Hosea 6
1 [The Israeli people say, ] “Come, let’s return to Yahweh! He has caused [us] to be injured, but he will heal us. He has caused [us] to be wounded, but [it is as though] he will put bandages on our wounds [MET].
“Mommra, momma yɛnsan nkɔ Awurade nkyɛn. Watetew yɛn mu asinasin nanso ɔbɛsa yɛn yare. Wapirapira yɛn nanso ɔbɛkyekyere yɛn apirakuru.
2 After a very short time he will revive us; in less than three days he will restore us in order that we may live in his presence.
Nnaanu akyi, ɔbɛma yɛanya ahoɔden; nansa so, ɔde yɛn besi yɛn sibea na yɛanya nkwa wɔ nʼanim.
3 We must try to know Yahweh; [if we do that, ] he will come [and help] us, as surely as the sun rises [every morning], as surely as rain falls every winter/cold season, and as surely as the rain falls again (in the springtime/at the end of the cold season).”
Momma yennye Awurade nto mu; momma yɛnkɔ so nnye no nto mu. Sɛnea owia pue da biara no, obepue; ɔbɛba yɛn nkyɛn te sɛ osu a ɛtɔ awɔwbere mu anaa asusow bere mu su a ɛfɔw asase.”
4 [But Yahweh knows they are insincere; ] [so he says to them, ] “You [people of] Israel, and you [people of] Judah, [I do not know] [RHQ] what I should do to you. Your being faithful [to me will disappear as quickly] as [SIM] the morning mist [disappears], like [SIM] the dew [on the ground] that disappears quickly [when the sun shines].
“Dɛn na metumi de wo ayɛ, Efraim? Dɛn na metumi de wo ayɛ, Yuda? Mo dɔ te sɛ anɔpa bɔ, ɛte sɛ anɔpa bosu a etu yera.
5 I warned [HYP] you by [the messages that I gave to] the prophets, [but you did not pay attention to my messages]. Therefore I will completely destroy you; the punishment that I give you will strike you like lightning.
Mede mʼadiyifo twitwaa mo mu asinasin, mede mʼanom nsɛm kunkum mo; mʼatemmu baa mo so sɛ anyinam.
6 I want [my people] to faithfully love [me] more than [I want them to offer] sacrifices [to me]; [I want them] to know me more than [I want them to] completely burn sacrifices [on the altar].
Mepɛ ahummɔbɔ na ɛnyɛ afɔrebɔ, mepɛ Onyankopɔn ho nimdeɛ sen ɔhyew afɔre.
7 But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.
Wɔabu apam no so sɛnea Adam yɛe. Wɔanni me nokware wɔ hɔ.
8 Gilead is a city [full] of people who do wicked things; [in the streets] are the bloody footprints [of those who have murdered others].
Gilead yɛ atirimɔdenfo kuropɔn a mogya anammɔn akeka hɔ.
9 The priests are like [SIM] bandits who wait (in ambushes/along the road) to attack people; they murder [people who are walking] on the road to Shechem, and they commit other disgraceful crimes.
Sɛnea akwamukafo ka kwan mu no saa ara na asɔfokuw no nso yɛ; wodi awu wɔ Sekem tempɔn so, yɛ nnebɔne a ɛyɛ animguase.
10 I have seen horrible things [being done] in Israel [MTY]. The people have abandoned me [like prostitutes who have abandoned their husbands] [MET]; [so the people of] Israel have become unacceptable to me.
Mahu ahodwiriwde wɔ Israelfi. Ɛhɔ, Efraim kɔ aguamammɔ mu Israel gu ne ho fi.
11 And you [people of] Judah, I have appointed a time when I will punish [MET] you, too. Whenever I wanted to enable my people to prosper again,”
“Na wo Yuda nso, wɔahyɛ otwa bere ama wo. “Bere biara a mede me nkurɔfo siade bɛsan ama wɔn no,
