Isaiah 21
1 [I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.
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 Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused 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 that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.
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 I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.
Mʼakoma bɔ paripari, ehu ma me ho popo; na ɛhan a mepɛɛ sɛ mehunu no abɛyɛ adeɛ a ɛbɔ me hu.
5 [In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!
Wɔto ɛpono, wɔde kuntu akɛtɛ sesɛ fam, wɔdidi, na wɔnom! Monsɔre mo asraafoɔ mpanimfoɔ, momfa ngo nsrasra mo akyɛm ho!
6 Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka kyerɛ me: “Fa ɔwɛmfoɔ kɔgyina hɔ na ɔnka deɛ ɔhunu nkyerɛ wo.
7 Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”
Sɛ ɔhunu nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ akuakuo, wɔn a wɔtete mfunumu so ne wɔn a wɔtete nyoma so a, ɔnwɛn nʼaso wɛn pa ara.”
8 [So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.
Na ɔwɛmfoɔ no teaam sɛ, “Me wura da biara megyina ɔwɛn aban no so anadwo biara, megyina hɔ.
9 Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”
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 My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].
Ao, me nkurɔfoɔ a wɔadwera mo wɔ ayuporeeɛ ase meka deɛ mateɛ kyerɛ mo, deɛ ɛfiri Asafo Awurade, deɛ ɛfiri Israel Onyankopɔn hɔ.
11 [I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”
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 [I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”
Ɔwɛmfoɔ no bua sɛ, “Adeɛ rekye, nanso adeɛ bɛsa. Sɛ wobɛbisa bio a sane bra bɛbisa.”
13 [I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.
Adehunu a ɛfa Arabia ho: Mo Dedan akwantufoɔ a mosoɛ wɔ Arabia adɔtɔ ase,
14 And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).
Momfa nsuo mmrɛ wɔn a sukɔm de wɔn; mo a motete Tema, mommrɛ adwanefoɔ aduane.
15 They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
Wɔdwane firi akofena a watwe tadua a wɔakuntun mu ne ɔko a ɛgyina mu ano.
16 Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
Yei ne deɛ Awurade ka kyerɛ me, “Afe baako mu no, sɛdeɛ wɔkan ɔpaani mfeɛ no, Kedar kɛseyɛ to bɛtwa.
17 Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
Na agyantofoɔ a wɔbɛka ne Kedar akofoɔ bɛyɛ kakraa bi.” Deɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn, aka nie.
