1 Samuel 8
1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
Samuel bɔɔ akɔkoraa no, ɔyii ne mmammarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufoɔ.
2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
Nʼabakan no din de Yoɛl ɛnna ne ba a ɔtɔ so mmienu no din de Abiya. Na wɔyɛ atemmufoɔ wɔ Beer-Seba.
3 His sons did not walk in his ways, but chased after dishonest gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
Nanso, na ne mmammarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibereɛ. Wɔgyegyee adanmudeɛ, buu ntɛnkyea.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
Enti, Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bɛdii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.
5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Woabɔ akɔkoraa, na wo mmammarima nso nnante wʼakwan so; enti, si ɔhene na ɔnni yɛn anim sɛdeɛ aman bebree yɛ noɔ no.”
6 But it displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
Wɔn abisadeɛ no anyɛ Samuel dɛ enti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kɔbisaa akwankyerɛ.
7 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in everything they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ, “Tie nsɛm a ɔmanfoɔ no reka kyerɛ wo no na yɛ. Ɛnyɛ wo na wɔapo, na mmom, me na wɔapo me, sɛ mennni wɔn so ɔhene bio.
8 They are acting now the same as they did since the day I brought them out of Egypt, forsaking me, and serving other gods, and so they are also doing to you.
Ɛfiri ɛberɛ a meyii wɔn firi Misraim no bɛsi ɛnnɛ yi no, wɔakɔ so apo me akɔdi anyame foforɔ akyi; na ɛnnɛ yi, saa ara na wɔde reyɛ wo.
9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know the way the king will rule over them.”
Ɛno enti, tie wɔn, nanso bɔ wɔn kɔkɔ anibereɛ so, na ma wɔnhunu ɛkwan a ɔhene a ɔrebɛdi wɔn so no de wɔn bɛfa so.”
10 So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who were asking for a king.
Enti, Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.
11 He said, “This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots.
“Sei na ɔhene ne mo bɛtena. Ɔhene bɛtwe mo mmammarima akɔfra nʼasradɔm mu, na wɔama wɔn atu mmirika adi ne nteaseɛnam anim.
12 He will appoint for himself captains of thousands and captains of fifties. He will make some plow his ground, some reap his harvest, and some make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.
Ebinom bɛyɛ nʼakodɔm mu asahene, na ebinom nso ayɛ nkoa mu asomfoɔ. Wɔbɛhyɛ ebinom ma wɔafuntum nʼafuo, na wɔatwa nʼafudeɛ, na afoforɔ ayɛ nʼakodeɛ ne ne teaseɛnam ho nneɛma.
13 He will also take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
Ɔhene no bɛgye mo mmammaa afiri mo nsam, na wahyɛ wɔn ama wɔanoa nnuane, na wɔato nnuane, na wɔayɛ nnuhwam nso ama no.
14 He will take the very best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, and give them to his servants.
Ɔbɛgye mo mfuo ne mo bobe mfuo ne mo ngo mfuo a ɛyɛ no afiri mo nsam, na ɔde ama ɔno ankasa nʼasomfoɔ.
15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give to his officers and his servants.
Ɔbɛgye mo mfudeɛ mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfoɔ ne nʼasomfoɔ.
16 He will take your male servants and your female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys; he will put them all to work for him.
Ɔbɛpɛ sɛ ɔbɛnya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwie papa ne mo mfunumu de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.
17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.
Ɔbɛgye mo nnwan mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfoɔ.
18 Then on that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves; but Yahweh will not answer you on that day.”
Sɛ ɛda no duru a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegyeɛ afiri saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel; they said, “No! There must be a king over us
Nanso, ɔmanfoɔ no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkaeɛ ara ne sɛ, “Sɛ ɛte sɛn koraa a, yɛpɛ ɔhene.
20 so that we might be like all the other nations, and so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛyɛ sɛ aman a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia no. Yɛn ɔhene bɛdi yɛn so, na wadi yɛn anim akɔ ɔko.”
21 When Samuel heard all the words of the people he repeated them in the ears of Yahweh.
Enti, Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,
22 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and cause someone to be king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man must go to his own city.”
na Awurade buaa sɛ, “Yɛ deɛ wɔreka no ma wɔn, na ma wɔn ɔhene.” Afei, Samuel penee so, na ɔmaa obiara kɔɔ ne kurom.
