Mika 5

1 Mommoaboa mo asraafo ano, akofo kuropɔn, efisɛ atamfo atwa yɛn ho ahyia. Wɔde abaa bɛbɔ nea odi Israel so no wɔ nʼafono so.

“But now, [you people of Jerusalem, gather your troops together, ] [because even though] you have a wall [around your city to protect it], [enemy soldiers] are surrounding the city. And [soon] they will strike your leader on his face, with a rod.”

2 “Nanso wo, Betlehem Efrata, ɛwɔ mu sɛ woyɛ ketewa wɔ Yuda mmusua mu de, nanso wo mu na obi befi ama me a obedi Israel so, na nʼase fi teteete.”

But you [people of] [APO] Bethlehem in Ephrathah [district need to know that] even though your [town] is a very small one among all the towns in Judah, someone who will rule Israel will be born in your town. [He will be] someone whose family has existed a very long time ago [DOU].

3 Enti wobɛto Israelfo paahwii, kosi sɛ ɔbea a awo aka no no bɛwo na ne nuanom mmarima nkae bɛsan akɔka Israelfo ho.

[But now] you people of Israel will be conquered by your enemies; [but it will be for only a short time], like [MET] [the short time that] women have great pain while their babies are being born. After that, your fellow-countrymen who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries) will return to their own country.

4 Ɔbɛsɔre ahwɛ ne nguankuw wɔ Awurade ahoɔden mu, wɔ Awurade ne Nyankopɔn din kɛseyɛ mu. Na wɔbɛtena asomdwoe mu, na afei ne kɛseyɛ bedu asase awiei.

And that man who will be ruling [there in Jerusalem] will stand and lead his people well, because Yahweh, his God, will cause him to be strong and greatly honored. Then the people whom he rules will live [in Jerusalem] safely; he will be greatly honored by people all over the earth, [so no one will dare to attack Jerusalem].

5 Na ɔbɛyɛ wɔn asomdwoe. Sɛ Asiriafo bɛtow ahyɛ yɛn asase so, na wɔbɔ nsra fa yɛn aban mu a, yɛde nguanhwɛfo baason, mpo asahene baawɔtwe behyia wɔn.

And he will cause things to go well [for his people]. When [the army of] Assyria attacks our country and breaks though our fortresses, we will appoint (seven or eight/several) leaders [to lead our army] to fight against them.

6 Wɔde afoa bedi Asiria asase so, wɔbɛtwe afoa de adi Nimrod asase so. Sɛ Asiriafo tow hyɛ yɛn so, bɔ nsra fa yɛn ahye so a, obegye yɛn afi wɔn nsam.

With their swords [our army] will defeat the [army of] Assyria, [whose capital was founded by] Nimrod [long ago]. So our army will rescue us from the Assyrian [army] when they invade our country [DOU].

7 Yakob asefo nkae no bɛfrafra nnipa bebree mu te sɛ obosu a efi Awurade, te sɛ osu a ɛpete gu sare so a ɛntwɛn ɔdesani, na ɔdesani biara rentumi nsiw ho kwan.

The (descendants of Jacob/Israelis) who survive will be [a blessing] to the people of other nations, like [SIM] dew and rain sent by Yahweh do good to the grass. The Israelis will not trust in humans [to help them]; instead, they will rely on Yahweh.

8 Wɔbɛkan Yakob asefo nkae no afra aman no mu, wɔbɛfrafra nnipa bebree mu te sɛ gyata a ɔfra mmoa mu wɔ kwae mu, te sɛ gyata ba a ɔfra nguankuw mu a ɔbobɔ wɔn tetew wɔn mu na obiara ntumi nnye wɔn.

In the midst of [their enemies in] many people-groups [DOU], the descendants of Jacob who remain alive will be like [SIM] a lion among the [other] wild beasts of the forest, like [SIM] a young lion who goes among a flock of sheep and pounces [on one] and (mauls it/tears it to pieces), and no one will be able to rescue [that sheep].

9 Wɔbɛma wo nsa so sɛ woadi wʼatamfo so nkonim, na wɔbɛsɛe wʼatamfo nyinaa.

You Israelis will defeat [MTY] all your enemies and completely destroy them.

10 “Saa da no,” sɛnea Awurade se ni, “Mɛsɛe apɔnkɔ a wowɔ na mabubu wo nteaseɛnam.

Yahweh says, “At that time, I will destroy [you Israeli people’s] horses [that your soldiers use in war] and your chariots.

11 Mɛsɛe nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ wʼasase so na madwiriw wo bammɔ dennen nyinaa agu.

I will tear down your city [walls] and destroy all your fortified cities.

12 Mɛsɛe wʼabayisɛm na wo ntafowayi to betwa.

I will get rid of all those among you who practice magic and the (fortune-tellers/those who say that they can predict what will happen in the future).

13 Mɛsɛe nsɛsode a wode wo nsa ayɛ ne abo ahoni a wowɔ no, na worenkotow nsɔre wo nsa ano adwuma bio.

I will destroy [all] your idols and [sacred stone] pillars, and then you will no longer bow down [and worship] things that you yourselves [SYN] have made.

14 Metutu Asera abosomnnua no afi wo mu na masɛe wo nkuropɔn.

I will get rid of your poles [that represent the goddess] Asherah, and [I will also] destroy all your idols.

15 Aman a wɔantie mʼasɛm no nyinaa, mede abufuw ne abufuwhyew bɛtɔ wɔn so were.”

And because I will be very angry, I will [also] punish [the people of] all the nations who have not obeyed [me].”