Sefania 1 – ASCB & NIRV

Asante Twi Contemporary Bible

Sefania 1:1-18

1Awurade asɛm a ɛbaa Sefania a ɔyɛ Kusi ba, Gedalia ba, Amaria ba, Hesekia ba nkyɛn nie. Ɛbaa Yudahene Yosia a ɔyɛ Amon ba berɛ so.

Atemmuo A Ɛtia Yuda

2“Mɛpra biribiara afiri asase so”

deɛ Awurade seɛ nie,

3“Mɛpra nnipa ne mmoa nyinaa;

mɛpra nnomaa a wɔwɔ ewiem

ne mpataa a wɔwɔ ɛpo mu nyinaa.

Atirimuɔdenfoɔ bɛnya wira a ɛsum hɔ nko ara

sɛ mesɛe adasamma a wɔwɔ asase yi so a,”

deɛ Awurade seɛ nie.

4“Mɛtene me nsa wɔ Yuda

ne wɔn a wɔte Yerusalem nyinaa so;

na mɛsɛe Baal ho biribiara a aka wɔ ha,

na masɛe abosonsomfoɔ ne abosomfoɔ asɔfoɔ no din

5wɔn a wɔkoto sɔre wɔn adan atifi,

de sɔre abɔdeɛ a ɛwɔ ewiem,

wɔn a wɔkoto de Awurade ka ntam

na wɔde Molek nso ka ntam,

6wɔn nso a wɔgyae Awurade akyiridie

na wɔnhwehwɛ Awurade anaa wɔmmisa nʼase.”

7Monyɛ komm wɔ Asafo Awurade anim,

ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade ɛda no abɛn.

Awurade asiesie afɔrebɔdeɛ;

wadwira wɔn a wato nsa afrɛ wɔn no ho.

8Awurade afɔrebɔ ɛda no,

mɛtwe mmapɔmma

ne ahenemma

ne wɔn a wɔhyehyɛ

ananafoɔ ntadeɛ nyinaa aso.

9Saa ɛda no mɛtwe wɔn

a wɔkwati aponnwa no nyinaa aso.

Wɔn a wɔde akakabensɛm

ne nsisie hyehyɛ wɔn abosomfie ma no.

10“Saa ɛda no,”

sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie,

“Esu bɛfiri Mpataa Ɛpono ano,

agyaadwotwa bɛfiri Atenaeɛ Foforɔ

na nnyegyeeɛ a ano yɛ den afiri nkokoɔ no so aba.

11Montwa adwo, mo a mote adetɔnbea hɔ no

wɔbɛtɔre wɔn a mo ne wɔn di dwa ase,

dwetɛ adwadifoɔ nyinaa nso wɔbɛsɛe wɔn.

12Mede nkanea bɛkyini ahwehwɛ Yerusalem mu

na matwe wɔn a wɔgyaagyaa wɔn ho aso,

wɔn a wɔte sɛ bobesa puo no,

a wɔdwene sɛ, ‘Awurade nnyɛ wɔn hwee

sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne.’

13Wɔbɛfom wɔn ahonyadeɛ,

na wɔabubu wɔn afie agu.

Wɔbɛsisi afie, nanso wɔrentena mu

wɔbɛyɛ bobe mfuo

nanso wɔrennom emu nsã.”

Awurade Ɛda Kɛseɛ No

14Awurade ɛda kɛseɛ no abɛn,

abɛn na ɛreba ntɛm so.

Tie! Osu a wɔbɛsu Awurade ɛda no bɛyɛ ya,

ɔkofoɔ a ɔwɔ hɔ nso nteamu bɛyɛ saa ara.

15Saa ɛda no bɛyɛ abufuo ɛda,

ɛyɛ ahoyera ne ɔyea ɛda;

ɛyɛ amanehunu ne ɔsɛeɛ ɛda,

ɛyɛ esum ne kusukuukuu ɛda

ɛyɛ omununkum ne kusuuyɛ ɛda,

16ɛyɛ totorobɛnto hyɛn ne ɔko nteam

a ɛtia nkuropɔn a ɛwɔ banbɔ

ne ntwɛtwɛaso abantenten ɛda.

17“Mede awerɛhoɔ bɛba nnipa no so

na wɔbɛnante sɛ anifirafoɔ,

ɛfiri sɛ wɔayɛ bɔne atia Awurade.

Wɔbɛhwie wɔn mogya agu sɛ mfuturo,

na wɔn ayamdeɛ nso sɛ atantanneɛ.

18Wɔn dwetɛ anaa sikakɔkɔɔ

rentumi nnye wɔn nkwa

Awurade abufuo ɛda no.”

Ne ninkuntwe mu ogya no

bɛhye ɔman no nyinaa,

na ɔbɛma asase no so tefoɔ nyinaa nkwa

aba awieeɛ mpofirim.

New International Reader’s Version

Zephaniah 1:1-18

1A message from the Lord came to Zephaniah, the son of Cushi. Cushi was the son of Gedaliah. Gedaliah was the son of Amariah. Amariah was the son of King Hezekiah. The Lord spoke to Zephaniah during the rule of Josiah. He was king of Judah and the son of Amon.

The Lord Will Judge the Whole World

2“I will sweep away everything

from the face of the earth,”

announces the Lord.

3“I will destroy people and animals alike.

I will wipe out the birds in the sky

and the fish in the waters.

I will destroy the statues of gods that cause evil people to sin.

That will happen when I destroy all human beings on the face of the earth,”

announces the Lord.

4“I will reach out my powerful hand against Judah.

I will punish all those who live in Jerusalem.

I will destroy from this place

what is left of Baal worship.

The priests who serve other gods

will be removed.

5I will destroy those who bow down on their roofs

to worship all the stars.

I will destroy those who make promises

not only in my name but also in the name of Molek.

6I will destroy those who stop following the Lord.

They no longer look to him or ask him for advice.

7Be silent in front of him.

He is the Lord and King.

The day of the Lord is near.

The Lord has prepared a sacrifice.

He has set apart for himself

the people he has invited.

8When the Lord’s sacrifice is ready to be offered,

I will punish the officials and the king’s sons.

I will also judge all those who follow

the practices of other nations.

9At that time I will punish

all those who worship other gods.

They fill the temples of their gods

with lies and other harmful things.

10“At that time people at the Fish Gate in Jerusalem

will cry out,” announces the Lord.

“So will those at the New Quarter.

The buildings on the hills will come crashing down

with a loud noise.

11Cry out, you who live in the market places.

All your merchants will be wiped out.

Those who trade in silver will be destroyed.

12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps.

I will punish those who are so contented.

They are like wine that has not been shaken up.

They think, ‘The Lord won’t do anything.

He won’t do anything good or bad.’

13Their wealth will be stolen.

Their houses will be destroyed.

They will build houses.

But they will not live in them.

They will plant vineyards.

But they will not drink the wine they produce.

14The great day of the Lord is near.

In fact, it is coming quickly.

The cries on that day are bitter.

The Mighty Warrior shouts his battle cry.

15At that time I will pour out my anger.

There will be great suffering and pain.

It will be a day of horrible trouble.

It will be a time of darkness and gloom.

It will be filled with the blackest clouds.

16Trumpet blasts and battle cries will be heard.

Soldiers will attack cities

that have forts and corner towers.

17I will bring great trouble on all people.

So they will feel their way around like blind people.

They have sinned against the Lord.

Their blood will be poured out like dust.

Their bodies will lie rotting on the ground.

18Their silver and gold

won’t save them

on the day the Lord pours out his anger.

The whole earth will be burned up

when his jealous anger blazes out.

Everyone who lives on earth

will come to a sudden end.”