< Nahum 1 >

1 [I am] Nahum, from Elkosh [village]. [This is] a message about Nineveh [city, the capital of Assyria that was given] to me in a vision [by Yahweh].
Elkosini Nahum anisoadehunu nwoma a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ɛfa Ninewe ho.
2 Yahweh our God (is jealous/does not want people to worship any other god). He is very angry [with those who worship other gods], and he gets revenge [DOU] [on all] those who oppose him [DOU].
Awurade yɛ ninkunfoɔ ne aweretɔ Onyankopɔn, Awurade tɔ wedeɛ na abufuo ahyɛ no ma. Awurade tɔ nʼatamfoɔ so wedeɛ na nʼabufuo tena wɔn so.
3 Yahweh does not quickly become angry; but he is very powerful, and he will certainly punish [LIT] those who have done evil things [MTY]. He shows his power by sending whirlwinds and storms, and clouds are [like] [MET] the dust [stirred up by] his feet.
Awurade bo kyɛre fu, na ne tumi so, na ɔtwe ɔfɔdifoɔ aso. Ne kwan wɔ ntwahoframa ne ahum mu, omununkum yɛ ne nan ase mfuturo.
4 When he commands oceans and rivers to become dry, they dry up. [He causes the grass in the fields in] the Bashan [region] and [on the slopes of] Carmel [Mountain] to wither, [and causes] the flowers in Lebanon to fade.
Ɔteatea ɛpo na ɔma ɛwe; ɔma nsubɔntene nyinaa wewe. Basan ne Karmel twintwam na Lebanon frɔmfrɔmyɛ nso kusa.
5 When he appears, [it is as though] the mountains shake and the hills melt; the earth quakes and [the people on] the earth tremble.
Mmepɔ woso biribiri nʼanim na nkokoɔ nane. Asase, ewiase ne wɔn a wɔwɔ mu nyinaa woso nʼanim.
6 There is no one [RHQ] who can resist him when he becomes extremely angry; there is no one [RHQ] who can survive when his anger is very hot. When he is very angry, [it is as though] his anger is like [SIM] a blazing fire, and [it is as though] mountains are shattered into pieces.
Hwan na ɔbɛtumi agyina nʼabufuo ano? Hwan na ɔbɛtumi atena nʼabufuhyeɛ mu? Nʼabufuo hwie te sɛ ogya; abotan yam wɔ nʼanim.
7 But he is good; he protects [us his people] when we experience troubles. He takes care of those who trust in him.
Awurade yɛ, ɔyɛ ahohia mu dwanekɔbea. Nʼani wɔ wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to no so no so.
8 But he will get rid of his enemies; he will be to them [like] [MET] a flood that destroys everything. He will chase his enemies into the darkness [of the place where the dead are].
Nanso, ɔnam nsuyire nwanwasoɔ so bɛma Ninewe aba awieeɛ. Ɔbɛtaa nʼatamfoɔ akɔduru esum kabii mu.
9 [So], it is useless [RHQ] for you [people of Nineveh] to plot against Yahweh. He will not [need to] strike you two times to destroy you; he will destroy you [by striking you only once].
Ɛpɔ biara a wɔbɛbɔ atia Awurade no, ɔbɛsɛe no; ɔhaw biara remma ne mprenu so.
10 [It will be as though his enemies] are tangled in thorns, and they will stagger like people who have drunk a lot of wine. They will be burned up like [SIM] a fire completely burns up stubble/straw.
Wɔde nkasɛɛ bɛkyekyere wɔn ho, na ɛberɛ a wɔn nsa aboro wɔn no wɔbɛhye wɔn sɛ wira dwaneeɛ a wɔaboa ano.
11 In Nineveh [city] there was a man who advised people to do very wicked things to Yahweh.
Ao, Ninewe, wo mu na deɛ ɔbɔ ɛpɔ bɔne tia Awurade na ɔtu fo bɔne no firie.
12 But this is what Yahweh says [about you Israeli people]: “Although the people of Assyria have very many people and their army is very powerful, they will be destroyed and will disappear. [I say to my people in Judah, ] ‘have [already] punished you, but I will not punish you again.
Deɛ Awurade seɛ nie: “Ɛwom sɛ wɔwɔ apamfoɔ a wɔdɔɔso deɛ, nanso wɔbɛsɛe wɔn ama wɔayera. Ao Yuda, ɛwom sɛ mama ɔhaw aba wo so, nanso merenyɛ saa bio.
13 Now I will cause the [people of Assyria] to no longer control/oppress you [MET]; [it will be as though] I will tear off the shackles/chains on your [hands and feet].”
Afei, mɛbubu kɔnnua a ɛda wo kɔn mu na matete nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn no mu.”
14 [And this is what] Yahweh also declares about you people of Nineveh: “You will not have any descendants who will continue to have your family names. And I will destroy all the statues of your gods that were carved or formed in molds. I will cause you [to be killed and] sent to your graves, because you are vile/despicable!”
Ninewe, Awurade aka ɔhyɛ asɛm a ɛfa wo ho: “Worennya asefoɔ a wo din bɛda wɔn so. Mɛsɛe nsɛsodeɛ a wɔasene ne ahoni a wɔaguo a ɛsisi wʼabosonnan mu no. Mɛsiesie wʼadamena ɛfiri sɛ wadane ayɛ atantanneɛ.”
15 [You people of Judah, ] look! A messenger will be coming across the mountains, and he [SYN] will be bringing good news [to you]. He will be declaring [that you will now have] peace [because Assyria will have been conquered]. [So, ] celebrate your festivals, and do what you solemnly promised to do [when your enemies were threatening to attack you], because your wicked [enemies] will not invade your country again, [because] they will be completely destroyed.
Hwɛ mmepɔ no so, deɛ a ɔde asɛmpa no ba no anammɔn ɔno na ɔka asomdwoesɛm! Ao, Yuda di wʼafahyɛ na di wɔ bɔhyɛ so. Nnipa bɔne rentu wo so sa bio; Wɔbɛsɛe wɔn pasaa.

< Nahum 1 >