Yoɛl 2

1 Hyɛn torobɛnto no wɔ Sion; hyɛn abɛn no wɔ me bepɔw kronkron no so. Ma wɔn a wɔte asase no so nyinaa ho mpopo, efisɛ Awurade da no reba, na abɛn koraa.

Blow trumpets on Zion [Hill], God’s sacred hill [in Jerusalem]! Tell the people of Judah that they should tremble, because it will soon be the time for Yahweh [to punish us further].

2 Sum ne kusukuukuu da. Omununkum ne sum kabii da. Sɛnea adekyee hann trɛtrɛw wɔ mmepɔw so no, saa ara na asraafo a wɔdɔɔso na wɔyɛ den ba no te. Wonhuu wɔn sɛso bi da, na wɔrenhu ne sɛso nso da.

[That will be a very] dark and gloomy day; there will be [black] clouds and it will be very dark. A huge [swarm of locusts] has covered the mountains like [SIM] a black [cloud]. Nothing like this has ever happened before, and nothing like this will ever [happen] again.

3 Ogya rehyew wɔ wɔn anim, ogyatannaa dɛw wɔ wɔn akyi, asase a ɛda wɔn anim no te sɛ Eden turo, nea ɛda wɔn akyi no te sɛ nweatam, hwee nguan wɔn.

[It is as though the locusts bring] flames of fire from which no one can escape. In front of them, the land was [beautiful] like [SIM] the garden of Eden, but behind them [the land is like] a desert and nothing survives.

4 Wɔte sɛ apɔnkɔ. Wohuruhuruw te sɛ apɔnkɔsotefo asraafo.

[The locusts] resemble horses, and they run like [SIM] war horses.

5 Wɔyɛ gyegyeegye te sɛ nteaseɛnam na wotu fa mmepɔw atifi, wɔte sɛ ogyatannaa a ɛhyew nwuraguanee wɔte sɛ asraafo akantinka a wɔrekɔ ɔsa.

Leaping over the mountaintops, they make a noise like rumbling chariots, like [SIM] a mighty army that is preparing for a battle, or like [SIM] the roar of a fire that burns up stubble [in a field].

6 Aman ani bɔ wɔn so a, ehu bɔ wɔn; na wɔn anim hoa.

When people see them coming, they become very pale and frightened.

7 Wɔko kɔ wɔn anim te sɛ akofo; wɔforo afasu te sɛ asraafo na wɔn nyinaa kɔ wɔn anim tee, na wɔmman benkum anaa nifa.

[The locusts] climb over walls like soldiers do; they march along in columns and never turn aside [from their columns].

8 Wontwintwan wɔn ho wɔn ho anan mu; obiara nantew kɔ nʼanim tee. Wobu fa abandennen so, na wɔpem kɔ wɔn anim ara.

They rush straight ahead without pushing each other. [Even though people throw] spears and javelins at them, that will not cause them to stop.

9 Wɔtow hyɛ kuropɔn no so wotu mmirika fa afasu no so wɔforo kɔ afi mu, wɔfa mfɛnsere mu te sɛ akorɔmfo.

They swarm over the city walls and enter our houses; they enter through our windows like [SIM] thieves do.

10 Asase wosow wɔ wɔn anim, na ɔsoro hinhim. Owia ne ɔsram duru sum, na nsoromma nhyerɛn bio.

[It is as though] they cause the earth to shake and the sky to tremble. The sun and the moon become dark and the stars do not shine [because there are so many locusts in the sky].

11 Awurade bobɔ mu de di nʼasraafo no anim. Nʼakofo no dɔɔso bebree, ahoɔdenfo ne wɔn a wodi nʼahyɛde so. Awurade da no yɛ kɛse na ɛyɛ hu; hena na obetumi agyina ano?

Yahweh leads this army [of countless locusts], and they obey his commands. This time when he is judging and punishing us is very terrible, [with the result that it seems that] no one [RHQ] can survive it.

12 “Na afei,” sɛnea Awurade se ni, “San fa wo koma nyinaa bra me nkyɛn, wɔ akɔnkyen, osu ne awerɛhow mu.”

But Yahweh says, “In spite of [these disasters that you have experienced], you can return to me with all your inner beings. Weep, and mourn, and (fast/abstain from eating food) [to show that you are sorry for having abandoned me].

13 Sunsuan wo koma na ɛnyɛ wo ntade mu. San bra Awurade wo Nyankopɔn nkyɛn, efisɛ, ɔyɛ ɔdomfo, ne yam ye. Ne bo kyɛ fuw na ne dɔ boro so, na ɛnyɛ no anigye sɛ ɔtwe yɛn aso.

Do not tear your clothes [to show that you are sorry]; instead, show [MET] that you are sorry.” Yahweh is merciful and kind; he does not quickly become angry; he faithfully loves [people]. He does not quickly become angry; instead, he greatly and faithfully loves [you], and he does not like to punish you.

14 Hena na onim? Ebia ɔbɛsesa nʼadwene na wahu mmɔbɔ na wagyaw nhyira, a ɛyɛ aduan ne ahwiesa afɔrebɔde a mode ma Awurade mo Nyankopɔn no.

No one knows [RHQ] if he will change his mind [about punishing you] and if instead he will act mercifully [toward you]. If he does that, he will bless you [by giving you plenty of grain and wine] in order that you can offer [some of] those things as sacrifices to him.

15 Hyɛn torobɛnto wɔ Sion! Mommɔ akɔnkyen kronkron ho dawuru, momfrɛ nhyiamu kronkron.

Blow the trumpets on Zion [Hill]! Gather the people together! Show by fasting that you are sorry [for the sins that you have committed].

16 Mommoaboa nnipa no ano montew nhyiamu no ho na ɛnyɛ kronkron; mommoaboa mpanyimfo, mmofra ne mmea a wɔrema nufu ano. Ma ayeforo ne ayeforokunu mfi wɔn pia mu mmra.

Perform the rituals to cause yourselves to be acceptable to Yahweh. Gather everyone together— the old people and the children, even the babies, and summon brides and bridegrooms from their rooms.

17 Asɔfo a wɔsom wɔ Awurade anim no, nsu wɔ afɔremuka no ne abrannaa no ntam; na wɔnka se, “Awurade fa wo nkurɔfo ho kyɛ wɔn. Mma wʼagyapade nyɛ ahohorade anaa fɛwdi wɔ aman no mu. Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ wubisa wɔ nnipa no mu se, ‘Wɔn Nyame no wɔ he?’”

Tell the priests who serve Yahweh to cry between the altar and the entrance to the temple and to pray [this]: “Yahweh, rescue/save [us] your people; do not allow people from other nations to despise us; do not allow them to ridicule us and say, ‘Why has [RHQ] their God [abandoned them]?’”

18 Na Awurade bɛtwe ninkunu wɔ nʼasase ho na ne nkurɔfo ayɛ no mmɔbɔ.

But Yahweh [showed that he] was concerned about his people and that he would act mercifully toward them.

19 Awurade bebua se, “Merebrɛ mo aduan, nsa foforo ne ngo, a ɛbɛso mo ama moamee pintinn. Merenyɛ mo ahohorade mma aman no bio.

When the people prayed, Yahweh answered and said, “I will give you [plenty of] grain and wine and [olive] oil, and you will be satisfied. And I will no longer allow other nations to insult you.

20 “Mɛpam atifi fam asraafo no afi wo nkyɛn akɔ akyirikyiri, mepia wɔn akɔ asase a awo na ɛyɛ kesee so. Nifa dɔm no bɛmem wɔ Nkyene Po no mu, na kyidɔm no bɛmem wɔ Ntam Po no mu. Na afunu no bɛbɔn na ne nka betu.” Nokware wayɛ nneɛma akɛse!

Another army [of locusts will come] from the north [to attack you], but I will force them to continue [past Jerusalem] into the desert. Some will go into the Dead Sea in the east and some will go into the [Mediterranean] Sea in the west. [There] they will [all die, and their bodies] will stink.” Yahweh does great things!

21 Munnsuro, me nkurɔfo! Momma mo ani nnye, na monsɛpɛw mo ho. Nokware Awurade ayɛ nneɛma akɛse.

He does wonderful things! So even the ground should rejoice!

22 Munnsuro, mo wuram mmoa! Efisɛ sare so adidibea reyɛ frɔmfrɔm. Nnua no resow wɔn aba; borɔdɔma ne bobe nso resow wɔn aba.

And the wild animals should not be afraid, because the meadows will soon become green again; the fig trees and [other] trees will be full of fruit, and the grapevines will be covered with grapes.

23 Momma mo ani nnye, mo Sion mma, Munni ahurusi wɔ Awurade mo Nyankopɔn mu, efisɛ watɔ asusowsu ama mo, ne nokwaredi nti. Watɔ osu bebree ama mo wɔ ne bere mu te sɛ kan no.

You people of Jerusalem, rejoice about what Yahweh, your God, [will be doing for you]. He will send abundant rain at the (right time/time when it is needed)— (in the spring/early in the year) and (in the autumn/late in the year) like he did previously.

24 Aduan bɛyɛ awiporowbea hɔ ma, nsa foforo ne ngo bebu so wɔ kyi amoa mu.

The ground where you thresh the grain will be covered with grain, and your vats where you store grape juice and [olive] oil will be full.

25 “Mɛhyɛ mo anan mu, nea mohweree mfe dodow a mmoadabi bɛsɛee mo nneɛma, mmoadabi akɛse ne nkumaa, ne wɔn a aka no nyinaa, me dɔm a mesomaa wɔn baa mo so no.

[Yahweh said, ] “I will repay you for everything that was destroyed by those great swarms of locusts that I sent to attack you.

26 Mubedidi amee, na mubeyi Awurade mo Nyankopɔn din ayɛ. Ɔno na wayɛ anwonwade ama mo; me nkurɔfo ani renwu bio.

You, my people, will eat until your stomachs are full. Then you will praise me [MTY], Yahweh, your God, for the wonderful things that I have done for you. And never again will you be disgraced.

27 Afei, mubehu sɛ, mewɔ Israel, mubehu sɛ mene Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, na obiara nni hɔ sɛ me; Me nkurɔfo ani renwu bio da.”

When that happens, you will know that I am [always] among you, and that I am Yahweh, your God, and that there is no other [God]. Never again will you be disgraced.”

28 “Na akyiri no, mehwie me honhom agu nnipa nyinaa so, mo mmabarima ne mo mmabea bɛhyɛ nkɔm, mo nkwakoraa bɛsoso adae, mo mmerante benya anisoadehu.

“Some time later, I will give my Spirit to many [HYP] people. Your sons and daughters will proclaim messages that come directly from me. Your old men will have dreams [that come from me], and your young men will have visions [that come from me].

29 Saa mmere no mu no, mehwie me Honhom agu mʼasomfo so, mmarima ne mmea.

At that time, I will give my Spirit even to servants, both men and women.

30 Mɛyɛ anwonwade wɔ ɔsoro ne asase so, mede mogya, ogya ne wusiw kumɔnn.

I will do unusual/amazing things on the earth and in the sky. [On the earth] [CHI], there will be much blood [shed] and [there will be very large] fires and smoke that resembles huge clouds.

31 Ansa na Awurade da kɛse no bɛba no, owia beduru sum na ɔsram nso ayɛ sɛ mogya.

[In the sky, ] the sun will become dark and the moon will become [as red as] [MET] blood. [Those things will happen] before that great and terrible day when [I], Yahweh, appear.

32 Na obiara a ɔbɔ Awurade din no, wobegye no nkwa. Efisɛ nkwagye bɛba ama wɔn a wɔanya wɔn ti adidi mu a Awurade afrɛ wɔn wɔ Sion bepɔw so ne Yerusalem nyinaa,” sɛnea Awurade aka no.

But at that time [I] will save everyone who worships me. I promise that some people in Jerusalem [DOU] will escape [those disasters]; those whom I have chosen will survive.”