Nnwom 73
1 Asaf dwom. Ampa ara Onyankopɔn ye ma Israel, oye ma wɔn a wɔn koma mu tew.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 Nanso me de, anka me nan reyɛ awatiri; anka merehwere me nnyinaso,
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 efisɛ mʼani beree ahantanfo bere a mihuu amumɔyɛfo yiyedi no.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 Wonni aperepere; na wɔwɔ ahoɔden ne apɔwmuden.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 Dadwen a ɛtaa ba nnipa so biara nna wɔn so; ɔdesani haw biara nna wɔn so.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Enti ahantan yɛ wɔn kɔnmuade, na wofura akakabensɛm.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Wɔn koma a apirim no mu na nnebɔne fi; na wɔn amumɔyɛ adwene nni awiei.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 Wɔserew afoforo na wɔka wɔn ho nsɛm a enye; wɔde nhyɛso hunahuna afoforo wɔ ahomaso mu.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 Wɔn ano ka ɔsoro nsɛm, na wɔn tɛkrɛma agye asase afa.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Ɛno nti wɔn nkurɔfo kɔ wɔn nkyɛn na wonya nsu nom ma ebu so.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 Wobisa se, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn ahu? Na Ɔsorosoroni no wɔ nhumu ana?”
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Sɛɛ na amumɔyɛfo no te, hwee mfa wɔn ho, na wɔkɔ so pɛ ahonyade.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Ampa ara, mannya hwee amfi me komamtew mu; me nsa a enni fɔ no ayɛ ɔkwa.
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 Da mu nyinaa mihu amane; anɔpa biara wɔtwe mʼaso.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 Sɛ mekae se, “Mɛkasa saa” a, anka midii wo mma no huammɔ.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ mɛte eyinom nyinaa ase, nanso na ɛhyɛ me so
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 kosii sɛ mekɔɔ Onyankopɔn kronkronbea hɔ; ɛhɔ na metee nea awiei no ɛbɛba wɔn so no ase.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Ampa ara wode wɔn gu faako a hɔ yɛ toro wode wɔn hwe fam sɛe wɔn pasaa.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 Sɛnea wɔsɛe prɛko pɛ, na ehu hwim wɔn kɔ no.
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
20 Ɛte sɛ adaeso, bere a onipa anyan, Awurade, sɛ wokanyan wo ho a, wubebu wʼani agu wɔn so sɛ biribi a enni hɔ.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 Bere a awerɛhow hyɛɛ me koma mu na me honhom dii yaw no,
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 meyɛɛ sɛ obi a onnim hwee na onni adwene; meyɛɛ sɛ aboa gyimfo wɔ wʼanim.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nanso na me ne wo wɔ hɔ bere biara; na wode wo nsa nifa aso me mu.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 Wode wʼafotu kyerɛ me kwan; na akyiri no, wode me bɛkɔ anuonyam mu.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
25 Hena na mewɔ wɔ ɔsoro ka wo ho? Na biribiara nni asase so a mepɛ ka wo ho.
Whom have I in the heavens? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 Me honam, ne me koma bedi me huammɔ, nanso Onyankopɔn ne me koma ahoɔden ne me kyɛfa daa nyinaa.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 Wɔn a wɔmmɛn wo no bɛyera. Wosɛe wɔn a wonni wo nokware nyinaa.
For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
28 Nanso me de, minim sɛ eye sɛ wobɛbɛn Onyankopɔn. Mede Otumfo Awurade ayɛ me guankɔbea; mɛka wo nneyɛe nyinaa akyerɛ.
But, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness, —I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge, —That I may recount all thy works.
