Di Papa Send Shepherd Comot From Bethlehem
One ruler go comot from Bethlehem, wey small among Judah clan dem, and im beginning reach back to old-old days; e go shepherd di flock for im Papa strength and imself go be dia peace. Di rest na clean-out: horse, chariot, strong fort, juju and carved image, dem cut all of dem off.
5 1Gather your soldiers together, daughter of troops! Dem don siege us. With rod dem dey slap di judge of Israel for cheek. a a v1 'Daughter of troops' na Hebrew poetry way to call warrior people — for here, e fit be Jerusalem or Judah. 2But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, even though you small among di clans of Judah, na from you one person go comot for me way go rule Israel, di one wey im origin dey from ancient times, from di days wey no dey end. b b v2 Di chief priests tell Herod say na dis verse show where Messiah go born; e dey point to Jesus, wey born for Bethlehem, di Ruler wey im origin reach back inside eternity. 3Naim make e go give dem up until di time wey di woman wey dey labour don born; then di rest of im brothers go come back to di people of Israel. 4And e go stand and shepherd im flock with di strength of our Papa, with di majesty of di name of im Papa. And dem go live safe, because now e go great reach di ends of di earth. 5And im-self go be our peace. Wen Assyria come inside our land and waka ontop our fortresses, then we go raise seven shepherds and eight leaders of men against am. 6Dem go shepherd di land of Assyria with sword, and di land of Nimrod for im entrances. And di ruler go deliver us from Assyria wen e come inside our land and waka inside our borders.
Dem Restore and Clean Di Remnant
7Then di remnant of Jacob go dey among plenty peoples like dew from our Papa, like rain wey dey fall ontop grass, wey no dey wait for anybody or delay for any person. 8And di remnant of Jacob go live among di nations, plenty peoples go surround dem—like lion among di wild animals of di forest, like young lion wey dey prowl among flocks of sheep, wey, wen e pass through, e dey trample and tear, and nobody fit rescue. 9Your hand go raise up ontop your adversaries, and all your enemies go cut off.
10And for dat day, na so our Papa talk, I go cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots. 11I go cut off di cities of your land and pull down all your strongholds. 12I go cut off sorceries from your hand, and you no go get fortune-tellers again. 13I go cut off your carved images and your sacred pillars from among you, and you no go bow down again to di work of your hands. 14I go uproot your Asherah poles from among you and demolish your cities. c c v14 Asherah poles na wooden things wey dem set up to worship one Canaanite goddess; our Papa remove dem so im people go worship am alone. 15And with anger and fury I go bring judgment on di nations wey no obey.
