Hosea 12
1 Efraim de mframa ayɛ aduan; odi apuei mframa akyi daa na odi atoro yɛ akakabensɛm bebree. Ɔne Asiria yɛ apam na ɔde ngo kɔ Misraim.
Ephraim chases the wind and pursues the east wind all day long; he multiplies lies and violence; he makes a covenant with Assyria and sends olive oil to Egypt.
2 Awurade wɔ sobo de bɔ Yuda; ɔbɛtwe Yakob aso wɔ nʼakwan ho na watua no ne nneyɛe so ka.
The LORD also brings a charge against Judah. He will punish Jacob according to his ways and repay him according to his deeds.
3 Ɔyafunu mu na osoo ne nua nantin; onyinii no, ɔne Onyankopɔn peperee so.
In the womb he grasped his brother’s heel, and in his vigor he wrestled with God.
4 Ɔne ɔbɔfo tentam dii ne so nkonim; ɔde nusu srɛɛ ne nkyɛn adom. Ohuu no wɔ Bet-El ne no kasaa wɔ hɔ.
Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought His favor; he found Him at Bethel and spoke with Him there —
5 Asafo Awurade Nyankopɔn, Awurade ne ne din a ahyeta!
the LORD is the God of Hosts— the LORD is His name of renown.
6 Ɛsɛ sɛ wosan kɔ wo Nyankopɔn nkyɛn. Tena ɔdɔ ne trenee mu, na twɛn wo Nyankopɔn daa.
But you must return to your God, maintaining love and justice, and always waiting on your God.
7 Oguadini de asisi nsania yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼani gye asisi ho.
A merchant loves to defraud with dishonest scales in his hands.
8 Efraim hoahoa ne ho sɛ, “Meyɛ ɔdefo; manya me ho. Mʼahonya nyinaa mu wɔrenhu amumɔyɛ biara wɔ me ho.”
And Ephraim boasts: “How rich I have become! I have found wealth for myself. In all my labors, they can find in me no iniquity that is sinful.”
9 “Mene Awurade wo Nyankopɔn, a miyii wo fii Misraim. Mɛma woakɔtena ntamadan mu bio sɛnea na woyɛ wɔ wʼaponto afahyɛ nna mu no.
But I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt. I will again make you dwell in tents, as in the days of the appointed feast.
10 Mekasa kyerɛɛ adiyifo, memaa wɔn anisoadehu bebree na mefaa wɔn so kaa mmebusɛm.”
I spoke through the prophets and multiplied their visions; I gave parables through the prophets.
11 Gilead yɛ otirimɔdenfo ana? Emu nnipa no yɛ ahuhufo! Wɔde anantwi bɔ afɔre wɔ Gilgal ana? Wɔn afɔremuka bɛyɛ te sɛ abo a wɔahɔre no siw wɔ asase a wɔafuntum so.
Is there iniquity in Gilead? They will surely come to nothing. Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Indeed, their altars will be heaps of stones in the furrows of the field.
12 Yakob guan kɔɔ Aramfo asase so; Israel som de nyaa ɔyere, ɔhwɛɛ nguan de tuaa ti nsa.
Jacob fled to the land of Aram and Israel worked for a wife— for a wife he tended sheep.
13 Awurade nam odiyifo so yii Israel fii Misraim, ɔnam odiyifo so hwɛɛ no.
But by a prophet the LORD brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet he was preserved.
14 Nanso Efraim ahyɛ no abufuw yayaayaw; nʼAwurade bɛma ne mogyahwiegu ho afɔdi ada no so na obetua nʼanimtiaabu no so ka.
Ephraim has provoked bitter anger, so his Lord will leave his bloodguilt upon him and repay him for his contempt.
