< Sefania 3 >
1 Nnome nka nhyɛsofoɔ kuropɔn atuateɛ kuropɔn a ɛho agu fi!
Woe to her that is filthy and polluted, to the oppressing city!
2 Ɔnnyɛ ɔsetie mma obiara ɔnnye nteɛsoɔ biara nto mu. Ɔmfa ne ho nto Awurade so. Ɔntwi mmɛn ne Onyankopɔn.
She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in Yhwh; 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 are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they gnaw not the bones 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 treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to 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.
The just Yhwh is in the midst thereof; he will not do iniquity: every morning doth he bring his judgment to light, he faileth not; but the unjust knoweth no shame.
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 cut off the nations: their towers are desolate; I made their streets waste, that none passeth by: their cities are destroyed, so that there is no man, that there is none inhabitant.
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, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction; so their dwelling should not be cut off, howsoever I punished them: but they rose early, and corrupted all their doings.
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 ye upon me, saith Yhwh, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured 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 people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Yhwh, to serve him with one consent.
10 Mʼasomfoɔ, me nkurɔfoɔ a wɔabɔ ahwete no bɛfiri nsubɔntene a ɛwɔ Kus nohoa de wɔn afɔrebɔdeɛ abrɛ me.
From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of my dispersed, shall bring mine offering.
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 shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.
12 Nanso mɛgya wɔ wo mu wɔn a wɔdwo na wɔbrɛ wɔn ho ase, na wɔde wɔn ho to Awurade so.
I will also leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of Yhwh.
13 Israel nkaeɛfoɔ renyɛ bɔne Wɔrenka nkontonpo nsɛm, na wɔn ano renka nnaadaa nsɛm wɔbɛdidi na wɔada na obiara renyi wɔn hu.”
The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.
14 To dwom Ao, Ɔbabaa Sion; team denden Ao, Israel! Ma wʼani nnye, na di ahurisie wɔ wʼakoma nyinaa mu, Ao, Ɔbabaa Yerusalem!
Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the 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.
Yhwh hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even Yhwh, 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.
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, 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.
Yhwh thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
18 “Mo awerɛhoɔ to bɛtwa ɛfiri sɛ mobɛnya ɛkwan adi mo afahyɛ no; mo anim rengu ase bio.
I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.
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, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee: and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out; and I will get them praise and fame in every land where they have been put to shame.
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.
At that time will I bring you again, even in the time that I gather you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the earth, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith Yhwh.