Sefania 1

1 Awurade asɛm a ɛbaa Sefania a ɔyɛ Kusi ba, Gedalia ba, Amaria ba, Hesekia ba nkyɛn ni. Ɛbaa Yudahene Yosia a ɔyɛ Amon ba no bere so.

This is the message that the Lord gave to Zephaniah. He was the son of Cushti, son of Gedaliah, son of Amariah, son of Hezekiah. This happened when Josiah, son of Amon, was king of Judah.

2 “Mɛpra biribiara afi asase so” nea Awurade se ni,

I will completely sweep away everything from the face of the earth, declares the Lord.

3 “Mɛpra nnipa ne mmoa nyinaa; mɛpra nnomaa a wɔwɔ wim ne mpataa a wɔwɔ po mu nyinaa. Atirimɔdenfo benya wura a esum hɔ nko ara, sɛ mesɛe adesamma a wɔwɔ asase yi so a,” nea Awurade se ni.

I will sweep away people and animals, I will sweep away the birds of the air and the fish of the sea. I will overthrow the wicked; I will destroy human beings from the face of the earth.

4 “Mɛteɛ me nsa wɔ Yuda ne wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem nyinaa so; na mɛsɛe Baal ho biribiara a aka wɔ ha, na masɛe abosonsomfo ne akɔmfo asɔfo no din

I will strike Judah and everyone who lives in Jerusalem. I will destroy all that remains of their Baal worship along with their pagan priests so that even their names will be forgotten.

5 wɔn a wɔkotow sɔre wɔn adan atifi, de sɔre abɔde a ɛwɔ wim, wɔn a wɔkotow de Awurade ka ntam na wɔde Molek nso ka ntam,

I will destroy those who go up to the rooftops to bow down before the sun, moon, and stars. They also bow down and swear allegiance to the Lord, but then they do the same to Milcom.

6 wɔn nso a wogyae Awurade akyidi na wɔnhwehwɛ Awurade anaa wommisa nʼase.”

I will destroy those who once worshiped the Lord but don't anymore. They don't seek the Lord or ask for my help.

7 Monyɛ komm wɔ Asafo Awurade anim, efisɛ, Awurade da no abɛn. Awurade asiesie afɔrebɔde; wadwira wɔn a wato nsa afrɛ wɔn no ho.

Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near: the Lord has prepared a sacrifice and consecrated his guests.

8 “Awurade afɔrebɔ da no, mɛtwe mmapɔmma ne ahenemma ne wɔn a wɔhyehyɛ ananafo ntade nyinaa aso.

Then on the day of the Lord's sacrifice I will punish the officials and the king's sons, and those who follow pagan ways.

9 Saa da no mɛtwe wɔn a wɔkwati apongua no nyinaa aso. Wɔn a wɔde akakabensɛm ne asisi hyehyɛ wɔn abosomfi amaama no.

I will also punish those who jump over the threshold. On that day I will punish those who fill up their masters' houses using violence and deception.

10 “Saa da no,” sɛnea Awurade se ni, “Osu befi Mpataa Pon ano, agyaadwotwa befi Atenae Foforo na nnyigyei a ano yɛ den afi nkoko no so aba.

On that day, declares the Lord, a cry of grief will come from the Fish Gate, a wailing from the Second Quarter, and a loud crash from the hills.

11 Muntwa adwo, mo a mote adetɔnbea hɔ no wɔbɛtɔre wɔn a mo ne wɔn di gua ase, dwetɛ aguadifo nyinaa nso wɔbɛsɛe wɔn.

Those who live in the Market District will wail in sorrow, for all the merchants are destroyed, along with those who trade in silver.

12 Mede akanea bekyin ahwehwɛ Yerusalem mu na matwe wɔn a wogyaagyaa wɔn ho aso, wɔn a wɔte sɛ bobesa puw no, a wodwen se, ‘Awurade renyɛ hwee sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne no.’

At that time I will search through Jerusalem with lamps and I will punish those self-satisfied people, who are like wine left on its dregs, who say to themselves, “The Lord will not do good, nor will he do evil.”

13 Wɔbɛfom wɔn ahonyade, na wɔabubu wɔn afi agu. Wobesisi afi, nanso wɔrentena mu wɔbɛyɛ bobe mfuw nanso wɔrennom mu nsa.”

Their possessions will be looted; their houses will be demolished. They will build houses, but not live in them; they will plant vineyards, but not drink the wine.

14 Awurade da kɛse no abɛn, abɛn na ɛreba ntɛm so. Tie! Osu a wobesu Awurade da no bɛyɛ yaw, ɔkofo a ɔwɔ hɔ nso nteɛmu bɛyɛ saa ara.

The great day of the Lord is near and approaching rapidly. It will be a bitter day—even warriors will cry out loud.

15 Saa da no bɛyɛ abufuw da, ɛyɛ ahoyeraw ne ɔyaw da; ɛyɛ amanehunu ne ɔsɛe da, ɛyɛ esum ne kusukuukuu da ɛyɛ omununkum ne kusuuyɛ da,

It will be a day of anger, a day of trouble and distress, a day of disaster and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness,

16 ɛyɛ ntorobɛntohyɛn ne ɔko nteɛmu a etia nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ bammɔ ne ntwɔtwɔw so abantenten da.

a day of trumpet calls and battle cries against fortified cities and watchtowers.

17 “Mede awerɛhow bɛba nnipa no so na wɔbɛnantew sɛ anifuraefo, efisɛ wɔayɛ bɔne atia Awurade. Wobehwie wɔn mogya agu sɛ mfutuma, na wɔn ayamde nso sɛ atantanne.

I will bring trouble on humanity, making them walk like blind people because they have sinned against the Lord. Their blood will be spilled like so much dust; their intestines like dung.

18 Wɔn dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ rentumi nnye wɔn nkwa wɔ Awurade abufuw da no.” Ne ninkutwe mu gya no bɛhyew ɔman no nyinaa, na ɔbɛma asase no so tefo nyinaa nkwa aba awiei mpofirim.

Their silver and their gold won't help to save them on the day of the Lord's anger. The whole earth will be burned up by the fire of his jealous anger. He will make sure the end of the people of the world is sudden and complete.