< Deuteronomy 1 >
1 In this book is written what Moses/I said to the Israeli people. He/I told them these things when they/we were in the desert, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. They/We had set up our tents near [a place named] Suph, between Paran [town on the one side of the river] and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab [towns on the other side of the river].
Nya siawo Mose gblɔ na Israelviwo katã le Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe go kemɛ dzi le gbedzi, le Araba balime, le Suf gbɔ le Paran kple Tofel kple Laban kple Hazerot kple Dizahab dome.
2 To walk from Sinai [Mountain] to the Kadesh-Barnea [oasis], people usually travel for only eleven days, going by way of the hilly area named Edom.
Mɔzɔzɔ tso Horeb to Seir to la ŋu yi Kades Barnea la nye ŋkeke wuiɖekɛ ko ƒe azɔli.
3 Forty years after (the Israelis/we) left Egypt, in the middle of January, Moses/I told the Israeli people everything that Yahweh had commanded him/me to tell them.
Le ɣleti wuiɖekɛlia ƒe ŋkeke gbãtɔ gbe le Israelviwo ƒe mɔzɔzɔ ƒe blaenelia me la, Mose ƒo nu na Israelviwo tso se siwo katã Yehowa miaƒe Mawu de nɛ la ŋu.
4 This was after they/we had defeated Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city], and Og, the king of the Bashan [region] who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei [towns].
Esia va eme esi Israel ɖu Sixɔn, Amoritɔwo ƒe fia, ame si nɔ Hesbon kple Ɔg, Basan fia, ame si nɔ Astarot la dzi le Edrei vɔ megbe.
5 Moses/I told them these things while the people were in the Moab region, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. He/I (explained to them/enabled them to understand) God’s laws. This is what he/I said to them:
Mose de asi se siawo gbɔgblɔ me na Israelviwo le Yɔdan tɔsisi la ƒe go kemɛ dzi, le Moabnyigba dzi. Egblɔ na wo be:
6 “Yahweh our God said to us when we were at Sinai [Mountain], ‘You have stayed for a very long time at [the bottom of] this mountain.
Ƒe blaene nye esi va yi, esi Yehowa, míaƒe Mawu la gblɔ na mí le Horeb to la gbɔ be, “Mienɔ afi sia wòdidi.
7 So now continue traveling. Go to the hilly area where the Amor people-group lives and to the nearby areas—to the Jordan [River] Valley, to the hilly region, to the western (foothills/hills at the bottom of the mountains), to the desert area to the south, to the [Mediterranean] Seacoast, to all of Canaan land, to the Lebanon [Mountains], and [northeast] to the great Euphrates River.
Fifia miyi mianɔ Amoritɔwo ƒe tonyigba dzi kple Araba ƒe balime kple Negeb kple Kanaan kple Lebanon ƒe anyigbawo dzi. Anyigba sia tso Domeƒu la ŋu va se ɖe Frat tɔsisi la ŋu.
8 Note that I will give that land to you. I, Yahweh, promised to your ancestors Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that I would give it to them and to their descendants. So now go and occupy it.’”
Metsɔ anyigba sia katã na mi! Miyi edzi, eye miaxɔe, elabena eyae nye anyigba si ŋugbe Yehowa miaƒe Mawu do na mia tɔgbuiwo, Abraham, Isak kple Yakob kple woƒe dzidzimeviwo katã.”
9 Moses/I also said to the people, “When [we were still at Sinai Mountain], I told your ancestors ‘It is a very big burden/responsibility for me to govern all of you. So I cannot do it by myself.
Le ɣe ma ɣi me la, megblɔ na ameawo be, “Mehiã kpeɖeŋutɔ! Mienye agba gã aɖe nam be nye ɖeka matsɔ,
10 Yahweh our God has caused us Israelis to now become as numerous as the stars in the sky.
elabena Yehowa miaƒe Mawu na miedzi sɔ gbɔ abe ɣletiviwo ene!
11 And I hope/desire that Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], will cause us to become 1,000 times as numerous as we are now and that he will bless us just like he promised to do.
Mawu nagana miadzi ɖe edzi zi akpeakpewo wu, eye wòayra mi abe ale si wòdo ŋugbee ene.
12 But I certainly cannot [RHQ] (solve/deal with) all of your complaints/problems.
Ke nu ka ame ɖeka ate ŋu awɔ le miaƒe dzrenyawo dɔdrɔ̃ kple nukpekeamewo ŋuti?
13 So choose some men from your tribes who are wise and who have good sense and who are respected. Then I will appoint them to be your leaders.’
Eya ta mitia ŋutsu aɖewo tso to sia to me, ame siwo nye nunyalawo, nugɔmeselawo kple nuteƒekpɔlawo, eye maɖo wo miaƒe kplɔlawo.”
14 Your ancestors replied, ‘What you have suggested is good for us to do.’
Ke mieɖo eŋu nam be, “Nya si nègblɔ la nyo be woawɔ ɖe edzi.”
15 So I took the wise and respected men [that your ancestors chose] from your tribes, and I appointed them to be your leaders. I appointed some to (rule/have authority) over 1,000 people, some to have authority over 100 people, some to have authority over 50 people, and some to have authority over ten people. I also appointed other officers from throughout your tribes.
Metsɔ amegã siwo wotia tso to ɖe sia ɖe me eye wonye ŋutsu siwo nye bubumewo, eye tagbɔ li na wo la ɖo dzikpɔlawo ɖe mia nu, ɖe ame akpewo, alafawo, blaatɔ̃wo kple ewowo nu be woadrɔ̃ nyawo, eye woakpe ɖe wo ŋu le mɔ sia mɔ nu.
16 I instructed/told your leaders, ‘Listen to the disputes that occur among your people. Judge each dispute, including disputes between close relatives and quarrels between your people and people from other countries who live among you.
Mede se na miaƒe ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawo le ɣe ma ɣi be, “Midrɔ̃ ʋɔnu dzɔdzɔe na ame sia ame kple nɔvia kpakple amedzrowo gɔ̃ hã.
17 You must (be impartial/not favor one person more than another); you must treat poor people and important people equally. You must not worry about what anyone will think [about how you decide matters], because you will decide matters as God [wants you to]. If any quarrel/dispute is very difficult and you are unable to decide it, bring it to me, and I will decide.’
Megblɔ na wo be, ‘Le miaƒe nyametsotsowo me la, migade ame aɖeke dzi le eƒe hotsuitɔnyenye ta o. Miwɔ nu dzɔdzɔe ɖe amegãwo kple ame gblɔewo siaa ŋu sɔsɔe. Migavɔ̃ na woƒe dzikudodo ɖe mia ŋu o, elabena Mawu teƒee miele ʋɔnu drɔ̃m ɖo. Mitsɔ nya siwo sesẽ akpa na mi la vɛ nam, eye mawɔ wo ŋu dɔ.’
18 At that time I also told you other things that you should do.”
Le ɣe ma ɣi me la, megblɔ nu siwo katã wòle be miawɔ la na mi.”
19 “Then, just like Yahweh our God commanded us, we left Sinai [Mountain] and went through that huge desert that was very (dangerous/difficult to travel through), on the road to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. We arrived at Kadesh-Barnea.
Míedzo le Horeb to la gbɔ, eye míezɔ mɔ to gbegbe gã dziŋɔ la dzi. Mlɔeba la, míeva ɖo Amoritɔwo ƒe towo gbɔ, afi si Yehowa, míaƒe Mawu la ɖo na mí be míayi. Míeɖo Kades Barnea le Ŋugbedodonyigba la ƒe liƒo dzi.
20 I said to your ancestors, ‘We have now come to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. This is part of the area that Yahweh our God, the one whom our ancestors [worshiped], is giving to us.
Megblɔ na ameawo be, “Yehowa, mía Mawu la tsɔ Amoritɔwo ƒe tonyigba sia na mí.
21 Note that Yahweh our God is giving this land to us. So go and occupy it as he commanded. Do not be (at all/even a little bit) afraid.’
Miyi miaxɔe abe ale si wògblɔ na mí ene. Migavɔ̃ o. Migake ɖi gɔ̃ hã o.”
22 But all of your ancestors came to me and said, ‘Before we go, we should [first] send some men there to explore the land, in order that they can return and tell us which will be the best road to go there and what kind of towns are there.’
Wogblɔ be, “Gbã la, mina míaɖo ŋkutsalawo ɖa ne woanya mɔ nyuitɔ si dzi míato age ɖe anyigba la dzi kple du gbãtɔ si míaxɔ.”
23 I thought that it would be good to do that, so I chose twelve men, one man from each tribe.
Esia nye susu nyui aɖe, eya ta meɖo ŋkutsala wuieve ɖa, ɖeka tso to ɖe sia ɖe me.
24 They went up into the hilly area as far as Eshcol Valley, and they explored all that area.
Woto toawo dzi heyi Eskɔl ƒe balime.
25 They picked some of the fruit that they found there and brought it to us. They reported that the land that Yahweh our God was giving to us is very good/fertile.”
Wotsɔ afi ma ƒe kutsetse aɖewo gbɔe. Wotsɔ wo vɛ na mí eye wogblɔ be, “Míedze sii enumake be anyigba nyui aɖe ŋutɔe Yehowa, míaƒe Mawu la na mí.”
26 “But your ancestors refused to go [and conquer that land]. They rebelled against what Yahweh our God had commanded them to do, and they would not go into that land.
Ke ameawo gbe be yewomayi anyigba la dzi o, eya ta wotsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa miaƒe Mawu ƒe ɖoɖo ŋuti.
27 Your ancestors [stayed] in their tents and complained saying ‘Yahweh hates us. So he has brought us here from Egypt just to allow the Amor people-group to destroy us.
Wolĩ liʋĩliʋĩ le woƒe agbadɔwo me hegblɔ be, “Yehowa melɔ̃ mí o; ekplɔ mí tso Egipte be Amoritɔwo nawu mí.
28 (Why should we go there?/We do not want to go there.) [RHQ] The men whom we sent there have caused us to become very discouraged/afraid. They have told us that the people there are much stronger and taller than we are and that there are extremely high [HYP] walls around their towns. Also they reported that they saw [giants there that are] descendants of Anak.’
Nu kae le míawɔ ge? Mía nɔvi ŋkutsalawo ƒe ɖaseɖiɖi do ŋɔdzi na mí. Wobe, ‘Anyigba la dzi tɔwo nye ame dzɔatsu sesẽwo, eye gli siwo woɖo ƒo xlã woƒe duwo la kɔ yi ɖatɔ dziŋgɔli! Wokpɔ ame dzɔatsu siwo nye Anak ƒe dzidzimeviwo gɔ̃ hã le afi ma.’”
29 Then I said to your ancestors, ‘Do not be afraid (at all/even a little bit) [DOU] of those people!
Ke megblɔ na wo be, “Migavɔ̃ o!
30 Yahweh our God will go ahead of you, and he will fight for you, just like you saw him do for you in Egypt
Yehowa Mawue nye míaƒe kplɔla eye wòawɔ aʋa na mí kple eƒe nukumɔ triakɔwo abe ale si wòwɔ miekpɔ le Egipte ene.
31 and in the desert. You saw how he brought you safely here, like a man would carry his son. [SIM]’
Miawo ŋutɔ mienya ale si wòlé be na mí ɣe sia ɣi le gbedzi le afi sia, abe ale si fofo léa be na via ene!”
32 [I reminded them that] he always went ahead of them while they traveled [in the desert]. He directed them by [a pillar of] fire during the night and a [pillar of] cloud during the day. He showed them places to set up their tents. But in spite of what I said, your ancestors would not trust Yahweh our God.
Ke nya siwo megblɔ la mewɔ dɔ aɖeke ɖe mia dzi o. Miegbe eye miexɔ Yehowa, miaƒe Mawu la dzi se o,
evɔ wònye eyae kplɔ mi le mɔzɔzɔ blibo la me, tia teƒe nyuitɔwo na mi be miaƒu asaɖa anyi ɖo. Ekplɔ mi kple dzo bibi le zã me kple lilikpo dodo le ŋkeke me.
34 Yahweh heard what they said, and he became angry. He solemnly declared,
Yehowa se woƒe liʋĩliʋĩlilĩ, eye wòdo dɔmedzoe ŋutɔŋutɔ. Eka atam be,
35 ‘Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter the land. He has obeyed me completely. So I will give to him and to his descendants [some of] the land that he explored. He is the only one of all you people who will enter that land. None of these evil people will ever see that good land which I solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.’
“Ame ɖeka pɛ gɔ̃ hã matso dzidzime vɔ̃ɖi ma me, anɔ agbe akpɔ anyigba si ŋugbe yedo na wo fofowo o,
negbe Kaleb, Yefune ƒe viŋutsu ko, elabena Kaleb ya dze Yehowa yome, eya ta axɔ anyigba si dzi wòzɔ la ƒe akpa aɖe abe eƒe domenyinu ene.”
37 But because of [what] your ancestors [did], Yahweh was also angry with me. He said to me, ‘You also will not enter that land.
Yehowa do dɔmedzoe ɖe nye gɔ̃ hã ŋu le woawo ta, eye wògblɔ nam be, “Màde Ŋugbedodonyigba la dzi o!
38 Joshua, the son of Nun, who is your helper, will enter it. Encourage him, because he is the one who will enable you Israeli people to occupy that land.’
Wò kpeɖeŋutɔ, Yosua, Nun ƒe viŋutsu akplɔ Israelviwo ɖe tewòƒe woade afi ma. De dzi ƒo nɛ esi wòle dzadzram ɖo hena ameawo kpɔkplɔ.
39 Then Yahweh said to all of us, ‘You said that your children would be captured by your enemies. Because they are very young, they do not yet know what is good and what is evil. But they are the ones to whom I will give that land, and they will enter it and occupy it.
Matsɔ anyigba la ana wo vi siwo woawo ŋutɔ wogblɔ be woaku le gbedzi.
40 But as for you, turn around and go back into the desert, toward the (Red Sea/Gulf of Aqaba).’
Ke mi dzidzime xoxo ma me viwo ya la, mitrɔ fifi laa, miagbugbɔ aɖo ta Ƒu Dzĩ la gbɔ.”
41 Then your ancestors replied, ‘We have sinned; we have disobeyed Yahweh. So we will go and attack [the people who live in] that land, just like Yahweh our God commanded us to do.’ And each of their men put on his weapons, and they thought that it would be easy to invade the hilly region.
Tete mieʋu eme be, “Míewɔ nu vɔ̃ ɖe Yehowa ŋu. Míayi anyigba la dzi, awɔ aʋa ɖe eta abe ale si Yehowa, míaƒe Mawu la ɖo na mí be míawɔ ene.” Ale wokpla woƒe aʋawɔnuwo hebu be yewoaɖu anyigba blibo la dzi tɔwo dzi bɔbɔe.
42 But Yahweh said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up there and attack those people, because I will not go with you. If you go, your enemies will defeat you.”’
Ke Yehowa gblɔ nam be, “Gblɔ na wo bena, ‘Miekpɔ ayi awɔ aʋa o, elabena nyemanɔ kpli mi o. Miaƒe futɔwo aɖu mia dzi.’”
43 So I told that to your ancestors, but they would not heed what I said. They [again] rebelled against what Yahweh commanded them to do. Their soldiers proudly/arrogantly marched up into that hilly region.
Megblɔe na wo, gake womeɖo tom o, ke boŋ wogatsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ƒe ɖoɖo ŋuti heyi tonyigba la dzi hena aʋawɔwɔ.
44 Then the men of the Amor people-group who lived in that region came out [of their towns] and attacked those soldiers. They pursued your ancestors’ soldiers like [a swarm of] bees pursues people, and they pursued them [south] from the Edom area and defeated them at Hormah [city].
Ke Amoritɔwo, ame siwo nɔ afi ma la kpe aʋa kpli wo, nya wo ɖe du nu abe anyiwo ene, eye wowu wo tso Seir va se ɖe keke Horma.
45 So your ancestors went back [to Kadesh-Barnea] and cried out to request Yahweh [to help them], but he did not heed them. He did not pay any attention to them [DOU].
Wotrɔ gbɔ, eye wofa avi le Yehowa ŋkume, gake meɖo to wo o.
46 So we stayed there at Kadesh-Barnea for a long time.”
Ale wonɔ afi ma, Kades, ɣeyiɣi didi aɖe.