1 Samuel 8
1 And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
Samuel bɔɔ akwakoraa no, oyii ne mmabarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufo.
2 Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.
Nʼabakan no din de Yoel, na ne ba a ɔto so abien no din de Abiya. Na wɔyɛ atemmufo wɔ Beer-Seba.
3 But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.
Nanso na ne mmabarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibere, gyigyee adanmude, san buu ntɛnkyew.
4 Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.
Enti Israel mpanyimfo nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bedii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.
5 And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”
Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Woabɔ akwakoraa, na wo mmabarima nso nnantew wʼakwan so; enti si ɔhene na onni yɛn anim sɛnea aman bebree yɛ no no.”
6 And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
Wɔn abisade no anyɛ Samuel dɛ nti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kobisaa akwankyerɛ.
7 Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.
Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel se, “Tie nsɛm a ɔmanfo no reka kyerɛ wo no na yɛ. Ɛnyɛ wo na wɔapo, na mmom, me na wɔapo me, sɛ minnni wɔn so hene bio.
8 In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.
Efi bere a miyii wɔn fii Misraim no besi nnɛ yi no, wɔakɔ so apo me akodi anyame afoforo akyi; na nnɛ yi, saa ara na wɔde reyɛ wo.
9 Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”
Ɛno nti, tie wɔn, nanso bɔ wɔn kɔkɔ anibere so, na ma wonhu ɔkwan a ɔhene a ɔrebedi wɔn so no de wɔn bɛfa so.”
10 And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.
Enti Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.
11 And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.
“Sɛɛ na ɔhene ne mo bɛtena. Ɔhene bɛtwe mo mmabarima na wama wɔde ne nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ asom, na wama wɔn atu mmirika adi ne nteaseɛnam anim.
12 And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.
Ebinom bɛyɛ nʼakofo mpem ne aduonum so asahene, na ebinom nso ayɛ nkoa ma wɔafuntum nʼasase, na wɔatwa ne nnɔbae, na afoforo ayɛ nʼakode ne ne teaseɛnam ho nneɛma.
13 Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.
Ɔhene no begye mo mmabea afi mo nsam, na wahyɛ wɔn ama wɔanoa nnuan, na wɔato nnuan, na wɔayɛ nnuhuam nso ama no.
14 Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.
Obegye mo mfuw ne mo bobe mfuw ne mo ngo mfuw a eye no afi mo nsam, na ɔde ama ɔno ankasa nʼasomfo.
15 Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.
Obegye mo nnɔbae mu nkyɛmu du mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼasomfo.
16 Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.
Ɔbɛpɛ sɛ obenya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwi papa ne mo mfurum de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.
17 Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.
Obegye mo nguan mu nkyɛmu du mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfo.
18 And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”
Sɛ da no du a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegye afi saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”
19 But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,
Nanso ɔmanfo no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkae ara ne se, “Yɛpɛ ɔhene.
20 and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”
Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛyɛ sɛ aman a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia no. Yɛn hene bedi yɛn so, na wadi yɛn anim akɔ ɔko.”
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them to the ears of the Lord.
Enti Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,
22 Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”
na Awurade buae se, “Yɛ nea wɔreka no ma wɔn, na ma wɔn ɔhene.” Afei, Samuel penee so, na ɔmaa obiara kɔɔ ne kurom.
