Isaiah 47
1 [Yahweh also says], “You people of Babylon, you should go and sit in the dust/dirt [to show that you are mourning], because your time to rule [MTY] [other countries] is almost ended. People will never again say that Babylonia is beautiful [like] a very attractive/beautiful young woman.
“Sian kɔ, tena mfutuma mu, Ɔbabea Babilonia; tena fam na mfa ahengua, Babiloniafo hemmea kuropɔn. Wɔremfrɛ wo bio se, nsiforo anaa nea ne ho yɛ na.
2 [You will be slaves, so] take heavy stones and grind grain [like slave women do]. Take off your [beautiful] veils and take off your robes [as you prepare to cross streams to go where you will be forced to go].
Fa awiyammo na yam esiam; yi wo nkataanim no. Ma wʼatade so kɔ soro, na wo nan ho ngu hɔ, na fa nsuwansuwa no mu.
3 You will be naked and [very] ashamed. I will get vengeance on you and not pity you.”
Wʼadagyaw bɛda adi na wʼanimguase so renkata. Mɛtɔ were; meremfa obiara ho nkyɛ no.”
4 The one who frees us [people of Judah], whom we call ‘the Commander of the armies of angels’, is the Holy One of Israel.
Yɛn Gyefo, Asafo Awurade ne ne din, ɔno ne Israel Kronkronni.
5 [Yahweh says], “You people of Babylon, sit silently in the darkness, because people will never again say that your city is [like] [MET] a queen that rules many kingdoms.
“Tena ase dinn, kɔhyɛ sum mu, Babiloniafo hemmea kurow; wɔremfrɛ wo bio se ahenni ahorow so hemmea.
6 I was angry with the people whom I chose [to belong to me], and I punished them. I allowed you [people of Babylon] to conquer them. But [when you conquered them], you did not have mercy on them. You (oppressed/treated cruelly) [MET] even the old people.
Me bo fuw me nkurɔfo, na miguu mʼagyapade ho fi; mede wɔn hyɛɛ wo nsa, na woanhu wɔn mmɔbɔ. Nkwakoraa koraa mpo, wosoaa wɔn konnua duruduru.
7 You said, ‘We will rule [other nations] forever; [it is as though our city] will be the queen [of the world] forever!’ But you did not think about the things [that you were doing], or think about what would result.
Wokae se, ‘Mɛkɔ so daa, ayɛ ɔhemmea afebɔɔ.’ Nanso woannwen saa nneɛma yi ho na woansusuw nea ebetumi asi ho.
8 You people [of Babylon] who enjoy pleasure and sex, listen to this: You enjoy a luxurious life and you feel secure. You say, ‘We are [like gods], and there are no others like us. Our women will never become widows, and our children will never be killed [in wars].’
“Afei tie, wo oguamanfo, woredwudwo wo ho wɔ wo bammɔ mu na woka kyerɛ wo ho se, ‘me ne no, na obiara nni hɔ sɛ me. Merenyɛ okunafo da na merenni awommawu.’
9 But both of those things will happen to you suddenly: Many of your women will become widows and many of your children will die, even though you perform much sorcery and many kinds of magic [to prevent bad things from happening to you].
Saa nneɛma abien yi bɛto wo prɛko pɛ, da koro pɛ: awommawu ne kunayɛ. Saa nneɛma yi bɛba wo so pa ara, wʼabayisɛm bebrebe yi ne ntafowayi a mu yɛ den nyinaa akyi.
10 You felt protected even though you were doing many wicked things, and you said, ‘No one will see what we [are doing]!’ [You thought that] you were very wise and knew many things, and you said, ‘We are gods, and there are no others like us,’ but you deceived yourselves.
Wode wo ho ato wʼamumɔyɛ so na waka se, ‘Obiara nhu me.’ Wo nyansa ne nimdeɛ ma wo fom kwan bere a woka kyerɛ wo ho se, ‘Me ne no, obiara nni hɔ ka me ho.’
11 So you will experience terrible things, and you will not be able to prevent them by working magic. You will experience disasters, and you will not be able to pay anyone to prevent those things from happening. (A catastrophe/Something terrible) will happen to you suddenly, something that you will not realize [is about to happen].
Amanehunu bɛto wo, na worenhu ɔkwan ko a wobɛfa so ayi afi hɔ. Ɔhaw bi bɛba wo so a worentumi mfa mpata nyi mfi hɔ; atoyerɛnkyɛm a ɛnnaa ne ho adi nkyerɛɛ wo bɛba wo so mpofirim.
12 So you can continue to perform all your magic spells [IRO]! You can perform the many kinds of sorcery that you have practiced for many years! Perhaps [doing those things will enable you to] be successful; perhaps you will be able to cause your enemies to be afraid of you!
“Kɔ so yɛ wo ntafowayi ne wʼabayisɛm bebrebe a wode adi dwuma fi wo mmofraase no. Ebia wubedi nkonim, ebia wode ehu bɛba.
13 But [all that has resulted from your] doing all the things that the magicians have told you to do is that you have become tired! The men who look at the stars every month and predict what will happen should come forward and rescue you [from the disasters that you are about to experience].
Woabrɛ wɔ afotufo bebrebe a woanya no mu! Ma wo nsoromma ho anyansafo mmra anim, wɔn a wɔhwɛ nsoromma mu no, ka nea ɛreba ɔsram biara mu no, ma wonnye wo mfi nea ɛreba wo so no mu.
14 But [they cannot do that, because] they are like [SIM] straw that is burning in a fire; they cannot save themselves from being burned up in the flames. Those men are unable to help you [MET]; they are as useless as stubble [that burns quickly and produces no heat] for you.
Nokwarem, wɔte sɛ gyentia; ogya bɛhyew wɔn. Na wontumi nnye wɔn ankasa ho mfi ogyaframa anoden no ho. Nnyansramma biara nni ha a ɛbɛka obiara hyew; ogya biara nni ha a wɔbɛtena ho ato.
15 The people whom you have associated with and worked with since you were young [will not help you], because they will just continue doing their own foolish things, and they will not pay any attention to you [when you cry out for help].”
Nea wobetumi ayɛ ama wo ara ne no, eyinom na wo ne wɔn abrɛ na wo ne wɔn anantew fi mmofraase. Wɔn mu biara kɔ so yɛ ne mfomso; ɔbaako mpo nni hɔ a obetumi agye wo.
