Nnwom 73
1 Asaf dwom. Ampa ara Onyankopɔn yɛ ma Israel, ɔyɛ ma wɔn a wɔn akoma mu teɛ.
A psalm of Asaph. Yes, God is good to the upright, the Lord to the pure in heart.
2 Nanso me deɛ, anka me nan reyɛ awatiri; anka merehwere me nnyinasoɔ,
But my feet were almost gone, my steps had nearly slipped,
3 ɛfiri sɛ, mʼani beree ahantanfoɔ ɛberɛ a mehunuu amumuyɛfoɔ yiedie no.
through envy of godless braggarts, when I saw how well they fared.
4 Wɔnhunuu ahokyere da; na wɔwɔ ahoɔden ne apɔmuden.
For never a pang have they, their body is sound and sleek.
5 Dadwene a ɛtaa ba nnipa soɔ biara nna wɔn so; ɔdasani haw biara nna wɔn so.
They have no trouble like mortals, no share in human pain.
6 Enti, ahantan yɛ wɔn kɔnmuadeɛ, na wɔde akakabensɛm afira.
So they wear their pride like a necklace, they put on the garment of wrong,
7 Wɔn akoma a apirim no mu na nnebɔne firie; na wɔn amumuyɛ adwene nni mma ɔka.
their eyes stand out with fatness, their heart swells with riotous fancies.
8 Wɔsere afoforɔ na wɔka wɔn ho nsɛm a ɛnyɛ; wɔde nhyɛsoɔ hunahuna afoforɔ wɔ ahomasoɔ mu.
Their speech is mocking and evil, condescending and crooked their speech.
9 Wɔn ano ka ɔsoro nsɛm, na wɔn tɛkrɛma agye asase afa.
They have set their mouth in the heavens, while their tongue struts about on the earth.
10 Ɛno enti wɔn nkurɔfoɔ kɔ wɔn nkyɛn na wonya nsuo bebree nom.
Small wonder that people resort to them, and drink deep draughts of their lore.
11 Wɔbisa sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn ahunu? Na Ɔsorosoroni no wɔ nhunumu anaa?”
“How does God know?” they say, “And has the Most High any knowledge?”
12 Sei na amumuyɛfoɔ no teɛ, hwee mfa wɔn ho, na wɔkɔ so pɛ ahonyadeɛ.
See! These are the godless, with wealth and ease ever increasing.
13 Ampa ara, mʼakoma a ɛho teɛ no, mannya hwee amfiri mu; me nsa a ɛnni fɔ no ayɛ kwa.
Yes, in vain have I kept my heart pure, and washed my hands in innocence;
14 Ɛda mu nyinaa mehunu amane; anɔpa biara wɔtwe mʼaso.
for all the day long was I plagued not a morning but I was chastised.
15 Sɛ mekaa sɛ, “Mɛkasa saa” a, anka medii wo mma no hwammɔ.
But to resolve to speak like they do would be treachery to your children.
16 Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ mɛte yeinom nyinaa ase, nanso na ɛhyɛ me so
So I sought to understand it, but a wearisome task it seemed:
17 kɔsii sɛ mekɔɔ Onyankopɔn kronkronbea hɔ; ɛhɔ na metee deɛ ɛbɛba wɔn so awieeɛ no ase.
till I entered the holy world of God and saw clearly their destiny.
18 Ampa ara wode wɔn gu baabi a ɛhɔ yɛ toro. Wode wɔn hwe fam sɛe wɔn pasaa.
Yes, you set them on slippery places; down to destruction you hurl them.
19 Sɛdeɛ wɔsɛe prɛko pɛ, na ehu hwim wɔn kɔ no,
One moment and then what a horror of ruin! They are finished and ended in terrors.
20 ɛte sɛ daeɛso, ɛberɛ a onipa anyaneɛ, Ao Awurade, sɛ wokanyane wo ho a, wobɛbu wʼani agu wɔn so sɛ biribi a ɛnni hɔ.
Like a dream, when one wakes, shall they be, whose phantoms the waker despises.
21 Ɛberɛ a awerɛhoɔ hyɛɛ mʼakoma mu na me sunsum dii yea no,
So my bitterness of mind and the pain that stabbed my heart
22 meyɛɛ sɛ obi a ɔnnim hwee na ɔnni adwene; meyɛɛ sɛ aboa gyimifoɔ wɔ wʼanim.
show how dull I was and stupid just like a beast before you.
23 Nanso, na mene wowɔ hɔ ɛberɛ biara; na wode wo nsa nifa asɔ me mu.
But I am always with you, you have hold of my right hand.
24 Wode wʼafotuo kyerɛ me ɛkwan; na akyire no, wode me bɛkɔ animuonyam mu.
By a plan of yours you guide me and will afterward take me to glory.
25 Hwan na mewɔ wɔ soro ka wo ho? Na biribiara nni asase so a mepɛ ka wo ho.
Whom have I in the heavens but you? And on earth there is none I desire beside you.
26 Me honam, ne mʼakoma bɛdi me hwammɔ, nanso Onyankopɔn ne mʼakoma ahoɔden ne me kyɛfa daa nyinaa.
Though flesh and heart waste away, yet God is the rock of my heart, yet God is my portion forever.
27 Wɔn a wɔmmɛn wo no bɛyera. Wosɛe wɔn a wɔnni wo nokorɛ nyinaa.
For see! Those who are far from you must perish, you destroy all who are false to you.
28 Nanso, me deɛ, menim sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛbɛn Onyankopɔn. Mede Otumfoɔ Awurade ayɛ me hintabea; mɛka wo nneyɛɛ nyinaa akyerɛ.
But I am happy when close to God; the Lord my God I have made my refuge, that I may recount all the things you have done.
