< Zefania 3 >

1 “Baba na du si yɔ fũu kple ŋutasesẽ, aglãdzedze kple ɖiƒoƒo.
Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing city!
2 Mesea ame aɖeke ƒe gbe o, eye melɔ̃na be woagbe nya na ye hã o. Mexɔ Yehowa dzi se o, eye metena ɖe eƒe Mawu la ŋu hã o.
She didn’t obey the voice. She didn’t receive correction. She didn’t trust in Yahweh. She didn’t draw near to her God.
3 Eƒe kplɔlawo le abe dzata dɔwui si le gbe tem la ene. Woƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo le abe amegaxi si lé nu le zã me, eye wòɖui vɔ keŋ hafi ŋu ke la ene.
Her princes within her are roaring lions. Her judges are evening wolves. They leave nothing until the next day.
4 Eƒe nyagblɔɖilawo doa wo ɖokuiwo ɖe dzi, eye wonye ame vɔ̃ɖiwo. Eƒe nunɔlawo do gu kɔkɔeƒe la, eye wodo vlo Mawu ƒe seawo.
Her prophets are arrogant and treacherous people. Her priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the law.
5 Ke Yehowae nye dzɔdzɔetɔ le wo dome, eye mewɔa nu gbegblẽ aɖeke o. Ŋdi sia ŋdi la, eɖea eƒe dzɔdzɔenyenye ɖe go, eye ŋkeke aɖeke medanɛ ƒu o. Gake nu vɔ̃ wɔlawo menya ŋukpe o.
Yahweh, within her, is righteous. He will do no wrong. Every morning he brings his justice to light. He doesn’t fail, but the unjust know no shame.
6 “Metsrɔ̃ dukɔ geɖewo, megbã woƒe mɔ sesẽwo, mena woƒe ablɔwo dzi ɖi gbɔlo, eye ame aɖeke megatoa wo dzi o. Woƒe duwo gbã, eye ame ɖeka pɛ gɔ̃ hã masusɔ o.
I have cut off nations. Their battlements are desolate. I have made their streets waste, so that no one passes by. Their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, so that there is no inhabitant.
7 Megblɔ na du la be, ‘Azɔ la, àvɔ̃m vavã, eye nàxɔ nye ɖɔɖɔɖo!’ Ekema womagatsrɔ̃ eƒe nɔƒe alo nye tohehe magava edzi o, gake wogatsi dzi ɖe nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ ŋu,
I said, “Just fear me. Receive correction,” so that her dwelling won’t be cut off, according to all that I have appointed concerning her. But they rose early and corrupted all their doings.
8 eya ta mikpɔ nye asi nu,” Yehowae gblɔe, “elabena ŋkeke li gbɔna, matsi tsitre aɖi ɖase. Meɖoe be maƒo dukɔwo katã kple fiaɖuƒewo nu ƒu, eye makɔ nye dɔmedzoe kple nye dziku helĩhelĩ ɖe wo dzi. Ale nye ŋuʋaʋã ƒe dzo afia anyigba la katã.
“Therefore wait for me”, says Yahweh, “until the day that I rise up to the prey, for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour on them my indignation, even all my fierce anger, for all the earth will be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.
9 “Ɣe ma ɣi la, makɔ nye amewo ƒe nuyiwo ŋu, ale wo katã woayɔ Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ, eye woasubɔe kple nusɔsɔe.
For then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that they may all call on Yahweh’s name, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.
10 Tso Kus tɔsisi la godo ke, nye subɔlawo kple nye ame siwo ka hlẽ la, atsɔ woƒe nunanawo vɛ nam.
From beyond the rivers of Cush, my worshipers, even the daughter of my dispersed people, will bring my offering.
11 Le ɣe ma ɣi la, ŋu magakpe mi le miaƒe nu vɔ̃ siwo katã miewɔ ɖe ŋunye la ta o, elabena maɖe ame siwo katã kpɔa dzidzɔ le ɖokuidodoɖedzi ŋuti la ɖa le dua me, ale be dadala aɖeke maganɔ nye to kɔkɔe la dzi o.
In that day you will not be disappointed for all your doings in which you have transgressed against me; for then I will take away out from among you your proudly exulting ones, and you will no more be arrogant in my holy mountain.
12 Ke magblẽ ame siwo nye ame fafawo kple ɖokuibɔbɔɖeanyilawo, ame siwo xɔ nye, Yehowa ƒe ŋkɔ dzi se la ɖe mia dome.
But I will leave among you an afflicted and poor people, and they will take refuge in Yahweh’s name.
13 Israel ƒe ame mamlɛawo magawɔ vɔ̃ o, womada alakpa o, eye womakpɔ amebeble le woƒe nu me o. Woaɖu nu, amlɔ anyi, eye ame aɖeke mado ŋɔdzi na wo o.”
The remnant of Israel will not do iniquity nor speak lies, neither will a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth, for they will feed and lie down, and no one will make them afraid.”
14 O Zion vinyɔnu, dzi ha, O Israel, do ɣli, kpɔ dzidzɔ, eye wò dzi nayɔ fũu kple aseyetsotso, O Yerusalem vinyɔnuvi!
Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 Yehowa ɖe wò tohehewo ɖa, eye wòna wò futɔwo gbugbɔɖemegbe. Yehowa, Israel ƒe fia la li kpli wò, eya ta vɔ̃wɔame aɖeke mado ŋɔdzi na wò o.
Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
16 Gbe ma gbe la, woagblɔ na Yerusalem be, “Mègavɔ̃ o, O Zion, eye mègana wò alɔ nagbɔdzɔ o.
In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, “Don’t be afraid, Zion. Don’t let your hands be weak.”
17 Yehowa wò Mawu la li kpli wò, kalẽtɔ si ate ŋu axɔ na wò lae wònye. Akpɔ dzidzɔ gã aɖe ɖe ŋuwò, atsɔ eƒe lɔlɔ̃ afa akɔ na wò, eye wòado dzidzɔ na wò kple hadzidzi.”
Yahweh, your God, is among you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
18 “Maɖe konyifafa siwo nɔa miaƒe takpegbewo la ɖa le mia ŋu, elabena wonyea agba kple mokaka na mi.
I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you. They are a burden and a reproach to you.
19 Le ɣe ma ɣi la, matu nu kple ame siwo katã te mi ɖe anyi la, makpe ɖe ataŋeŋetɔwo ŋu, eye maƒo ame siwo ka hlẽ la nu ƒu. Matsɔ kafukafu kple bubu ana wo le anyigba ɖe sia ɖe si dzi wodo ŋukpe wo le.
Behold, at that time I will deal with all those who afflict you; and I will save those who are lame and gather those who were driven away. I will give them praise and honor, whose shame has been in all the earth.
20 Ɣe ma yi la, maƒo mia nu ƒu; ɣe ma yi me la, makplɔ mi va aƒee. Matsɔ bubu kple kafukafu ana mi le anyigbadzidukɔwo katã dome, nenye be megbugbɔ mi ɖo te le miawo ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkuwo me.” Yehowae gblɔe.
At that time I will bring you in, and at that time I will gather you; for I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes, says Yahweh.

< Zefania 3 >