< 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 thee, O city of blood, all full of lies and violence: rapine shall not depart from thee.
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 noise of the whip, and the noise of the rattling of the wheels, and of the neighing horse, and of the running chariot, and of the horsemen coming up,
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 shining sword, and of the glittering spear, and of a multitude slain, and of a grievous destruction: and there is no end of carcasses, and they shall fall down on 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 the fornications of the harlot that was beautiful and agreeable, and that made use of witchcraft, that sold nations through her fornications, and families through her witchcrafts.
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 come against thee, saith the Lord of hosts: and I will discover thy shame to thy face, and will shew thy nakedness to the nations, and thy shame to kingdoms.
6 Malɔ gbeɖuɖɔ akɔ ɖe dziwò, ado ŋunyɔ wò, eye nàzu nukpɔkpɔ na dukɔwo.
And I will cast abominations upon thee, and will disgrace thee, and will make an example of thee.
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 it shall come to pass that every one that shall see thee, shall flee from thee, and shall say: Ninive is laid waste: who shall bemoan thee? whence shall I seek a comforter for thee?
8 Wòe nyo wu Tebes, si le Nil tɔsisi to, eye tɔ la ƒo xlãe godoa?
Art thou better than the populous Alexandria, that dwelleth among the rivers? waters are round about it: the sea is 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 the strength thereof, and there is no end: Africa and the Libyans were thy 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.
Yet she also was removed and carried into captivity: her young children were dashed in pieces at the top of every street, and they cast lots upon her nobles, and all her great men were bound in fetters.
11 Wò hã àmu aha, asi abe, eye àdi sitsoƒe le futɔwo ta.
Therefore thou also shalt be made drunk, and shalt be despised: and thou shalt seek help from the enemy.
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 thy strong holds shall be like fig trees with their green figs: if they be shaken, they shall fall into the mouth of the eater.
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 thy people in the midst of thee are women: the gates of thy land shall be set wide open to thy enemies, the fire shall devour thy 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 thee water for the siege, build up thy bulwarks: go into the clay, and tread, work it and 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 shall the fire devour thee: thou shalt perish by the sword, it shall devour thee like the bruchus: assemble together like the bruchus, make thyself many 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.
Thou hast multiplied thy merchandises above the stars of heaven: the bruchus hath spread himself 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.
Thy guards are like the locusts: and thy little ones like the locusts of locusts which swarm on the hedges in the day of cold: the sun arose, and they flew away, and their place was not known where they were.
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.
Thy shepherds have slumbered, O king of Assyria, thy princes shall be buried: thy people are hid in the mountains, and there is none to gather them together.
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?
Thy destruction is not hidden, thy wound is grievous: all that have heard the fame of thee, have clapped their hands over thee: for upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually?

< Nahum 3 >