< Hosea 11 >
1 “Esi Israel nye ɖevi la, melɔ̃e, eye Egipte meyɔ vinye la tsoe, abe vinye ŋutsu ene.
When Israel was a child, I loved him, And called my son out of Egypt,
2 Zi ale si meyɔe la, zi nenema ke wòtrɔ megbe dem, hele vɔ sam na Baalwo, eye wòle dzudzɔ ʋeʋĩ dom na legbawo.
But they turned away from those that called them. They sacrificed to images of Baal; They burned incense to idols.
3 Nyee lé Efraim ƒe alɔnu hefia azɔlizɔzɔe, gake menyae be nyee kpɔ ye ta o.
I helped Ephraim to go, Yea, I took them up in my arms; Yet they marked not that I healed them.
4 Mekplɔ wo kple dɔmenyo ƒe ka, eye mebla wo kple lɔlɔ̃. Meɖe kɔkuti la le woƒe kɔ, eye mebɔbɔ na nuɖuɖu wo.
I drew them with human cords, with bands of love; I was to them as those who lift up the yoke from their jaws; I dealt gently with them, and gave them food.
5 “Nye dukɔ agatrɔ ayi Egipte, eye Asiria aɖu wo dzi, elabena wogbe dzimetɔtrɔ.
They shall no more go down to Egypt; For the Assyrian shall be their king, Because they refuse to return to me.
6 Aʋa adzɔ le woƒe duwo me; woagbã woƒe agbo sesẽwo, eye woatɔ te woƒe ɖoɖowo.
The sword shall fall upon their cities, It shall consume their bars, and devour Because of their devices.
7 Nye dukɔ ɖoe kplikpaa be yeagbem. Esia ta ne woyɔ Mawu, Dziƒoʋĩtɔ la gɔ̃ hã la, womakpɔ xɔxɔ o.
For my people persevere in turning away from me; Though they are called to the Most High, None will exalt him.
8 “O, nye Efraim, aleke mate ŋu atsɔ wò ana? Israel, aleke mate ŋu aɖe asi le ŋuwò? Aleke mawɔ agbe wò abe Adma kple Zeboyim ene? Nye dzi le avi fam le menye, eye nye dzi xɔ dzo ɖe mia ŋuti be maɖe mi!
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I abandon thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? My heart is changed within me; Yea, my compassion is kindled.
9 Gbeɖe, nyemahe to na mi abe ale si nye dziku helĩhelĩ le gbɔgblɔm nam ene o, eye nyemagbã Efraim gudugudu hã o, elabena Mawue menye, eye menye amegbetɔe menye o. Nyee nye Kɔkɔetɔ si le mia dome eye nyemava le dziku me be magblẽ nu o.
I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; For I am God, and not man, The Holy One in the midst of thee, And I will not come in anger.
10 Azɔ la, dukɔ la adi Yehowa. Aɖe gbe abe dzata ene. Ne eɖe gbe la, viawo atrɔ agbɔ kple dzodzo nyanyanya tso ɣetoɖoƒe.
They shall walk after Jehovah, when he shall roar like a lion, When he shall roar, then shall their sons hasten from the west;
11 Woatrɔ tso Egipte abe xeviwo ƒe ha gã aɖe ene. Nenema ke woatrɔ tso Asiria abe ahɔnɛ ƒe ha gã aɖe ene. Magakplɔ wo ayi woƒe aƒewo mee.” Yehowae gblɔe.
They shall hasten as a bird from Egypt, And as a dove from the land of Assyria, And I will place them in their houses, saith Jehovah.
12 Efraim ƒo xlãm kple alakpa, eye Israel ƒe aƒe la ƒo xlãm kple beble. Yuda gadze aglã ɖe Mawu ŋuti, eye wòtsi tsitre ɖe anukwaretɔ kple Kɔkɔetɔ la gɔ̃ hã ŋu.
Ephraim compasseth me about with falsehood, And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah also is inconstant toward God, Toward the holy and faithful one.