Hosea 11
1 “Before the Israeli [people] became a nation [MET], I loved them [like a man loves] his son, and I called them out of Egypt.
“Ɛberɛ a Israel yɛ abɔfra no, na me dɔ no, na Misraim na mefrɛɛ me babarima firiiɛ.
2 But while I continued to call them, they [continued to] turn away from me more and more. They offered sacrifices to their statues of Baal, and they burned incense to [honor] them.
Nanso mpɛn dodoɔ a mefrɛɛ Israel no, saa ara na wɔdwane firii me nkyɛn. Wɔbɔɔ afɔdeɛ maa Baal ahoni, na wɔhyee nnuhwam maa nsɛsodeɛ.
3 [The people of] Israel were [like a little boy] [MET], and [it was as though] it was I who taught them to walk, holding them by their hands. But they did not realize that it was I who was taking care of them.
Me na megyegyee Efraim taataa, meturu no wɔ mʼabasa so; nanso, wɔnkae sɛ me na mesaa wɔn yadeɛ.
4 [It was as though I fastened] ropes [around them] to lead them, while I loved them and was kind to them. [It was as though they were young oxen] [MET], and I lifted the yoke from their necks and bent down to feed them.
Mede ayamyɛ ahoma ne ɔdɔ dii wɔn anim; meyii kɔnnua no firii wɔn kɔn mu na mekoto maa wɔn aduane diiɛ.
5 But the people of Israel will become [slaves] again, like they were in Egypt, and [the people of] Assyria will [RHQ] rule over them, because the people of Israel refused to repent.
“Wɔbɛsane akɔ Misraim, na Asiria adi wɔn so, ɛsiane sɛ wɔannu wɔn ho enti.
6 [Their enemies] will use their swords [to attack] the cities in Israel and will destroy the bars in the gates [of the city walls]. [As a result], the people of Israeli will not be able to accomplish the things that they planned to do.
Akofena bɛdi ahim wɔ wɔn kuropɔn mu na ɛbɛsɛe wɔn apono akyi adaban na wɔn nhyehyɛeɛ to bɛtwa.
7 My people are determined to (turn away from/abandon) me. They say that I am the great all-powerful God, but they do not honor me at all.
Me nkurɔfoɔ asi no pi sɛ wɔbɛtwe wɔn ho afiri me nkyɛn. Sɛ wosu frɛ Ɔsorosoroni no mpo a ɔrempagya wɔn ɛkwan biara so.
8 [You people of] Israel, I certainly do not want to [RHQ] abandon you and allow [your enemies] to capture you. I do not [RHQ] want to act toward you like I acted toward Admah and Zeboiim, [cities that I completely destroyed when I destroyed Sodom]. I [SYN] have changed my mind [about punishing you]; my desire to pity you has increased.
“Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mɛyi wo ama, Efraim? Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn ma mɛyi wo ama, Israel? Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mɛyɛ wo sɛ Adma? Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na mɛyɛ wo sɛ Seboim? Mʼakoma asesa wɔ me mu; na mʼahummɔborɔ ahwanyane.
9 Although I am extremely angry, I do not want to punish you severely; I do not want to (devastate/completely ruin) Israel. [Humans would easily decide to do that], but I am God, not a human. I, the Holy One, am with you; although I am very angry [with you], I will not [destroy you].
Merenyɛ mʼabufuhyeɛsoɔ adeɛ, ɛna merennane me ho ɛnsɛe Efraim nso. Meyɛ Onyankopɔn na mennyɛ onipa. Meyɛ Ɔkronkronni a ɔwɔ mu mu. Meremma wɔ abufuo mu.
10 You will follow me when I roar like [SIM] a lion; when I roar, [some of you] my children will tremble as you return [to Israel] from [the islands and seacoasts toward] the west.
Wɔbɛdi Awurade akyi. Ɔbɛbobɔ mu te sɛ gyata. Na sɛ ɔbobɔm a, ne mma de ahopopoɔ bɛfiri atɔeɛ aba.
11 [Some of] you will come swiftly from Egypt like [a flock of] birds; [others] will return from Assyria, like doves. I will enable you to live in your homes [in Israel] again. [That will surely happen, because I], Yahweh, have said it.”
Wɔde ahopopoɔ bɛba te sɛ nnomaa a wɔfiri Misraim te sɛ mmorɔnoma a wɔfiri Asiria. Mɛbɔ wɔn atenaseɛ wɔ wɔn afie mu,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie.
12 [Yahweh says, “The people of] Israel have (surrounded me with lies/constantly told lies to me). And the people of Judah have [also] turned/rebelled against me, their God, the Holy One who always does what I promise to do, and the people of Judah worship other gods.”
Efraim de atorɔ atwa me ho ahyia, Israel efie nso wɔde nnaadaa. Yuda abɔ Onyankopɔn so ko mpo ɔde tia Ɔkronkronni nokwafoɔ no.
