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, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made 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, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to 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. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? 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 defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’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 is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He 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 that 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 therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to 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 had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell 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; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they 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’

They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of 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.

Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

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 children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when 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 therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set 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 will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are 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.

But if you will not listen to Yahweh’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then Yahweh’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 “Azɔ minɔ klalo miakpɔ Yehowa ƒe nukunuwɔwɔ ɖa.

“Now therefore stand still 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!”

Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in Yahweh’s sight, in 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 Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. 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.”

All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask 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.

Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.

21 Mawu bubuawo mate ŋu akpe ɖe mia ŋu o.

Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.

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 Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, 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.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

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; for 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 keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”