Hesekiel 12
1 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Onipa ba, wote nnipa a wɔtew atua mu. Wɔwɔ ani nanso wonhu ade, wɔwɔ aso nanso wɔnte asɛm, efisɛ wɔyɛ nnipa atuatewfo.
“Son of man, you are living among rebellious people. They have eyes to see but they don't see, and ears to hear but they don't hear, because they are rebellious people.
3 “Enti onipa ba, boaboa wo nneɛma ano ma asutwa, na adekyee mu a wɔrewɛn no, fi nea wowɔ, na kɔ beae foforo. Ebia wɔbɛte ase, ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔyɛ atuatewfo.
So, son of man, go and pack your bags as if you're going into exile. As people watch, get everything ready during the day so you can leave where you are and go somewhere else. Maybe they will realize what this means, even though they are rebellious people.
4 Adekyee mu a wɔrewɛn no, fa wo nneɛma a woaboa ano ama asutwa no pue. Afei anwummere a wɔrewɛn no, fi adi sɛnea wɔn a wotwa wɔn asu yɛ no.
Take your bags out for traveling into exile during the day while they watch. But you yourself are to leave in the evening as they watch, just like someone going into exile.
5 Bere a wɔrewɛn no, tu ɔfasu no mu tokuru na yi wo nneɛma no fa mu.
While they go on watching, knock down part of the wall of your house and take your belongings out through the hole.
6 Fa to wo mmati so, bere a wɔrewɛn, na afei anim biribiri a, soa kɔ. Kata wʼanim sɛnea wunhu asase no, efisɛ mede wo ayɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne ama Israelfi.”
When it gets dark, as they continue to watch, put your bags on your shoulder and carry them as you leave. Cover your face so that you can't see the country you're leaving behind, because I'm providing you as a sign to warn the people of Israel.”
7 Enti meyɛɛ sɛnea wɔhyɛɛ me no. Adekyee mu no, mede me nneɛma a maboa ano ama asutwa no puei. Anwummere no, mede me nsa tuu tokuru wɔ ɔfasu no mu, na anim biribirii no, miyii me nneɛma no soaa wɔ me mmati so a wɔrehwɛ.
So I did as I was told. I took my bags out to go into exile during the day, and in the evening I knocked down part of the wall of my house with my bare hands. I took my belongings out when it got dark, carrying them on my shoulder while they watched.
8 Adekyee no, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
In the morning a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
9 “Onipa ba, saa Israelfi atuatewfo no ammisa wo se, ‘Dɛn na woreyɛ yi?’
“Son of man, haven't those rebellious Israelites asked you, ‘What are you doing?’
10 “Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Saa nkɔmhyɛ yi fa ɔhene babarima a ɔwɔ Yerusalem ne Israelfi a wɔwɔ hɔ nyinaa ho.
Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘This prophetic sign concerns the prince who is ruling in Jerusalem and all the people of Israel who are living there.’
11 Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Meyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne ma mo.’ “Sɛnea mayɛ no, saa ara na wɔbɛyɛ wɔn. Wobetwa wɔn asu akɔ nnommum mu.
You are to say to them, ‘I'm a sign to you.’ Just as it was demonstrated here, so it will happen to them—they will go into exile as prisoners.
12 “Ɔhene ba a ɔwɔ wɔn mu no de nʼadesoa bɛto ne mmati so bere a anim rebiribiri na wafi hɔ, na wobetu tokuru wɔ ɔfasu no mu ama wafa mu. Ɔbɛkata nʼanim sɛnea ɔrenhu faako a ɔrekɔ.
When it gets dark, their prince will also put his bags on his shoulder and leave. They will knock down the wall to take him away. He will cover his face so he can't see the country he's leaving behind.
13 Mɛtrɛw mʼasau mu agu ne so na makyere no wɔ mʼafiri mu; mede no bɛkɔ Babilonia Kaldeafo asase so, nanso ɔrenhu na hɔ na obewu.
But I will catch him in my net; I will trap him in my snare. I will take him to Babylon in the country of Babylonia. However, won't see it, and he'll die there.
14 Mɛhwete wɔn a wɔatwa ne ho ahyia nyinaa akɔ mmaa nyinaa; nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼasraafo nyinaa, na mede afoa ataa wɔn.
I'm going to scatter all his attendants and all his troops in every direction, and I will chase after them with a drawn sword.
15 “Bere a mahwete wɔn akɔ amanaman so, na mahwete wɔn agu nsase so no, wobehu sɛ me ne Awurade no.
They will know that I am the Lord when I scatter them among the different nations and countries.
16 Nanso mɛma wɔn mu kakra anya wɔn ti adidi mu wɔ ɔkɔm, ɔyaredɔm ne afoa ano, sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔn ani bɛba wɔn akyiwade ahorow no so wɔ aman a wɔbɛkɔ so no mu. Afei wobehu sɛ me ne Awurade no.”
But I will let a few of them survive war, famine, and disease so that they can tell the nations where they're exiled about all their disgusting sins. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
17 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
18 “Onipa ba, sɛ woredidi a ma wo ho nwosow, na fa hu nom wo nsu.
“Son of man, tremble as you eat your bread; shake with worry as you drink your water.
19 Ka kyerɛ nnipa a wɔwɔ asase no so no se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade ka fa wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem ne Israel asase so no ho: Wɔde ahopere bedidi na wɔde abasamtu anom nsu, efisɛ wɔbɛsɛe asase no so nneɛma nyinaa, esiane wɔn a wɔtete so no akakabensɛm nti.
Then explain to the people of this country that this is what the Lord God says to those living in Jerusalem and in the country of Israel: They will be worried as eat their bread and they will be in despair as they drink their water, for their land will be stripped bare because of the violent crimes committed by everyone who lives there.
20 Wɔbɛsɛe nkurow a nnipa tete so no nyinaa na asase no bɛda mpan. Afei wubehu sɛ mene Awurade no.’”
The towns will be destroyed, and the countryside turned into a wasteland. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”
21 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
Another message from the Lord came to me, saying,
22 “Onipa ba, bɛ a mowɔ wɔ Israel a ese, ‘Nna no twa mu nanso Israel anisoadehu biara mma mu,’ yi ase ne dɛn?
“Son of man, what's this proverb you people have in the land of Israel: ‘Time goes by, and no vision comes true’?
23 Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Merebɛma bɛ yi aso ha ara, na wɔrenka wɔ Israel bio.’ Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Nna a anisoadehu biara bɛba mu no abɛn.
So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will put a stop to this proverb. No one in Israel will quote it anymore.’ Instead tell them: The time is soon coming when every vision will come true.
24 Na atoro anisoadehu ne nnaadaa abisa wɔ Israelfo mu no to betwa.
There won't be any more false visions or fake prophecies among the Israelites,
25 Nanso me Awurade, mɛka nea ɛsɛ sɛ meka na ɛrenkyɛ na ɛbɛba mu. Na mo atuatewfo, mo bere so na mɛma nea maka biara no aba mu. Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se.’”
because I, the Lord, will say whatever I choose to say, and it will happen immediately. Right now, you rebellious people, I will say something and make sure it happens, declares the Lord God.”
26 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se,
An additional message from the Lord came to me, saying,
27 “Onipa ba, Israelfi reka se, ‘Anisoade a ohu no bɛba mu mfe bebree akyi, na nneɛma a ɛwɔ daakye akyirikyiri ho nkɔm na ɔhyɛ.’
“Son of man, notice what the people of Israel are saying, ‘The vision that he's describing won't happen for a long time. He's prophesying about a time in the distant future.’
28 “Ɛno nti ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Merentwe me nsɛm nkɔ kyi bio, nea meka biara bɛba mu, Otumfo Awurade na ose.’”
So tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Everything I've said is about to happen. There won't be any more delay, declares the Lord God.”
