Hosea 12
1 Efraim de mframa ayɛ aduane; ɔdi apueeɛ mframa akyi daa na ɔdi atorɔ yɛ akakabensɛm bebree. Ɔne Asiria yɛ apam na ɔde ngo kɔ Misraim.
Ephraim tries to herd the wind, chasing after the east wind all day long. Their lies and violence keep on increasing. They make a treaty with Assyria, and send olive oil to Egypt.
2 Awurade wɔ soboɔ de bɔ Yuda; ɔbɛtwe Yakob aso, wɔ nʼakwan ho na watua no ne nneyɛeɛ so ka.
The Lord also has an accusation against Judah, and will punish Jacob for the way the people act; he will repay them for what they have done.
3 Ɔyafunu mu na ɔsɔɔ ne nua nantin; ɔnyiniiɛ no, ɔne Onyankopɔn pepree so.
Even in the womb he fought with his brother; when he became a man he fought with God.
4 Ɔne ɔbɔfoɔ tentameeɛ dii ne so nkonim; ɔde nisuo srɛɛ ne nkyɛn adom. Ɔhunuu no wɔ Bet-El ne no kasaa wɔ hɔ.
He fought with the angel, and he won. He wept, and begged him for a blessing. Jacob found God at Bethel, and spoke with him there—
5 Asafo Awurade Onyankopɔn, Awurade ne ne din a ahyeta!
the Lord God Almighty, the Lord is his memorable name!
6 Ɛsɛ sɛ wo sane kɔ wo Onyankopɔn nkyɛn. Tena ɔdɔ ne tenenee mu, na twɛn wo Onyankopɔn daa.
You must return to your God. Act lovingly and do what is right, and always wait for your God.
7 Ɔdwadini de nsisie nsania yɛ nʼadwuma; nʼani gye nsisie ho.
A merchant who holds in his hands dishonest scales loves to swindle.
8 Efraim hoahoa ne ho sɛ, “Meyɛ ɔdefoɔ; manya me ho. Mʼahonya nyinaa mu wɔrenhunu amumuyɛ biara wɔ me ho.”
Ephraim says, “I'm rich! I've made myself wealthy! I've made so much from my work, and nobody can prove me guilty of doing wrong.”
9 “Mene Awurade wo Onyankopɔn, a meyii wo firii Misraim. Mɛma woakɔtena ntomadan mu bio sɛdeɛ na woyɛ wɔ wʼapontoɔ afahyɛ nna mu no.
But I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt. I will make you live again in tents like you do at the time of that particular festival.
10 Mekasa kyerɛɛ adiyifoɔ, memaa wɔn anisoadehunu bebree na mefaa wɔn so kaa mmɛbusɛm.”
I spoke through the prophets. I myself gave many visions and parables through the prophets.
11 Gilead yɛ otirimuɔdenfoɔ anaa? Emu nnipa no yɛ ahuhufoɔ! Wɔde anantwie bɔ afɔdeɛ wɔ Gilgal anaa? Wɔn afɔrebukyia bɛyɛ te sɛ aboɔ a wɔahɔre no sie wɔ asase a wɔafuntum soɔ.
If Gilead is idolatrous, they will surely come to nothing. In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls. Even their altars are like heaps of rocks in the furrows of the field.
12 Yakob dwane kɔɔ Aramfoɔ asase so; Israel someeɛ de nyaa yere, ɔhwɛɛ nnwan de tua etiri nsa.
Jacob fled to the land of Aram; Israel worked there to gain a wife, earning a wife by looking after sheep.
13 Awurade nam odiyifoɔ so yii Israel firii Misraim, ɔnam odiyifoɔ so hwɛɛ no.
Through a prophet the Lord brought Israel up from Egypt, and by a prophet they were cared for.
14 Nanso, Efraim ahyɛ no abufuo yaayaaya; nʼAwurade bɛma ne mogyahwiegu ho afɔdie ada ne so na ɔbɛtua nʼanimtiabuo no so ka.
Ephraim has really upset the Lord, and the Lord will let them have the consequences of their bloodshed and pay them back for their contempt.
