Mika 5

1 Mommoaboa mo akodɔm ano, Ao akofoɔ kuropɔn, ɛfiri sɛ, atamfoɔ atwa yɛn ho ahyia. Wɔde abaa bɛbɔ Israel sodifoɔ no wɔ nʼafono so.

“But now, [you people of Jerusalem, gather your troops together, ] [because even though] you have a wall [around your city to protect it], [enemy soldiers] are surrounding the city. And [soon] they will strike your leader on his face, with a rod.”

2 “Nanso wo, Betlehem Efrata, ɛwom sɛ woyɛ ketewa wɔ Yuda mmusua mu deɛ, nanso, wo mu na obi bɛfiri ama me a ɔbɛyɛ Israel sodifoɔ, na nʼase firi teteete.”

But you [people of] [APO] Bethlehem in Ephrathah [district need to know that] even though your [town] is a very small one among all the towns in Judah, someone who will rule Israel will be born in your town. [He will be] someone whose family has existed a very long time ago [DOU].

3 Enti wɔbɛgya Israelfoɔ mu, kɔsi sɛ ɔbaa a awoɔ aka no no bɛwo na ne nuanom mmarima nkaeɛ bɛsane akɔka Israelfoɔ ho.

[But now] you people of Israel will be conquered by your enemies; [but it will be for only a short time], like [MET] [the short time that] women have great pain while their babies are being born. After that, your fellow-countrymen who were (exiled/forced to go to other countries) will return to their own country.

4 Ɔbɛsɔre ahwɛ ne nnwankuo wɔ Awurade ahoɔden mu, wɔ Awurade ne Onyankopɔn din kɛseyɛ mu. Na wɔbɛtena asomdwoeɛ mu, na afei ne kɛseyɛ bɛduru asase awieeɛ.

And that man who will be ruling [there in Jerusalem] will stand and lead his people well, because Yahweh, his God, will cause him to be strong and greatly honored. Then the people whom he rules will live [in Jerusalem] safely; he will be greatly honored by people all over the earth, [so no one will dare to attack Jerusalem].

5 Na ɔbɛyɛ wɔn asomdwoeɛ. Sɛ Asiriafoɔ bɛto hyɛ yɛn so, na wɔbɔ nsra fa yɛn aban mu a, yɛde nnwanhwɛfoɔ nson, mpo ntuanofoɔ nwɔtwe bɛhyia wɔn.

And he will cause things to go well [for his people]. When [the army of] Assyria attacks our country and breaks though our fortresses, we will appoint (seven or eight/several) leaders [to lead our army] to fight against them.

6 Wɔde akofena bɛdi Asiria asase so, wɔbɛtwe akofena de adi Nimrod asase so. Sɛ Asiriafoɔ to hyɛ yɛn so, bɔ nsra fa yɛn ahyeɛ so a, ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri ne nsam.

With their swords [our army] will defeat the [army of] Assyria, [whose capital was founded by] Nimrod [long ago]. So our army will rescue us from the Assyrian [army] when they invade our country [DOU].

7 Yakob asefoɔ nkaeɛ no bɛfrafra nnipa bebree mu te sɛ obosuo a ɛfiri Awurade, te sɛ osuo a ɛpete gu ɛserɛ so a ɛnntwɛn ɔdasani, na ɔdasani biara rentumi nsi ho ɛkwan.

The (descendants of Jacob/Israelis) who survive will be [a blessing] to the people of other nations, like [SIM] dew and rain sent by Yahweh do good to the grass. The Israelis will not trust in humans [to help them]; instead, they will rely on Yahweh.

8 Wɔbɛkane Yakob asefoɔ nkaeɛ no afra aman no mu, wɔbɛfrafra nnipa bebree mu te sɛ gyata a ɔfra mmoa mu wɔ kwaeɛ mu, te sɛ gyata ba a ɔfra nnwankuo mu a ɔbobɔ wɔn tete wɔn mu na obiara ntumi nnye wɔn.

In the midst of [their enemies in] many people-groups [DOU], the descendants of Jacob who remain alive will be like [SIM] a lion among the [other] wild beasts of the forest, like [SIM] a young lion who goes among a flock of sheep and pounces [on one] and (mauls it/tears it to pieces), and no one will be able to rescue [that sheep].

9 Wɔbɛma wo nsa so sɛ woadi wʼatamfoɔ so nkonim, na wɔbɛsɛe wʼatamfoɔ nyinaa.

You Israelis will defeat [MTY] all your enemies and completely destroy them.

10 “Saa ɛda no,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie, “Mɛsɛe apɔnkɔ a wowɔ na mabubu wo nteaseɛnam.

Yahweh says, “At that time, I will destroy [you Israeli people’s] horses [that your soldiers use in war] and your chariots.

11 Mɛsɛe nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ wʼasase so na madwiri wo banbɔ denden nyinaa agu.

I will tear down your city [walls] and destroy all your fortified cities.

12 Mɛsɛe wʼabayisɛm na wo ntafowayie to bɛtwa.

I will get rid of all those among you who practice magic and the (fortune-tellers/those who say that they can predict what will happen in the future).

13 Mɛsɛe nsɛsodeɛ a wode wo nsa ayɛ ne aboɔ ahoni a wowɔ no, na worenkoto nsɔre wo nsa ano adwuma bio.

I will destroy [all] your idols and [sacred stone] pillars, and then you will no longer bow down [and worship] things that you yourselves [SYN] have made.

14 Mɛtutu Asera afɔrebukyia no afiri wo mu na masɛe wo nkuropɔn.

I will get rid of your poles [that represent the goddess] Asherah, and [I will also] destroy all your idols.

15 Aman a wɔantie mʼasɛm no nyinaa, mede abufuo ne abufuhyeɛ bɛtɔ wɔn so wedeɛ.”

And because I will be very angry, I will [also] punish [the people of] all the nations who have not obeyed [me].”