Hesekiel 16

1 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se

Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2 “Onipa ba, fa akyiwade a Yerusalem yɛ no si nʼanim

“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominations

3 na ka se, ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade ka kyerɛ Yerusalem: Wo nkyi ne wʼawo fi Kanaanfo asase so; na wʼagya yɛ Amorini na wo na nso yɛ Hetini.

and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

4 Da a wɔwoo wo no, wɔantwa wo funuma, na wɔamfa nsu anguare wo sɛ wo ho bɛtew nso, wɔamfa nkyene ansra wo, na wɔamfa ntama ankyekyere wo ho.

On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.

5 Obiara anhu wo mmɔbɔ, na obiara yam anhyehye no sɛ ɔbɛyɛ eyinom biara ama wo. Mmom wɔtow wo kyenee wuram, efisɛ da a wɔwoo wo no, wobuu wo animtiaa.

No one cared enough for you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, because you were despised on the day of your birth.

6 “‘Mibepuee wo so, na mihuu sɛ worewɔ wʼanan na woda mogya mu, na sɛnea na woda hɔ no, meka kyerɛɛ wo se, “Nya nkwa!”

Then I passed by and saw you wallowing in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ There I said to you, ‘Live!’

7 Mehwɛɛ wo ma wunyinii sɛ afifide. Wunyinii, na woyɛɛ nsiforo kɔɔ afikyiri. Wo nufu bobɔe, na wo ho fuw nwi, nanso na woda adagyaw.

I made you thrive like a plant of the field. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.

8 “‘Akyiri yi mibepuee wo so, na mehwɛɛ wo na mihuu sɛ woaso aware no, mede mʼatade fa bi kataa wʼadagyaw so. Misua kyerɛɛ wo na me ne wo yɛɛ apam na wobɛyɛɛ me dea, Otumfo Awurade na ose.

Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.

9 “‘Mede nsu guaree wo, na mehohoroo wo ho mogya na mede srade ahorow srasraa wo.

Then I bathed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil.

10 Mede atade a wɔanwen ano hyɛɛ wo, na mehyɛɛ wo mmoa were mpaboa. Mede nwera papa furaa wo na mede ntade aboɔden guguu so.

I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.

11 Mede agude siesiee wo, mede nkapo guu wo nsa, mede kɔnmuade too wo kɔn mu,

I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck.

12 na mede kaa hyɛɛ wo hwene mu, asokaa hyɛɛ wʼasom na mebɔɔ wo abotiri a ɛyɛ fɛ.

I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head.

13 Enti wɔde sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ siesiee wo, wʼadurade yɛɛ nwera papa ne ntama a ne bo yɛ den ne nea wɔadi mu adwinni. Wʼaduan yɛɛ esiam papa, ɛwo ne ngo. Wo ho yɛɛ fɛ na wobɛyɛɛ ɔhemmea.

So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen.

14 Na wʼahoɔfɛ nti, wo din hyetaa wɔ amanaman mu, efisɛ anuonyam a mahyɛ wo no ma wʼahoɔfɛ no di mu, Awurade asɛm ni.

Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in the splendor I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.

15 “‘Nanso wʼahoɔfɛ nti wugyee wo ho dii na wode wo din a ahyeta no bɔɔ aguaman. Wugyaa wo ho maa obiara a ɔretwa mu na woyɛɛ wɔn adɔe.

But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.

16 Wode wo ntade no bi kɔyɛɛ sorɔnsorɔmmea hɔ hyirenn; hɔ na wokɔbɔɔ aguaman. Ɛnsɛ sɛ nneɛma a ɛtete sɛɛ sisi koraa, na ɛnsɛ sɛ ɛba nso.

You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred!

17 Afei wode wo nnwinne fɛfɛ a mede maa wo no, nea mede sikakɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ yɛe no yɛɛ ahoni maa wo ho na wo ne wɔn bɔɔ aguaman.

You also took the fine jewelry of gold and silver I had given you, and you made male idols with which to prostitute yourself.

18 Wode wo ntade a wɔadi mu adwinni hyehyɛɛ wɔn na wode me ngo ne nnuhuam brɛɛ wɔn.

You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them.

19 Bio aduan a mede maa wo no, esiam papa, ɛwo ne ngo a mede maa wo sɛ di no, wode brɛɛ wɔn sɛ afɔrebɔde a eyi hua. Saa na esii, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni.

And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD.

20 “‘Wofaa wo mmabarima ne wo mmabea, a me ne wo woo wɔn no kɔbɔɔ afɔre sɛ aduan maa ahoni. Wʼaguamammɔ no nnɔɔso ana?

You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough?

21 Wukum me mma de wɔn bɔɔ afɔre maa ahoni no.

You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.

22 Akyiwade a woyɛɛ ne wʼaguamammɔ akyi no, woankae wo mmabun bere a na wo ho da hɔ na worewɔ wʼanan wɔ mogya mu no.

And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood.

23 “‘Nnome! Nnome nka wo, Otumfo Awurade na ose. Wʼamumɔyɛ nyinaa akyi no,

Woe! Woe to you, declares the Lord GOD. And in addition to all your other wickedness,

24 wusii bammɔ pie maa wo ho, na woyɛɛ abosonnan tenten wɔ aguabɔbea biara.

you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square.

25 Borɔn so baabiara wusisii abosonnan atenten, na wosɛe wʼahoɔfɛ efisɛ honam akɔnnɔ bɔne nti wode wo ho maa obiara a ɔretwa mu.

At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by.

26 Wo ne Misraimfo a honam akɔnnɔ ayɛ wɔn ma no bɔɔ aguaman, na wode honam akɔnnɔ bɔne hyɛɛ me abufuw.

You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger.

27 Enti meteɛɛ me nsa wɔ wo so na metew wʼahye so. Mede wo maa wʼatamfo aniberefo, Filistifo mmabea a wʼahohwi bra no yɛɛ wɔn nwonwa no.

Therefore I stretched out My hand against you and reduced your portion. I gave you over to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd conduct.

28 Wo ne Asiriafo nso bɔɔ aguaman, efisɛ biribiara mmee wo. Na ɛno akyi koraa woammee ara.

Then you prostituted yourself with the Assyrians, because you were not yet satisfied. Even after that, you were still not satisfied.

29 Afei wotoaa wo honam akɔnnɔ bɔne no so de Babilonia, a ɛyɛ aguadifo asase kaa ho, nanso eyi ammee wo ara.

So you extended your promiscuity to Chaldea, the land of merchants—but even with this you were not satisfied!

30 “‘Wunni ahohyɛso koraa, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni, sɛ wutumi yɛ saa nneɛma yi nyinaa te sɛ oguamanfo a nʼani nwu hwee.

How weak-willed is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, while you do all these things, the acts of a shameless prostitute!

31 Wusisii bammɔ pie wɔ mmorɔn so na wusisii abosonnan atenten wɔ aguabɔbea biara, na wonsɛ oguamanfo, efisɛ wopoo akatua.

But when you built your mounds at the head of every street and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were not even like a prostitute, because you scorned payment.

32 “‘Wo, ɔyere waresɛefo, wopɛ ahɔho sen wo ara wo kunu!

You adulterous wife! You receive strangers instead of your own husband!

33 Oguamanfo biara gye akatua, nanso wo de, wode nneɛma kyekyɛ wʼadɔfo nyinaa de hyɛ wɔn afono mu sɛ, womfi baabiara mmra wo nkyɛn.

Men give gifts to all their prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.

34 Enti wʼaguamammɔ mu no wo nte sɛ afoforo; obiara mma wo hɔ sɛ yɛ no adɔe. Wo ne wɔn bɔ abira koraa, efisɛ wutua ka na obiara mma wo hwee.

So your prostitution is the opposite of that of other women: No one solicited your favors, and you paid a fee instead of receiving one; so you are the very opposite!

35 “‘Enti, wo oguamanfo, tie Awurade asɛm!

Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD!

36 Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se. Esiane sɛ wuhwie wʼahonya gui, na wodaa wʼadagyaw adi, wo ho a woma ɛyɛɛ wo dɛ dodo wɔ wo ne wʼadɔfo nhyiamu, wʼahoni a ɛyɛ akyiwade na afei wo mma mogya a wode maa wɔn no nti,

This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them,

37 merebɛboaboa wʼadɔfo a wode wɔn gyee wʼani nyinaa ano; wɔn a wodɔɔ wɔn ne wɔn a woampɛ wɔn. Mɛboaboa wɔn nyinaa ano atia wo afi wo ho baabiara, na mɛpa wo ho wɔ wɔn anim, na wobehu wʼadagyaw nyinaa.

therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked.

38 Mede asotwe a wɔde ma mmea aguamammɔfo ne mogyahwiegufo no bɛyɛ wʼatemmu. Mede me mogya aweretɔ a efi mʼabufuwhyew ne me ninkutwe abufuw mu bɛba wo so.

And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy.

39 Afei mede wo bɛma wʼadɔfo na wobebubu bammɔ pie a woahɔre no, asɛe abosonnan atenten no. Wɔbɛpa wo ho ntama, wɔbɛfa wo nnwinne fɛfɛ no, na wɔagyaw wo hɔ adagyaw mu.

Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will level your mounds and tear down your lofty shrines. They will strip off your clothes, take your fine jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.

40 Wɔde nnipadɔm a wobesiw wo abo na wɔde wɔn afoa atwitwa wo mu nketenkete bɛba wo so.

They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.

41 Wɔbɛhyehyew wʼafi na wɔatwe wʼaso wɔ mmea bebree anim. Metwa wʼaguamammɔ no so na woagyae akatua a wode ma wʼadɔfo no.

Then they will burn down your houses and execute judgment against you in the sight of many women. I will put an end to your prostitution, and you will never again pay your lovers.

42 Afei mʼabufuwhyew ano bedwo na me ninkutwe abufuw no befi wo so. Mɛyɛ bɔkɔɔ na me bo remfuw bio.

So I will lay to rest My wrath against you, and My jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be calm and no longer angry.

43 “‘Sɛ woankae wo mmabun nna, na wode eyinom nyinaa hyɛɛ me abufuw nti, ɔkwan biara so mɛma nea woayɛ no abɔ wo ti so, Otumfo Awurade na ose. Woanyɛ nneɛma fi anka akyiwade no ho ana?

Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but enraged Me with all these things, I will surely bring your deeds down upon your own head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed this lewdness on top of all your other abominations?

44 “‘Obiara a obu bɛ no bebu saa bɛ yi afa wo ho: “Sɛnea ɛna te no saa ara na ne babea te.”

Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’

45 Woyɛ wo na a ɔsopaa ne kunu ne ne mma no babea kann, na woyɛ wo nuanom mmea a wɔsopaa wɔn kununom ne wɔn mma no nuabea ankasa. Wo na yɛ Hetini na wʼagya yɛ Amorini.

You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.

46 Na wo nuabea panyin ne Samaria a na ɔne ne mmabea te wʼatifi fam, na wo nuabea kumaa a ɔne ne mmabea te wʼanafo fam, yɛ Sodom.

Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.

47 Woannantew wɔn akwan mu, ansua wɔn akyiwadeyɛ nko, na mmom, akwan nyinaa mu, wobɛyɛɛ porɔwee sen wɔn.

And you not only walked in their ways and practiced their abominations, but soon you were more depraved than they were.

48 Sɛ mete ase yi, Otumfo Awurade na ose, wo nuabea Sodom ne ne mmabea anyɛ nea wo ne wo mmabea ayɛ no da.

As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as you and your daughters have done.

49 “‘Eyi ne bɔne a wo nuabea Sodom yɛe: Ɔno ne ne mmabea yɛɛ ahantan, wodidi traa so na hwee amfa wɔn ho, wɔammoa ahiafo ne mmɔborɔfo.

Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.

50 Wɔyɛɛ ahomaso ne akyiwade wɔ mʼanim. Ɛno nti miyii wɔn sii nkyɛn sɛnea woahu no.

Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them, as you have seen.

51 Samaria anyɛ bɔne a woyɛɛ no mu fa. Woayɛ akyiwade a ɛboro nea wo nuabeanom no yɛe no so koraa, na woama ayɛ sɛ wo nuabeanom no te, esiane saa nneɛma a woayɛ no nti.

Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous.

52 Gye wʼanimguase, efisɛ woama wo nuabeanom adi bem. Wo bɔne mu yɛ duru sen wɔn de, enti ayɛ sɛ wɔteɛ sen wo. Ɛno de, afei gye wʼanimguase na wama ayɛ sɛ wo nuabeanom te.

So now you must bear your disgrace, since you have brought justification for your sisters. For they appear more righteous than you, because your sins were more vile than theirs. So you too must bear your shame and disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.

53 “‘Nanso mede Sodom siade ne ne mmabea, Samaria siade ne ne mmabea bɛma wɔn, na mede wo siade bɛka ho,

But I will restore Sodom and her daughters from captivity, as well as Samaria and her daughters. And I will restore you along with them.

54 sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wubegye wʼanimguase na wʼani bewu wɔ nea woayɛ de ama wɔn ahotɔ nyinaa ho.

So you will bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you did to comfort them.

55 Na wo nuabeanom Sodom ne ne mmabea, Samaria ne ne mmabea bɛsan akɔ wɔn tebea dedaw mu, na wo ne wo mmabea nso bɛsan akɔ mo dedaw mu.

And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state. You and your daughters will also return to your former state.

56 Woremmɔ wo nuabea Sodom din wɔ wʼahohoahoa da no mpo,

Did you not treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn in the day of your pride,

57 kosi sɛ wʼamumɔyɛ ho daa hɔ. Ebesi nnɛ Edom mmabea bɔ wo ahohora, wɔne wɔn a wɔatwa wɔn ho ahyia ne Filistifo mmabea; wɔn a wɔatwa wo ho ahyia a wɔbɔ wo ahohora nyinaa.

before your wickedness was uncovered? Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you.

58 Nea ebefi nneɛma fi a woyɛ ne wʼakyiwade mu aba no bɛda wo so, Awurade asɛm ni.

You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD.

59 “‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Me ne wo bedi no sɛnea ɛfata, efisɛ woasɛe mʼapam de abu me ntam animtiaa.

For this is what the Lord GOD says: I will deal with you according to your deeds, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

60 Nanso mɛkae apam a me ne wo yɛɛ wo mmabun bere mu, na me ne wo bɛyɛ apam a ɛbɛtena hɔ afebɔɔ.

But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

61 Afei wobɛkae wʼakwan na wʼani awu bere a wo nsa aka wo nuabeanom; wɔn a wɔanyinyin sen wo ne nkumaa nyinaa. Mede wɔn bɛma wo sɛ wo mmabea, nanso ɛrennyina apam a me ne wo ayɛ no so.

Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of My covenant with you.

62 Enti me ne wo bɛyɛ apam na wubehu sɛ mene Awurade.

So I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD,

63 Afei sɛ meyɛ mpata ma wo wɔ nea woayɛ nyinaa ho a, wobɛkae na wʼani bewu na woremmue wʼano bio wɔ brɛ a wɔabrɛ wo ase no nti, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni.’”

so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”