< Nahum 1 >

1 Elkosini Nahum anisoadehu nhoma a ɛyɛ nkɔmhyɛ a ɛfa Ninewe ho.
[I am] Nahum, from Elkosh [village]. [This is] a message about Nineveh [city, the capital of Assyria that was given] to me in a vision [by Yahweh].
2 Awurade yɛ ninkufo ne aweretɔ Nyankopɔn, Awurade tɔ were, na abufuw ahyɛ no ma. Awurade tɔ nʼatamfo so were, na nʼabufuw tena wɔn so.
Yahweh our God (is jealous/does not want people to worship any other god). He is very angry [with those who worship other gods], and he gets revenge [DOU] [on all] those who oppose him [DOU].
3 Awurade bo kyɛ fuw, na ne tumi so, na ɔtwe ɔfɔdifo aso. Ne kwan wɔ mfɛtɛ ne ahum mu, omununkum yɛ nʼanan ase mfutuma.
Yahweh does not quickly become angry; but he is very powerful, and he will certainly punish [LIT] those who have done evil things [MTY]. He shows his power by sending whirlwinds and storms, and clouds are [like] [MET] the dust [stirred up by] his feet.
4 Ɔteɛteɛ po na ɔma ɛyow; ɔma nsubɔnten nyinaa yoyow. Basan ne Karmel twintwam, na Lebanon frɔmfrɔmyɛ nso kisa.
When he commands oceans and rivers to become dry, they dry up. [He causes the grass in the fields in] the Bashan [region] and [on the slopes of] Carmel [Mountain] to wither, [and causes] the flowers in Lebanon to fade.
5 Mmepɔw wosow biribiri nʼanim na nkoko nan. Asase, wiase ne wɔn a wɔwɔ mu nyinaa wosow nʼanim.
When he appears, [it is as though] the mountains shake and the hills melt; the earth quakes and [the people on] the earth tremble.
6 Hena na obetumi agyina nʼabufuw ano? Hena na obetumi atena nʼabufuwhyew mu? Nʼabufuw hwie te sɛ ogya; abotan yam wɔ nʼanim.
There is no one [RHQ] who can resist him when he becomes extremely angry; there is no one [RHQ] who can survive when his anger is very hot. When he is very angry, [it is as though] his anger is like [SIM] a blazing fire, and [it is as though] mountains are shattered into pieces.
7 Awurade ye, ɔyɛ ahohia mu guankɔbea. Nʼani wɔ wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to no so no so.
But he is good; he protects [us his people] when we experience troubles. He takes care of those who trust in him.
8 Nanso, ɔnam nsuyiri nwonwaso so bɛma Ninewe aba awiei. Ɔbɛtaa nʼatamfo akodu sum kabii mu.
But he will get rid of his enemies; he will be to them [like] [MET] a flood that destroys everything. He will chase his enemies into the darkness [of the place where the dead are].
9 Pɔw biara a wɔbɛbɔ atia Awurade no, ɔbɛsɛe no; ɔhaw biara remma nto so mprenu.
[So], it is useless [RHQ] for you [people of Nineveh] to plot against Yahweh. He will not [need to] strike you two times to destroy you; he will destroy you [by striking you only once].
10 Wɔde nsɔe bɛkyekyere wɔn ho, na bere a wɔn nsa abow wɔn no wɔbɛhyew wɔn sɛ nwuraguanee a wɔaboa ano.
[It will be as though his enemies] are tangled in thorns, and they will stagger like people who have drunk a lot of wine. They will be burned up like [SIM] a fire completely burns up stubble/straw.
11 Ninewe, wo mu na nea ɔbɔ pɔw bɔne tia Awurade na otu fo bɔne no fi.
In Nineveh [city] there was a man who advised people to do very wicked things to Yahweh.
12 Nea Awurade se ni: “Ɛwɔ mu sɛ wɔwɔ nnamfonom a wɔdɔɔso de, nanso wɔbɛsɛe wɔn ama wɔayera. Yuda, ɛwɔ mu sɛ mama ɔhaw aba wo so, nanso merenyɛ saa bio.
But this is what Yahweh says [about you Israeli people]: “Although the people of Assyria have very many people and their army is very powerful, they will be destroyed and will disappear. [I say to my people in Judah, ] ‘have [already] punished you, but I will not punish you again.
13 Afei, mebubu konnua a ɛda wo kɔn mu na matetew nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn no mu.”
Now I will cause the [people of Assyria] to no longer control/oppress you [MET]; [it will be as though] I will tear off the shackles/chains on your [hands and feet].”
14 Ninewe, Awurade aka ɔhyɛ asɛm a ɛfa wo ho: “Worennya asefo a wo din bɛda wɔn so. Mɛsɛe nsɛsode a wɔasen ne ahoni a wɔagu a esisi wʼabosonnan mu no. Mesiesie wo da efisɛ woadan ayɛ atantanne.”
[And this is what] Yahweh also declares about you people of Nineveh: “You will not have any descendants who will continue to have your family names. And I will destroy all the statues of your gods that were carved or formed in molds. I will cause you [to be killed and] sent to your graves, because you are vile/despicable!”
15 Hwɛ mmepɔw no so, nea ɔde asɛmpa no ba no anammɔn ɔno na ɔka asomdwoesɛm! Yuda di wʼafahyɛ na di wɔ bɔhyɛ so. Nnipabɔne rentu wo so sa bio; Wɔbɛsɛe wɔn pasaa.
[You people of Judah, ] look! A messenger will be coming across the mountains, and he [SYN] will be bringing good news [to you]. He will be declaring [that you will now have] peace [because Assyria will have been conquered]. [So, ] celebrate your festivals, and do what you solemnly promised to do [when your enemies were threatening to attack you], because your wicked [enemies] will not invade your country again, [because] they will be completely destroyed.

< Nahum 1 >