< Hosea 14 >
1 Ao Israel, sane wʼakyi kɔ Awurade wo Onyankopɔn nkyɛn. Wʼahweaseɛ firi wo bɔne!
[You people of] Israel, return to Yahweh our God. You are being punished because of the sins which you have committed.
2 Fa wo nsɛm a wowɔ sane kɔ Awurade nkyɛn. Ka kyerɛ no sɛ, “Fa yɛn bɔne nyinaa kyɛ yɛn, na fa ahummɔborɔ gye yɛn, na yɛatumi ayi wo ayɛ.
So now return to Yahweh and say [MTY] this to him: “Forgive us for all the sins that we have committed, and kindly accept (us/our sacrifices) in order that we may thank/praise you [IDM].
3 Asiria rentumi nnye yɛn; yɛrentena akofoɔ apɔnkɔ so. Yɛrenka bio da sɛ, ‘Yɛn anyame’ nkyerɛ deɛ yɛn ara de yɛn nsa ayɛ, na wo mu na nwisiaa nya ahummɔborɔ.”
[We admit that] Assyria will not save us, and our war horses will not save us, either. We will never again say, ‘You are our gods’ to [the idols that] we [SYN] have made. You are the one who acts mercifully to orphans.”
4 “Mɛsa wɔn asobrakyeɛ yadeɛ. Mɛfiri mʼakoma mu adɔ wɔn, ɛfiri sɛ mʼabufuo nni wɔn so bio.
[Yahweh says, “If they say that to me, ] I will forgive them for having (turned away from/abandoned) me, and I will love them with all my inner being, because I [PRS] will have stopped being angry with them.
5 Mɛyɛ sɛ obosuo ama Israel. Ɔbɛfefɛ ayɛ frɔmm te sɛ sukooko. Te sɛ Lebanon ntweneduro no ɔde ne nhini bɛtim fam;
I will be to the people of Israel like dew [that refreshes the soil]. When I do that, they will [become as delightful as] [MET] lilies are when they are blooming. [No one will be able to conquer them; ] they will be [as unmovable as] [SIM] the roots [of cedar trees].
6 ne mman bɛdennan. Nʼahoɔfɛ bɛyɛ sɛ ngo dua, na ne hwa ayɛ sɛ Lebanon ntweneduro.
[Their good influence will spread] like [MET] the branches of a tree. They will be like [SIM] beautiful olive trees, and [they will be as delightful as] [SIM] the aroma of the cedar [trees in] Lebanon.
7 Nnipa bɛtena ne nwunu ase bio. Ɔbɛnyini ayɛ frɔmm te sɛ aburoo. Ɔbɛfefɛ ayɛ frɔmm te sɛ bobe, na ne din a ahyeta bɛyɛ sɛ nsã a ɛfiri Lebanon.
People will [come to them to be protected] [like people are protected from the hot sun by being] [MET] in the shade [of a tree]. They [will (flourish/be strong) like] [SIM] grain that grows well. They will [be successful like] a vineyard [in which grapes grow abundantly]. They will become as famous/well-known as [SIM] the wines from Lebanon.
8 Ao, Efraim ɛdeɛn na me ne ahoni wɔ yɛ bio? Mɛgye no so na mʼani aku ne ho. Mete sɛ dua a nʼahahan mpo; sɛ wobɛso aba a, ɛgyina me so.”
[You people of] Israel, do not [RHQ] have anything more to do with idols; if you [get rid of your idols], I will answer your [prayers] and take care of you. I am like [MET] a strong/green pine tree, and your blessings come from me.”
9 Hwan ne onyansafoɔ? Ɔbɛhunu yeinom mu. Hwan na ɔwɔ nhunumu? Ɔbɛte yeinom ase. Awurade akwan tene. Ateneneefoɔ nante so, nanso asoɔdenfoɔ sunti so.
Those who are wise will understand the things [about which I have written]. Those who think well will pay careful attention to them. The things that Yahweh wants us to do [MET] are right; righteous people will conduct their lives adhering to them. But those who rebel against Yahweh will be ruined.