Nnwom 73
1 Asaf dwom. Ampa ara Onyankopɔn yɛ ma Israel, ɔyɛ ma wɔn a wɔn akoma mu teɛ.
A Melody of Asaph. Nothing but good, is God, Unto Israel, Unto the pure in heart.
2 Nanso me deɛ, anka me nan reyɛ awatiri; anka merehwere me nnyinasoɔ,
But, as for me, —My feet had, almost stumbled, My steps had, well-nigh slipped;
3 ɛfiri sɛ, mʼani beree ahantanfoɔ ɛberɛ a mehunuu amumuyɛfoɔ yiedie no.
For I was envious of the boasters, At the prosperity of the lawless, used I to look.
4 Wɔnhunuu ahokyere da; na wɔwɔ ahoɔden ne apɔmuden.
For they have no pangs in their death, And vigorous is their body;
5 Dadwene a ɛtaa ba nnipa soɔ biara nna wɔn so; ɔdasani haw biara nna wɔn so.
Of the toil of weak mortals, have they none, Nor, with the sons of earth, are they hard smitten.
6 Enti, ahantan yɛ wɔn kɔnmuadeɛ, na wɔde akakabensɛm afira.
For this cause, doth arrogance deck them as a neck-chain, And a garment of wrong is their attire;
7 Wɔn akoma a apirim no mu na nnebɔne firie; na wɔn amumuyɛ adwene nni mma ɔka.
Their iniquity, hath proceeded from fatness, They have surpassed the imaginations of the heart;
8 Wɔsere afoforɔ na wɔka wɔn ho nsɛm a ɛnyɛ; wɔde nhyɛsoɔ hunahuna afoforɔ wɔ ahomasoɔ mu.
They mock, and wickedly command oppression, From on high, they command;
9 Wɔn ano ka ɔsoro nsɛm, na wɔn tɛkrɛma agye asase afa.
They have set, in the heavens, their mouth, And, their tongue, marcheth through the earth.
10 Ɛno enti wɔn nkurɔfoɔ kɔ wɔn nkyɛn na wonya nsuo bebree nom.
Therefore must his people return thither, And, the waters of abundance, are drained by them;
11 Wɔbisa sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na Onyankopɔn ahunu? Na Ɔsorosoroni no wɔ nhunumu anaa?”
And they say—How doth GOD know? And is there knowledge in the Most High?
12 Sei na amumuyɛfoɔ no teɛ, hwee mfa wɔn ho, na wɔkɔ so pɛ ahonyadeɛ.
Lo! these, are the lawless, Who are secure for an age, They have attained unto wealth.
13 Ampa ara, mʼakoma a ɛho teɛ no, mannya hwee amfiri mu; me nsa a ɛnni fɔ no ayɛ kwa.
Altogether in vain, Have I cleansed my heart, And bathed in pureness, my hands;
14 Ɛda mu nyinaa mehunu amane; anɔpa biara wɔtwe mʼaso.
And yet been smitten all the day, And been rebuked morning by morning!
15 Sɛ mekaa sɛ, “Mɛkasa saa” a, anka medii wo mma no hwammɔ.
If I had thought, I will relate it thus, Lo! the circle of thy sons, had I betrayed.
16 Mebɔɔ mmɔden sɛ mɛte yeinom nyinaa ase, nanso na ɛhyɛ me so
When I reasoned, that I might understand this, A vexation, it was in mine eyes:
17 kɔsii sɛ mekɔɔ Onyankopɔn kronkronbea hɔ; ɛhɔ na metee deɛ ɛbɛba wɔn so awieeɛ no ase.
Until I could enter the holy places of God, —Could give heed to their hereafter: —
18 Ampa ara wode wɔn gu baabi a ɛhɔ yɛ toro. Wode wɔn hwe fam sɛe wɔn pasaa.
Surely, in slippery places, dost thou set them, —Thou hast suffered them to fall into places of danger.
19 Sɛdeɛ wɔsɛe prɛko pɛ, na ehu hwim wɔn kɔ no,
How have they become desolate, as in a moment! They have ceased—come to an end, by reason of calamities.
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.
As the dream of him that waketh, O my Lord! when rousing thyself up, their shadowy being, wilt thou despise.
21 Ɛberɛ a awerɛhoɔ hyɛɛ mʼakoma mu na me sunsum dii yea no,
But my heart had grown embittered, And, in my reins, had I received wounds;
22 meyɛɛ sɛ obi a ɔnnim hwee na ɔnni adwene; meyɛɛ sɛ aboa gyimifoɔ wɔ wʼanim.
But, I, was brutish, and could not perceive, Like the beasts, had I become before thee.
23 Nanso, na mene wowɔ hɔ ɛberɛ biara; na wode wo nsa nifa asɔ me mu.
Nevertheless, I, am continually before thee, Thou hast taken hold of my right hand;
24 Wode wʼafotuo kyerɛ me ɛkwan; na akyire no, wode me bɛkɔ animuonyam mu.
By thy counsel, wilt thou guide me, And, afterwards, unto glory, wilt thou take me.
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? And, compared with thee, there is nothing I desire on earth.
26 Me honam, ne mʼakoma bɛdi me hwammɔ, nanso Onyankopɔn ne mʼakoma ahoɔden ne me kyɛfa daa nyinaa.
Failed have my flesh and my heart, The rock of my heart—and my portion, is God unto times age-abiding.
27 Wɔn a wɔmmɛn wo no bɛyera. Wosɛe wɔn a wɔnni wo nokorɛ nyinaa.
For lo! they who are far from thee, shall perish, Thou hast put an end to every one who wandered unchastely from thee.
28 Nanso, me deɛ, menim sɛ ɛyɛ sɛ wɔbɛbɛn Onyankopɔn. Mede Otumfoɔ Awurade ayɛ me hintabea; mɛka wo nneyɛɛ nyinaa akyerɛ.
But, as for me, the drawing near of God, is my blessedness, —I have made, of My Lord Yahweh, my refuge, —That I may recount all thy works.
