Hesekiel 24
1 Afe a ɛto so akron no sram a ɛto so du no nnafua du so no, Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:
On the tenth day of the tenth month of the ninth year, a message from the Lord came to me, saying,
2 “Onipa ba, kyerɛw saa da yi, saa da yi ara, efisɛ Babiloniahene atua Yerusalem nnɛ da yi ara.
“Son of man, write down today's date, because this is the day that the king of Babylon started his siege of Jerusalem.
3 Ka kyerɛ saa atuatewfo yi, ka no wɔ mmebu mu kyerɛ wɔn se: ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: “‘Fa ɔsɛn no si gya so; fa si so na hwie nsu gu mu.
Then repeat the following parable to these rebellious people. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: Get a pot and set it on the fire. Pour in some water.
4 Fa namkum no gu mu, namkum a ɛyɛ akɔnnɔ no nyinaa, anan ne abasa. Fa nnompe a ɛte apɔw hyɛ no ma;
Fill it with some good cuts of meat from the thigh and the shoulder. Put in the best bones.
5 fa nguankuw no mu nea odi mu. Fa nnyentia hyehyɛ ase ma nnompe no; ma enhuru na noa nnompe a ɛwɔ mu no.
Choose the best animal from the flock. Pile up the fuel underneath it. Get it boiling and cook the bones in it.
6 “‘Na sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: “‘Mogyahwiegu kuropɔn no nnue, nnome nka ɔsɛn a agye nkannare mprempren, na nea ɛwɔ mu aka mu no! Yiyi namkum no mmaako mmaako fi mu a wompaw mu koraa.
So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood! It is symbolized by the rusted pot, whose rust can't be cleaned off. Take out the meat bit by bit as it comes—don't choose which piece.
7 “‘Mogya a ohwie guu no wɔ ne mfimfini: ohwie guu ɔbotan wosee so; wanhwie angu fam, baabi a mfutuma bɛkata so.
For the blood she shed is still inside the city. She shed it openly on bare rock—she didn't even spill it on the ground and cover it up with dirt.
8 Sɛ ɛbɛhwanyan abufuwhyew ama aweretɔ nti mede ne mogya guu ɔbotan wosee so sɛnea ɛso renkata.
In my anger and to punish, I have spilled her blood openly on bare rock, so it wouldn't be covered up.
9 “‘Enti sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: “‘Mogyahwiegu kuropɔn no nnue! Me nso mɛhyehyɛ nnyansin no ama akɔ sorosoro.
So this is what the Lord God says: Disaster is coming to the city of that has shed so much blood. I will also pile up a large heap of firewood.
10 Enti hyehyɛ nnyansin no na sɔ gya no. Noa nam no yiye, fa ahuamhuanne fra mu; na ma nnompe no nhyew.
Put on plenty of wood and light the fire. Make sure the meat is well cooked and add spices. Burn the bones.
11 Afei fa ɔsɛnhunu no si nnyansramma no so kosi sɛ ɛbɛdɔ na ayɛ kɔɔ sɛnea mu fi no bɛnan na nea ɛwɔ mu no bɛhyew asɛe.
Then put the empty pot back on the burning coals until it's hot and the copper metal glows. This will melt the dirt inside it and get rid of the rust.
12 Wama ɔbrɛ no nyinaa ayɛ kwa; mu fi dodow no ankɔ, ogya mpo antumi anyi.
So far it's been impossible to clean it —even fire couldn't burn out all its rust.
13 “‘Fi a ɛwɔ wo mu no ne aniwu nneyɛe. Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ mɛhohoro wo ho, nanso woamma ho kwan, wo ho remfi bio kosi sɛ mʼabufuwhyew a etia wo no ano bedwo.
Because of your immorality you had made yourself unclean and I tried to clean you, but you refused to let me clean away your filth. So now you won't be pure again until I've finished being angry with you.
14 “‘Me Awurade na maka. Bere aso sɛ meyɛ biribi. Merentwentwɛn so; merennya ahummɔbɔ, na merengugow me ho. Wobegyina wo suban ne wo nneyɛe so abu wo atɛn, Otumfo Awurade asɛm ni.’”
I, the Lord, have spoken. The time is soon coming when I will do what I say. I won't change my mind or show pity, I won't stop. I will judge you by your attitude and actions, declares the Lord God.”
15 Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:
A message from the Lord came to me, saying,
16 “Onipa ba, merebɛbɔ wo baako na mafa ade a wʼani gye ho yiye. Nanso ntwa adwo, nni awerɛhow na ntew nusu.
“Son of man, look, I'm about to take away the one you love the most. She will die. But you must not mourn or weep. Don't cry any tears.
17 Si apini komm; nni owufo ho awerɛhow. Ma wʼabotiri mmɔ wo na hyɛ wo mpaboa; nkata wʼano na nni amanne aduan a wɔn a wodi awerɛhow no di.”
Mourn in silence. Don't have any rituals for the dead. Dress normally—have your turban on and put your sandals on your feet. Don't veil your face and don't eat the bread used by mourners.”
18 Enti mekasa kyerɛɛ nnipa no anɔpa na nʼanwummere na me yere wui. Ade kyee no, meyɛɛ sɛnea wɔahyɛ me no.
I talked to the people in the morning, and my wife died in the evening. The next morning I did as I'd been told.
19 Afei nnipa no bisaa me se, “Worenkyerɛ yɛn sɛnea nneyɛe yi si fa yɛn ho ana?”
The people asked me, “What are you doing? Aren't you going to explain to us what this means?”
20 Enti meka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Awurade asɛm baa me nkyɛn se:
So I told them, “A message from the Lord came to me, saying:
21 Ka kyerɛ Israelfi se: ‘Sɛɛ na Otumfo Awurade se: Merebegu me kronkronbea ho fi; mo bammɔ dennen a mode hoahoa mo ho, nea mo ani gye ho, ade a mo koma da so. Mmabarima ne mmabea a mugyaw wɔn akyi no bɛtotɔ wɔ afoa ano.
Tell the people of Israel that this is what the Lord God says: I am about to make my sanctuary unclean, this place you're so proud of that you think gives you power, the place you love so much, the place that makes you happy. Your sons and daughters that you left behind will be killed by the sword.
22 Na mobɛyɛ sɛnea mayɛ yi, morenkata mo ano na morenni amanne aduan a wɔn a wodi awerɛhow di.
Then you'll do what I did. You won't veil your face or eat the bread used by mourners.
23 Mobɛkɔ so abɔ mo abotiri ahyɛ mo mpaboa. Morenni awerɛhow na morensu, mmom mo so bɛtew esiane mo bɔne nti, na mubesisi apini wɔ mo mu.
You will keep your turbans on your heads and your sandals on your feet. You won't mourn or weep, but you will die inside because of your sins, and you will groan to one another.
24 Hesekiel bɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnnede ama mo, mobɛyɛ sɛnea wayɛ no pɛpɛɛpɛ. Na eyi si a na mubehu sɛ mene Otumfo Awurade no.’
In this way Ezekiel will be a sign for you; you will do everything that he did. When this happens, then you will know that I am the Lord God.
25 “Na wo, onipa ba, da a mɛfa wɔn aban dennen, wɔn ahosɛpɛw ne anuonyam, ade a wɔn ani gye ho, wɔn koma so ade, ne wɔn mmabarima ne wɔn mmabea nso no,
You, son of man, should know that when I destroy their fortress that is their pride and joy, the place they looked to for comfort and happiness —and their sons and daughters too—
26 saa da no okyinkyinfo bi na ɔbɛba abɛka nea asi akyerɛ wo.
when that happens someone who managed to get away will come and give you the news.
27 Saa bere no, wʼano bebue, wo ne no bɛkasa na worenyɛ komm bio. Wobɛyɛ nsɛnkyerɛnnede ama wɔn, na wobehu sɛ mene Awurade no.”
On that day you will be able to speak; you won't be mute any longer. This is how you will be a sign to them, and they will know that I am the Lord.”
