Numbers 8
1 Yahweh said to Moses/me,
Yehowa gblɔ na Mose be,
2 “Tell Aaron to put the seven lamps on the lampstand and place them in such a way that they shine toward the front of the lampstand.”
“Ƒo nu na Aron, eye nàgblɔ nɛ be, ‘Ne ètsɔ akaɖi adreawo da ɖe akaɖiti la dzi la, ele be woaklẽ ɖe teƒe si le akaɖiti la ŋgɔ.’”
3 So [Moses/I told him what Yahweh said], and he did that.
Aron wɔ esia. Eɖo akaɖigbea atiawo dzi ɖe ɖoɖo siwo Yehowa na Mose nu tututu.
4 The lampstand had been made from gold that had been hammered [from one large lump of gold], from its base to the decorations at the top [that resembled] flowers. The lampstand was made exactly like Yahweh had told Moses/me that it should be made.
Wotsɔ sika wɔ akaɖiti la kple seƒoƒowo ɖe akaɖiti la ƒe zɔ kple alɔdzeawo ŋu. Wowɔ akaɖitiawo abe ale si Yehowa fia Mose ene.
5 Yahweh also said to Moses/me,
Yehowa gblɔ na Mose be,
6 “You must cause the descendants of Levi to be acceptable to me by setting them apart from the other Israeli people.
“Ɖe Levi ƒe viwo ɖa le Israelvi bubuawo dome, eye nàkɔ wo ŋu to mɔ sia dzi.
7 Do that by sprinkling them with water [which will symbolize] their being freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins. Then they must shave [off all the hair on] their bodies and wash their clothes.
Hlẽ tsi kɔkɔe la ɖe wo ŋu, eye nàna woawo ŋutɔ nalũ woƒe ŋutifuwo katã, eye woanya woƒe awuwo, ekema woanɔ kɔkɔe.
8 Then they must bring to the Sacred Tent one bull and some grain mixed with [olive] oil. [Those things will be burned] as sacrifices. They must also bring another bull [that will enable me to forgive them] for the sins they have committed.
Na woatsɔ nyitsuvi aɖe kple nuɖuvɔsanu si nye wɔ memee si wobaka kple ami la kple nyitsu bubu na nu vɔ̃ ŋuti vɔsa vɛ.
9 Then you must summon all the Israeli people to come together in front of the Sacred Tent, to [gather around] the descendants of Levi.
Ekema, nàkplɔ Levi ƒe viwo va Agbadɔ la ƒe mɔnu eye naƒo Israelviwo ƒe ha blibo la nu ƒu.
10 Then the Israeli people must lay their hands on the descendants of Levi.
Le afi ma la, nana Levitɔ nava Yehowa ƒe ŋkume eye Israelviwo ada asi ɖe wo dzi,
11 Aaron must then present them to me to be a gift from the Israeli people, in order that they can work for me [at the Sacred Tent].
ato tsɔtsɔna ƒe dzesiwo me, atsɔ wo ana Yehowa abe nunana tso Israel dukɔ blibo la gbɔ ene. Levi ƒe viwo anɔ Israelviwo katã teƒe le Yehowa subɔsubɔ me.
12 “After that, the descendants of Levi must place their hands on the heads of the two bulls. Then the bulls will be [killed and] burned on the altar. One will be an offering to enable me [to forgive them for] sins they have committed, and the other will be completely burned [to please me].
“Le esia megbe la, Levi ƒe viwo ƒe kplɔlawo ada woƒe asiwo ɖe nyitsuvi eveawo ƒe tawo dzi, eye woatsɔ wo ana le Yehowa ŋkume. Woatsɔ ɖeka asa nu vɔ̃ vɔsa, eye woatsɔ evelia asa numevɔ be woalé avu ɖe Levi ƒe viwo nu.
13 The descendants of Levi must stand [at the altar] in front of Aaron and his sons, and you must then dedicate to me the descendants of Levi.
Ekema woatsɔ Levi ƒe viwo ana Aron kple via ŋutsuwo abe ale si wotsɔa nu bubu ɖe sia ɖe si wodi be woana Yehowa la naa nunɔlawo ene!
14 This ritual will show that the descendants of Levi are set apart from the other Israelis and that they belong to me.
Eya ta nàtia Levi ƒe viwo ɖa le Israelvi bubuawo katã dome, eye Levi ƒe viwo azu tɔnye.
15 “After the descendants of Levi have been made acceptable to me, and presented to me like a special offering, they may start to work at the Sacred Tent.
“Ne èkɔ wo ŋuti, eye nètsɔ wo nam le mɔ sia nu vɔ la, woate ŋu age ɖe agbadɔ la me hena woƒe subɔsubɔdɔwo wɔwɔ.
16 They will belong to me. They will work for me as substitutes for the firstborn males of all the Israelis, [who also belong to me].
Wonye tɔnyewo le Israelviwo katã dome. Mexɔ wo ɖe Israelviwo ƒe viŋutsu gbãtɔwo katã teƒe; mexɔ Levi ƒe viwo abe teƒenɔlawo ene.
17 All the firstborn males in Israel, both the people and the animals, are mine. When I caused all the firstborn sons of the people of Egypt to die, [I (spared/did not kill) the firstborn males of the Israelis]. I set them apart to belong to me. I said that the firstborn males of all their domestic animals would also belong to me.
Israelviwo ƒe viŋutsu ŋgɔgbetɔwo kple woƒe lãwo ƒe vi ŋgɔgbetɔwo katã nye tɔnyewo. Metsɔ wo na ɖokuinye le zã si me mewu Egiptetɔwo ƒe ŋgɔgbeviwo katã.
18 But now I have chosen the descendants of Levi to take the places of the firstborn males of other Israelis.
Ɛ̃, mexɔ Levi ƒe viwo ɖe Israelviwo ƒe viŋutsu tsitsiwo katã teƒe.
19 I have appointed the descendants of Levi to help Aaron and his sons at the Sacred Tent, as Aaron and his sons offer the sacrifices so that the Israeli people’s sins will be forgiven, and to prevent the Israelis from coming close to the tent with the result that a plague would cause many of them to become sick and die.”
Matsɔ Levi ƒe viwo ake Aron kple via ŋutsuwo abe nunana ene. Levi ƒe viwo awɔ dɔ kɔkɔe siwo wohiã tso Israelviwo si be woawɔ le agbadɔ la me, woatsɔ nu siwo amewo na la asa vɔwoe, eye woalé avu ɖe wo nu. Dɔvɔ̃ mato le Israelviwo dome abe ale si wòanɔ ene ne ame siwo menye Levi ƒe viwo o la ge ɖe agbadɔ la me ene o.”
20 Aaron and Moses/I and the other Israelis helped the descendants of Levi to do everything that Yahweh had commanded.
Ale Mose kple Aron kpakple Israelviwo katã wotsɔ Levi ƒe viwo na Yehowa le se si wòde na Mose la nu.
21 The descendants of Levi [sprinkled themselves with water to symbolize that] they had been freed/cleansed from [the guilt of] their sins, and they washed their clothes. Then Aaron brought them to [the altar to] present them to Yahweh, and he offered sacrifices to cleanse them from [the guilt of] their sins and cause them to become acceptable to Yahweh.
Levi ƒe viwo kɔ wo ɖokuiwo ŋu, eye wonya woƒe awuwo. Aron to tsɔtsɔna ƒe dzesiwo me tsɔ wo na Yehowa. Ewɔ avuléle ƒe wɔnawo ɖe wo ta hekɔ wo ŋuti.
22 After that, the descendants of Levi started to work at the Sacred Tent to assist Aaron and his sons. They did that just as Yahweh had commanded Moses/me.
Le esia megbe la, woyi agbadɔ la me abe Aron kple via ŋutsuawo ƒe kpeɖeŋutɔwo ene. Wowɔ nu sia nu pɛpɛpɛ ɖe se si Yehowa de na Mose la nu.
23 Yahweh also said this to Moses/me:
Yehowa gblɔ na Mose be,
24 “The descendants of Levi who are between 25 and 50 years old will work at the Sacred Tent.
“Se sia ku ɖe Levi ƒe viwo ŋu. Ŋutsu siwo xɔ ƒe blaeve vɔ atɔ̃ la ava awɔ Mawu ƒe agbadɔ la ŋuti dɔ.
25 But after they become 50 years old, they must (retire/not do that work any more).
Ke ne woxɔ ƒe blaatɔ̃ la, woaxɔ dzudzɔ tso woƒe dɔwɔwɔ me, eye womagawɔ dɔ o.
26 They may help the other descendants of Levi to do their work at the Sacred Tent, but they must not do the work themselves. That is what you must tell them about the work they will do.”
Woate ŋu akpe ɖe wo nɔviwo ŋu le woƒe dɔwɔwɔwo me le agbadɔ la me, gake woawo ŋutɔ magawɔ dɔ la o. Ekema esiae nye ale si nàde dɔwo asi na Levi ƒe viwoe.”
