Samuel 1 12

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

Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set a king over you.

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 with you. I have walked before you from my youth until today.

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; testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with? Testify against 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.”

They said, “You have not cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from any man's hand.”

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.”

He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand.” They replied, “Yahweh is witness.”

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

Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from 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 then, present yourself, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh about all of the righteous deeds of Yahweh, which he did 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 came to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and they settled 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 Yahweh their God; he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the armies of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; these all fought against your ancestors.

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’

They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will 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 Yahweh sent Jerub Baal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and gave you victory over your enemies all around you, so that you lived in security.

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.

When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No! Instead, a king must reign over us'—although Yahweh 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 whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as 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 Yahweh, serve him, obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be followers of Yahweh your God.

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.

If you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commands of Yahweh, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

16 “Azɔ minɔ klalo miakpɔ Yehowa ƒe nukunuwɔwɔ ɖa.

Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh 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 upon Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves 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 Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh 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.”

Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil in asking for a king for ourselves.”

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.

Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, but do not turn away from Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.

21 Mawu bubuawo mate ŋu akpe ɖe mia ŋu o.

Do not turn away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.

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!

For the sake of his great name, Yahweh will not reject his people, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.

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 Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. Instead, I will teach you the way that is good and right.

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

Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the 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 destroyed.”