The Lord Will Take Care of Judah
1People of Judah, ask the Lord
to send rain in the spring.
He is the one who sends the thunderstorms.
He sends down showers of rain on all people.
He gives everyone the plants in the fields.
2Other gods tell lies.
Those who practice magic
see visions that aren’t true.
They tell dreams that fool people.
They give comfort that doesn’t do any good.
So the people wander around like sheep.
They are crushed because they don’t have a shepherd.
3The Lord who rules over all says,
“I am very angry with the shepherds.
I will punish the leaders.
The Lord will take care of his flock.
They are the people of Judah.
He will make them like a proud horse in battle.
4The most important building stone
will come from the tribe of Judah.
The tent stake will also come from it.
And the bow that is used in battle will come from it.
In fact, every ruler will come from it.
5Together they will be like warriors in battle.
They will stomp their enemies
into the mud of the streets.
The Lord will be with them.
So they will fight against the horsemen
and put them to shame.
6“I will make the family of Judah strong.
I will save the tribes of Joseph.
I will bring them back
because I have tender love for them.
It will be as if
I had not sent them away.
I am the Lord their God.
I will help them.
7The people of Ephraim will become like warriors.
Their hearts will be glad
as if they were drinking wine.
Their children will see it
and be filled with joy.
I will make their hearts glad.
8I will signal for my people to come,
and I will gather them in.
I will set them free.
There will be as many of them as before.
9I have scattered them among the nations.
But in lands far away they will remember me.
They and their children will be kept alive.
And they will return.
10I will bring them back from Egypt.
I will gather them from Assyria.
I will bring them to Gilead and Lebanon.
There will not be enough room for them.
11They will pass through a sea of trouble.
The stormy sea will calm down.
All the deep places in the Nile River will dry up.
Assyria’s pride will be brought down.
Egypt’s right to rule will disappear.
12I will make my people strong.
They will live in safety because of me,”
announces the Lord.
Awurade Bɛhwɛ Yudafo
1Mummisa Awurade hɔ nsu asusowbere mu;
ɛyɛ Awurade na ɔyɛ osu ne mu ahum.
Ɔma osu tɔ ma nnipa nyinaa,
ne nnɔbae nso ma obiara.
2Ahoni no ka nnaadaasɛm,
nkɔmhyɛfo nya anisoadehu a ɛyɛ atoro;
wɔde nkontomposɛm kyerɛ dae ase,
wɔma awerɛkyekye kwa.
Enti nnipa no nenam te sɛ nguan
a wonni ɔhwɛfo na wɔhyɛ wɔn so.
3“Me bo afuw nguanhwɛfo no yiye,
na mɛtwe ntuanofo no aso.
Na Asafo Awurade bɛhwɛ
ne nguankuw a wɔyɛ Yudafi no,
na wayɛ wɔn sɛ anuonyam pɔnkɔ wɔ ɔsa mu.
4Tweatibo befi Yuda mu,
na ntamadan pɛe befi ne mu,
ɔsa mu tadua befi Yuda mu,
na sodifo nyinaa nso saa ara.
5Wɔbɛbɔ mu ayɛ sɛ dɔmmarima
a wotiatia mmorɔn so dontori mu wɔ ɔko mu.
Esiane sɛ Awurade ka wɔn ho no nti,
wɔbɛko na wɔadi apɔnkɔsotefo no so.
6“Mɛhyɛ Yudafi den
na magye Yosefi no nkwa.
Mede wɔn besi wɔn dedaw mu
efisɛ me yam hyehye me wɔ wɔn ho.
Wɔbɛyɛ te sɛ nea
mempoo wɔn mpo,
na mene Awurade wɔn Nyankopɔn,
na megye wɔn so.
7Efraimfo bɛyɛ sɛ dɔmmarima,
wɔn ani begye te sɛ nea wɔanom nsa.
Wɔn mma behu na wɔn ani begye;
wobedi ahurusi wɔ wɔn koma mu wɔ Awurade mu.
8Mɛto nsa afrɛ wɔn
aboaboa wɔn ano.
Ampa ara megye wɔn bio;
wɔbɛdɔɔso sɛ kan no.
9Ɛwɔ mu, mɛhwete wɔn mu akɔ aman so,
nanso wɔbɛkae me wɔ akyirikyiri nsase so.
Wɔne wɔn mma bɛtena nkwa mu,
na wɔbɛsan aba.
10Mede wɔn befi Misraim aba
mɛboa wɔn ano afi Asiria.
Mede wɔn bɛba Gilead ne Lebanon,
na wɔrensen hɔ.
11Wɔbɛfa ɔhaw ne abɛbrɛsɛ po mu,
nanso wobedi po asorɔkye a ehuru no so.
Nil mu nsu nyinaa bɛyow.
Asiria ahomaso nso wɔbɛbrɛ no ase
na Misraim ahempema betwa mu akɔ.
12Mɛhyɛ wɔn den wɔ Awurade mu
na ne din mu na wɔbɛnantew,”
sɛnea Awurade se ni.
