Nnwom 12

1 Dawid dwom. Boa yɛn, Awurade, na nyamesurofo asa; nokwafo ayera wɔ nnipa mu.

For the music director. To the Sheminith. A psalm of David. Help, Lord, for all the good people have gone! Those who trust in you have disappeared from among the people on earth.

2 Obiara di atoro kyerɛ ne yɔnko; wɔn ano a ɛdɛfɛdɛfɛ no ka nnaadaasɛm.

Everyone lies to their neighbors. They flatter with nice talk, but they don't mean what they say.

3 Ma Awurade ntwa nnaadaa ano ne tɛkrɛma biara a ɛhoahoa ne ho nkyene;

Stop their flattery, Lord, and silence their boasts—

4 nea ɛka se, “Yɛde yɛn tɛkrɛma bedi nkonim; yɛn ano bedi ama yɛn, na hena na odi yɛn so tumi?”

these people who say, “We will succeed through what we say; our mouths belong to us. We don't take orders from anyone!”

5 “Esiane ɔhyɛ a wɔde hyɛ mmɔborɔni ne ohiani apinisi no nti, mɛsɔre afei,” Awurade na ose. “Mɛbɔ wɔn ho ban afi wɔn a wɔhaw wɔn no ho.”

“Because of the violence the helpless have suffered, and because of the groans of the poor, I will rise up to defend them,” says the Lord. “I will give them the protection they have been longing for.”

6 Awurade asɛm yɛ nokware te sɛ dwetɛ a wɔasɔn so wɔ fononoo mu, na wɔahoa ho mpɛn ason.

What the Lord says is trustworthy, as pure as silver refined seven times in a furnace.

7 Awurade, wobɛkora mmɔborɔni na woabɔ yɛn ho ban afi saa nnipa yi ho afebɔɔ.

You, Lord will keep the oppressed safe; you will protect us from these kinds of people forever;

8 Amumɔyɛfo nenam sɛnea wɔpɛ, bere a adesamma de nidi ma afide. Wɔde ma dwonkyerɛfo.

even though the wicked are all around us, and evil is being promoted everywhere.