Habakuk 2
1 Megyina mʼahwɛe na mawɛn. Mɛbɔ nsra na mahwɛ nea ɔbɛka akyerɛ me, ne mʼanoyi a mede bɛma nkurobɔ yi.
Upon my watch-tower, will I stand, and will station myself upon the bulwark, —so will I keep outlook, to see—what he will speak with me, and what I shall reply, when I am reproved.
2 Afei, Awurade buae se, “Kyerɛw adiyi yi wɔ ɔbopon so ma mu nna hɔ pefee na ama ɔkenkanfo ate ase.
Then Yahweh answered me, and said, Write the vision, Yea, make it plain on tablets, that one may swiftly read it;
3 Adiyisɛm no retwɛn nkrabea bi; ɛka awiei ho asɛm na ɛbɛba mu. Ɛwɔ mu sɛ ɛrekyɛ de, nanso twɛn, ɛrenkyɛ, ɛbɛba mu.
For yet is the vision for an appointed time, still, it presseth towards an end, and will not deceive, —if it tarry, wait thou for it, for it, surely cometh, —will not be too late.
4 “Hwɛ, ɔtamfo no ama ne ho so; nʼapɛde nteɛ, nanso ɔtreneeni fi gyidi mu benya nkwa.
Lo! as for the conceited one, crooked is his soul within him, - but, one who is righteous, by his faithfulness, shall live.
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)
Moreover also, when wine betrayeth, a man, is arrogant, and findeth no rest, —because he hath enlarged, like hades, his desire, yea, he, is like death, and cannot be satisfied, —but hath gathered unto himself, all the nations, and assembled unto himself, all the 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?’
Shall not, these, all of them, against him, take up—a taunt, a mocking poem, enigmatical sentences—concerning him? And say—Alas! for him who maketh abundance in what is not his own, How long? that he should be burdening himself with heavy debts?
7 So wɔn a wode wɔn ka no rensɔre mpofirim ana? Wɔbɛsɔre ama wo ho apopo, na wobetwiw afa wo so.
Will not thy creditors, suddenly rise up? and they who shall violently shake thee, all at once become active? Then shalt thou serve for booties, unto 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, thou, hast plundered many nations, all the residue of the peoples, shall plunder thee, —for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.
9 “Nnome nka nea ɔde akorɔnne kyekyere ne man, a ɔyɛ ne berebuw wɔ sorɔnsorɔmmea, sɛnea obeyi ne ho afi ɔsɛe mu.
Alas! for him who extorteth an extortion of wrong for his own house, —that he may set on high his nest, that he may be delivered from the grasp of calamity.
10 Woatu nnipa bebree sɛe ho agyina, de agu wankasa fi anim ase, de wo nkwa atwa so.
Thou hast counseled shame to thy house—making an end of many peoples, and endangering thine own life.
11 Abo a ɛhyehyɛ afi afasu mu no bɛteɛ mu, na ebegyigye wɔ mpuran a wɔahyehyɛ no mu.
Surely, the stone out of the wall, will make outcry, —and, the tie out of the timber, will answer it.
12 “Nnome nka nea ɔnam mogyahwiegu so kyekyere kuropɔn na ɔnam awudi so kyekyere kurow.
Alas! for him who buildeth a city with deeds of blood, —and establisheth a town with perversity.
13 Asafo Awurade ahyɛ sɛ, nnipa no adwumayɛ bɛyɛ ogya a wɔhyew. Aman no brɛ gu kwa.
Lo! is it not from Yahweh of hosts—that peoples labour for fire, and, populations, for emptiness, weary themselves?
14 Na Awurade anuonyam ho nimdeɛ bɛhyɛ asase nyinaa ma, sɛnea nsu hyɛ po ma no.
For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Yahweh, —as, the waters, cover the sea.
15 “Due! Wo a woma wo mfɛfo nsa, Wuhwie ma wɔnom kosi sɛ wɔbɛbow, na afei woahwɛ wɔn adagyaw.
Alas! for him who causeth his neighbour to drink, from the goblet of thy fury, and also, making him drunk, —to the end thou mayest gloat over their parts of shame.
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.
Thou art sated with contempt, more than glory, drink, thou too, and expose thy person, —the cup of the right hand of Yahweh, shall come round unto thee, and ignominious filth be upon thy glory;
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.
For, the violence [done] to Lebanon, shall cover thee, and wasting by wild beasts shall cause them terror, —for shedding Human blood, and doing violence to the earth, to the city, and to all who dwell therein.
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 hath a carved image, profited, though the fashioner thereof, carved it? a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood, —though the fashioner of his fashioned thing trusted therein? that men should make Dumb Nonentities!
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.”
Alas! for him who saith to wood, Awake, bestir thee! to a silent stone, he, shall teach! Though he is overlaid with gold and silver, yet, no spirit whatsoever, is in him!
20 Nanso Awurade wɔ nʼasɔrefi kronkron mu. Momma asase nyinaa nyɛ komm wɔ nʼanim.
Howbeit, Yahweh, is in his holy temple, —Hush before him, all the earth.
