Sefania 3
1 Nnome nka nhyɛsofo kuropɔn atuatew kuropɔn a ho agu fi!
This is the scornful city that dwells securely, that says in her heart, I am, and there is no longer any [to be] after me: how is she become desolate, a habitation of wild beasts! every one that passes through her shall hiss, and shake his hands. Alas the glorious and ransomed city.
2 Ɔnyɛ osetie mma obiara onnye nteɛso biara nto mu. Ɔmfa ne ho nto Awurade so. Ontwiw mmɛn ne Nyankopɔn.
The dove hearkened not to the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord, and she drew not near to her God.
3 Nʼakannifo yɛ gyata a wɔbobɔ mu, ne sodifo yɛ mpataku a wɔnam anadwo, a wonnya biribiara mma adekyee.
Her princes within her were as roaring lions, her judges as the wolves of Arabia; they remained not till the morrow.
4 Ne nkɔmhyɛfo yɛ ahantan; wɔyɛ afatwafo. Nʼasɔfo gu kronkronbea ho fi. Wɔnam mmara no so di nsɛmmɔne.
Her prophets are light [and] scornful men: her priests profane the holy things, and sinfully transgress the law.
5 Awurade a ɔte ne mu no yɛ ɔtreneeni; ɔnyɛ mfomso biara. Adekyee biara, ɔda ne trenee adi, na onni huammɔ da, nanso amumɔyɛfo de, wonnim aniwu.
But the just Lord is in the midst of her, and he will never do an unjust thing: morning by morning he will bring out his judgment to the light, and it is not hidden, and he knows not injustice by extortion, nor injustice in strife.
6 “Masɛe amanaman; madwiriw wɔn abandennen agu. Wɔn mmorɔn so adeda mpan, a obiara ntwa mu hɔ. Wɔasɛe wɔn nkuropɔn; a obiara renka.
I have brought down the proud with destruction; their corners are destroyed: I will make their ways completely waste, so that none shall go through: their cities are come to an end, by reason of no man living or dwelling [in them].
7 Meka kyerɛɛ kuropɔn no se, ‘ampa ara wubesuro me na woagye nteɛso ato mu!’ Na afei ne tenabea rensɛe, na mʼasotwe biara nso remma no so. Nanso wɔn ho peree wɔn sɛ wɔbɛkɔ so ayɛ bɔne, wɔn nneyɛe nyinaa mu.
I said, But do ye fear me, and receive instruction, and ye shall not be cut off from the face of the land [for] all the vengeance I have brought upon her: prepare thou, rise early: all their produce is spoilt.
8 Enti twɛn me,” sɛnea Awurade se ni, “na da no mɛsɔre adi adanse. Mayɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛboaboa amanaman ne ahenni ano na mahwie mʼabufuw agu wɔn so mʼabufuwhyew nyinaa. Me ninkutwe abufuw gya mu no, asase nyinaa bɛhyew.
Therefore wait upon me, saith the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgment [shall be] on the gatherings of the nations, to draw to me kings, to pour out upon them all [my] fierce anger: for the whole earth shall be consumed with the fire of my jealousy.
9 “Afei medwira nnipa no ano, na wɔn nyinaa abɔ Awurade din na wɔaka abɔ mu asom no.
For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke.
10 Mʼasomfo, me nkurɔfo a wɔabɔ ahwete no befi nsubɔnten a ɛwɔ Kus nohɔ de wɔn afɔrebɔde abrɛ me.
From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia will I receive my dispersed ones; they shall offer sacrifices to me.
11 Saa da no, wo Yerusalem, wɔrengu wʼanim ase wɔ nneyɛe bɔne a woayɛ atia me ho, efisɛ meyi afi saa kuropɔn yi mu, wɔn a wodi ahantan mu ahurusi, na worenyɛ ahantan bio wɔ me bepɔw kronkron no so.
In that day thou shalt not be ashamed of all thy practices, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then will I take away from thee thy disdainful pride, and thou shalt no more magnify thyself upon my holy mountain.
12 Nanso megyaw wɔ wo mu wɔn a wodwo na wɔbrɛ wɔn ho ase, na wɔde wɔn ho to Awurade so no.
And I will leave in thee a meek and lowly people;
13 Wɔrenyɛ bɔne biara; wɔrenka nkontomposɛm, na wɔn ano renka nnaadaasɛm wobedidi na wɔada, na obiara renyi wɔn hu.”
and the remnant of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord, and shall do no iniquity, neither shall they speak vanity; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and lie down, and there shall be none to terrify them.
14 To dwom, Ɔbabea Sion; teɛ mu dennen, Israel! Ma wʼani nnye, na di ahurusi wɔ wo koma nyinaa mu, Ɔbabea Yerusalem!
Rejoice, O daughter of Sion; cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and delight thyself with all thine heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 Efisɛ Awurade ayi wʼasotwe afi wo so, wama wo tamfo asan nʼakyi. Awurade, Israelhene ka wo ho; worensuro ɔhaw biara bio.
The Lord has taken away thine iniquities, he has ransomed thee from the hand of thine enemies: the Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 Saa da no, wɔbɛka akyerɛ Yerusalem se, “Nsuro, Sion! Mma wo nsa mu ngow.
At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not thine hands be slack.
17 Awurade wo Nyankopɔn ne wo wɔ hɔ, Ɔyɛ ogyefo ɔhoɔdenfo. Nʼani begye wo ho ne dɔ mu, ɔrenka wʼanim bio, ɔde nnwonto bedi wo ho anigye.”
The Lord thy God is in thee; the Mighty One shall save thee: he shall bring joy upon thee, and shall refresh thee with his love; and he shall rejoice over thee with delight as in a day of feasting.
18 “Meyi wɔn a wodi awerɛhow wɔ wʼafahyɛnna ahorow a woahwere; a ayɛ adesoa ne animguase ama wo no ho.
And I will gather thine afflicted ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her?
19 Saa bere no me ne wɔn a wɔhyɛɛ wo so nyinaa bedi. Megye mmerɛwyɛfo na mɛboaboa wɔn a wɔabɔ wɔn ahwete no ano. Mɛkamfo wɔn ahyɛ wɔn anuonyam asase biara a woguu wɔn anim ase wɔ so no so.
Behold, I [will] work in thee for thy sake at that time, saith the Lord: and I will save her that was oppressed, and receive her that was rejected; and I will make them a praise, and honoured in all the earth.
20 Saa bere no, mɛboaboa mo ano; saa bere no, mede mo bɛba fie. Mɛhyɛ wo anuonyam na makamfo mo wɔ asase so nnipa nyinaa mu bere a mede mo ahonyade bɛsan ama wo na mode mo ani behu no,” sɛnea Awurade se ni.
And [their enemies] shall be ashamed at that time, when I shall deal well with you, and at the time when I shall receive you: for I will make you honoured and a praise among all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, saith the Lord.
