< Zechariah 12 >
1 [This is] a message from Yahweh concerning Israel. Yahweh is the one who stretched out the sky, who created the earth, and who (gave life to humans/caused humans to be alive). This is what he says:
Nkɔmhyɛ: Yei ne Awurade asɛm a ɛfa Israel ho. Awurade a ɔtrɛ ɔsoro mu, deɛ ɔto asase fapem, deɛ ɔyɛ honhom a ɔte onipa mu asɛm nie:
2 “I will soon cause Jerusalem to be [like] [MET] a cup full [of very strong alcoholic drink], and the people of other nations who drink it will stagger around. And they will come and attack Jerusalem and [the other towns in] Judah.
“Merebɛyɛ Yerusalem kuruwa a ɛbɛma aman a atwa ne ho ahyia no atɔ ntintan. Wɔbɛto ahyɛ Yuda ne Yerusalem so.
3 At that time, [the armies of] all the nations will gather to attack Jerusalem, but I will cause [the leaders of] Judah to be [like] [SIM] a very heavy rock, and all who [try to] lift it will be badly injured.
Saa ɛda no a ewiase aman nyinaa aboa wɔn ho ano retia no no, mɛma Yerusalem ayɛ ɔbotantim ama aman no nyinaa. Wɔn a wɔbɛpɛ sɛ wopire no no nyinaa bɛpirapira wɔn ho.
4 At that time I will cause every [one of their enemies’] horses to panic, and their riders to become crazy. I [IDM] will protect the people of Judah, but I will cause all their enemies’ horses to become blind.
Saa ɛda no, mɛma ɔpɔnkɔ biara abɔ huboa, na mɛma ne sotefoɔ nso abɔ dam,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie. “Mɛbue mʼani ahwɛ Yuda fie, na mɛfirafira aman ahodoɔ no apɔnkɔ ani.
5 Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The people in Jerusalem are strong because the Commander of the armies of angels is their God.’
Na Yuda ntuanofoɔ bɛka wɔ wɔn akoma mu sɛ, ‘Yerusalemfoɔ yɛ ahoɔdenfoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ Asafo Awurade yɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn.’
6 At that time I will enable the leaders of Judah to be like [SIM] a pan containing hot coals [that is put] in a woodpile [to set it on fire], or like [SIM] a burning torch [that is put] in a [field of] ripe grain [to set it on fire]. The leaders of Judah [and their army] will destroy the people of the surrounding nations in all directions. But [the people of] Jerusalem will remain safe.
“Saa ɛda no, mɛyɛ Yuda ntuanofoɔ sɛ ogya ayowaa a ɛhyɛ nnyina mu, te sɛ ogyatɛn a ɛrederɛ wɔ wira a wɔaboa ano mu. Wɔbɛhye nnipa a wɔatwa wɔn ho ahyia nyinaa wɔ benkum ne nifa, nanso hwee renka Yerusalem wɔ baabi a ɔwɔ hɔ.
7 And [I], Yahweh, will protect the tents of [the soldiers in other places in] Judah before [I rescue the people of Jerusalem], in order that the leaders of Jerusalem [DOU] will not be honored more than [the people in other places in] Judah [are honored].
“Awurade bɛbɔ Yuda atenaeɛ ho ban kane, sɛdeɛ Dawid fie ne wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem animuonyam renkyɛne Yudafoɔ animuonyam.
8 At that time, I will protect [MET] the people of Jerusalem. When that happens, even the weakest people in Jerusalem will be [strong] like [King] David [was]. And the descendants [MTY] of David will [rule the people] like I [would], as though an angel sent from [me], Yahweh, was their leader.
Saa ɛda no, Awurade bɛbɔ wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem ho ban, deɛ ɔyɛ mmerɛ koraa wɔ wɔn mu no bɛyɛ sɛ Dawid. Na Dawid asefoɔ bɛyɛ sɛ Onyankopɔn, te sɛ Awurade Bɔfoɔ a ɔdi wɔn anim.
9 At that time, I will prepare to destroy all the nations that attack Jerusalem.”
Saa ɛda no, mɛhyɛ aseɛ asɛe aman a wɔko tia Yerusalem nyinaa.
10 “I, [Yahweh, ] will cause the descendants [MTY] of [King] David to act very kindly and mercifully. They will look at me, [the one] who has been stabbed, and they will cry bitterly, like people cry for a firstborn son [who has died] [DOU].
“Mehwie adom ne nkotosrɛ honhom agu Dawid fie ne wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem so. Wɔbɛhwɛ me a wɔahwire me, na wɔatwa adwo ama no te sɛ obi a ɔretwa adwo wɔ ɔba korɔ ho, na wɔasu yaaya te sɛ obi a ɔresu ne ba barima piesie.
11 At that time, many people in Jerusalem will be crying bitterly, like people cried [when King Josiah was killed in the battle] at Hadad-Rimmon on the Megiddo Plain.
Saa ɛda no agyaadwo twerɛ a ɛwɔ Yerusalem no ano bɛyɛ den te sɛ Hadad-Rimon agyaadwo twerɛ wɔ Megido asase tam so.
12 Many people in Judah will cry, each family by themselves: the male descendants of David by themselves, and their wives by themselves, the male descendants of [David’s son] Nathan by themselves, and their wives by themselves,
Asase no sofoɔ nyinaa bɛdi awerɛhoɔ, abusua biara ne wɔn yerenom; Dawid fie abusua ne wɔn yerenom, Natan fie abusua ne wɔn yerenom,
13 the male descendants [MTY] of Levi by themselves, and their wives by themselves, the male descendants of [Levi’s grandson] Shimei by themselves, and their wives by themselves,
Lewifie abusua ne wɔn yerenom, Simei abusua ne wɔn yerenom,
14 and all the other members [of the kings’ clans and the priests’ clans] by themselves, and their wives by themselves.”
ne mmusua a aka no nyinaa ne wɔn yerenom.