< Yoel 2 >

1 Miku kpẽ le Zion! Miku aʋadzedze ƒe kpẽ la be woasee le nye to kɔkɔe la dzi! Anyigbadzitɔwo katã nedzo nyanyanya kple vɔvɔ̃, elabena Yehowa ƒe ŋkeke la tu aƒe vɔ.
Blow trumpets on Zion [Hill], God’s sacred hill [in Jerusalem]! Tell the people of Judah that they should tremble, because it will soon be the time for Yahweh [to punish us further].
2 Anye viviti kple blukɔ ƒe ŋkeke, eye lilikpo kple viviti tsiɖitsiɖi ado. Abe ale si ŋdikekeli klẽna ɖe towo tame ene la, nenema ke aʋakɔ gã sẽŋu aɖe avae. Ame siawo la, womekpɔ wo tɔgbi kpɔ o, eye womagakpɔ wo tɔgbi kpɔ le xexea me ƒe dzidzimewo dome o!
[That will be a very] dark and gloomy day; there will be [black] clouds and it will be very dark. A huge [swarm of locusts] has covered the mountains like [SIM] a black [cloud]. Nothing like this has ever happened before, and nothing like this will ever [happen] again.
3 Dzo bibi le nu fiam le wo ŋgɔ eye dzo ƒe aɖewo le wo megbe. Anyigba la le ŋgɔ abe Edenbɔ ene gake ezua gbegbe le wo megbe. Naneke mate ŋu asi le enu o.
[It is as though the locusts bring] flames of fire from which no one can escape. In front of them, the land was [beautiful] like [SIM] the garden of Eden, but behind them [the land is like] a desert and nothing survives.
4 Wodzena abe sɔwo ene eye woƒua du abe sɔdolawo ene.
[The locusts] resemble horses, and they run like [SIM] war horses.
5 Wole kpo tim le towo tame, woƒe afɔziwo le ɖiɖim abe tasiaɖamwo tɔ ene eye abe dzoe le gbe ƒuƒu bim ene. Wole du ƒum abe asrafo kalẽtɔwoe le du dzi yina ɖe aʋa ene.
Leaping over the mountaintops, they make a noise like rumbling chariots, like [SIM] a mighty army that is preparing for a battle, or like [SIM] the roar of a fire that burns up stubble [in a field].
6 Dukɔwo kpɔe hedzo nyanyanya eye woƒe mowo fu tititi le vɔvɔ̃ ta.
When people see them coming, they become very pale and frightened.
7 Wozɔ yi ŋgɔ kple kalẽ abe aʋawɔlawo ene eye woflɔ gliawo abe asrafowo ene. Wo katã yi ŋgɔgbe eye ɖeke meto miame alo ɖusime o.
[The locusts] climb over walls like soldiers do; they march along in columns and never turn aside [from their columns].
8 Ɖeke mebe ɖe nɔvia xa o. Ame sia ame le enɔƒe pɛpɛpɛ Aʋawɔnu aɖeke mate ŋu anɔ te ɖe wo ŋu o.
They rush straight ahead without pushing each other. [Even though people throw] spears and javelins at them, that will not cause them to stop.
9 Wo katã lũ ɖe du la dzi; woflɔ gli la zɔ etame hege ɖe aƒewo kple xɔwo me abe ale si fiafitɔ toa fesre nue ene.
They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses; they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.
10 Anyigba ʋuʋu kpekpekpe eye dziƒo dzo nyanyanya le wo ŋgɔ. Ɣe kple ɣleti do viviti eye ɣletiviwo megaklẽ o.
[It is as though] they cause the earth to shake and the sky to tremble. The sun and the moon become dark and the stars do not shine [because there are so many locusts in the sky].
11 Yehowa ŋutɔ le eƒe aʋakɔ la ŋgɔ le gbe ɖem. Esiae nye eƒe aʋakɔ gã la eye ame siwo le eƒe gbeɖeɖe dzi wɔm la nye ame sesẽwo. Yehowa ƒe ŋkeke la anye ŋkeke gã, ŋɔdzi kple vɔvɔ̃ anɔ eŋu. Ame kae ate ŋu anɔ te ɖe enu?
Yahweh leads this army [of countless locusts], and they obey his commands. This time when he is judging and punishing us is very terrible, [with the result that it seems that] no one [RHQ] can survive it.
12 “Eya ta Yehowa be, ‘Mitrɔ ɖe ŋunye azɔ, kple miaƒe dzi blibo. Miva kple nutsitsidɔ, avifafa kple konyifafa.’”
But Yahweh says, “In spite of [these disasters that you have experienced], you can return to me with all your inner beings. Weep, and mourn, and (fast/abstain from eating food) [to show that you are sorry for having abandoned me].
13 Midze miaƒe dziwo, menye miaƒe awuwo o. Mitrɔ ɖe Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la ŋu, elabena amenuveve kple nublanuikpɔkpɔ bɔ ɖe esi. Medoa dziku kabakaba o, eƒe dɔ me nyo, eye metsia dzi be yeahe to na ame o.
Do not tear your clothes [to show that you are sorry]; instead, show [MET] that you are sorry.” Yahweh is merciful and kind; he does not quickly become angry; he faithfully loves [people]. He does not quickly become angry; instead, he greatly and faithfully loves [you], and he does not like to punish you.
14 Ame kae nya be ɖewohĩ atrɔ ave mía nu eye wòagblẽ yayra ɖi na mí? Ekema míagatsɔ nuɖuvɔsa kple nunovɔsa vɛ na Yehowa, mia Mawu la.
No one knows [RHQ] if he will change his mind [about punishing you] and if instead he will act mercifully [toward you]. If he does that, he will bless you [by giving you plenty of grain and wine] in order that you can offer [some of] those things as sacrifices to him.
15 Miku kpẽ le Zion! Miɖo nutsitsidɔ kɔkɔe eye miyɔ takpekpe tɔxɛ.
Blow the trumpets on Zion [Hill]! Gather the people together! Show by fasting that you are sorry [for the sins that you have committed].
16 Miƒo ameawo nu ƒu; mikɔ ameha la ŋuti, ame tsitsiwo, ɖeviwo kple vi nonowo siaa. Ŋugbetɔsrɔ̃ nedo tso eƒe xɔ me eye ŋugbetɔ nedo go tso xɔ gã me.
Perform the rituals to cause yourselves to be acceptable to Yahweh. Gather everyone together— the old people and the children, even the babies, and summon brides and bridegrooms from their rooms.
17 Nunɔla siwo subɔna le Yehowa ŋkume la netsi tsitre ɖe ameawo kple vɔsamlekpui la dome, afa avi ado gbe ɖa be, “Yehowa, kpɔ nublanui na wò dukɔ; mègana wò domenyinu nazu fewuɖunu kple ŋukpenanu le dukɔwo dome o. Nu ka ta dukɔwo anɔ gbɔgblɔm be, ‘Afi ka woƒe Mawu la le?’”
Tell the priests who serve Yahweh to cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple and to pray [this]: “Yahweh, rescue/save [us] your people; do not allow people from other nations to despise us; do not allow them to ridicule us and say, ‘Why has [RHQ] their God [abandoned them]?’”
18 Ekema Yehowa aʋã ŋu ɖe dukɔ la nu, eye wòakpɔ nublanui na eƒe amewo.
But Yahweh [showed that he] was concerned about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.
19 Yehowa aɖo eŋu be, “Kpɔ ɖa, mele bli, wain yeye kple ami ɖom ɖe mi be miaɖi ƒo. Nyemagawɔ mi mianye fewuɖunu na dukɔwo azɔ o.
When the people prayed, Yahweh answered and said, “I will give you [plenty of] grain and wine and [olive] oil, and you will be satisfied. And I will no longer allow other nations to insult you.
20 “Maɖe asrafo siwo tso dzigbeme la ɖa le mia gbɔ, matrɔ wo aɖo ɖe kuɖiɖinyigba kple gbegbe. Matsɔ ŋgɔgbenɔlawo ade ɣedzeƒeƒu la me eye matsɔ megbenɔlawo ade ɣetoɖoƒeƒu la me. Ale woƒe ʋeʋẽ kũu la axɔ anyigba la dzi.” Vavã, Yehowa wɔ nukunu triakɔ aɖe.
Another army [of locusts will come] from the north [to attack you], but I will force them to continue [past Jerusalem] into the desert. Some will go into the Dead Sea in the east and some will go into the [Mediterranean] Sea in the west. [There] they will [all die, and their bodies] will stink.” Yahweh does great things!
21 Nye dukɔ, mègavɔ̃ o; kpɔ dzidzɔ eye nàtso aseye azɔ elabena Yehowa wɔ nukunu gãwo na wò.
He does wonderful things! So even the ground should rejoice!
22 Mi gbemelãwo katã, migavɔ̃ o, elabena lãnyiƒewo agada ama abe tsã ene. Atiwo agatse ku eye gbotiwo kple wainkawo agatse kplanyaa abe tsã ene.
And the wild animals should not be afraid, because the meadows will soon become green again; the fig trees and [other] trees will be full of fruit, and the grapevines will be covered with grapes.
23 O, mi Ziontɔwo, dzi nedzɔ mi le Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la me! Elabena tsidzadza si wòɖo ɖa la nye eƒe tsɔtsɔke ƒe dzesi. Adame kple kelemetsiwo adza ɖe ɖoɖo nu pɛpɛpɛ.
You people of Jerusalem, rejoice about what Yahweh, your God, [will be doing for you]. He will send abundant rain at the (right time/time when it is needed)— (in the spring/early in the year) and (in the autumn/late in the year) like he did previously.
24 Lu ayɔ lugbɔƒe fũu, eye wain kple ami asɔ gbɔ ɖe nudzraɖoƒewo.
The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain, and your vats where you store grape juice and [olive] oil will be full.
25 “Magaɖo ƒe siwo ʋetsuviwo, ʋetrawo, abɔwo kple ŋɔwo ɖu nu la teƒe na mi. Woawoe nye nye aʋakɔ gã si medɔ ɖe mia ŋu.
[Yahweh said, ] “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts that I sent to attack you.
26 Miaɖu nu aɖi ƒo abe tsã ene eye miakafu Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la. Miakafu Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la ƒe ŋkɔ, ame si wɔ nukunu siawo katã na mi. Ŋu magakpe nye dukɔ azɔ o.
You, my people, will eat until your stomachs are full. Then you will praise me [MTY], Yahweh, your God, for the wonderful things that I have done for you. And never again will you be disgraced.
27 Mianyae be mele afii le nye dukɔ Israel dome, eye mianyae hã be nye Yehowa, ɖeka hɔ̃ɔ koe nye miaƒe Mawu. Ŋu magakpe nye dukɔ la azɔ o.
When that happens, you will know that I am [always] among you, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and that there is no other [God]. Never again will you be disgraced.”
28 “Le nu siawo megbe la, matrɔ nye Gbɔgbɔ akɔ ɖe amewo katã dzi! Mia viŋutsuwo kple nyɔnuwo agblɔ nya ɖi, miaƒe ame tsitsiwo aku drɔ̃ewo eye miaƒe ɖekakpuiwo akpɔ ŋutegawo.
“Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many [HYP] people. Your sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me. Your old men will have dreams [that come from me], and your young men will have visions [that come from me].
29 Matrɔ nye Gbɔgbɔ la akɔ ɖe nye subɔlawo katã dzi, ŋutsuwo kple nyɔnuwo siaa dzi le ŋkeke mawo me
At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.
30 eye mana dzesi wɔnukuwo nado ɖe dziƒo kple anyigba dzi, siwo anye ʋu, dzo kple dzudzɔ babla kɔtɔɔ.
I will do unusual/amazing things on the earth and in the sky. [On the earth] [CHI], there will be much blood [shed] and [there will be very large] fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds.
31 Ɣe ado viviti eye ɣleti atrɔ zu ʋu hafi Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkeke gã, dziŋɔ la nava ɖo.
[In the sky, ] the sun will become dark and the moon will become [as red as] [MET] blood. [Those things will happen] before that great and terrible day when [I], Yahweh, appear.
32 Ame sia ame si yɔa Aƒetɔ la ƒe ŋkɔa la, akpɔ ɖeɖe eye xɔname anɔ Zion towo dzi kple Yerusalem kple ame siwo Aƒetɔ yɔ la dome abe ale si Aƒetɔ la do ŋugbee la ene.
But at that time [I] will save everyone who worships me. I promise that some people in Jerusalem [DOU] will escape [those disasters]; those whom I have chosen will survive.”

< Yoel 2 >