1 Samuel 5
1 After the army of the Philistia people-group captured God’s sacred chest in Ebenezer [town], they took it to Ashdod [which is one of their biggest cities].
Filistifoɔ no faa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no akyi, wɔmaa so firii Ebeneser akono hɔ kɔɔ kuropɔn Asdod mu.
2 They carried it into the temple of [their god] Dagon, and placed it alongside a statue of Dagon.
Wɔsoaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no kɔɔ Dagon abosonnan mu. Wɔde kɔsii ohoni Dagon nkyɛn.
3 But early the next morning, when the people of Ashdod [went to see it, they saw that] the statue had fallen on its face in front of Yahweh’s sacred chest! So they set the statue up in its place again.
Nanso, ɛberɛ a adeɛ kyeeɛ a Asdod kuro mma no kɔhwɛeɛ no, na Dagon ahwe fam wɔ Awurade Apam Adaka no anim a nʼanim butu fam. Enti, wɔmaa ohoni no so gyinaa hɔ bio.
4 But the following morning, [they saw that] it had fallen down in front of the sacred chest again. But this time, the statue’s head and hands had broken off, and were lying in the doorway. Only its body remained intact/unbroken.
Nanso, adeɛ kyee anɔpa no, na asɛm korɔ no ara asi bio. Na Dagon no ahwe fam wɔ Awurade Apam Adaka no anim a nʼanim butu fam. Saa ɛberɛ yi deɛ, na ne ti ne ne nsa abubu afiri so deda ɛpono ano. Ne kuntunsini na na aka da hɔ a ammubu.
5 That is the reason that since that time, the priests of Dagon and everyone else who enters the temple of Dagon in Ashdod do not step on the doorsill [where the hands and head of Dagon fell].
Ɛno enti na ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ yi, Dagon asɔfoɔ anaa obiara a ɔbɛwura abosonnan mu hɔ no ntia aponnwa no so no.
6 Then Yahweh [SYN] powerfully caused the people of Ashdod and the people who lived in nearby villages to have (a very great plague/serious illness) of tumors.
Na Awurade maa mpɔmpɔ bobɔɔ Asdodfoɔ ne ne mpɔtam hɔfoɔ no.
7 The men of Ashdod realized why this was happening, and they cried out, “The god of the Israeli people is punishing us and is also punishing our god Dagon. So we cannot allow the sacred chest of the god of the Israelis to remain here!”
Ɛberɛ Asdodfoɔ hunuu asɛm a aba no, wɔkaa sɛ, “Yɛrentumi mma Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ntena yɛn nkyɛn. Ɔtia yɛn! Ɔbɛsɛe yɛn ne yɛn nyame, Dagon nyinaa.”
8 They summoned the five kings of the Philistia people-group, and asked them, “What should we do with the sacred chest of the god of the Israelis?” The kings replied, “Take the sacred chest to Gath [city].” So they moved it to Gath.
Enti, wɔfrɛɛ Filistifoɔ nkuropɔn enum mu sodifoɔ nyinaa bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na yɛnyɛ Israel Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka yi?” Sodifoɔ no susuu asɛm no ho na wɔbuaa sɛ, “Momfa Israel Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no nkɔ Gat.” Enti, wɔde Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no kɔɔ Gat.
9 But after they took it to Gath, Yahweh powerfully struck the people of that city also, with the result that many men, including young men and old men, got tumors on their skin. Then the people became very afraid.
Nanso, ɛberɛ a Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no duruu Gat no, Awurade maa mpɔmpɔ bobɔɔ kuro no mufoɔ, mpanin ne mmɔfra, na wɔsuroo yie.
10 So they took the sacred chest to Ekron [city]. But when the men carried the sacred chest into Ekron, the people there cried out, “Why are you bringing the sacred chest of the God of the Israelis into our city [RHQ]? [By doing that] you will cause us and the rest of our people to die!”
Enti, wɔde Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no kɔɔ Ekron kuropɔn mu, na wɔde rewura hɔ no, Ekronfoɔ no suu sɛ, “Wɔde Israel Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no reba yɛn nkyɛn de abɛkunkum yɛn nso.”
11 The people were terrified/in panic because [they knew that] God was starting to punish them severely. So they summoned the [five] kings of the Philistia people-group again, and [pleaded with them], saying, “Take this sacred chest of the god of the Israelis back to its own place! If you do not do that quickly, we will all die!”
Enti, nnipa frɛɛ sodifoɔ no bio, srɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Monsane mfa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no mfiri ha nkɔ ne ɔman mu, anyɛ saa a, ɛbɛkunkum yɛn nyinaa.” Saa ɛberɛ no na ɔyaredɔm a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn nkyɛn no ahyɛ aseɛ dada ama huboa abɛtɔ kuropɔn no so.
12 Some of the people in Ekron had already died, and the rest of the people were suffering because of tumors on their skin. So they all cried out to their gods [MTY] [to help them].
Wɔn a wɔanwuwu no, wɔmaa mpɔmpɔ bobɔɔ wɔn. Na agyaadwotwa baa baabiara.
