< Nahum 3 >

1 Baba na du si yɔ fũu kple ʋukɔkɔɖi, alakpadada kple nuhaha, eye wògbe asiɖeɖe le nu siwo wòha la ŋu.
Woe to the city of blood, filled with all manner of lies and violence. Crime shall not depart from you:
2 Ƒu to anyi nàse ale si sɔƒokawo le gbe dom, eye tasiaɖamwo ƒe afɔtiwo, kple sɔwo ƒe afɔkpawo le hoo wɔm esime tasiaɖamwo le du sim glaŋglaŋglaŋ le mɔtatawo dzi!
the voice of the whip, and the voice of the turning wheels, and of the neighing horse, and the burning chariot, and the horsemen who ride,
3 Sɔdolawo dze agbo, yiwo le dzo dam, eye akplɔwo le dzo sim le woƒe asi me! Ame tsiaʋawo teƒe mekɔ o, ame kukuwo sɔ gbɔ taŋtaŋtaŋ, eye ɖewo tsi wo nɔewo dzi. Amewo le wo dzi zɔm le anyi dzem, le fɔfɔm; gale anyi dzem.
and of the flashing sword and the shining spear, and of a multitude executed and a grievous ruination. Neither is there an end to the dead bodies, and they will fall down upon their dead bodies.
4 Esiawo katã va eme ɖe gbolo ɖeka ƒe gbolowɔwɔ vivivo ta. Ame si ble afakalawo ƒe amegã nu, eye wòdo kluvi dukɔwo kple eƒe gbolowɔwɔ hebla amewo kple eƒe adzewɔwɔ.
Because of the multitude of fornications of the kept woman, beautiful and pleasing and practicing evil deeds, who sold nations by her fornications, and families by her evil doing:
5 Yehowa, Dziƒoʋakɔwo ƒe Aƒetɔ la gblɔ be: “Le esia ta, metsi tsitre ɖe ŋuwò, azɔ maɖe motsyɔvɔ le mo na wò, mana dukɔwo nakpɔ wò amame, eye fiaɖuƒewo nakpɔ wò ŋukpe.
behold, I will come to you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will reveal your shame to your face, and I will show your nakedness to the Gentiles, and your disgrace to kingdoms.
6 Malɔ gbeɖuɖɔ akɔ ɖe dziwò, ado ŋunyɔ wò, eye nàzu nukpɔkpɔ na dukɔwo.
And I will cast abominations over you, and I will afflict you with abuse, and I will make an example of you.
7 Ame siwo katã akpɔ wò la, dzidzi aƒo wo, eye woagbugbɔ ɖe megbe agblɔ be, ‘Ninive gbã gudugudu, ame ka afa nɛ?’ Afi ka makpɔ ame aɖe le wòafa akɔ na wò?”
And this shall be: everyone who sees you, will recoil from you, and he will say: “Nineveh has been devastated.” Who will shake his head over you? Where might I seek consolation for you?
8 Wòe nyo wu Tebes, si le Nil tɔsisi to, eye tɔ la ƒo xlãe godoa?
Are you better than the populous Alexandria, which dwells along the rivers? Waters encircle it: the sea, with its riches. The waters are its walls.
9 Kus kple Egipte nye eƒe ŋusẽ triakɔ la. Nenema ke Putitɔwo kple Libiatɔwo nye eƒe kpeɖeŋutɔwo le aʋa me,
Ethiopia and Egypt were its strength, and there is no limit. Africa and Northern Africa have been your helpers.
10 gake Tebes dze anyi, woɖe aboyo emenɔlawo, eye wotsɔ wo viwo ƒe ta xlã ɖe kpe le mɔtatawo dzi. Wodzidze nu ɖe eƒe bubumewo dzi, eye wode kɔsɔkɔsɔ eƒe amegãwo katã.
Nevertheless, she has been led away with the transmigration into captivity. Her little ones have been dashed in pieces at the top of every street, and they have cast lots over her celebrities, and all her elite have been fastened together in shackles.
11 Wò hã àmu aha, asi abe, eye àdi sitsoƒe le futɔwo ta.
Therefore, you also will become inebriated, and you will be despised, and you will seek help from the opposition.
12 Wò mɔ sesẽwo katã anɔ abe gboti si dzi kutsetse ɖiɖiwo le la ene. Ne woʋuʋu atia la, kutsetsewo gena ɖe eɖula ƒe nu me.
All your fortresses will be like fig trees with their green figs. If they are shaken violently, they will fall into the mouth of the one who devours.
13 Kpɔ wò asrafowo ɖa, wo katã wole abe nyɔnuwo ene. Wò anyigba ƒe agbo anɔ ʋuʋu ɖi siaa na wò futɔwo, eye dzo afia wò gametiwo.
Behold, women are at the center of your people. The gates of your land will be opened wide for your enemies; fire will devour your bars.
14 Du tsi kɔ ɖi na ɖokuiwò ɖe aʋadzegbe ŋu. Dzra wò mɔ sesẽwo ƒe gliwo ɖo. Ge ɖe anyiʋewo me, eye nànya anyi atsɔ tre gli gbagbãwoe.
Draw in water because of the blockade; build up your fortresses. Go into the clay and tread; work it to make brick.
15 Esi nèle nu siawo wɔm la dzo ava fia wò; yi alã wò aƒu anyi, eye woaɖu wò abe ale si ʋetsuvi ɖua nui ene. Midzi ɖe edzi abe ʋetsuviwo ene, misɔ gbɔ ɖe edzi abe ʋetsuviwo ene.
There, fire will devour you. You will perish by the sword; it will devour you like the beetle. Gather together like the beetle. Multiply like the locust.
16 Èdzi wò asitsalawo ɖe edzi va se ɖe esime wosɔ gbɔ wu ɣletiviwo, gake ʋetsuviwo aɖu wo, aɖi gbɔlo anyigba la, eye woadzo adzo.
You have made more negotiations than there are stars in the sky. The beetle has spread out and flown away.
17 Ŋuwòdzɔlawo asɔ gbɔ abe ʋetsuviwo ƒe ha gã aɖe ene, eye wò amegãwo asɔ gbɔ abe ʋetra siwo dze ɖe gli ŋu le ŋdi me, ke ne ɣe dze ko la, woadzo adzo, eye teƒe si wonɔ la magadze o ene.
Your guardians are like locusts, and your little ones are like locusts among locusts, which alight on hedges on a cold day. The sun rose up, and they flew away, and there was no way to know the place where they had been.
18 O Asiria fia, wò kplɔlawo le akɔlɔ̃e dɔm; wò bubumewo mlɔ anyi le dzudzɔm. Woakaka wò amewo ɖe towo dzi, eye ame aɖeke maƒo wo nu ƒu o.
Your shepherds have become drowsy, king Assur. Your princes will be buried. Your people have remained hidden in the mountains, and there is no one to gather them.
19 Naneke mate ŋu awu abi si nèxɔ la o, elabena edzi ŋɔ ŋutɔ. Ame sia ame si ase wò anyidzedze la, aƒo asikpe ɖe tawò, elabena ame kae mekpɔ gome le wò ŋutasesẽ gbogboawo me o?
Your destruction is not hidden; your wound is grievous. All who have heard of your fame have clenched their hands over you, because over whom has your wickedness not trampled continually?

< Nahum 3 >