Nnwom 78
1 Asaf dwom. Me nkurɔfo, muntie me nkyerɛkyerɛ; monyɛ aso mma mʼanom nsɛm.
GIVE ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
2 Mɛkasa wɔ abebu mu, mɛka ahintasɛm, teteete nneɛma no,
I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
3 nneɛma a yɛate na yɛahu; nneɛma a yɛn agyanom aka ho asɛm akyerɛ yɛn.
Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us.
4 Yɛremfa nkame wɔn mma; yɛbɛka akyerɛ nkyirimma Awurade nneyɛe a ɛfata nkamfo no, ne tumi ne anwonwade a wayɛ no.
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.
5 Ɔyɛɛ ahyɛde maa Yakob na ɔyɛɛ mmara wɔ Israel, nea ɔhyɛɛ yɛn nenanom sɛ wɔnkyerɛ wɔn mma,
For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
6 sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nkyirimma besua, mpo mmofra a wonnya nwoo wɔn, na wɔn nso akyerɛkyerɛ wɔn mma.
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
7 Afei wɔde wɔn ho bɛto Onyankopɔn so, na wɔn werɛ remfi ne nneyɛe, na wobedi nʼahyɛde so.
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
8 Wɔrenyɛ sɛ wɔn nenanom, a na wɔyɛ asoɔdenfo ne atuatewfo, wɔn a wonni Onyankopɔn nokware wɔ wɔn koma mu na woyɛ honhom mu atorofo ma no no.
And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.
9 Ɛwɔ mu sɛ na Efraim mmarima kurakura agyan, nanso ɔko da no woguanee;
The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.
10 Wɔanni Onyankopɔn apam no so, wɔampɛ sɛ wodi ne mmara no so.
They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;
11 Wɔn werɛ fii nea wayɛ, anwonwade a wayɛ akyerɛ wɔn no.
And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.
12 Ɔyɛɛ anwonwade wɔ wɔn nenanom anim, wɔ Soan mantam a ɛwɔ Misraim asase so.
Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.
13 Ɔkyɛɛ po mu na ɔde wɔn faa mu. Ɔmaa nsu no gyinaa sɛ afasu.
He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap.
14 Ɔde omununkum dii wɔn anim awia na ɔde ogyatɛn dii wɔn anim anadwo nyinaa.
In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 Ɔpaee ɔbotan mu wɔ sare so, na ɔmaa wɔn nsu a ɛdɔɔso sɛ po;
He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 Ɔmaa asuti fii abotan mu na ɔmaa nsu sen sɛ nsubɔnten.
He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.
17 Nanso wɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ bɔne tiaa no, wɔsɔre tiaa Ɔsorosoroni no wɔ sare no so.
And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness.
18 Wɔhyɛɛ da kaa aduan a wɔpɛ, de sɔɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛe.
And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust.
19 Wɔkasa tiaa Onyankopɔn se, “Onyankopɔn betumi ato pon wɔ sare so ana?
Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?
20 Ɔde ade bɔɔ ɔbotan mu no, nsu tue fii mu, na nsuwa sen buu so. Na obetumi ama yɛn aduan nso? Obetumi ama ne nkurɔfo nam ana?”
Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?
21 Bere a Awurade tee nea wɔreka no, ne bo fuw yiye; ne gya beguu Yakob so, na nʼabufuwhyew sɔre tiaa Israel,
Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel;
22 efisɛ na wonni Onyankopɔn mu gyidi anaasɛ ne nkwagye mu ahotoso.
Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation:
23 Nanso ɔkasa kyerɛɛ ɔsoro wɔ ɔhyɛ so; na obuee ɔsorosoro apon.
Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven,
24 Ɔtɔɔ mana guu fam maa nnipa no sɛ wunni, ɔmaa wɔn ɔsoro aduan.
And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.
25 Nnipa dii abɔfo aduan; ɔmaa wɔn aduan a wobetumi adi nyinaa.
Man did eat angels’ food: he sent them meat to the full.
26 Ogyaa apuei mframa fi ɔsoro, na ofi ne tumi mu bɔɔ atɔe mframa.
He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind.
27 Ɔtɔɔ nam sɛ mfutuma guu wɔn so, nnomaa a wotu bebree sɛ mpoano nwea.
He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea:
28 Ɔma wɔbaa fam kɔɔ wɔn atenae, ne wɔn ntamadan ho nyinaa.
And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations.
29 Wodidi maa aduan no boroo wɔn so efisɛ ɔmaa wɔn nea wɔhwehwɛ.
So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire;
30 Nanso ansa na wobefi aduan a wɔhwehwɛ no ho, bere a ɛhyehyɛ wɔn anom mpo no,
They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,
31 Onyankopɔn abufuw sɔree wɔn so; okum ahoɔdenfo a wɔwɔ wɔn mu twitwaa Israel mmerante gui.
The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel.
32 Eyinom nyinaa akyi, wɔkɔɔ so yɛɛ bɔne; nʼanwonwade akyi no, wɔannye anni.
For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works.
33 Enti otwaa wɔn nna so te sɛ ahuru yɛɛ wɔn mfe awiei huhuuhu.
Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.
34 Bere biara a Onyankopɔn bekum wɔn no, wɔhwehwɛ no na wɔpere wɔn ho san ba ne nkyɛn.
When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned and inquired early after God.
35 Wɔkaee sɛ Onyankopɔn yɛ wɔn botan, sɛ Ɔsorosoro Nyankopɔn no yɛ wɔn Gyefo.
And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer.
36 Nanso wɔde wɔn ano bɛdaadaa no, na wɔde wɔn tɛkrɛma atwa atoro akyerɛ no;
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
37 wɔn koma nni no nokware, na wonni nʼapam no so.
For their heart was not right with him, neither were they stedfast in his covenant.
38 Nanso na ɔyɛ ahummɔbɔ; ɔde wɔn amumɔyɛ kyɛɛ wɔn a wansɛe wɔn. Mpɛn pii, ɔtwentwɛn nʼabufuw so na wanhwie nʼabufuwhyew nyinaa.
But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.
39 Ɔkaee sɛ wɔyɛ ɔhonam ara kwa, mframa bi a ɛbɔ twa mu na ɛnsan nʼakyi.
For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.
40 Mpɛn ahe na wɔansɔre antia no wɔ sare no so hɔ, na mpɛn ahe na wɔamma ne werɛ anhow wɔ asase wosee no so!
How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert!
41 Wɔsɔɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛɛ bere biara; na woyii Israel Ɔkronkronni no abufuw.
Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.
42 Wɔn werɛ fii ne tumi no, da a ogyee wɔn fii wɔn nhyɛsofo nsam no,
They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.
43 da a ɔyɛɛ nsɛnkyerɛnne nwonwaso wɔ Misraim no ne nʼanwonwade wɔ Soan mantam mu no.
How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
44 Ɔmaa wɔn nsubɔnten dan mogya; wɔantumi annom wɔn nsuten mu nsu.
And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
45 Ɔmaa nwansenadɔm baa wɔn so bɛhaw wɔn na mpɔtorɔ nso bɛsɛee wɔn asase.
He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
46 Ɔmaa tɛwtɛw bedii wɔn mfuw so aduan na ɔde wɔn nnɔbae nso maa mmoadabi.
He gave also their increase unto the caterpiller, and their labour unto the locust.
47 Ɔde mparuwbo sɛee wɔn bobe na ɔde sukyerɛmma sɛee wɔn ankye nnua.
He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost.
48 Ɔde sukyerɛmma kum wɔn anantwi ɔde anyinam kum wɔn nyɛmmoa.
He gave up their cattle also to the hail, and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.
49 Ohwiee nʼabufuwhyew guu wɔn so, abufuw, anibere ne ɔtan; abɔfo asɛefo kuw no.
He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.
50 Ɔbɔɔ kwan maa nʼabufuw; na wamfa wɔn nkwa ankyɛ wɔn, mmom, ɔde wɔn maa ɔyaredɔm.
He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence;
51 Okunkum Misraimfo mmakan nyinaa, Ham ntamadan mu nnipa mu abakan.
And smote all the firstborn in Egypt; the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham:
52 Nanso oyii ne nkurɔfo fii mu sɛ nguankuw; odii wɔn anim sɛ nguan wɔ sare no so.
But made his own people to go forth like sheep, and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.
53 Odii wɔn anim dwoodwoo, enti wɔansuro; nanso wɔn atamfo de, po asorɔkye bu faa wɔn so.
And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.
54 Sɛɛ na ɔyɛ de wɔn baa nʼasase kronkron no ahye so, bepɔw asase a ɔde ne nsa nifa gyee no.
And he brought them to the border of his sanctuary, even to this mountain, which his right hand had purchased.
55 Ɔpam amanaman a wɔwɔ wɔn anim no na ɔkyekyɛɛ wɔn nsase no mu maa wɔn sɛ wɔn agyapade; ɔbɔɔ Israel mmusuakuw no atenase wɔ wɔn afi mu.
He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.
56 Nanso wɔsɔɔ Onyankopɔn hwɛe, na wɔsɔre tiaa Ɔsorosoroni no; na wɔanni ne mmara so.
Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies:
57 Wɔyɛɛ sɛ wɔn agyanom, wɔanni nokware na wɔannya gyidi, ahotoso nni wɔn mu na wɔte sɛ agyan a asɛe.
But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow.
58 Wɔde wɔn sorɔnsorɔmmea hyɛɛ no abufuw na wɔn ahoni maa ne ninkutwe mu yɛɛ den.
For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images.
59 Onyankopɔn tee wɔn nka no, ne bo fuwii; na ɔpoo Israel korakora.
When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Israel:
60 Ogyaw nʼatenae a ɛwɔ Silo no, ntamadan a wasi wɔ nnipa mu no.
So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men;
61 Ɔde Apam Adaka a ɛyɛ ne tumi no kɔɔ nnommum mu, nʼanuonyam kɔɔ atamfo nsam.
And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy’s hand.
62 Ɔde ne nkurɔfo maa afoa; ne bo fuw nʼagyapade yiye.
He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance.
63 Ogya hyew wɔn mmerante kum wɔn, na wɔn mmabaa annya ayeforohyia dwom anto;
The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage.
64 Wɔn asɔfo wuwuu afoa ano, na wɔn akunafo antumi ansu.
Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation.
65 Afei Awurade sɔree sɛnea ofi nna mu no, sɛnea ɔbarima a wabow nsa nyan fi nnahɔɔ mu no.
Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine.
66 Ɔbobɔɔ nʼatamfo ma woguan kɔɔ wɔn akyi; ɔhyɛɛ wɔn aniwu afebɔɔ.
And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach.
67 Afei ɔpoo Yosef ntamadan no, na wamfa Efraim abusuakuw no nso;
Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim:
68 Na mmom, ɔfaa Yuda abusuakuw no, Bepɔw Sion a ɔdɔ no no.
But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.
69 Osii ne kronkronbea te sɛ sorɔnsorɔmmea, te sɛ asase a etim hɔ daa.
And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever.
70 Oyii ne somfo Dawid, ɔfrɛɛ no fii nguannan mu;
He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:
71 fii nguan akyi na ɔde no bae se ɔmmɛyɛ oguanhwɛfo mma ne nkurɔfo Yakob, mma Israel a wɔyɛ nʼagyapade.
From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.
72 Na Dawid de koma pa hwɛɛ wɔn so na ɔde ne nimdeɛ dii wɔn anim.
So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.
