Zephaniah 3
1 Terrible things will [also] happen [to Jerusalem], that city whose people have rebelled [against Yahweh] and who have become unacceptable to him [because of the sins that they have committed]. [They act violently toward others] and they (oppress/treat cruelly) [other people].
Nnome nka nhyɛsofo kuropɔn atuatew kuropɔn a ho agu fi!
2 [The people there] do not pay attention to people who tell them [the wrong things that they are doing] and [try to] (correct them/cause them to quit doing those things). [The people in Jerusalem] do not trust in Yahweh or draw near to ask help from their God.
Ɔnyɛ osetie mma obiara onnye nteɛso biara nto mu. Ɔmfa ne ho nto Awurade so. Ontwiw mmɛn ne Nyankopɔn.
3 Their leaders are [like] [MET] roaring lions; they are [like] [MET] wolves that [attack other animals] during the evening, [and eat everything that they kill], with the result that the next morning there is nothing left [of those animals to eat].
Nʼakannifo yɛ gyata a wɔbobɔ mu, ne sodifo yɛ mpataku a wɔnam anadwo, a wonnya biribiara mma adekyee.
4 The prophets in Jerusalem are proud, [and they give messages that are] not to be trusted. Their priests cause the temple to be unholy by doing things that are opposed to the laws [of Moses].
Ne nkɔmhyɛfo yɛ ahantan; wɔyɛ afatwafo. Nʼasɔfo gu kronkronbea ho fi. Wɔnam mmara no so di nsɛmmɔne.
5 But Yahweh is [also] in the city; and he never does what is wrong. He treats people justly/fairly; he does that every day, but wicked people are never ashamed [about their doing what is wrong].
Awurade a ɔte ne mu no yɛ ɔtreneeni; ɔnyɛ mfomso biara. Adekyee biara, ɔda ne trenee adi, na onni huammɔ da, nanso amumɔyɛfo de, wonnim aniwu.
6 [Yahweh says this]: “I have destroyed [many] nations; I have destroyed their strong/high city walls and towers. [Now] I have caused the streets in those cities to be completely deserted [DOU]; the cities are ruined. There are no people [still alive] in the cities; they are all dead [LIT].
“Masɛe amanaman; madwiriw wɔn abandennen agu. Wɔn mmorɔn so adeda mpan, a obiara ntwa mu hɔ. Wɔasɛe wɔn nkuropɔn; a obiara renka.
7 [So] I thought [to myself], ‘[Because of what I have done to those other nations], surely the people [of Jerusalem] will revere me [now], and they will accept (my correcting them/my telling them to quit doing what is wrong). [If they do that, I] will not destroy their houses; I will not punish them like I said that I would do.’ But [in spite of knowing how I punished those other nations], they were still eager to get up early each morning and continue to do evil things.
Meka kyerɛɛ kuropɔn no se, ‘ampa ara wubesuro me na woagye nteɛso ato mu!’ Na afei ne tenabea rensɛe, na mʼasotwe biara nso remma no so. Nanso wɔn ho peree wɔn sɛ wɔbɛkɔ so ayɛ bɔne, wɔn nneyɛe nyinaa mu.
8 Therefore I, Yahweh, say, ‘Wait for the day in which I will testify [in court about your evil things].’ I have decided to gather the people of the kingdoms [of the earth] [DOU] and cause them to know that I am very angry with them. All [over] the earth I will punish and destroy people; my being angry with them because I (am jealous/want people to worship no other god) is [like] [MET] a (raging/very hot) fire.
Enti twɛn me,” sɛnea Awurade se ni, “na da no mɛsɔre adi adanse. Mayɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛboaboa amanaman ne ahenni ano na mahwie mʼabufuw agu wɔn so mʼabufuwhyew nyinaa. Me ninkutwe abufuw gya mu no, asase nyinaa bɛhyew.
9 When that happens, I will cause [all] people [MTY] to be changed and enable them to speak [only] what is (pure/pleasing to me), in order that everyone can worship me [MTY] and unitedly/together serve me [MTY].
“Afei medwira nnipa no ano, na wɔn nyinaa abɔ Awurade din na wɔaka abɔ mu asom no.
10 [Then] my people who [were forced to go to other countries], those who live along the upper part of the [Nile] River in Ethiopia will come to me and bring offerings to me.
Mʼasomfo, me nkurɔfo a wɔabɔ ahwete no befi nsubɔnten a ɛwɔ Kus nohɔ de wɔn afɔrebɔde abrɛ me.
11 At that time, you [people in Jerusalem] will no [longer] be ashamed [about what has happened to you], because you no longer will be rebelling against me. I will get rid of all the people among you who are very proud [DOU]. No one on [Zion], my holy hill, will [strut around] proudly.
Saa da no, wo Yerusalem, wɔrengu wʼanim ase wɔ nneyɛe bɔne a woayɛ atia me ho, efisɛ meyi afi saa kuropɔn yi mu, wɔn a wodi ahantan mu ahurusi, na worenyɛ ahantan bio wɔ me bepɔw kronkron no so.
12 Those who are still alive in Israel will be poor and humble; they will be people who trust in me [MTY].
Nanso megyaw wɔ wo mu wɔn a wodwo na wɔbrɛ wɔn ho ase, na wɔde wɔn ho to Awurade so no.
13 Those people who are still alive [there] in Israel will not do [things that are] wrong; they will not tell lies or deceive [MTY] people. They will eat and sleep [safely], [because] no one will cause them to be afraid.”
Wɔrenyɛ bɔne biara; wɔrenka nkontomposɛm, na wɔn ano renka nnaadaasɛm wobedidi na wɔada, na obiara renyi wɔn hu.”
14 You people who live in Jerusalem [DOU] and [other places in] Israel, sing and shout loudly! Be glad, and rejoice [DOU] greatly,
To dwom, Ɔbabea Sion; teɛ mu dennen, Israel! Ma wʼani nnye, na di ahurusi wɔ wo koma nyinaa mu, Ɔbabea Yerusalem!
15 [because] Yahweh will stop punishing [MTY] you, and he will send away from you [the armies of] your enemies! And Yahweh [himself], the king of [us] Israeli people, will live among us, and never again will we be afraid that [others will] harm us.
Efisɛ Awurade ayi wʼasotwe afi wo so, wama wo tamfo asan nʼakyi. Awurade, Israelhene ka wo ho; worensuro ɔhaw biara bio.
16 At that time, [other people] will say to us people of Jerusalem, “[You people of] [APO] Jerusalem, do not be afraid; do not become afraid or discouraged,
Saa da no, wɔbɛka akyerɛ Yerusalem se, “Nsuro, Sion! Mma wo nsa mu ngow.
17 [because] Yahweh your God is [living] among you. He is mighty, and he will rescue/save you. He will be very happy with you; because he loves you, he will cause you to not be afraid; he will sing loudly to rejoice over you.”
Awurade wo Nyankopɔn ne wo wɔ hɔ, Ɔyɛ ogyefo ɔhoɔdenfo. Nʼani begye wo ho ne dɔ mu, ɔrenka wʼanim bio, ɔde nnwonto bedi wo ho anigye.”
18 [Yahweh says, ] “You people were sad and ashamed because [you were unable to attend] your religious festivals; but I will cause you to no longer be disgraced.
“Meyi wɔn a wodi awerɛhow wɔ wʼafahyɛnna ahorow a woahwere; a ayɛ adesoa ne animguase ama wo no ho.
19 Truly, I will [severely] punish all those who (oppressed you/caused you to suffer). I will rescue those who are helpless and those who were forced to go to other countries. I will enable them to be praised and honored in every country to which they were (exiled/forced to go), places where they were disgraced.
Saa bere no me ne wɔn a wɔhyɛɛ wo so nyinaa bedi. Megye mmerɛwyɛfo na mɛboaboa wɔn a wɔabɔ wɔn ahwete no ano. Mɛkamfo wɔn ahyɛ wɔn anuonyam asase biara a woguu wɔn anim ase wɔ so no so.
20 At that time, I will gather you together and bring you [back] home [to Israel]. I will cause you to (have a good reputation/be honored) and be [greatly] praised among all the nations of the earth. You [MTY] will see me causing you to prosper again. [That will surely happen because I, ] Yahweh, have said it.”
Saa bere no, mɛboaboa mo ano; saa bere no, mede mo bɛba fie. Mɛhyɛ wo anuonyam na makamfo mo wɔ asase so nnipa nyinaa mu bere a mede mo ahonyade bɛsan ama wo na mode mo ani behu no,” sɛnea Awurade se ni.
