Hosea 3

1 Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Yi nàkplɔ srɔ̃wò agbɔe, eye nàlɔ̃e, togbɔ be ame bubu le elɔ̃m, eye wòwɔ ahasi hã, elabena Yehowa galɔ̃ Israel kokoko, togbɔ be edzo yi ɖe mawu bubuwo gbɔ, eye wòlɔ̃ waintsetsebolo hã.”

Then Yahweh said to me, “Go and show to your wife that you still love her, even though she has been committing adultery with another man who loves her. [That will show that] I still love the people of Israel, even though they worship other gods/idols and eat raisin cakes [in feasts that honor those gods].”

2 Ale megbugbɔ ƒlee tso eƒe kluvinyenye me kple klosalo wuiatɔ̃ kple lu agba alafa ɖeka blaatɔ̃.

[My wife had become a slave, ] but I bought her for (6 ounces/179 grams) of silver and ten bushels of barley.

3 Megblɔ nɛ be, “Ele be nànɔ gbɔnye ŋkeke geɖe; mègado go kple ŋutsu bubuwo alo awɔ gbolo o, ekema manye tɔwò ɖaa.”

Then I said to her, “You must wait for many days [before we sleep together] [EUP]. During that time, you must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sex with any other man; but I will live with you.”

4 Le ɣeyiɣi didi siwo gbɔna me la, fia alo amegã manɔ Israel si o, vɔsasa, legba, kɔmewu alo aklamakpakpɛ ŋutɔ gɔ̃ hã manɔ wo si o!

[Our doing that will show that] in the same way, the people of Israel will not have a king and [other] leaders for many years. They will not offer sacrifices or [have sacred stone] pillars, no sacred vest [for the Supreme Priest], and no idols!

5 Emegbe la, woatrɔ adi Yehowa, woƒe Mawu la, eye woayi woƒe Fia gbɔ. Woatsɔ dzodzo nyanyanya ava Yehowa kple eƒe dɔmenyonyo gbɔ le ŋkeke mamlɛawo me.

But later, the people of Israel will return to Yahweh their God and [be guided by him and] by a king who is a descendant of [King] David. In the last/future days they will come to Yahweh, revering him and trembling [in his presence], and he will bless them.