Yesaia 28
1 Nnome nka nhwiren abotire a ɛyɛ Efraim asabofoɔ ahohoahoadeɛ no, nka nhwiren a ɛrepa a nʼahoɔfɛ wɔ animuonyam ma Israelfoɔ na ɛda asase bereɛ bɔnhwa so. Nnome nka kuropɔn no, deɛ nnipa a nsa asɛe wɔn no de hoahoa wɔn ho no.
Tragedy is coming to the city of Samaria, the crowning glory of Ephraim's drunks, to the fading flower of wonderful beauty, sitting above a fertile valley, and beloved by those hammered by wine.
2 Hwɛ, Awurade wɔ obi a ɔwɔ tumi ne ahoɔden. Ɔte sɛ asukɔtweaa ne mframa a ɛsɛe adeɛ. Ɔte sɛ osutɔ a ɛne mframa nam, ne osubrane a ɛhyɛ nsuka ma. Ɔbɛto no ahwe fam ahoɔden so.
Watch out, for the Lord has someone who is strong and powerful! He is going to smash it to the ground like a hailstorm and a tornado, like a torrential rain and an overwhelming flood.
3 Saa nhwiren abotire no a ɛyɛ Efraim asabofoɔ ahohoahoadeɛ no, wɔbɛtiatia so.
That crowning glory of Ephraim's drunks will be trampled underfoot.
4 Saa nhwiren a nʼahoɔfɛ ɛrepa wɔ animuonyam mu deɛ ɛda asase bereɛ bɔnhwa so no, ɛbɛyɛ sɛ borɔdɔma a ɛbere ansa na otwa berɛ aduru. Sɛ obi hunu na ɔte a ɔdi no ntɛm so.
That fading flower of wonderful beauty, sitting above a fertile valley, will be like figs ripe before the summer harvest—as soon as people discover them, they grab and eat them.
5 Saa ɛda no Asafo Awurade bɛyɛ Animuonyam ahenkyɛ, nhwiren abotire fɛfɛ ama ne nkurɔfoɔ nkaeɛfoɔ no.
At that time the Lord Almighty will be a beautiful, glorious crown that brings pride to those of his people who are left.
6 Ɔbɛyɛ atɛntenenee honhom ama ɔtemmufoɔ a wɔte adwa mu. Ɔbɛyɛ ahoɔden farebae ama wɔn a wɔpam atamfoɔ wɔ nkuro apono ano.
He will be an inspiration to the judges to do what's right, and he will encourage those who fight off the attacks on the gate.
7 Nanso seesei deɛ, asabofoɔ na wɔdi Israel so, na nsaden ma wɔhinhim; nsaden ma asɔfoɔ ne adiyifoɔ tɔ ntentan na nsã ma wɔn ani so yɛ wɔn totɔtotɔ; na wɔhinhim. Wɔtɔ ntentan ɛberɛ a wɔrenya anisoadehunu, na wɔn ano fonfom wɔ adwenkyerɛ mu.
But these people also drink so much wine and beer that they sway from side to side and stumble over. Even priests and prophets stagger along, their minds muddled by beer and wine. Because of the drink they are confused about visions and make mistakes when they give decisions.
8 Ɛfeɛ agugu apono nyinaa so, na baabiara ayɛ efi.
All their tables are full of vomit—filth is everywhere.
9 Wɔka sɛ, “Deɛn na Awurade dwene fa yɛn ho? Ɔdwen sɛ yɛyɛ mmɔfra anaa? Mmɔfra a wɔatwa wɔn nufoɔ anaa?
“Just who is he trying to teach knowledge to?” they ask. “Who is he explaining his message to? To children just weaned from milk, to babies just removed from the breast?
10 Ɔkasa bebree: Ɔka yei, na waka yei ɔma mmara foforɔ akyi mmara; ɔkyerɛ ɛha kakra, na wakyerɛ ɛhɔ nso kakra.”
He tells us this blah and that blah, blah upon blah, and again blah and blah, and even more blah and blah! It's a bit here and a bit there.”
11 Ɛno enti, ɛyɛ ananafoɔ ano ne kasa foforɔ na Onyankopɔn de bɛkasa akyerɛ saa nkurɔfoɔ yi.
Fine—so now the Lord will talk to this people in foreign languages that sound strange to them!
12 Ɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ɛha ne ahomegyebea no, momma abrɛfoɔ no nhome; ahodwobea nso nie,” nanso wɔantie no.
He had told them, “You can rest here. Let those who are tired rest. This is the place where you can safely relax.” But they refused to listen.
13 Enti afei Awurade bɛti asɛm a ɔde maa wɔn no mu bio: Ɔbɛka yei, na waka yei, ɔbɛma mmara foforɔ akyi mmara; ɔbɛkyerɛ ɛha kakra, na wakyerɛ ɛhɔ nso kakra, na ɛbɛma wɔn apini wɔn akyi; wɔbɛpirapira, na wɔatɔ afidie mu, na wɔakye wɔn.
Therefore the Lord's message to them will become, “This blah and that blah, blah upon blah, and again blah and blah, and even more blah and blah, a bit here and a bit there,” so that they'll fall over backwards, and they'll be wounded, trapped, and captured.
14 Ɛno enti, montie Awurade asɛm, mo fɛdifoɔ a modi saa nkurɔfoɔ yi so wɔ Yerusalem.
So pay attention to the Lord's message, you scornful rulers who lead these people in Jerusalem.
15 Mohoahoa mo ho sɛ, “Yɛ ne owuo ayɛ apam, yɛ ne damena ayɛ nhyehyɛeɛ sɛ asotwe a ano yɛ den ba a, ɛrentumi nka yɛn, ɛfiri sɛ yɛde atorɔ ayɛ yɛn dwanekɔbea ne nnaadaa ayɛ yɛn atɛeɛ.” (Sheol h7585)
You claim, “We've made an agreement with death; we've got a contract with the grave. When the terrible disaster rushes by, it won't affect us, because our lies protect us and we hide in our own deceptions.” (Sheol h7585)
16 Enti, deɛ Otumfoɔ Awurade seɛ nie, “Hwɛ! Mede ɛboɔ bi retim Sion, ɛboɔ a wɔasɔ ahwɛ, tweatiboɔ a ɛsom bo ma fapem a ɛyɛ den; deɛ ɔde ne ho to soɔ no abasa mu rentu.
Consequently, listen to what the Lord God says, Look! I'm laying a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a strong, well-tested stone. It's a valuable cornerstone that provides a firm foundation. Anyone who trusts in it won't be shaken loose.
17 Mede atɛntenenee bɛyɛ susuhoma na teneneeyɛ ayɛ ɔfasuo kyirebennyɛ susuhoma. Asukɔtweaa bɛsɛe wo dwanekɔbea, a ɛyɛ atorɔ no, na nsuo abɛkata wʼatɛeɛ hɔ.
I will make justice as straight as a measuring line, and doing what's right the standard rule. Hail will destroy the protection of your lies, and water will flood the place where you're hiding.
18 Mɛtwa apam a wo ne owuo ayɛ no mu; nhyehyɛeɛ a wo ne damena ayɛ no nso rennyina. Sɛ asotwe a ano yɛ den no ba a, ɛbɛtwi afa mo so. (Sheol h7585)
Your agreement with death will be canceled; your contract with the grave will be revoked. When the terrible disaster rushes by, it will trample you underfoot. (Sheol h7585)
19 Mperɛ dodoɔ biara a ɛbɛba no, ɛbɛsoa mo akɔ; anɔpa, awia ne anadwo biara, ɛbɛfa mu akɔ.” Saa nkra yi nteaseɛ de ehu bɛba.
It will rush by time after time, dragging you away morning upon morning, day and night, rushing on and on. Once you understand this message you will be absolutely terrified.
20 Mpa no yɛ tia dodo ma sɛ wɔtene wɔn mu wɔ so. Nnasoɔ no yɛ tiaa sɛ ɛbɛ so wɔn ho kata.
The bed is too short so you can't stretch out; the blanket is too narrow so you can't cover yourself.
21 Awurade bɛsɔre sɛdeɛ ɔsɔree wɔ Perasim bepɔ so no. Ɔbɛkanyane ne ho sɛdeɛ ɔyɛɛ wɔ Gibeon Bɔnhwa mu no yɛɛ nʼadwuma nwanwasoɔ no, na ɔdii dwumadie a ebi mmaa da no.
The Lord will come on the attack like he did to the Philistines at Mount Perazim, like he shook them in the Valley of Gibeon, coming to do what he has to do, his strange work; coming to act as he must, his unusual action.
22 Afei gyae wo fɛdie no, anyɛ saa a, wo nkɔnsɔnkɔnsɔn mu bɛyɛ duru; Awurade, Asafo Awurade aka akyerɛ me ɔsɛeɛ ho mmaraden a wɔahyɛ atia asase no nyinaa.
So don't mock, or your imprisonment will be even worse, for the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has explained to me his decision to destroy the whole country.
23 Montie na monte me nne; monwɛn mo aso na montie deɛ meka.
Listen to what I'm saying! Listen and pay attention! Hear what I have to say!
24 Sɛ okuafoɔ funtum asase sɛ ɔrebɛdua so a, ɔyɛ no daa anaa? Ɔkɔ so tutu, fɛntɛm asase no anaa?
Does the farmer spend all his time ploughing? Does he spend all his time preparing the soil?
25 Sɛ ɔsiesie asase no ani a, ɔnnua ɛme, na ɔmpete tɛtɛ wɔ so anaa? Ɔnnua ayuo ne atokoɔ mu biara wɔ nʼafa anaa?
Once he has everything ready doesn't he sow seeds like dill and cumin, doesn't he plant wheat and barley in rows, with spelt grain as a border?
26 Ne Onyankopɔn ma no akwankyerɛ na ɔkyerɛ no ɛkwan pa no.
His God gives him instructions and teaches him the right thing to do.
27 Wɔmfa asaeɛ mpɔ ɛme ho, wɔmfa teaseɛnam hankra mfa tɛtɛ so; wɔde poma na ɛboro ɛme, na wɔde abaa aboro tɛtɛ.
You don't use a heavy tool to thresh dill! You don't use the wheel of a cart to thresh cumin! Instead you use a stick to beat out the dill, and a rod to beat out the cumin.
28 Wɔyam aburoo de to burodo enti obi nnkɔ so nyam a ɔnwie da. Ɛwom sɛ ɔde nʼayuporeɛ teaseɛnam hankra fa so deɛ, nanso ɛnyɛ nʼapɔnkɔ na wɔyam.
Grain used for bread is easily damaged so you don't thresh it forever. When you drive your cart wheels over it with your horses, you don't crush it.
29 Yeinom nyinaa firi Asafo Awurade, afutuo mu nwanwani, na ne nyansa boro so.
This is also from the Lord Almighty who is very wise and gives great advice.
