Yoɛl 1

1 Awurade asɛm a ɛbaa Petuel babarima Yoel so ni.

A word of Jehovah that hath been unto Joel, son of Pethuel:

2 Muntie saa asɛm yi, mo mpanyimfo; muntie, mo a mote asase no so nyinaa. Asɛm bi a ɛte sɛɛ asi mo mmere so anaa mo mpanyimfo mmere so pɛn?

Hear this, ye aged ones, And give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land, Hath this been in your days? Or in the days of your fathers?

3 Monka nkyerɛ mo mma, na mo mma nso nka nkyerɛ wɔn mma na wɔn mma nso nka nkyerɛ awo ntoatoaso a edi so no.

Concerning it to your sons talk ye, And your sons to their sons, And their sons to another generation.

4 Nea mmoadabikuw no gyawee no, mmoadabi akɛse no awe; nea mmoadabi akɛse no gyawee no, mmoadabi nkumaa no awe; nea mmoadabi nkumaa no gyawee no, mmoadabi afoforo awe.

What is left of the palmer-worm, eaten hath the locust, And what is left of the locust, Eaten hath the cankerworm, And what is left of the cankerworm, Eaten hath the caterpillar.

5 Mo asabowfo, munnyan, na munsu! Mo a monom bobesa nyinaa, muntwa adwo; muntwa adwo, nsa foforo no nti, efisɛ wɔahuam afi mo ano.

Awake, ye drunkards, and weep, And howl all drinking wine, because of the juice, For it hath been cut off from your mouth.

6 Ɔman bi atu mʼasase so sa; dɔm a wɔyɛ den na wontumi nkan wɔn; wɔn se te sɛ gyata se na wɔwɔ gyatabere sebɔmmɔfo.

For a nation hath come up on my land, Strong, and there is no number, Its teeth [are] the teeth of a lion, And it hath the jaw-teeth of a lioness.

7 Wasɛe me bobe ne me borɔdɔma nnua. Wawaawae nnua no ho bona, atow agu agyaw ne mman ho fitaa.

It hath made my vine become a desolation, And my fig-tree become a chip, It hath made it thoroughly bare, and hath cast down, Made white have been its branches.

8 Di awerɛhow sɛ ababaa a ofura atweaatam na ɔresu ne kunu a ɔwaree no ne mmabaabere mu.

Wail, as a virgin girdeth with sackcloth, For the husband of her youth.

9 Aduan ne ahwiesa afɔrebɔde, wɔayi afi Awurade fi. Asɔfo no retwa adwo, wɔn a wɔsom wɔ Awurade anim no.

Cut off hath been present and libation from the house of Jehovah, Mourned have the priests, ministrants of Jehovah.

10 Mfuw asɛe, asase no so awo wosee aduan no asɛe nsa foforo no ayow ngo nyinaa asa.

Spoiled is the field, mourned hath the ground, For spoiled is the corn, Dried up hath been new wine, languish doth oil.

11 Mo ani nwu, mo akuafo, muntwa adwo, mo a mudua bobe; Munsi apini mma awi ne atoko, efisɛ otwabere no asɛe.

Be ashamed, ye husbandmen, Howl, vine-dressers, for wheat and for barley, For perished hath the harvest of the field.

12 Bobe no akisa na borɔdɔma nnua no awuwu. Atoaa nnua, mmedua, aprɛ ne nnua a ɛwɔ mfuw no so nyinaa ahyew. Nokware, anigye a nnipa wɔ no atu ayera.

The vine hath been dried up, And the fig-tree doth languish, Pomegranate, also palm, and apple-tree, All trees of the field have withered, For dried up hath been joy from the sons of men.

13 Mumfura atweaatam na munni awerɛhow, asɔfo; mo a mosom wɔ afɔremuka anim, muntwa adwo. Mumfura atweaatam mmesi pɛ, mo a mosom wɔ Onyankopɔn anim; efisɛ aduan ne ahwiesa afɔrebɔde no to atwa wɔ Onyankopɔn fi.

Gird, and lament, ye priests, Howl, ye ministrants of the altar, Come in, lodge in sackcloth, ministrants of my God, For withheld from the house of your God hath been present and libation.

14 Mommɔ mmuadadi kronkron ho dawuru; momfrɛ nhyiamu kronkron. Momfrɛ mpanyimfo ne wɔn a wɔte asase no so nyinaa mmra Awurade mo Nyankopɔn fi na wommesu mfrɛ Awurade.

Sanctify a fast, proclaim a restraint, Gather the elders — all the inhabitants of the land, [Into] the house of Jehovah your God,

15 A, da no de! Awurade da no abɛn; Ɛbɛba sɛ ɔsɛe a efi Otumfo hɔ.

And cry unto Jehovah, 'Alas for the day! For near [is] a day of Jehovah, And as destruction from the mighty it cometh.

16 So aduan ho nkɔɔ wɛn, a yɛani tua, anigye ne ahosɛpɛw to atwa wɔ yɛn Nyankopɔn fi ana?

Is not before our eyes food cut off? From the house of our God joy and rejoicing?

17 Aba no wu wɔ asase wosee mu, adekoradan abubu, aburowpata nso so nni mfaso, efisɛ nnuan no ahyew.

Rotted have scattered things under their clods, Desolated have been storehouses, Broken down have been granaries, For withered hath the corn.

18 Sɛnea anantwi su! na anantwikuw kyinkyin kwa. Nguankuw mpo rebrɛ efisɛ wonni didibea.

How have cattle sighed! Perplexed have been droves of oxen, For there is no pasture for them, Also droves of sheep have been desolated.

19 Awurade, wo na misu frɛ wo, efisɛ ogya ahyew sare so adidibea, na ogyatannaa ahyew mfuw no so nnua nyinaa.

Unto Thee, O Jehovah, I do call, For fire hath consumed comely places of a wilderness, And a flame hath set on fire all trees of the field.

20 Wuram mmoa mpo pere hwehwɛ wo. Nsuwansuwa ayoyow, na ogya ahyew sare so adidibea.

Also the cattle of the field long for Thee, For dried up have been streams of water, And fire hath consumed comely places of a wilderness!'