< Zechariah 9 >

1 [This is another] message [that I received] from Yahweh. [Yahweh said, ] “I watch [MTY] everyone, especially the tribes of Israel; [so] I will [punish the people in] the Hadrach [region] and in Damascus [city] [because of what they did to the people of Israel].
Nkɔmhyɛ: Awurade asɛm tia Hadrak asase na ɛbɛka Damasko efisɛ, nnipa ne Israel mmusuakuw nyinaa ani wɔ Awurade so.
2 [I will also punish the people in] nearby Hamath [city]. I will also [punish the people in] Tyre and Sidon [cities], even though they are [considered to be] [IRO] very wise.
Na ɛbɛka Hamat a ɔne no bɔ hye, ɛbɛka Tiro ne Sidon, ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔyɛ anyansafo.
3 [The people in] Tyre built a high wall [around their city]. They piled up [huge amounts of] silver and gold as though they were [piles of] dirt in the streets.
Tiro asi abandennen ama ne ho; waboa dwetɛ ano te sɛ mfutuma, ne sikakɔkɔɔ ano te sɛ dɔte a ɛwɔ mmɔnten so.
4 But [I], Yahweh, will cause their precious possessions to be taken away and all their ships to be destroyed, and their city will be destroyed by a fire.
Nanso Awurade begye nʼahode nyinaa na wasɛe ne tumi a ɔwɔ wɔ po so, na wɔde ogya bɛhyew no dwerɛbee.
5 [The people in Ashkelon city] will see that [happen], and they will become very afraid. [The people in] Gaza [city] will shake because of being terrified, and [the people in Ekron city] will shake too, because they will no longer expect [to prosper]. The king of [the city of] Gaza will be killed, and [the city of] Ashkelon will be deserted.
Askelon behu na wasuro Gasa de ɔyaw bebubu ne mu, na Ekron nso saa ara, efisɛ nʼanidaso bɛsa. Gasa bɛhwere ne hene na wobegyaw Askelon ofituw.
6 Foreigners will occupy Ashdod [city]. I will cause the [people in all those cities of] Philistia to no longer be proud.
Ananafo bɛtena Asdod, na metwa Filistifo ahantan agu.
7 I will no longer allow them to eat [MTY] meat that still has blood in it, and I will forbid them to eat [MTY] food that I [MTY] have not allowed them to eat [because it was offered to idols]. [At that time, ] the people [in Philistia] who survive will worship me, and they will become [my people, like] the people of Judah are. The Philistine people of Ekron will also become my people like [SIM] the people of Jebus did [when they were conquered].
Meyi mogya afi wɔn ano, akyiwade nnuan nso meyi afi wɔn ano. Nkae no bɛyɛ yɛn Nyankopɔn de; wɔbɛyɛ Yuda ntuanofo, na Ekron bɛyɛ sɛ Yebusifo.
8 I will protect my temple, and I will not allow any [enemy soldiers] to enter it. No [enemies] will harm my people again, because I will be watching [over my people] carefully.
Nanso mɛbɔ me Fi ho ban wɔ wɔn a wɔtetɛw bɔ korɔn ho. Ɔhyɛsoni biara ntumi mfa me nkurɔfo so bio, efisɛ afei merewɛn.
9 Rejoice very much, [you people of] Jerusalem [APO, DOU] and shout joyfully, because your king will be coming to you. He is righteous and victorious; [but he will be] gentle, and [he will be] riding on a donkey, on a young female donkey.
Di ahurusi, Ɔbabea Sion! Teɛ mu, Ɔbabea Yerusalem! Hwɛ, wo hene reba wo nkyɛn. Ɔteɛ na ɔwɔ nkwagye, odwo, na ɔte afurum so, afurum ba so na ɔte.
10 I will get rid of the chariots in the Ephraim [region that are used in battles] and [all] the war horses in Jerusalem. [All] the bows used in wars will be broken. [Your king] will proclaim that he will cause things to go well and peacefully in the nations. He will rule [the area] from the [Mediterranean] Sea to the [Dead] Sea, and from the [Euphrates] River to the most distant places on the earth.
Megye nteaseɛnam afi Efraim ne akofo apɔnkɔ afi Yerusalem, na akodi tadua no wobebubu mu. Ɔbɛpae mu aka asomdwoe nsɛm akyerɛ aman no. Nʼahenni befi po akɔka po; ebefi Asubɔnten no akɔpem nsase ano.
11 As for you [my people of Jerusalem], because of the blood [of the animals that were sacrificed to make] my agreement with you, I will free your people who were forced to go to other countries where [it was as though they were kept] in a waterless pit.
Na wo de, esiane me ne wo mogya apam no nti, meyi wo nneduafo afi amoa a nsu nni mu mu.
12 [You people who were] prisoners [in those countries] who [still] confidently expect [God to help you], return to [Judah], where you will be safe. This day I declare that I will give you two blessings for [each of the troubles that you have experienced].
Monsan nkɔ mʼaban mu, nneduafo a mowɔ anidaso; mprempren mpo merebɔ mo nkae sɛ mɛhyɛ mo anan mu mmɔho.
13 I will cause Judah to be like [MET] my bow, and I will cause Israel to be [like] [MET] my arrow. I will enable you young men of Jerusalem to fight against the soldiers of Greece; you will be like [SIM] a warrior’s sword.”
Mɛkom Yuda sɛnea mikuntun me tadua na mede Efraim bɛhyɛ mu. Mɛkanyan wo mmabarima, Sion, atia wo Hela mmabarima, na mɛyɛ wo sɛ ɔkofo afoa.
14 [Some day] Yahweh will appear [in the sky] above his people, and the arrows that he shoots will be like [SIM] lightning. Yahweh [our] Lord will blow his trumpet, and he will march [fiercely] like [MET] the storms from the south.
Afei Awurade bɛda ne ho adi wɔ wɔn so; nʼagyan betwa yerɛw te sɛ anyinam. Otumfo Awurade bɛhyɛn torobɛnto no; ɔbɛbɔ nsra wɔ atɔe fam ahum mu,
15 The Commander of the armies of angels will protect [his people]; [the soldiers of Judah] will attack and defeat [their enemies who attack them] using slingshots. [Those soldiers of Judah] will drink and celebrate and shout like [SIM] people who are drunk; they will be as full [of wine] as the bowl that holds [the blood of the animals that are sacrificed] and [which is then] sprinkled on the corners of the altar.
Asafo Awurade bɛkata wɔn so. Wɔde ahwimmo bɛsɛe na wɔde adi nkonim. Wɔbɛnom na wɔabobɔ mu sɛnea wɔanom nsa; wɔbɛyɛ ma te sɛ kuruwa a wɔde pete afɔremuka ntwea so.
16 On that day, Yahweh our God will save his people [like a shepherd saves] his flock [of sheep from danger]. In their land, they will be like [SIM] jewels that sparkle on a crown.
Awurade wɔn Nyankopɔn, begye wɔn saa da no sɛ oguanhwɛfo gye ne nguan. Wobetwa yerɛw yerɛw wɔ nʼasase so, sɛ abohemaa a ɛbobɔ ahenkyɛw ho.
17 They will be delightful and beautiful. The young men will become strong from [eating] grain, and the young women will [become strong] from [drinking] new wine.
Sɛnea wɔn ho betwa na wɔn ho ayɛ fɛ afa! Aduan bɛma mmerante anyin ahoɔden so na nsa foforo bɛma mmabaa anyin saa ara.

< Zechariah 9 >