Sefania 3
1 Nnome nka nhyɛsofoɔ kuropɔn atuateɛ kuropɔn a ɛho agu fi!
This is the scornful city that dwells securely, that says in her heart, I am, and there is no longer any [to be] after me: how is she become desolate, a habitation of wild beasts! every one that passes through her shall hiss, and shake his hands. Alas the glorious and ransomed city.
2 Ɔnnyɛ ɔsetie mma obiara ɔnnye nteɛsoɔ biara nto mu. Ɔmfa ne ho nto Awurade so. Ɔntwi mmɛn ne Onyankopɔn.
The dove hearkened not to the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord, and she drew not near to her God.
3 Nʼakandifoɔ yɛ agyata a wɔbobɔ mu, ne sodifoɔ yɛ mpataku a wɔnam anadwo, a wɔnnya biribiara mma adekyeɛ.
Her princes within her were as roaring lions, her judges as the wolves of Arabia; they remained not till the morrow.
4 Ne nkɔmhyɛfoɔ yɛ ahantan; wɔyɛ afatwafoɔ. Nʼasɔfoɔ gu kronkronbea ho fi. Wɔnam mmara no so di nsɛmmɔne.
Her prophets are light [and] scornful men: her priests profane the holy things, and sinfully transgress the law.
5 Awurade a ɔte ne mu no yɛ ɔteneneeni; ɔnnyɛ mfomsoɔ biara. Adekyeeɛ biara ɔda ne tenenee adi, na ɔnni hwammɔ da, nanso amumuyɛfoɔ deɛ wonnim aniwuo.
But the just Lord is in the midst of her, and he will never do an unjust thing: morning by morning he will bring out his judgment to the light, and it is not hidden, and he knows not injustice by extortion, nor injustice in strife.
6 “Masɛe amanaman; madwiri wɔn abandenden agu. Wɔn mmorɔno so adeda mpan, a obiara ntwa mu hɔ. Wɔaseɛ wɔn nkuropɔn; a obi biara renka.
I have brought down the proud with destruction; their corners are destroyed: I will make their ways completely waste, so that none shall go through: their cities are come to an end, by reason of no man living or dwelling [in them].
7 Meka kyerɛɛ kuropɔn no sɛ, ‘ampa ara wobɛsuro me na woagye nteɛsoɔ ato mu!’ Na afei ne tenaberɛ rensɛe, na mʼasotwe biara nso remma ne so. Nanso, wɔn ho peree wɔn sɛ wɔbɛkɔso ayɛ bɔne wɔn nneyɛeɛ nyinaa mu.
I said, But do ye fear me, and receive instruction, and ye shall not be cut off from the face of the land [for] all the vengeance I have brought upon her: prepare thou, rise early: all their produce is spoilt.
8 Enti, twɛn me,” sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie, “na ɛda no mɛsɔre adi adanseɛ. Mayɛ mʼadwene sɛ mɛboaboa amanaman ne ahennie ano na mahwie mʼabufuo agu wɔn so mʼabufuhyeɛ nyinaa. Me ninkuntwe abufuo ogya mu no, asase nyinaa bɛhye.
Therefore wait upon me, saith the Lord, until the day when I rise up for a witness: because my judgment [shall be] on the gatherings of the nations, to draw to me kings, to pour out upon them all [my] fierce anger: for the whole earth shall be consumed with the fire of my jealousy.
9 “Afei mɛdwira nnipa no ano, na wɔn nyinaa abɔ Awurade din na wɔaka abɔ mu asom no.
For then will I turn to the peoples a tongue for her generation, that all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve him under one yoke.
10 Mʼasomfoɔ, me nkurɔfoɔ a wɔabɔ ahwete no bɛfiri nsubɔntene a ɛwɔ Kus nohoa de wɔn afɔrebɔdeɛ abrɛ me.
From the boundaries of the rivers of Ethiopia will I receive my dispersed ones; they shall offer sacrifices to me.
11 Saa ɛda no, wo Yerusalem, wɔrengu wʼanim ase wɔ nneyɛeɛ bɔne a woayɛ atia me ho, ɛfiri sɛ mɛyi afiri saa kuropɔn yi mu, wɔn a wodi ahantan mu ahurisie na worenyɛ ahantan bio wɔ me bepɔ kronkron no so.
In that day thou shalt not be ashamed of all thy practices, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then will I take away from thee thy disdainful pride, and thou shalt no more magnify thyself upon my holy mountain.
12 Nanso mɛgya wɔ wo mu wɔn a wɔdwo na wɔbrɛ wɔn ho ase, na wɔde wɔn ho to Awurade so.
And I will leave in thee a meek and lowly people;
13 Israel nkaeɛfoɔ renyɛ bɔne Wɔrenka nkontonpo nsɛm, na wɔn ano renka nnaadaa nsɛm wɔbɛdidi na wɔada na obiara renyi wɔn hu.”
and the remnant of Israel shall fear the name of the Lord, and shall do no iniquity, neither shall they speak vanity; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed, and lie down, and there shall be none to terrify them.
14 To dwom Ao, Ɔbabaa Sion; team denden Ao, Israel! Ma wʼani nnye, na di ahurisie wɔ wʼakoma nyinaa mu, Ao, Ɔbabaa Yerusalem!
Rejoice, O daughter of Sion; cry aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem; rejoice and delight thyself with all thine heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ayi wʼasotweɛ afiri wo so, wama wo ɔtamfoɔ asane nʼakyi. Awurade Israelhene ka wo ho; worensuro ɔhaw biara bio.
The Lord has taken away thine iniquities, he has ransomed thee from the hand of thine enemies: the Lord, the King of Israel, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.
16 Saa ɛda no, wɔbɛka akyerɛ Yerusalem sɛ, “Mma nsuro, Ao Sion! Mma wo nsa mu nhodwo.
At that time the Lord shall say to Jerusalem, Be of good courage, Sion; let not thine hands be slack.
17 Awurade wo Onyankopɔn ne wo wɔ hɔ, Ɔyɛ ɔgyefoɔ ɔhoɔdenfoɔ. Nʼani bɛgye wo ho ɔfiri ne dɔ mu bɛdwodwo wo, ɔde nnwontoɔ bɛma nʼani agye wo ho.
The Lord thy God is in thee; the Mighty One shall save thee: he shall bring joy upon thee, and shall refresh thee with his love; and he shall rejoice over thee with delight as in a day of feasting.
18 “Mo awerɛhoɔ to bɛtwa ɛfiri sɛ mobɛnya ɛkwan adi mo afahyɛ no; mo anim rengu ase bio.
And I will gather thine afflicted ones. Alas! who has taken up a reproach against her?
19 Saa ɛberɛ no me ne wɔn a wɔhyɛɛ wo so nyinaa bɛdi; Mɛgye mmerɛyɛfoɔ na mɛboaboa wɔn a wɔabɔ wɔn ahwete no ano. Mɛkamfo wɔn ahyɛ wɔn animuonyam asase biara a wɔguu wɔn anim ase wɔ so no so.
Behold, I [will] work in thee for thy sake at that time, saith the Lord: and I will save her that was oppressed, and receive her that was rejected; and I will make them a praise, and honoured in all the earth.
20 Saa ɛda no, mɛboaboa wo ano, na mede wo aba fie. Mɛhyɛ wo animuonyam na makamfo wo wɔ asase so nnipa nyinaa mu na mede wʼahonyadeɛ bɛsane ama wo na wode wʼani bɛhunu,” sɛdeɛ Awurade ka nie.
And [their enemies] shall be ashamed at that time, when I shall deal well with you, and at the time when I shall receive you: for I will make you honoured and a praise among all the nations of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before you, saith the Lord.
