Yesaia 28
1 Nnome nka nhwiren abotiri a ɛyɛ Efraim asabowfo ahohoahoade no nhwiren a ɛrepa, nʼahoɔfɛ a ɛho wɔ nyam, a ɛda asasebere bon so. Nnome nka kuropɔn no, nea nnipa a nsa asɛe wɔn no de hoahoa wɔn ho no.
Tragedy is coming to the city of Samaria, the crowning glory of Ephraim's drunks, to the fading flower of wonderful beauty, sitting above a fertile valley, and beloved by those hammered by wine.
2 Hwɛ, Awurade wɔ obi a ɔwɔ tumi ne ahoɔden. Ɔte sɛ mparuwbo ne mframa a ɛsɛe ade ɔte sɛ osu a ɛne mframa nam, ne osuhweam a ɛhyɛ suka ma ɔbɛtow no ahwe fam ahoɔden so.
Watch out, for the Lord has someone who is strong and powerful! He is going to smash it to the ground like a hailstorm and a tornado, like a torrential rain and an overwhelming flood.
3 Saa nhwiren abotiri no a ɛyɛ Efraim asabowfo ahohoahoade no, wobetiatia so.
That crowning glory of Ephraim's drunks will be trampled underfoot.
4 Saa nhwiren a ɛrepa, nʼahoɔfɛ a ɛho wɔ nyam, a ɛda asasebere bon so no, bɛyɛ sɛ borɔdɔma a ɛbere ansa na otwabere adu, sɛ obi hu na ɔte a odi no ntɛm so.
That fading flower of wonderful beauty, sitting above a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before the summer harvest—as soon as people discover them, they grab and eat them.
5 Saa da no Asafo Awurade bɛyɛ Anuonyam ahenkyɛw, nhwiren abotiri fɛfɛ ama ne nkurɔfo nkae no.
At that time the Lord Almighty will be a beautiful, glorious crown that brings pride to those of his people who are left.
6 Ɔbɛyɛ atɛntrenee honhom ama otemmufo a ɔte agua mu. Ɔbɛyɛ ahoɔden farebae ama wɔn a wɔpam atamfo wɔ nkurow apon ano.
He will be an inspiration to the judges to do what's right, and he will encourage those who fight off the attacks on the gate.
7 Na eyinom nso nsa ma wɔtɔ ntintan na bobesa ma wohinhim; bobesa ma asɔfo ne adiyifo tɔ ntintan na nsa ma wɔn ani so yɛ wɔn totɔtotɔ; na wohinhim wɔtɔ ntintan bere a wɔrenya anisoadehu, na wɔn ano fomfom wɔ adwenkyerɛ mu.
But these people also drink so much wine and beer that they sway from side to side and stumble over. Even priests and prophets stagger along, their minds muddled by beer and wine. Because of the drink they are confused about visions and make mistakes when they give decisions.
8 Ɔfe agugu apon nyinaa so, na baabiara ayɛ fi.
All their tables are full of vomit—filth is everywhere.
9 “Hena na ɔpɛ sɛ ɔkyerɛkyerɛ no? Na hena nso na ɔrekyerɛ nʼasɛm ase akyerɛ no? Mmofra a wɔatwa wɔn nufu, wɔn a wotwaa wɔn nufu nkyɛe no ana?
“Just who is he trying to teach knowledge to?” they ask. “Who is he explaining his message to? To children just weaned from milk, to babies just removed from the breast?
10 Na ɛyɛ: Yɛ eyi, anaa eyi mmara foforo akyi mmara; ɛha kakra, ɛhɔ kakra.”
He tells us this blah and that blah, blah upon blah, and again blah and blah, and even more blah and blah! It's a bit here and a bit there.”
11 Eye, na afei ananafo ano ne kasa foforo na Onyankopɔn de bɛkasa akyerɛ saa nkurɔfo yi,
Fine—so now the Lord will talk to this people in foreign languages that sound strange to them!
12 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Ha ne ahomegyebea no, momma abrɛfo no nhome; ahodwobea nso ni,” nanso wɔantie no.
He had told them, “You can rest here. Let those who are tired rest. This is the place where you can safely relax.” But they refused to listen.
13 Enti afei wɔbɛfa Awurade asɛm a ɔde ma wɔn no sɛ: Yɛ eyi anaa eyi, mmara foforo akyi mmara; ha kakra, hɔ kakra, sɛnea wɔrekɔ no ɛbɛma wɔapini wɔn akyi; wobepirapira, na wɔatɔ afiri mu, na wɔakyere wɔn.
Therefore the Lord's message to them will become, “This blah and that blah, blah upon blah, and again blah and blah, and even more blah and blah, a bit here and a bit there,” so that they'll fall over backwards, and they'll be wounded, trapped, and captured.
14 Ɛno nti, muntie Awurade asɛm, mo fɛwdifo a mudi saa nkurɔfo yi so wɔ Yerusalem.
So pay attention to the Lord's message, you scornful rulers who lead these people in Jerusalem.
15 Mohoahoa mo ho se, “Yɛne owu ayɛ apam, yɛne ɔda ayɛ nhyehyɛe sɛ asotwe a ano yɛ den ba a, ɛrentumi nka yɛn, efisɛ yɛde atoro ayɛ yɛn guankɔbea ne nnaadaa ayɛ yɛn hintabea.” (Sheol h7585)
You claim, “We've made an agreement with death; we've got a contract with the grave. When the terrible disaster rushes by, it won't affect us, because our lies protect us and we hide in our own deceptions.” (Sheol h7585)
16 Enti nea Otumfo Awurade se ni, “Hwɛ! Mede ɔbo bi retim Sion, ɔbo a wɔasɔ ahwɛ, tweatibo a ɛsom bo ama fapem a ɛyɛ den; nea ɔde ne ho to so no remmɔ hu.
Consequently, listen to what the Lord God says, Look! I'm laying a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a strong, well-tested stone. It's a valuable cornerstone that provides a firm foundation. Anyone who trusts in it won't be shaken loose.
17 Mede atɛntrenee bɛyɛ susuhama na treneeyɛ ayɛ ɔfasu kirebennyɛ susuhama mparuwbo bɛsɛe wo guankɔbea a ɛyɛ atoro no, na nsu abɛkata wo hintabea hɔ.
I will make justice as straight as a measuring line, and doing what's right the standard rule. Hail will destroy the protection of your lies, and water will flood the place where you're hiding.
18 Wobetwa apam a wo ne owu ayɛ no mu; nhyehyɛe a wo ne ɔda ayɛ no nso rennyina sɛ asotwe a ano yɛ den no ba a, ebetwiw afa mo so. (Sheol h7585)
Your agreement with death will be canceled; your contract with the grave will be revoked. When the terrible disaster rushes by, it will trample you underfoot. (Sheol h7585)
19 Mpɛn dodow biara a ɛbɛba no ɛbɛsoa mo akɔ; anɔpa, awia ne anadwo biara, ɛbɛfa mu akɔ.” Saa nkra yi ntease de ehu bɛba.
It will rush by time after time, dragging you away morning upon morning, day and night, rushing on and on. Once you understand this message you will be absolutely terrified.
20 Mpa no yɛ tia dodo ma sɛ wɔteɛ wɔn mu wɔ so, kuntu no yɛ hiahiaa sɛ ɛbɛso wɔn ho kata.
The bed is too short so you can't stretch out; the blanket is too narrow so you can't cover yourself.
21 Awurade bɛsɔre sɛnea ɔsɔree wɔ Perasim bepɔw so no, ɔbɛkanyan ne ho sɛnea ɔyɛɛ wɔ Gibeon Bon mu, yɛɛ nʼadwuma, nʼadwuma nwonwaso no dii ne dwuma, dwumadi a bi mmaa da.
The Lord will come on the attack like he did to the Philistines at Mount Perazim, like he shook them in the Valley of Gibeon, coming to do what he has to do, his strange work; coming to act as he must, his unusual action.
22 Afei gyae wo fɛwdi no, anyɛ saa a wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu bɛyɛ duru; Awurade, Asafo Awurade aka akyerɛ me ɔsɛe ho mmaraden a wɔahyɛ atia asase no nyinaa.
So don't mock, or your imprisonment will be even worse, for the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has explained to me his decision to destroy the whole country.
23 Muntie na monte me nne; monwɛn mo aso na muntie nea meka.
Listen to what I'm saying! Listen and pay attention! Hear what I have to say!
24 Sɛ okuafo funtum asase sɛ ɔrebedua so a, ɔyɛ no daa ana? Ɔkɔ so tutu, fɛntɛm asase no ana?
Does the farmer spend all his time ploughing? Does he spend all his time preparing the soil?
25 Sɛ osiesie asase no ani a, onnua ɛme, na ɔmpete ntɛtɛ wɔ so ana? Onnua awi ne atoko mu biara wɔ nʼafa ana?
Once he has everything ready doesn't he sow seeds like dill and cumin, doesn't he plant wheat and barley in rows, with spelt grain as a border?
26 Ne Nyankopɔn ma no akwankyerɛ na ɔkyerɛ no ɔkwan pa.
His God gives him instructions and teaches him the right thing to do.
27 Wɔmfa asae mpo ɛme ho, wɔmfa teaseɛnam hankare mfa ntɛtɛ so; wɔde pema na ɛboro ɛme, na wɔde abaa aboro ntɛtɛ.
You don't use a heavy tool to thresh dill! You don't use the wheel of a cart to thresh cumin! Instead you use a stick to beat out the dill, and a rod to beat out the cumin.
28 Wɔyam aburow de to brodo nti obi nkɔ so nyam a onnwie da. Ɛwɔ mu, ɔde nʼawiporowee teaseɛnam hankare fa so de, nanso ɛnyɛ nʼapɔnkɔ na wɔyam.
Grain used for bread is easily damaged so you don't thresh it forever. When you drive your cart wheels over it with your horses, you don't crush it.
29 Eyinom nyinaa fi Asafo Awurade, afotu mu nwonwani, na ne nyansa boro so.
This is also from the Lord Almighty who is very wise and gives great advice.
