Kings I 8

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

Samuel bɔɔ akwakoraa no, oyii ne mmabarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufo.

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 Yoel, na ne ba a ɔto so abien no din de Abiya. Na wɔyɛ atemmufo wɔ Beer-Seba.

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

Nanso na ne mmabarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibere, gyigyee adanmude, san buu ntɛnkyew.

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

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 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 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 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 abisade no anyɛ Samuel dɛ nti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kobisaa 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 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 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.

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 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 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 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 among his horsemen, and running before his 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 [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 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 And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and 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 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good olive yards, and 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 And he will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards, and give [it] to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

Obegye mo nnɔbae mu nkyɛmu du mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼasomfo.

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 obenya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwi papa ne mo mfurum de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.

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

Obegye mo nguan mu nkyɛmu du mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfo.

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 da no du a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegye afi 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 ɔmanfo no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkae ara ne se, “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 hene bedi 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 nkurɔfo 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 buae se, “Yɛ nea wɔreka no ma wɔn, na ma wɔn ɔhene.” Afei, Samuel penee so, na ɔmaa obiara kɔɔ ne kurom.