Kings I 8

1 And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

Samuel bɔɔ akɔkoraa no, ɔyii ne mmammarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufoɔ.

2 And these [are] the names of his sons; Joel the firstborn, and the name of the second Abia, judges in Bersabee.

Nʼabakan no din de Yoɛl ɛnna ne ba a ɔtɔ so mmienu no din de Abiya. Na wɔyɛ atemmufoɔ wɔ Beer-Seba.

3 And his sons did not walk in his way; and they turned aside after gain, and took gifts, and perverted judgements.

Nanso, na ne mmammarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibereɛ. Wɔgyegyee adanmudeɛ, buu ntɛnkyea.

4 And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,

Enti, Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bɛdii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.

5 and they said to him, Behold, you are grown old, and your sons walk not in your way; and now set over us a king to judge us, as also the other nations [have].

Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Woabɔ akɔkoraa, na wo mmammarima nso nnante wʼakwan so; enti, si ɔhene na ɔnni yɛn anim sɛdeɛ aman bebree yɛ noɔ no.”

6 And the thing [was] evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord.

Wɔn abisadeɛ no anyɛ Samuel dɛ enti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kɔbisaa akwankyerɛ.

7 And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear the voice of the people, in whatever they shall say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from reigning over them.

Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ, “Tie nsɛm a ɔmanfoɔ no reka kyerɛ wo no na yɛ. Ɛnyɛ wo na wɔapo, na mmom, me na wɔapo me, sɛ mennni wɔn so ɔhene bio.

8 According to all their doings which they have done to me, from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day, even [as] they have deserted me, and served other gods, so they do also to you.

Ɛfiri ɛberɛ a meyii wɔn firi Misraim no bɛsi ɛnnɛ yi no, wɔakɔ so apo me akɔdi anyame foforɔ akyi; na ɛnnɛ yi, saa ara na wɔde reyɛ wo.

9 And now listen to their voice; only you shall solemnly testify to them, and you shall describe to them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.

Ɛno enti, tie wɔn, nanso bɔ wɔn kɔkɔ anibereɛ so, na ma wɔnhunu ɛkwan a ɔhene a ɔrebɛdi wɔn so no de wɔn bɛfa so.”

10 And Samuel spoke every word of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king.

Enti, Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.

11 And he said, This shall be the manner of the king that shall rule over you: he shall take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and amongst his horsemen, and running before his chariots,

“Sei na ɔhene ne mo bɛtena. Ɔhene bɛtwe mo mmammarima akɔfra nʼasradɔm mu, na wɔama wɔn atu mmirika adi ne nteaseɛnam anim.

12 and [his manner shall be] to make them to himself captains of hundreds and captains of thousands; and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and prepare his instruments of war, and the implements of his chariots.

Ebinom bɛyɛ nʼakodɔm mu asahene, na ebinom nso ayɛ nkoa mu asomfoɔ. Wɔbɛhyɛ ebinom ma wɔafuntum nʼafuo, na wɔatwa nʼafudeɛ, na afoforɔ ayɛ nʼakodeɛ ne ne teaseɛnam ho nneɛma.

13 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.

Ɔhene no bɛgye mo mmammaa afiri mo nsam, na wahyɛ wɔn ama wɔanoa nnuane, na wɔato nnuane, na wɔayɛ nnuhwam nso ama no.

14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good olive yards, and give them to his servants.

Ɔbɛgye mo mfuo ne mo bobe mfuo ne mo ngo mfuo a ɛyɛ no afiri mo nsam, na ɔde ama ɔno ankasa nʼasomfoɔ.

15 And he will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards, and give [it] to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

Ɔbɛgye mo mfudeɛ mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfoɔ ne nʼasomfoɔ.

16 And he will take your servants, and your handmaids, and your good herds and your asses, and will take the tenth of them for his works.

Ɔbɛpɛ sɛ ɔbɛnya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwie papa ne mo mfunumu de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.

17 And he will tithe your flocks; and you shall be his servants.

Ɔbɛgye mo nnwan mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfoɔ.

18 And you shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen to yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because you have chosen to yourselves a king.

Sɛ ɛda no duru a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegyeɛ afiri saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”

19 But the people would not listen to Samuel; and they said to him, Nay, but there shall be a king over us.

Nanso, ɔmanfoɔ no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkaeɛ ara ne sɛ, “Sɛ ɛte sɛn koraa a, yɛpɛ ɔhene.

20 An we also will be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and shall go out before us, and fight our battles.

Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛyɛ sɛ aman a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia no. Yɛn ɔhene bɛdi yɛn so, na wadi yɛn anim akɔ ɔko.”

21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and spoke them in the ears of the Lord.

Enti, Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,

22 And the Lord said to Samuel, Listen to their voice, and appoint them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let each man depart to his city.

na Awurade buaa sɛ, “Yɛ deɛ wɔreka no ma wɔn, na ma wɔn ɔhene.” Afei, Samuel penee so, na ɔmaa obiara kɔɔ ne kurom.