Hosea 8
1 “Monhyɛn torobɛnto! Ɔkɔre bi wɔ Awurade fifo so efisɛ nnipa no abu mʼapam so na wɔasɔre atia me mmara.
Put the horn to your mouth! An eagle swoops down upon the house of the Lord because they have transgressed my covenant, trespassed against my law.
2 Afei Israel su frɛ me se, ‘Yɛn Nyankopɔn, yegye wo to mu!’
To me they continually cry, “My God, we Israel, we know you!”
3 Nanso Israel apo nea eye; ɔtamfo bɛtaa no.
But Israel has spurned that which is good, so let the foe pursue him.
4 Wosisi ahemfo a minnim ho hwee, wɔpaw ahenemma wɔ bere a mempenee so ɛ. Wɔde wɔn dwetɛ ne wɔn sikakɔkɔɔ yɛ ahoni ma wɔn ho de sɛe wɔn ankasa ho.
They themselves have made kings but without my consent. They have made princes but without my knowledge. Out of their silver and gold, they have made idols to their destruction!
5 Tow wo nantwi ba ohoni no kyene, Samaria! Mʼabufuwhyew reba wɔn so. Wɔbɛtena nea ɛho ntew mu akosi da bɛn?
Your calf idol, O Samaria, is distasteful. My anger is kindled against them. How long will they escape punishment?
6 Wofi Israel! Saa nantwi ba yi, odwumfo bi na osenii; ɛnyɛ Onyankopɔn! Wobebubu mu asinasin, saa Samaria nantwi ba no.
Israel made the thing: a workman made it. It is not a god! Samaria’s calf will become mere splinters.
7 “Wodua mframa na wotwa mfɛtɛ. Awi a egyina hɔ no nni ti; nti wɔrennya siam mfi mu. Sɛ ɛsow aduan mpo a, ahɔho na wobedi.
They sow the wind and will reap the whirlwind. A shoot which has no stalk, yields no fruit If it should yield, strangers would devour it.
8 Wɔamene Israel; afei ɔfra aman no mu te sɛ ade a so nni mfaso biara.
Israel is devoured. Already it lies discarded among the nations like a worthless pot.
9 Na wɔakɔ Asiria te sɛ wuram afurum a ɔno nko ara nenam. Efraim nso atɔn ne ho ama adɔfo.
For by themselves they have gone up to Assyria like a wild donkey which wanders by itself. Ephraim pays for love
10 Ɛwɔ mu, wɔatɔn wɔn ho wɔ amanaman no mu de, nanso mɛboaboa wɔn ano. Wɔn so befi ase atew wɔ ɔhene kɛse bi nhyɛso ase.
but even if they sell themselves among the nations, I will round them up. Soon the kings and princes will writhe under the burden of tribute!
11 “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ Efraim sisii afɔremuka bebree a wɔbɔ bɔnefakyɛ afɔre wɔ so de, ɛno nti abɛyɛ afɔremuka a wɔyɛ bɔne wɔ so.
For as many altars as Ephraim has erected, they are to him altars for sinning,
12 Mekyerɛw me mmara a ɛfa nneɛma bebree ho maa wɔn, nanso wɔfaa no sɛ ananafo ade.
were I to write for him ever so many instructions, they would be regarded as from a stranger.
13 Wɔde mʼayɛyɛde bɔ afɔre na wɔwe nam no, nanso wɔnsɔ Awurade ani. Afei ɔbɛkae wɔn atirimɔdensɛm na wɔatwe wɔn aso wɔ wɔn bɔne ho: Wɔbɛsan akɔ Misraim.
The people love sacrifice, and so they offer sacrifices, meat, and so they eat it, although the Lord is not pleased with them, so now he will remember their guilt, and punish their sins. Back to Egypt with them!
14 Israel werɛ afi ne yɛfo na wasisi ahemfi akɛseakɛse; Yuda abɔ nkurow bebree ho ban. Nanso mɛto ne nkuropɔn mu gya a ɛbɛhyew wɔn aban.”
For Israel forgot his Maker and built palaces, and Judah multiplied fortified cities. But I will send fire upon her cities, and it will devour her strongholds.
