< 1 Samuel 2 >
1 “My heart exults in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God. My mouth is enlarged over my enemies. For I have rejoiced in your salvation.
Na Hana bɔɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Mʼakoma di ahurisie wɔ Awurade mu! Ao, Awurade mu na me nhyira wɔ! Afei, manya mmuaeɛ ama mʼatamfoɔ, na mʼani gye wɔ wo gyeɛ no ho.
2 Nothing is holy as the Lord is holy. For there is no other beside you. And nothing is strong as our God is strong.
“Obiara nyɛ kronkron sɛ Awurade! Obi bi nka wo ho; Ɔbotan bi nni hɔ sɛ yɛn Onyankopɔn.
3 Do not continue speaking of great things, boasting. Let what is old depart from your mouth. For the Lord is the God of knowledge, and thoughts are prepared for him.
“Gyae ahantansu ne ahomasoɔ no, nkasa wɔ ahantan so saa! Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔnim wo nneyɛeɛ na ɔbɛbu wo deɛ woayɛ no so atɛn.
4 The bow of the powerful has been overwhelmed, and the weak have been girded with strength.
“Wɔn a na wɔyɛ atumfoɔ no nnyɛ atumfoɔ bio; na wɔn a na wɔyɛ mmerɛ no nso, afei, wɔayɛ den.
5 Those who before were filled, have hired themselves out for bread. And the starving have been filled, so that the barren have given birth to many. But she who had borne many sons has become unable.
Wɔn a na wɔdidi mee pintinn no afei ɔkɔm rekum wɔn. Na wɔn a ɔkɔm rekum wɔn no nso afei wɔamee pintinn. Afei, obonini wɔ mma baason, na ɔbaa a na ɔwɔ mma pii no mma bɛbɔ no.
6 The Lord brings death, and he gives life. He leads away to death, and he brings back again. (Sheol )
“Awurade de nkwa ne owuo nyinaa ba; Ɔka ebi hyɛ damena mu, na ɔnyane ebinom. (Sheol )
7 The Lord impoverishes, and he enriches. He humbles, and he lifts up.
Awurade yɛ obi ohiani na wayɛ obi ɔdefoɔ; ɔbrɛ obi ase na wapagya obi.
8 He raises up the indigent from the dust, and he lifts up the poor from filth, so that they may sit with princes, and take hold of a throne of glory. For the hinges of the earth belong to the Lord, and he has placed the globe upon them.
Ɔpagya ohiani firi mfuturo mu aane, ɔyi no firi nsosie mu; ɔyɛ wɔn sɛ mmapɔmma de wɔn tena animuonyam nkonnua so. “Ɛfiri sɛ, asase fapem yɛ Awurade dea, na watoto ewiase sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ.
9 He will preserve the feet of his holy ones, and the impious will be silenced in darkness. For no man will prevail by his own strength.
Ɔbɛbɔ nyamesurofoɔ ho ban, na amumuyɛfoɔ bɛyera esum mu. “Sɛ ahoɔden mu nko deɛ a, obi renni nim;
10 The adversaries of the Lord will dread him. And over them, he will thunder in the heavens. The Lord will judge the parts of the earth, and he will give dominion to his king, and he will lift up the horn of his Christ.”
Wɔn a wɔko tia Awurade no, ɔbɛdwerɛ wɔn. Ɔdwa aprannaa firi ewiem gu wɔn so; Awurade bu atɛn wɔ asase so baabiara. “Ɔma ne ɔhempɔn ahoɔden kɛseɛ; deɛ wasra no no, ɔhyɛ nʼahoɔden mu den.”
11 And Elkanah went away to Ramah, to his house. But the boy was a minister in the sight of the Lord, before the face of Eli, the priest.
Afei, Elkana ne Hana gyaa Samuel hɔ kɔɔ efie wɔ Rama. Na abarimaa no bɛyɛɛ Awurade ɔboafoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔboaa ɔsɔfoɔ Eli.
12 But the sons of Eli were sons of Belial, not knowing the Lord,
Eli mmammarima no yɛ asansafoɔ a wɔmfɛre Awurade,
13 nor the priestly office for the people. And so, no matter who had immolated a victim, the servant of the priest would arrive, while the flesh was still cooking, and he would take a three-pronged hook in his hand,
anaa wɔn asɔfodwuma. Ɛberɛ biara a obi bɛba abɛbɔ afɔdeɛ no na wɔrenoa ɛnam no, Eli mma no soma ɔsomfoɔ de adinam a ɛwɔ ano mmiɛnsa ba. Ɛberɛ a ɛnam no si ogya so no,
14 and put it into the vessel, or into the cauldron, or into the cooking pot, or into the pan, and all that the hook lifted up, the priest took for himself. So they did to all of Israel who arrived at Shiloh.
ɔsomfoɔ no de adinam no wɔ dadesɛn no mu. Na wɔhyɛ sɛ deɛ adinam no bɛwɔ mu no nyinaa yɛ Eli mma no dea. Wɔde Israelfoɔ a wɔba Silo hɔ nyinaa faa saa ɛkwan yi so.
15 In addition, before they burned the fat, the servant of the priest would arrive, and he would say to the one who was immolating: “Give me the flesh, so that I may boil it for the priest. For I will not accept cooked meat from you, but raw.”
Ɛtɔ dabi a, ansa na wɔbɛhye sradeɛ no, ɔsɔfoɔ no ɔsomfoɔ ba bɛka kyerɛ onipa a ɔrebɔ afɔdeɛ no sɛ, “Ma ɔsɔfoɔ no ɛnam no bi, na ɔntoto. Ɔmpɛ wo ɛnam a woanoa, na mmom, ɛnam mono nko ara.”
16 And the one who was immolating would say to him, “First, allow the fat to be burned today, according to custom, and then take for yourself whatever your soul desires.” But in response, he would say to him: “By no means. For you will give it to me now, otherwise I will take it by force.”
Onipa a ɔrebɔ afɔdeɛ no ka sɛ, “Fa dodoɔ biara a wopɛ, nanso sradeɛ no deɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔhye ansa.” Ɛhɔ na ɔsomfoɔ no bɛka sɛ, “Dabi, fa ma me seesei ara, anyɛ saa a, mede tumi bɛfa.”
17 Therefore, the sin of the servants was exceedingly great before the Lord. For they drew men away from the sacrifice of the Lord.
Na saa bɔne a mmeranteɛ yi yɛ yi yɛ akyiwadeɛ wɔ Awurade anim, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔbu Awurade afɔrebɔ no animtia.
18 But Samuel was ministering before the face of the Lord; he was a youth girded with a linen ephod.
Samuel deɛ, ɛwom na ɔyɛ abarimaa, nanso na ɔyɛ Awurade ɔboafoɔ. Na wɔde nwera asɔfotadeɛ ahyɛ no te sɛ ɔsɔfoɔ.
19 And his mother fashioned a little tunic for him, which she brought to him on the appointed days, ascending with her husband, so that he might immolate the solemn sacrifice.
Afe biara a ne maame ne ne kunu rekɔbɔ afirinhyia afɔdeɛ no, na ne maame pam batakari kumaa bi de kɔma no.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife. And he said to him, “May the Lord repay to you offspring from this woman, on behalf of the loan that you offered to the Lord.” And they went away to their own place.
Ansa na wɔbɛsane akɔ efie no, Eli hyira Elkana ne ne yere ka sɛ, “Awurade mma ɔbaa yi nwo mma, na ɔmmɛsi deɛ ɔbɔɔ ho mpaeɛ nyaeɛ a ɔde no maa Awurade no ananmu.”
21 Then the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the youth Samuel was magnified with the Lord.
Na Awurade maa Hana woo mmammarima baasa ne mmammaa baanu. Na Samuel nyinii wɔ Awurade anim.
22 Now Eli was very old, and he heard all that his sons were doing to all of Israel, and how they were sleeping with the women who were waiting at the door of the tabernacle.
Afei, Eli bɔɔ akɔkoraa, nanso na ɔnim deɛ ne mmammarima no de reyɛ Israelfoɔ. Nhwɛsoɔ bi ne sɛ, na ɔnim sɛ ne mmammarima no fa mmabaawa a wɔboa ntomadan no ano adwumayɛ no.
23 And he said to them: “Why are you doing these kinds of things, very wicked things, that I have heard from all the people?
Eli ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Metete mo ho nsɛm firi ɔmanfoɔ nkyɛn a ɛfa amumuyɛsɛm a modie no ho. Adɛn enti na mokɔ so yɛ bɔne?
24 My sons, do not be willing. For it is no good report that I am hearing, so that you would cause the people of the Lord to transgress.
Me mma, ɛsɛ sɛ mogyae! Mo ho nsɛm a metete firi Awurade nkurɔfoɔ nkyɛn fa mo ho no nyɛ.
25 If a man has sinned against a man, God may be able to be appeased over him. But if a man has sinned against the Lord, who will pray for him?” But they did not listen to the voice of their father, that the Lord was willing to kill them.
Sɛ obi yɛ bɔne tia ɔfoforɔ a, Onyankopɔn tumi gyina mu ma ɔfɔdifoɔ no. Nanso, sɛ obi yɛ bɔne tia Awurade a, hwan na ɔbɛtumi adi agyinamu?” Eli mma no antie wɔn agya no afotuo, na Awurade nso reyɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛkum wɔn.
26 But the youth Samuel advanced, and grew up, and he was pleasing to the Lord, as well as to men.
Na abɔfra Samuel nyiniiɛ, na ɔkɔɔ so nyaa adom firii Awurade ne ɔmanfoɔ nkyɛn.
27 Then a man of God went to Eli, and he said to him: “Thus says the Lord: Was I not revealed openly to the house of your father, when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh?
Ɛda koro bi Onyankopɔn onipa bi baa Eli nkyɛn de nkra yi brɛɛ no sɛ, “Sei na Awurade ka, ‘Manna me ho adi pefee ankyerɛ wʼagya fie ɛberɛ a na wɔyɛ nkoa wɔ Misraim no anaa?
28 And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel for myself as priest, so that he might ascend to my altar, and burn incense to me, and wear the ephod before me. And I gave to the house of your father all the sacrifices of the sons of Israel.
Israel mmusuakuo no nyinaa mu no, Aaron na meyii no sɛ, ɔnyɛ me ɔsɔfoɔ a ɔbɛkɔ afɔrebukyia anim akɔhye aduhwam, na wahyɛ asɔfotadeɛ wɔ mʼanim. Na mede afɔdeɛ a wɔbɔɔ no ogya so no nyinaa maa mo asɔfoɔ no.
29 Why have you kicked away my victims and my gifts, which I instructed to be offered in the temple? And why have you given more honor to your sons than to me, so that you eat the first-fruits of every sacrifice of my people Israel?
Adɛn enti na motiatia me kum afɔdeɛ ne mʼaduane afɔdeɛ so? Adɛn enti na mobu mo mmammarima sene me? Moawe afɔrebɔdeɛ a me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ bɔ no mu kyɛfa a ɛyɛ no, na monam so ayeyɛ akɛseɛ!’
30 Because of this, the Lord God of Israel says: I have spoken clearly, so that your house, and the house of your father, may minister in my sight, even forever. But now the Lord says: May this be far from me. Instead, whoever will have glorified me, I will glorify him. But whoever despises me, they will be despised.
“Enti, asɛm a Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn ka ne sɛ, ‘Meremma nneɛma bɔne a moreyɛ yi nkɔ so! Mehyɛɛ bɔ sɛ wo Lewi abusua fa no bɛyɛ mʼasɔfoɔ, nanso, wɔn a wɔdi me ni no, mɛdi wɔn ni; na wɔn a wɔbu me animtia no, mɛbɔ wɔn ahohora.
31 Behold the days are arriving, when I will cut off your arm, and the arm of the house of your father, so that there will not be an old man in your house.
Mɛma mo fiefoɔ agyae mʼasɔfodie som no. Mpatuwuo mpa mo fie da na mo mu biara rentena ase nni mfeɛ, mmee.
32 And you will see your rival in the temple, amid all the prosperity of Israel. And there will not be an old man in your house for all days.
Mode anibereɛ na ɛbɛhwɛ nkɔsoɔ a mede bɛma me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ. Na mo abusuafoɔ no mu biara nni hɔ a ɔbɛbɔ akɔkoraa.
33 Yet truly, I will not entirely take away a man of you from my altar, but such that your eyes may fail, and your soul may melt away, and a great part of your house may die out, as it pertains to the state of men.
Wɔn a wɔbɛka akyire no bɛtena ase awerɛhoɔ ne ntehem mu. Na wɔn mma bɛwuwu atɔfowuo.
34 But this will be a sign to you, which will happen to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas: on one day they both will die.
“‘Na sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ na wobɛhunu sɛ deɛ maka no bɛba mu saa no enti, mɛma wo mmammarima baanu no a ɛyɛ Hofni ne Pinehas no awuwu da korɔ mu.
35 And I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will act in accord with my heart and my soul. And I will build a faithful house for him. And he will walk before my Christ for all days.
Ɛno akyi masi ɔsɔfoɔ foforɔ a ɔyɛ ɔnokwafoɔ a ɔbɛsom me, na wayɛ deɛ mɛkyerɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ biara. Mɛhyira nʼasefoɔ, na ne fiefoɔ bɛyɛ ahene a mɛsra wɔn ngo no asefoɔ akɔsi daa.
36 Then this will be in the future, that whoever will have remained of your house, he will approach so that he may pray on his behalf. And he will offer a coin of silver, and a twist of bread. And he will say: ‘Permit me, I beg you, one part of the priestly office, so that I may eat a mouthful of bread.’”
Na wʼasefoɔ nyinaa bɛkoto nʼasefoɔ, asrɛsrɛ wɔn sika ne aduane. Wɔbɛka sɛ, “Mesrɛ mo, momma yɛn nnwuma bi nyɛ wɔ asɔfoɔ no mu sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma yɛanya aduane adi, amee.”’”