Yesaia 21
1 Nkɔmhyɛ a ɛfa Nweatam a ɛda Po ho no ho: Te sɛ mfɛtɛ a ɛbɔ fa anafo fam asase so no, ɔtamfo bi fi nweatam so reba, ofi asase a ɛyɛ ahuabɔbrim so.
[I received] this message [from Yahweh about Babylonia], [a land that is] near the [Persian] Gulf [but which will soon be] a desert. [An army] will soon come from the desert to invade that land; it is an army that causes its enemies to be terrified, an army that will come like a whirlwind from the south.
2 Wɔde adaeso a ɛyɛ nwonwa akyerɛ me: Ɔfatwafo di huammɔ, ɔfomfo fa asade. Elam tow hyɛ so! Media bɔ pampim! Mede apinisi a ɔde bae no nyinaa bɛba awiei.
Yahweh showed me a terrifying vision. [In the vision I saw an army] that will betray/deceive people and steal their possessions [after they conquer them]. [Yahweh said], “You armies from Elam and Media, surround [Babylon] and prepare to attack it! I will cause the groaning [and suffering] that Babylon caused to cease!”
3 Eyi ama ɔyaw bi abɛhyɛ me mu, ɔyaw aka me, te sɛ ɔbea a awo aka no; nea metee no nti mintumi nnyina me nan so, nea mihu no ama me ho adwiriw me.
Because of that, my body is full of pain; my pain is like the pain that women who are giving birth experience. When I hear about and see [what God is planning to do], I am shocked.
4 Me koma bɔ kitirikitiri, ehu ma me ho popo; na hann a mepɛɛ sɛ mihu no abɛyɛ aninyanne ama me.
I cannot think straight/correctly, and I tremble. I was eager for it to be nighttime, but now it is night, and I am horrified.
5 Wɔto pon, wɔde kuntu akɛtɛ sesɛw fam, wodidi, na wɔnom! Monsɔre, mo asraafo mpanyimfo, momfa ngo nsrasra mo akatabo ho!
[In the vision I saw that the leaders of Babylonia] were preparing a great feast. They had spread rugs [for people to sit on]; everyone was eating and drinking. [But] they should get up and prepare their shields, [because they are about to be attacked]!
6 Sɛɛ na Awurade ka kyerɛ me: “Fa ɔwɛmfo kogyina hɔ na ɔnka nea ohu nkyerɛ wo.
Then Yahweh said to me, “Put a watchman [on the wall of Jerusalem], and tell him to shout/proclaim what he sees.
7 Sɛ ohu nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ akuwakuw, wɔn a wɔtete mfurum so ne wɔn a wɔtete yoma so a, ɔnwɛn nʼaso, nwɛn no pa ara.”
Tell him to watch for chariots pulled by pairs of horses, and [men riding] camels and donkeys, [coming from Babylon]. Tell the watchman to watch and listen carefully!”
8 Na ɔwɛmfo no teɛɛ mu se, “Me wura, da biara migyina ɔwɛn aban no so Anadwo biara, migyina hɔ.
[So I did that], and one day the watchman called out, “Day after day I have stood on this watchtower, and I have continued to watch during the day and during the night.
9 Hwɛ, ɔbarima bi a ɔte teaseɛnam mu na ɔreba yi ɔne apɔnkɔ dɔm. Na ɔwɛmfo no kae se, ‘Babilon ahwe ase, wahwe ase! Nʼanyame ne nʼahoni nyinaa abubu agu fam!’”
Now, I saw a man riding in a chariot pulled by two horses. [I called out to him], and he answered/shouted, ‘Babylon has been destroyed! All the idols in Babylon lie in pieces on the ground!’”
10 Ao, me nkurɔfo a, wɔadwerɛw mo wɔ awiporowbea ase meka nea mate kyerɛ mo nea efi Asafo Awurade, nea efi Israel Nyankopɔn hɔ.
My people [in Judah], [the army of Babylon has caused] you to suffer greatly [as though] [MET] you were grain that was threshed and (winnowed/thrown up into the air for the wind to blow away the chaff). [But now] I have told you what the Commander of the armies of angels the God whom we Israelis [worship], told me [about Babylon].
11 Adehu a ɛfa Duma ho: Obi frɛ me fi Seir, “Ɔwɛmfo, bere bɛn na ade bɛkyɛ? Ɔwɛmfo, aka nnɔnhwerew ahe ansa na ade akye?”
[I received] this message [from Yahweh] about Edom: Someone from Edom has been calling/shouting to me saying, “Watchman, how long will it be before the night is ended? [DOU]”
12 Ɔwɛmfo no bua se, “Ade rekye, nanso ade bɛsa. Sɛ wubebisa bio a san bra bebisa.”
[I], the watchman, replied, “It will [soon] be morning, but after that, it will [soon] be night again. If you want to inquire [again about what will happen in our country], come back and inquire again.”
13 Adehu a ɛfa Arabia ho: Mo Dedan akwantufo a mosoɛ wɔ Arabia adɔtɔ ase,
[I received] this message about Arabia: Give this message to people traveling in caravans from Dedan [town in northwest Arabia], who camp in the scrub there. Tell them to bring water for those who are thirsty.
14 Momfa nsu mmrɛ wɔn a osukɔm de wɔn; mo a motete Tema, mommrɛ aguanfo no aduan.
And you people who live in Tema [city in northwest Arabia], must bring food for the (refugees/people who are fleeing from their enemies).
15 Woguan fi afoa a watwe tadua a wɔakuntun mu ne ɔko a egyina mu ano.
They are fleeing in order not to be killed by [their enemies’] swords and not to be shot in battles by arrows.
16 Sɛɛ na Awurade ka kyerɛ me, “Afe baako mu, sɛnea ɔsomfo a wayɛ nhyehyɛe bebubu nna no, Kedar kɛseyɛ to betwa.
Yahweh said to me, “Exactly one year from now, all the greatness of the Kedar [area in Arabia] will end.
17 Na agyantowfo a wɔbɛka ne Kedar akofo bɛyɛ kakraa bi.” Nea Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, aka ni.
Only a few of their soldiers who know well how to shoot arrows will remain alive. [That will surely happen] because [I], Yahweh, have said it.”
