Exodus 4
1 Moses/I replied, “But what if [the Israeli people] (do not believe me/are not convinced) or not do what I tell them? What if they say, ‘Yahweh did not appear to you!’”
Na Mose buaa no sɛ, “Wɔrennye me nni. Asɛm a mɛka no, wɔrenni so. Wɔbɛka sɛ, ‘Awurade nyii ne ho adi nkyerɛɛ wo!’”
2 Yahweh said to him/me, “[Look at] that thing you are holding in your hand. What is it?” He/I replied, “A (walking stick/shepherd’s stick).”
Awurade bisaa no sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na wokura yi?” Ɔbuaa sɛ, “Odwanhwɛfoɔ poma.”
3 He said, “Throw it down on the ground!” So, he/I threw it on the ground, and it became a snake! And he/I ran/jumped away from it.
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “To twene fam.” Enti ɔto twenee fam ma ɛdanee ɔwɔ. Mose dwane firii aboa no ho.
4 But Yahweh said to Moses/me, “Reach down and pick it up by its tail!” So he/I reached down and caught it, and [when he/I picked it up], it became a stick in his/my hand [again.]
Afei, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ, “Sɔ ɔwɔ no dua mu kyere no!” Ɔsɔɔ ne dua mu kyeree no no, ɛsane danee poma no bio.
5 Yahweh said, “[Do the same thing in front of the Israeli people], in order that they may believe that [I], Yahweh God, the one Abraham and Isaac and Jacob worshiped, truly appeared to you.”
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Kɔyɛ saa na wɔbɛgye wo adi. Ɛbɛma wɔahunu sɛ wo agyanom Abraham, Isak ne Yakob Onyankopɔn ada ne ho adi akyerɛ wo ampa.
6 Yahweh spoke to Moses/me again, saying “Put your hand inside your robe [MTY]!” He/I did that. And when he/I took it out again, [surprisingly], his/my hand was white. It had a skin disease [that made it] as white as snow.
“Afei, fa wo nsa hyɛ wo bo.” Ɔde ne nsa hyɛɛ ne bo na ɔyiiɛ no, na kwata ayɛ ne nsa ho fitaa.
7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your robe [MTY]!” So he/I did that, and when he/I took it out again, surprisingly, it was normal again, just like the rest of his/my body!
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no bio sɛ, “Fa wo nsa hyɛ wo bo bio.” Ɔde ne nsa hyɛɛ ne bo bio na ɔyiiɛ no, na kwata no agyae ama ne nsa no ho ayɛ sɛdeɛ ɛte kane no.
8 God said, “[You can do that in front of the Israeli people, too]. If they do not pay attention to what you say because of [seeing] the first miracle, they will (believe [you/be convinced) when you perform] the second miracle.
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Sɛ wɔannye anwanwadeɛ a ɛdi ɛkan no anni a, wɔbɛgye deɛ ɛtɔ so mmienu no adi.
9 If they do not believe you or do what you say, even [after you perform] those two miracles, get some water from the Nile [River] and pour it on the ground. [When you do that], the water from the river that you pour on the ground will become blood [MTY] (OR, [red like] blood).”
Na sɛ nsɛnkyerɛnneɛ mmienu yi akyiri wɔannye wo anni a, kɔsa nsuo firi Asubɔnten Nil mu na bɛhwie gu asase wesee bi so na ɛbɛdane mogya.”
10 Moses/I replied, “O Yahweh! I am not an eloquent [speaker]! I was not an eloquent speaker before, and I have not become one since you started talking to me! I am not a good speaker [MTY], and I speak very slowly.”
Nanso, Mose srɛɛ sɛ, “Ao, Awurade, mennim kasa. Ɛbɛsi ɛnnɛ anaa ɛfiri ɛberɛ a wo ne me kasaeɛ mpo no, mʼano nte.”
11 Then Yahweh said to him/me, “[You seem to forget] who it is that makes people able to speak [RHQ]! Who is it that enables people to be unable to speak or unable to hear, or able to see or not to see? It is I, Yahweh [RHQ]!
Awurade bisaa no sɛ, “Hwan na ɔyɛɛ onipa ano? Ɛnyɛ me Awurade na meyɛeɛ? Hwan na ɔbɔ onipa ma ɔtumi kasa anaa ɔmma no nkasa? Hwan na ɔma no hunu adeɛ anaa ɔmma no nhunu adeɛ? Hwan na ɔma no tumi te asɛm anaa ɔmma no nte asɛm?
12 So start going [to Egypt], and I will help you to speak [MTY], and I will tell you what you should say.”
Afei, kɔ na kɔyɛ deɛ maka akyerɛ wo no na mɛboa wo ama woatumi akasa yie, na mɛkyerɛ wo deɛ wobɛka nso.”
13 But he/I replied, “O, Yahweh, I ask you, please send someone else [instead]!”
Nanso Mose kaa sɛ, “Awurade mesrɛ wo, soma onipa foforɔ.”
14 Then Yahweh became very angry with Moses/me. He said, “[What about] your [older] brother Aaron, who is [also] a descendant of Levi? I know that he is a very good/eloquent speaker. He is actually on his way here [right now], and he will be very happy to see you.
Awurade bo fuiɛ enti ɔkaa sɛ, “Na wo nua Aaron, Lewini no nso ɛ? Menim sɛ nʼano ate. Na hwɛ ɔno na ɔrebɛhyia wo no, na sɛ ɔhunu wo a, nʼani bɛgye.
15 You can talk to him and tell him what to say [MTY], and I will help both of you [SYN] to know what to say [MTY]. And I will tell you both what you should do.
Wobɛkasa akyerɛ no na woaka deɛ ɛsɛ sɛ ɔka akyerɛ no. Mɛboa mo baanu ama moakasa, na makyerɛ mo deɛ mobɛyɛ.
16 He will speak for you to the [Israeli] people. He will be (your spokesman/as though he was your mouth) [MET], and you will be to him as though you are [his] god.
Ɔbɛyɛ wo ɔkyeame ɔman no anim, na wo nso woayɛ sɛ ne Onyankopɔn aka asɛm a wopɛ sɛ ɛda edwa akyerɛ no.
17 [Be sure] to take with you the walking/shepherd’s stick [that is in your hand], because you will perform miracles with it.”
Sɛ worekɔ a, fa wo poma no sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ a, wobɛtumi de ayɛ anwanwadeɛ a makyerɛ wo no.”
18 Moses/I returned to his/my father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me go back to Egypt, to see my fellow Israelis there. I want to know if they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses/me, “Go, and may [God give you inner] peace.”
Mose kɔɔ efie kɔbɔɔ nʼase Yetro nsɛm a asie no ho amanneɛ. “Mɛsrɛ wo ɛkwan na makɔ Misraim makɔsra mʼabusuafoɔ. Mennim mpo sɛ, wɔte ase.” Yetro penee so sɛ, “Kɔ. Mehyira wo kosɛkosɛ.”
19 Yahweh said to Moses/me [before he/I left] Midian, “You can [safely] return to Egypt, because the men who were wanting to kill you [MTY] are [now] dead.”
Ansa na Mose rebɛfiri Midian no, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Nsuro sɛ wobɛsane akɔ Misraim, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn a na wɔrehwehwɛ wo akum wo no nyinaa awuwu.”
20 So Moses/I took his/my wife and sons and put them on donkeys, and they/we returned to Egypt. And Moses/I took in his/my hand the stick that God [told him/me to take along].
Enti, Mose faa ne yere ne ne mma de wɔn tenatenaa mfunumu so sɛ ɔrekɔ Misraim a na Onyankopɔn poma no hyɛ ne nsam.
21 Yahweh said to Moses/me, “When you return to Egypt, be sure to perform all the miracles that I have given you power [to do], while the king is watching. But I will make him stubborn [IDM], with the result that he will not let the Israeli people leave [Egypt].
Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Mose sɛ, “Sɛ woduru Misraim a, kɔ Farao hɔ na kɔyɛ anwanwadeɛ a makyerɛ wo yi kyerɛ no, nanso mɛma nʼaso ayɛ den, enti ɔremma nnipa no nkɔ.
22 Then say to him, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “The Israeli [people] [MTY] are [as dear to] me as firstborn sons [MET].
Na sɛ ɛba no saa a, ka kyerɛ no sɛ, ‘Awurade se, Israel yɛ mʼabakan
23 I told you to let my people [MTY] leave [Egypt], in order that they may worship me [in the desert]. If you refuse to let them go, I warn you, I will kill your firstborn son!”’”
na mahyɛ wo sɛ, “Ma no ɛkwan na ɔnkɔ na ɔnkɔsom me.” Nanso woampene enti mɛkum wʼabakan.’”
24 [One night], as they were camping on the way [to Egypt], Yahweh appeared to Moses/me. He wanted/threatened to kill Moses/me [for disobeying his command that boys/sons be circumcised].
Mose ne nʼabusuafoɔ nam no, adeɛ saa wɔn ma wɔpɛɛ baabi daeɛ. Awurade daa ne ho adi kyerɛɛ Mose na ɔhunahunaa no sɛ ɔbɛkum no.
25 Then [his/my wife] Zipporah took a flint knife and circumcised her son. Then she touched the boy’s feet (OR, genitals) with the piece of skin [she had cut off], and she said, “The blood [which flowed when I circumcised you] will protect you [from being harmed by Yahweh] [MET].”
Enti, ne yere Sipora faa sekammoa de twaa ne babarima kumaa twetia to twenee Mose nan ase kaa sɛ, “Mmogya ayeforɔkunu ne wo.”
26 She said to him, “You are safe now [MET] because you have been circumcised.” So Yahweh did not harm her son.
Enti Awurade gyaa Mose. Na Sipora kaa sɛ, “Woyɛ okunu a twetiatwa ama mogya aka wo.”
27 Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet/see Moses!” So he went [there from Egypt] and met him/me at [Sinai], the mountain dedicated to God, and [greeted him/me by] kissing him/me [on the cheek].
Afei, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Aaron sɛ, “Kɔ ɛserɛ no so kɔhyia Mose.” Enti, Aaron kɔɔ Onyankopɔn Bepɔ Horeb so kɔhyiaa Mose wɔ hɔ. Wɔhyiaeɛ no, wɔde mfeano kyeakyeaa wɔn ho fɛw so.
28 Moses/I told Aaron everything that Yahweh had said to him/me when he told him/me to return to Egypt. He/I also told Aaron about all the miracles that Yahweh told him/me to perform.
Mose kaa nsɛm a Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no ɛberɛ a ɔresoma no no ne anwanwadeɛ a ɔhyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ nyinaa kyerɛɛ Aaron.
29 [So Aaron and Moses/I] returned [to Egypt]. There they/we gathered together all the Israeli elders/leaders.
Enti, Mose ne Aaron sane kɔɔ Misraim frɛɛ Israelfoɔ mpanimfoɔ nyinaa ne wɔn yɛɛ nhyiamu.
30 Aaron told them everything that Yahweh had told Moses/me, and Aaron performed [all] the miracles as the people watched.
Aaron kaa nsɛm a Awurade aka akyerɛ Mose no nyinaa kyerɛɛ wɔn enti, Mose yɛɛ anwanwadeɛ no ma wɔhwɛeɛ.
31 They believed [that what they/we were saying was true]. When they heard that Yahweh had seen how the Israeli people were being cruelly oppressed and that he was going to help them, they bowed down and worshiped [Yahweh].
Yei maa mpanimfoɔ no gye dii sɛ, ampa, Awurade na wasoma wɔn. Afei, wɔtee sɛ Awurade akɔsra wɔn, na ɛnam so ama wahunu wɔn haw, na enti wayɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛgye wɔn afiri saa ɔhaw no mu no, wɔde anigyeɛ buu nkotodwe sɔreeɛ.
