The Year of the Lord’s Favor
1The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind
2to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
4They will rebuild the ancient ruins
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6And you will be called priests of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7Instead of your shame
you will receive a double portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy will be yours.
8“For I, the Lord, love justice;
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant with them.
9Their descendants will be known among the nations
and their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will acknowledge
that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”
10I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,
as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
11For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness
and praise spring up before all nations.
Awurade Adom Afe
1Otumfo Awurade Honhom wɔ me so,
efisɛ, wɔafrɛ me
sɛ memmɛka asɛmpa nkyerɛ ahiafo.
Wasoma me se, menkɔkyekye wɔn a wɔn koma abubu werɛ,
se mempae mu nka ahofadi nkyerɛ nnommum
na wonyi nneduafo mfi sum mu,
2se mempae mu nka Awurade adom no ho asɛm,
ne yɛn Nyankopɔn aweretɔ da.
Wasoma me se, menkyekye wɔn a wodi awerɛhow nyinaa werɛ,
3na memma wɔn a wodi awerɛhow wɔ Sion no nea wohia,
na menhyɛ wɔn ahenkyɛw fɛfɛ
nsi nsõ anan mu,
anigye ngo
nsi awerɛhowdi anan mu,
ayeyi atade
nsi abasamtu honhom anan mu.
Wɔbɛfrɛ wɔn trenee adum
nea Awurade adua
de ada nʼanuonyam adi.
4Wobesi tete mmubui no bio,
na wɔasiesie mmeaemmeae a asɛe dedaada no;
wɔbɛyɛ nkuropɔn a asɛe no foforo
nea asɛe awo ntoatoaso bebree no.
5Ananafo bɛhwɛ mo nguankuw;
ahɔho bɛyɛ adwuma wɔ mo mfuw ne bobeturo mu.
6Na wɔbɛfrɛ mo Awurade asɔfo,
wɔbɛto mo din sɛ yɛn Nyankopɔn asomfo.
Amanaman no ahonya no na mubedi
na wɔn ahode na mode bɛhoahoa mo ho.
7Wɔn animguase anan mu
me nkurɔfo benya anuonyam mmɔho,
na ahohora anan mu
wɔbɛsɛpɛw wɔn ho wɔ wɔn adedi mu;
ne saa nti wɔn asase no so kyɛfa bɛyɛ mmɔho,
na anigye a enni awiei bɛyɛ wɔn dea.
8“Na me Awurade, mepɛ atɛntrenee.
Mikyi korɔn ne nnebɔne.
Me nokware mu, mɛbɔ wɔn aba so
na me ne wɔn ayɛ apam a ɛbɛtena hɔ daa.
9Wɔn asefo begye din wɔ amanaman no mu
ne wɔn mma wɔ nkurɔfo no mu.
Wɔn a wohu wɔn nyinaa begye ato mu sɛ
wɔyɛ nnipa a Awurade ahyira wɔn.”
10Awurade mu na me ho sɛpɛw me mmoroso,
me Nyankopɔn mu na me kra di ahurusi.
Efisɛ, ɔde nkwagye ntama afura me
na ɔde trenee atade yuu awura me,
sɛnea ayeforokunu siesie me ti so sɛ ɔsɔfo,
ne sɛnea ayeforo de nnwinne hyehyɛ ne ho no.
11Na sɛnea asase ma afifide pue
na turo nso ma aba nyin no,
saa ara na Otumfo Awurade bɛma trenee ne ayeyi
apue wɔ amanaman anim.
