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 tries to herd the wind, chasing after the east wind all day long. Their lies and violence keep on increasing. They make a treaty with Assyria, and send 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 has an accusation against Judah, and will punish Jacob for the way the people act; he will repay them for what they have done.
3 Ɔyafunu mu na osoo ne nua nantin; onyinii no, ɔne Onyankopɔn peperee so.
Even in the womb he fought with his brother; when he became a man he fought 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.
He fought with the angel, and he won. He wept, and begged him for a blessing. Jacob found God at Bethel, and spoke with him there—
5 Asafo Awurade Nyankopɔn, Awurade ne ne din a ahyeta!
the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is his memorable name!
6 Ɛsɛ sɛ wosan kɔ wo Nyankopɔn nkyɛn. Tena ɔdɔ ne trenee mu, na twɛn wo Nyankopɔn daa.
You must return to your God. Act lovingly and do what is right, and always wait for your God.
7 Oguadini de asisi nsania yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼani gye asisi ho.
A merchant who holds in his hands dishonest scales loves to swindle.
8 Efraim hoahoa ne ho sɛ, “Meyɛ ɔdefo; manya me ho. Mʼahonya nyinaa mu wɔrenhu amumɔyɛ biara wɔ me ho.”
Ephraim says, “I'm rich! I've made myself wealthy! I've made so much from my work, and nobody can prove me guilty of doing wrong.”
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 who brought you out of the land of Egypt. I will make you live again in tents like you do at the time of that particular festival.
10 Mekasa kyerɛɛ adiyifo, memaa wɔn anisoadehu bebree na mefaa wɔn so kaa mmebusɛm.”
I spoke through the prophets. I myself gave many visions and 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.
If Gilead is idolatrous, they will surely come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Even their altars are like heaps of rocks 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; Israel worked there to gain a wife, earning a wife by looking after sheep.
13 Awurade nam odiyifo so yii Israel fii Misraim, ɔnam odiyifo so hwɛɛ no.
Through a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet they were cared for.
14 Nanso Efraim ahyɛ no abufuw yayaayaw; nʼAwurade bɛma ne mogyahwiegu ho afɔdi ada no so na obetua nʼanimtiaabu no so ka.
Ephraim has really upset the Lord, and the Lord will let them have the consequences of their bloodshed and pay them back for their contempt.
