 Then set the empty pot on the [of the fire] until the pot becomes [very] hot and the copper glows, with the result that the impurities and the rust will be burned up.
Afei fa ɔsɛnhunu no si nnyansramma no so kosi sɛ ɛbɛdɔ na ayɛ kɔɔ sɛnea mu fi no bɛnan na nea ɛwɔ mu no bɛhyew asɛe.
12 [It is as though] I tried to get rid of that rust, but I was not able to do it, [not even] by putting that pot in a fire.
Wama ɔbrɛ no nyinaa ayɛ kwa; mu fi dodow no ankɔ, ogya mpo antumi anyi.
13 The [in the pot represents] your immoral behavior. I tried to cleanse you from your wicked behavior, but you did not allow me to do that. So you will not be [from the guilt of your sin] [I have punished you and] I am no longer angry.
“‘Fi a ɛwɔ wo mu no ne aniwu nneyɛe. Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ mɛhohoro wo ho, nanso woamma ho kwan, wo ho remfi bio kosi sɛ mʼabufuwhyew a etia wo no ano bedwo.
14 I, Yahweh, have said [that I will surely punish you]. [And it is time] for me to do that. I will not change my mind; I will not refrain from punishing you, and I will not pity you. I will judge you [and punish you] as you deserve to be punished for your sinful behavior. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh the Lord, have said it.”’”
“‘Me Awurade na maka. Bere aso sɛ meyɛ biribi. Merentwentwɛn so; merennya ahummɔbɔ, na merengugow me ho. Wobegyina wo suban ne wo nneyɛe so abu wo atɛn, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni.’”
15 [One day] Yahweh gave me this message:
Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:
16 “You human, I am going to suddenly take from [your wife], whom you love very much. [when she dies], do [show that you are] sad or lament or cry.
“Onipa ba, merebɛbɔ wo baako na mafa ade a wʼani gye ho yiye. Nanso ntwa adwo, nni awerɛhow na ntew nusu.
17 Groan quietly; do not cry [openly] for her. [Keep] your turban wrapped around your head, [instead of being barefoot, keep] your sandals on your feet. Do not cover the lower part of your [to show that you are sad]. And do not eat the kind of food that people who are mourning usually eat.”
Si apini komm; nni owufo ho awerɛhow. Ma wʼabotiri mmɔ wo na hyɛ wo mpaboa; nkata wʼano na nni amanne aduan a wɔn a wodi awerɛhow no di.”
18 [one morning] I talked to the [as usual], and that evening my wife [suddenly] died. The next morning I did what [Yahweh] had told me to do.
Enti mekasa kyerɛɛ nnipa no anɔpa na nʼanwummere na me yere wui. Ade kyee no, meyɛɛ sɛnea wɔahyɛ me no.
19 Then the people asked me, “What do the things that you are doing signify to us?”
Afei nnipa no bisaa me se, “Worenkyerɛ yɛn sɛnea nneyɛe yi si fa yɛn ho ana?”
20 So I said to them, “[This is what] Yahweh told me:
Enti meka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:
21 ‘Tell the Israeli people [MTY] that I am about to destroy the temple, [the building] that you are very proud of, the building that you delight to look at. Your children whom you [in Jerusalem when you were forced to come to Babylon] will be killed [their enemies’] swords.
Ka kyerɛ Israelfi se: ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Merebegu me kronkronbea ho fi; mo bammɔ dennen a mode hoahoa mo ho, nea mo ani gye ho, ade a mo koma da so. Mmabarima ne mmabea a mugyaw wɔn akyi no bɛtotɔ wɔ afoa ano.
22 [When that happens], you will do like I have done: You will not cover the lower part of your faces, or eat the kinds of food that people who are mourning usually eat.
Na mobɛyɛ sɛnea mayɛ yi, morenkata mo ano na morenni amanne aduan a wɔn a wodi awerɛhow di.
23 [You will keep] your turbans wrapped around your heads and [keep] your sandals on your feet. You will not mourn or cry, but your bodies will become very thin and slowly die because of your sins. And you will groan to each other.
Mobɛkɔ so abɔ mo abotiri ahyɛ mo mpaboa. Morenni awerɛhow na morensu, mmom mo so bɛtew esiane mo bɔne nti, na mubesisi apini wɔ mo mu.
24 Ezekiel will be a warning to you, and you must do what he has done. When that happens, you will know that I, Yahweh the [have the power to do what I say that I will do].’”
Hesekiel bɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnnede ama mo, mobɛyɛ sɛnea wayɛ no pɛpɛɛpɛ. Na eyi si a na mubehu sɛ mene Otumfo Awurade no.’
25 [Then Yahweh said to me], “You human, [soon] I will destroy their sacred temple, which they rejoice about and which they respect and delight to look at, and [I will get rid of] their sons and daughters also.
“Na wo, onipa ba, da a mɛfa wɔn aban dennen, wɔn ahosɛpɛw ne anuonyam, ade a wɔn ani gye ho, wɔn koma so ade, ne wɔn mmabarima ne wɔn mmabea nso no,
26 On that day, someone will escape [from Jerusalem] and come and tell you what has happened [there].
saa da no okyinkyinfo bi na ɔbɛba abɛka nea asi akyerɛ wo.
27 When that happens, you will be able to speak again [MTY] [without constraint]. You two will talk together [DOU]. You will be a warning to the people; and they will know that I, Yahweh the Lord, [have the power to do what I say that I will do].”
Saa bere no, wʼano bebue, wo ne no bɛkasa na worenyɛ komm bio. Wobɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnnede ama wɔn, na wobehu sɛ mene Awurade no.”
