Ɛsra 9
1 Na Yudafo ntuanofo no baa me nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Israelfo bebree, na mpo, asɔfo ne Lewifo ntwee wɔn ho mfii nnipa afoforo bi a wɔte asase no so no ho. Wodi akyiwade a na Kanaanfo, Hetifo, Perisifo, Yebusifo, Amonfo, Moabfo, Misraimfo ne Amorifo yɛ no akyi.
Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.
2 Na Israelfo mmarima ware fi saa nnipa no mu, na wɔpɛ yerenom fi wɔn mu, ma wɔn mmabarima. Enti ananafo aware no ama nnipa kronkron no ho agu fi. Nea ɛsɛee asɛm no koraa ne sɛ, mpanyimfo ne ntuanofo no koraa na wodi ho fɔ kɛse.”
For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the people of those lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been first in this trespass.
3 Metee saa asɛm no, misunsuan me ntade mu, tutuu me tinwi fii me ti so, tutuu mʼabogyesɛ nso, tew tenaa fam ahodwiriw so.
And when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down appalled.
4 Na wɔn a na wonya ayamhyehye wɔ Israel Nyankopɔn asɛm ho no bɛtenaa me nkyɛn wɔ ne nkurɔfo nokware a wɔanni no ho. Metenaa ase ahodwiriw so kosii anwummere afɔrebɔbere.
Then were assembled to me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.
5 Eduu afɔrebɔbere no, mesɔre gyinaa faako a na mete hɔ awerɛhow mu a masunsuan mʼatade mu no, na mibuu nkotodwe, maa me nsa so kyerɛɛ Awurade, me Nyankopɔn no.
And at the evening sacrifice I arose from my heaviness; and having torn my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
6 Mebɔɔ mpae se: “Me Nyankopɔn, mʼani awu yiye, na mafɛre sɛ merema mʼani so kyerɛ wo. Na yɛn bɔne akɔ soro sen yɛn ti, na yɛn afɔdi adu ɔsorosoro.
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up to the heavens.
7 Yɛn abakɔsɛm nyinaa yɛ bɔne kɛse. Ɛno nti na yɛn ne yɛn ahemfo ne yɛn asɔfo de yɛn ho akɔhyɛ abosonsomfo ahemfo a wɔwɔ asase no so ase no. Wɔakunkum yɛn, wɔakyere yɛn nnommum, wɔabɔ yɛn korɔn, agu yɛn anim ase sɛnea yɛte nnɛ yi
Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass to this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8 “Nanso mprempren, Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, ayɛ yɛn adom ama yɛn mu kakra atena nkwa mu sɛ nkaase. Wabɔ yɛn ho ban wɔ beae kronkron ha. Yɛn Nyankopɔn abue yɛn ani, ama yɛn ahomegye kakra afi yɛn nkoasom mu.
And now for a little moment grace hath been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
9 Efisɛ na yɛyɛ nkoa, nanso ne dɔ a ɔde dɔ yɛn daa no nti, Onyankopɔn annyaa yɛn wɔ yɛn nkoasom mu. Mmom, ɔmaa Persiahene hwɛɛ yɛn yiye. Ɔkanyan yɛn, sɛnea yebetumi asan asi yɛn Nyankopɔn asɔredan no, asiesie nʼamamfo no. Wama yɛn bammɔ afasu wɔ Yuda ne Yerusalem.
For we were slaves; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations of it, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.
10 “Na mprempren, yɛn Nyankopɔn, asɛm bɛn na yɛwɔ ka wɔ eyinom nyinaa akyi? Efisɛ yɛapo wo mmara nsɛm
And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,
11 a wonam wʼasomfo adiyifo no so bɔɔ yɛn kɔkɔ sɛ, ‘Asase a mobɛfa no, nnipa a wɔte so no nam wɔn nneyɛe bɔne so agu ho fi koraa. Porɔwee ahyɛ asase no so ma, fi ti kosi ti.
Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, where ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
12 Enti mommma mo mmabea nware wɔn mmabarima, na mo mmabarima nso nware wɔn mmabea, na ɛnsɛ sɛ moboa saa aman no wɔ ɔkwan biara so, na yɛayɛ ɔman kɛse, adi asase no so nnepa, na yɛagyaw ama yɛn mma sɛ daapem agyapade.’
Now therefore give not your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
13 “Nea ato yɛn yi fi yɛn amumɔyɛsɛm ne yɛn afɔdi. Nanso asotwe a wode ama yɛn no sua koraa sen sɛnea ɛfata yɛn, efisɛ wo Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn ama yɛn mu bi atena sɛ nkaase.
And after all that hath come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
14 Nanso mprempren, yɛresan abu wo mmara nsɛm so, na yɛne wɔn a wɔyɛ saa akyiwade no redi aware. Nokware, wʼabufuw bɛsɛe yɛn ara akosi sɛ, nkaefo kakra no ase bɛtɔre koraa.
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in marriage with the people of these abominations? wouldest thou not be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
15 Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, woyɛ ɔtreneeni. Yɛnka hwee sɛ nkaefo a wɔafi nkoasom mu. Yɛde yɛn afɔdi gyina wʼanim a anka yɛn mu biara rentumi nnyina wʼanim wɔ saa tebea yi mu.”
O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we having escaped, remain yet, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.
