Samuel 1 12

1 Samuel gaƒo nu na Israelviwo be, “Kpɔ ɖa, mewɔ nu si miebia la na mi. Meɖo fia na mi.

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.

2 Ame si anɔ mia ŋgɔ. Fifia metsi, nye ta ƒo wɔ eye vinyewo le mia dome; mekpɔ mia dzi tso keke nye ɖekakpuime ke.

Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

3 Fifia, esi metsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa kple eƒe amesiamina la ƒe ŋkume la, medi be mabia mi be ame ka ƒe nyitsu alo tedzi mefi kpɔ? Meba ame aɖe kpɔa? Mexɔ zãnu le ame aɖe si kpɔa? Mete ame aɖe ɖe anyi kpɔa? Migblɔe nam eye maɖo nu si mexɔ alo nu vɔ̃ si mewɔ la teƒe.”

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

4 Ameawo ɖo eŋu be, “Mèba mí alo te mí ɖe anyi kpɔ le mɔ aɖeke nu o eye mèxɔ zãnu zi ɖeka pɛ gɔ̃ hã kpɔ o.”

“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

5 Samuel yi edzi be, “Yehowa kple eƒe amesiamina la nye nye ɖasefo be miate ŋu atsɔ nya ɖe ŋunye be meda adzo yewo o.” Ameawo ɖo eŋu be, “Ɛ̃, nyateƒee.”

Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

6 Samuel yi edzi be, “Yehowa tia Mose kple Aron, eyae kplɔ mía tɔgbuiwo dzoe le Egipte.

Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Azɔ la, mitsi tsitre ɖe afi sia kpoo le Yehowa ŋkume ne maɖo ŋku nu nyui siwo katã wòwɔ na mi kple mia tɔgbuiwo la dzi na mi.

Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.

8 “Esime Israelviwo nɔ Egipte eye wodo ɣli ɖe kuku na Yehowa la, Yehowa ɖo Mose kple Aron ɖa be woakplɔ wo va anyigba sia dzi.

When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 “Ke woŋlɔ Yehowa, woƒe Mawu la be kaba eya ta Yehowa tsɔ wo de asi na Sisera, Fia Hazor ƒe aʋafia kple Filistitɔwo ƒe fia kple Moab fia.

But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.

10 Wogado ɣli ɖe kuku na Yehowa eye woʋu eme be yewowɔ nu vɔ̃ esi yewotrɔ le Yehowa yome hesubɔ Baal kple Astarɔtwo. Woɖe kuku be, ‘Míasubɔ wò, míaƒe Mawu, ɖeɖe ko ne àɖe mí tso míaƒe futɔwo si me ko’

Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

11 Yehowa ɖo Yerubaal, Barak, Yefta kple Samuel ɖa eye wòɖe mi tso miaƒe futɔwo ƒe asime eye mienɔ anyi le ŋutifafa me.

So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.

12 “Ke esi mienɔ vɔvɔ̃m na Nahas, Amonitɔwo ƒe fia ta la, mieva gblɔ nam be maɖo fia na yewo wòaɖu yewo dzi, le esime Yehowa, mia Mawu la nye miaƒe Fia xoxo elabena eyae nye miaƒe Fia ɣeawo katã ɣi.

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.

13 Fia si mietia lae nye esi, milé ŋku ɖe eŋu nyuie. Miawoe bia eye Mawu tsɔe na mi.

Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.

14 Azɔ, ne miavɔ̃ eye miasubɔ Yehowa, ahawɔ eƒe sewo dzi, miagadze aglã ɖe eŋu o eye ne miawo kple miaƒe fia la siaa miadze Yehowa, mia Mawu, yome la, ekema nu sia nu adze edzi na mi nyuie.

If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.

15 Ke ne miatsi tsitre ɖe Yehowa ƒe sewo ŋu eye miagbe toɖoɖoe la, ekema eƒe asi asẽ ɖe mia dzi abe ale si wòsẽ ɖe mia tɔgbuiwo dzi ene.

But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.

16 “Azɔ minɔ klalo miakpɔ Yehowa ƒe nukunuwɔwɔ ɖa.

Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.

17 Mienya be tsi medzana le ƒea ƒe ɣeyiɣi sia me, le luxaɣi o gake mado gbe ɖa na Yehowa be wòaɖo dziɖegbe kple tsidzadza ɖa egbe ale be miadze si miaƒe vɔɖivɔ̃ɖi ƒe todede le ale si miebia be woaɖo fia na yewo la ta!”

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”

18 Ale Samuel yɔ Yehowa eye wòɖo dziɖegbe kple tsidzadza ɖa gbe ma gbe. Ameawo vɔ̃ Yehowa kple Samuel ŋutɔŋutɔ.

So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 Woɖe kuku na Samuel be, “Do gbe ɖa na Yehowa wò Mawu ɖe mía ta ne míagaku o elabena míetsɔ nu vɔ̃ si míewɔ to biabia be woaɖo fia na mí me la kpe ɖe míaƒe nu vɔ̃ bubuwo ŋuti.”

They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 Samuel de dzi ƒo na wo be, “Migavɔ̃ o, eme kɔ ƒãa be miewɔ nu vɔ̃, gake mikpɔ egbɔ azɔ be miasubɔ Yehowa nyateƒetɔe eye miagatrɔ le eyome le mɔ aɖeke nu o.

“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 Mawu bubuawo mate ŋu akpe ɖe mia ŋu o.

Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

22 Yehowa magblẽ eƒe ame tiatiawo ɖi o elabena ne ewɔ nenema la, aklo bubu le eya ŋutɔ ƒe ŋkɔ gã la ŋu. Ewɔ mi mienye dukɔ tɔxɛ nɛ le ale si wòdi be yeawɔ mi nenema ko la ta!

Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

23 Nye ya la, nete ɖa xaa tso gbɔnye be madzudzɔ gbedodoɖa ɖe mia ta eye mato eme awɔ nu vɔ̃ ɖe Yehowa ŋu. Mayi nu siwo nyo kple nu siwo dze la fiafia mi dzi.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

24 Mixɔ Yehowa dzi se eye miasubɔe le nyateƒe me. Mibu nu gã siwo katã wòwɔ na mi kpɔ la ŋu.

Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.

25 Ke ne mieyi nu vɔ̃ wɔwɔ dzi la, woatsrɔ̃ mi kple miaƒe fia la siaa.”

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”