Sefania 2

1 Mommoaboa mo ho ano, mommoaboa mo ho ano, mo, animguaseman,

You people [of Judah] who ought to be ashamed, gather together [DOU].

2 ansa na bere a wɔahyɛ no adu, na da no resen te sɛ ntɛtɛ, ansa na Awurade abufuwhyew no aba mo so, ansa na Awurade abufuw da no aba mo so.

Yahweh is extremely angry with you, [so gather together now], before it is time for him to punish [MTY] you and blow you away like [SIM] [the wind blows away] chaff.

3 Monhwehwɛ Awurade, ahobrɛasefo a mowɔ asase so, mo a moyɛ nʼahyɛde. Monhwehwɛ trenee, monhwehwɛ ahobrɛase; ebia ɔbɛkora mo so Awurade abufuw da no.

All you people in Judah who are humble, worship Yahweh, and obey what he has commanded. Try to do what is right and to be humble. [If you do that], perhaps Yahweh will protect/spare you on the day when he punishes [MTY] people.

4 Wobegyaw Gasa na wɔagyaw Askelon sɛ amamfo. Owigyinae na wɔbɛma Asdod ada mpa mu na wɔatutu Ekron ase.

[When Yahweh punishes Philistia], Gaza and Ashkelon [cities] will be deserted/abandoned. Ashdod [city] will be attacked and the people expelled at noon [when people are resting]; the [people of Ekron city] will [also] be driven out.

5 Munnue, mo a mote mpoano, mo Keretifo; Awurade asɛm tia mo. Kanaan, Filistifo asase. Mɛtɔre mo ase, na obiara renka.

And terrible things will happen to you people of Philistia who live near the sea, because Yahweh has decided [MTY] that he will punish [MTY] you, [also]. He will get rid of all of you; not one person will (survive/remain alive).

6 Asase a ɛda mpoano, faako a Keretifo te bɛyɛ atenae ama nguanhwɛfo ne wɔn nguannan.

The land [of Philistia] near the sea will become a pasture, a place for shepherds and their sheep pens.

7 Saa asase no bɛyɛ Yudafi nkae no de; ɛhɔ na wobenya mmoa adidibea. Anwummere, wɔbɛdeda wɔ Askelon afi mu. Na Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn bɛhwɛ wɔn, na ɔde wɔn ahonyade nyinaa bɛsan ama wɔn.

The people of Judah who (survive/are still alive) will possess that land. At night they will sleep in the [deserted] houses in Ashkelon. Yahweh will take care of them; he will enable them to prosper again.

8 “Mate Moab nsopa ne Amonfo atweetwee; wɔn a wɔsopaa me nkurɔfo na wohunahunaa wɔn wɔ wɔn asase ho.

The Commander of the armies of angels, the God to whom [we] Israeli people [belong], says [this]: “I have heard the people of Moab and Ammon when they insulted [DOU] my people, and when they said that they would conquer my people’s country.

9 Enti sɛ mete ase yi,” sɛnea Asafo Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn, se ni, “Ampa ara Moab bɛyɛ sɛ Sodom, na Amonfo ayɛ sɛ Gomora, faako a nwura ne nkyene amoa wɔ, bɛyɛ asase a ɛda mpan afebɔɔ. Me man nkae bɛfow wɔn afa; me manfo a wobenya wɔn ti adidi mu no bɛfa wɔn asase.”

So now, [as surely] as I live, [I will destroy] Moab and Ammon like [SIM] [I destroyed] Gomorrah [city]. Their land will be a place were there are nettles and salt pits; it will be ruined forever. My Israeli people who survive will take away all their valuable possessions and [also] occupy their land.”

10 Wɔn ahantan so akatua a wobenya ni, sɛ wɔyeyaw na wodi Asafo Awurade nkurɔfo ho fɛw nti.

The people of Moab and Ammon will get what they deserve for being proud, because they made fun of the people who belong to the Commander of the armies of angels.

11 Awurade ho suro bɛba wɔn so bere a ɔbɛsɛe asase no so anyame nyinaa. Mpoano aman nyinaa bɛsɔre no, wɔ wɔn ankasa wɔn asase so.

Yahweh will cause them to be terrified [when] he destroys all the gods of their countries. Then [even the people who live on] islands throughout the world will worship Yahweh, each in their own countries.

12 “Mo Etiopiafo nso, mʼafoa ano na wobekunkum mo.”

[Yahweh says that] he will also slaughter the people of Ethiopia.

13 Awurade bɛteɛ ne nsa wɔ atifi aman so na wasɛe Asiria, na wama Ninewe ada mpan koraa na so awo wosee sɛ nwea pradada so.

Yahweh will punish [IDM] and destroy Assyria, [that land] northeast of us. He will cause [its capital] Nineveh to become ruined and deserted, a place that will be as dry as the desert.

14 Nguankuw ne anantwi bɛdeda hɔ, mmoadoma nyinaa. Sare so patu ne abonsamnoma bɛtena nʼadum no so. Wɔn su begyigye afa mfɛnsere mu, nnwiriwii besisiw apon ano akwan, mpuran a wɔde sida ayɛ no ho bɛdeda hɔ.

[Flocks of sheep and] herds [of cattle] and many kinds of wild animals will lie down there. Owls and crows will sit on the columns/pillars [of the destroyed buildings], and they will (hoot/cry out) through the windows. There will be rubble in the doorways, and the [valuable] cedar boards will be taken [from the ruined houses].

15 Eyi ne kuropɔn a edi ahurusi na ɛte asomdwoe mu. Ɔhoahoaa ne ho se, “Me ne no, obiara nte sɛ me.” Hwɛ sɛnea atetew apansam, na ayɛ nkekammoa atenae! Obiara a otwa mu wɔ hɔ no serew no, him ne nsa fɛwdi so.

[The people of] Nineveh were [previously] happy and proud, thinking that they were very safe. They were [always] saying, “Our city is the greatest city; there is no city as great as ours!” But now it will become a ruins, a place where wild animals make their dens. And everyone who passes by there will hiss [and scorn/ridicule that city], and shake their fists [to show that they detest that city very much].