Habakuk 2
1 Megyina mʼahwɛe na mawɛn. Mɛbɔ nsra na mahwɛ nea ɔbɛka akyerɛ me, ne mʼanoyi a mede bɛma nkurobɔ yi.
I will climb my watchtower; I will take my place on the city wall. I will keep watch and see what he will say to me, how he will answer my grievances.
2 Afei, Awurade buae se, “Kyerɛw adiyi yi wɔ ɔbopon so ma mu nna hɔ pefee na ama ɔkenkanfo ate ase.
Then the Lord told me, Write down the vision, inscribe it on tablets, so it can be easily read.
3 Adiyisɛm no retwɛn nkrabea bi; ɛka awiei ho asɛm na ɛbɛba mu. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɛrekyɛ de, nanso twɛn, ɛrenkyɛ, ɛbɛba mu.
For the vision is for a future time, it is about the end and it does not lie. If it seems slow in being fulfilled, wait for it, for it will definitely come—it will not be delayed!
4 “Hwɛ, ɔtamfo no ama ne ho so; nʼapɛde nteɛ, nanso ɔtreneeni fi gyidi mu benya nkwa.
Look at those who are proud! They do not live right. But those who live right do so through their trust in God.
5 Nokware, nsa yi no ma wayɛ ahantan na onni ahotɔ. Esiane sɛ ɔyɛ adifudepɛ sɛ ɔda na ɔte sɛ owu a hwee mmee no nti ɔfom aman no nyinaa na ɔfa nnipa no nyinaa nnommum. (Sheol h7585)
In addition wealth provides no security. Those who are arrogant never have any peace; their greedy mouths are as wide open as the grave, and like death they are never satisfied. They gather nations like possessions, swallowing up many peoples. (Sheol h7585)
6 “Nnommumfo yi nyinaa bedi ne ho fɛw aserew no aka se, “‘Nnome nka nea ɔboaboa akorɔnne ano, na ɔnam apoobɔ so nya ne ho! Eyi nkɔ so nkosi da bɛn?’
Won't all these peoples taunt them? They will ridicule them, saying, “What disaster is coming to you who pile up things that don't belong to you! You make yourselves rich by forcing debtors to pay! How long can you go on doing this?”
7 So wɔn a wode wɔn ka no rensɔre mpofirim ana? Wɔbɛsɔre ama wo ho apopo, na wobetwiw afa wo so.
Won't your debtors suddenly act? Won't they wake up to the situation and make you tremble? You will be plunder for them!
8 Esiane sɛ woafow aman bebree nti, wɔn a wɔaka no bɛfow wo bi. Efisɛ woahwie nnipa mogya agu; woasɛe nsase, nkuropɔn ne wɔn a wɔtete mu.
Because you have plundered many nations, those who are left will plunder you—for the human blood you have shed and the destruction you brought on lands and cities, and those who lived there.
9 “Nnome nka nea ɔde akorɔnne kyekyere ne man, a ɔyɛ ne berebuw wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea, sɛnea obeyi ne ho afi ɔsɛe mu.
What disaster is coming to you who build houses through dishonest gain! You think you can place your “nest” so high it will be safe from disaster.
10 Woatu nnipa bebree sɛe ho agyina, de agu wankasa fi anim ase, de wo nkwa atwa so.
Your evil schemes have brought shame upon your families, by destroying many nations you have forfeited your own lives.
11 Abo a ɛhyehyɛ afi afasu mu no bɛteɛ mu, na ebegyigye wɔ mpuran a wɔahyehyɛ no mu.
Even the stones in the wall cry out in condemnation, and the wooden rafters join in too.
12 “Nnome nka nea ɔnam mogyahwiegu so kyekyere kuropɔn na ɔnam awudi so kyekyere kurow.
What disaster is coming to you who build cities with bloodshed, who found cities built on wickedness!
13 Asafo Awurade ahyɛ sɛ, nnipa no adwumayɛ bɛyɛ ogya a wɔhyew. Aman no brɛ gu kwa.
Hasn't the Lord Almighty decided that all such nations work for will be destroyed by fire, that they wear themselves out for nothing?
14 Na Awurade anuonyam ho nimdeɛ bɛhyɛ asase nyinaa ma, sɛnea nsu hyɛ po ma no.
For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord's glory as the waters fill the sea.
15 “Due! Wo a woma wo mfɛfo nsa, Wuhwie ma wɔnom kosi sɛ wɔbɛbow, na afei woahwɛ wɔn adagyaw.
What disaster is coming to you who make your neighbors drunk! You force your cup of anger on them and make them drink so you may see them naked.
16 Worennya anuonyam biara, wʼani bewu. Afei adu wo so! Nom na wʼadagyaw mu nna hɔ. Kuruwa a efi Awurade nsa nifa reba wo so, na aniwu bɛkata wʼanuonyam so.
In turn you will be filled with shame instead of glory. Drink yourself and expose your nakedness! The cup the Lord holds in his right hand will be passed round to you and your glory will turn to shame.
17 Awurukasɛm a wode adi Lebanon no bɛmene wo, ɔsɛe a wosɛe mmoa nso bɛbɔ wo hu. Woaka nnipa mogya agu; woasɛe nsase, nkuropɔn ne nnipa a wɔwɔ mu.
As you destroyed the forests of Lebanon you will also be destroyed; you hunted the animals there, and now they will hunt you. For you shed human blood and you destroyed lands and cities, along with those who lived there.
18 “Mfaso bɛn na munya fi ahoni a nipa ayɛ mu? Anaa nsɛsode a ɛkyerɛkyerɛ atoro? Nea ɔyɛ ohoni no de ne ho to ɔno ankasa nsa ano adwuma so; na ɔyɛ anyame a wontumi nkasa.
What use is a wooden idol carved by human hands, or a metal image that teaches lies? What is the point of their makers trusting in their own handiwork, creating idols that can't speak?
19 Nnome nka nea ɔka kyerɛ dua se, ‘Nya nkwa!’ Anaa ɔka kyerɛ ɔbo a enni nkwa se, ‘Nyan!’ Ebetumi ama akwankyerɛ? Wɔde sika kɔkɔɔ ne dwetɛ adura ho; nanso ɔhome nni mu.”
What disaster is coming to you who say to something made of wood, “Wake up!” or to lifeless stone, “Get up!” Can it teach you anything? Look at it! It's covered with gold and silver, but there is no life inside it.
20 Nanso Awurade wɔ nʼasɔrefi kronkron mu. Momma asase nyinaa nyɛ komm wɔ nʼanim.
But the Lord is in his holy Temple; let all the earth be silent in his presence.
