Samuel 1 8

1 Esi Samuel tsi la, eɖo via ŋutsuwo ʋɔnudrɔ̃lawoe na Israel

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he appointed his sons judges to Israel;

2 Via ŋutsu gbãtɔ ŋkɔe nye Yoel eye evelia ŋkɔe nye Abiya ame siwo drɔ̃ ʋɔnu le Beerseba.

and the name of his firstborn son was, Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah, —they were judges in Beer-sheba.

3 Via ŋutsuwo meto wo fofo ƒe afɔtoƒe o. Woɖe asi le mɔ dzɔdzɔe ŋu, heti viɖe ƒoɖi yome, woxɔa zãnu eye wotsoa afia ŋkunɔ.

Howbeit his sons walked not in his ways, but stooped to extortion, —and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Ale Israel ƒe kplɔlawo katã kpe ta heva Samuel gbɔ le Rama

So then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, —and came unto Samuel, to Ramah;

5 Wogblɔ nɛ be, “Azɔ la ètsi eye viwò ŋutsuwo meto wò afɔtoƒe o, eya ta tia fia na mí be wòakplɔ mí abe ale si wòle le dukɔ bubuwo dome ene.”

and said unto him—Lo! thou, art old, and, thy sons, walk not in thy ways: Now, appoint for us a king to judge us, like all the nations.

6 Ke esi wogblɔ be, “Tia fia na mí be wòakplɔ mí” la, esia medze Samuel ŋu o; eya ta wòdo gbe ɖa na Yehowa.

But the thing was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give unto us a king to judge us. So Samuel prayed unto Yahweh.

7 Yehowa gblɔ na Samuel be, “Wɔ nu si wobia tso asiwò la na wo elabena menye wòe wogbe o, ke boŋ nyee wogbe abe woƒe fia ene.

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people, in all that they shall say unto thee, —for, not thee, have they rejected, but, me, have they rejected, from being king over them.

8 Tso esime mekplɔ wo dzoe le Egipte la, wogbea nu le gbɔnye enuenu eye wodzea mawu bubuwo yome. Azɔ la, wole nu ma ke wɔm ɖe ŋuwò.

According to all the doings which they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt, even until this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so, are they doing even unto thee.

9 Azɔ la, ɖo to wo, gake xlɔ̃ nu wo vevie eye nàna woanya nu si fia si ava ɖu wo dzi la awɔ.”

Now, therefore, hearken to their voice, —save that thou, enter protest, against them, and tell them the manner of the king who will reign over them.

10 Ale Samuel gblɔ nya siwo katã Yehowa gblɔ la na ame siwo le ebiam be wòana fia yewo.

So then Samuel spake all the words of Yahweh unto the people, who were asking of him, a king.

11 Egblɔ na wo be, “Esia nye nu si fia si aɖu mia dzi la awɔ; atsɔ mia viŋutsuwo be woanye yeƒe tasiaɖamkulawo kple sɔdolawo eye wòana woasi du le eƒe tasiaɖamwo ŋgɔ.

And he said, This, will be the manner of the king who will reign over you, —Your sons, will he take and appoint for himself, as his charioteers and as his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots;

12 Atsɔ wo dometɔ aɖewo aɖo ame akpewo nu eye wo dometɔ aɖewo anɔ ame blaatɔ̃ aɖewo nu. Ɖewo aŋlɔ eƒe agblewo, axa nukuwo nɛ, nenema ke ɖewo hã anye eƒe aʋawɔnuwo wɔlawo kple tasiaɖamŋutinuwo wɔlawo.

and he will appoint for himself, princes of thousands, and princes of fifties, —and to plough his fields, and to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war, and the instruments of his chariots;

13 Axɔ mía vinyɔnuwo be woanye yeƒe amiʋeʋẽwɔlawo, nuɖalawo kple aboloƒolawo.

And, your daughters, will he take, —as perfumers and as cooks, and as bakers;

14 Axɔ miaƒe agbledenyigba nyuitɔwo, waingblewo kple amitive nyuitɔwo le mia si atsɔ na eƒe dɔlawo.

And, your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, the best of them, will he take, and give to his servants;

15 Axɔ miaƒe agblemenukuwo kple miaƒe wain tsetsewo ƒe ewolia eye wòatsɔ wo ana eƒe dɔnunɔlawo kple eƒe subɔlawo.

And, your seed, and your vineyards, will he tithe, and give to his courtiers and to his servants;

16 Axɔ miaƒe dɔlaŋutsuwo, dɔlanyɔnuwo kple nyi damiwo le miaƒe nyiha me kple miaƒe tedziwo na eya ŋutɔ ɖokui.

And, your men-servants, and your maidservants, and your oxen, even the goodliest, and your asses, will he take, —and put them to his work;

17 Axɔ miaƒe lãhawo ƒe ewolia eye miawo ŋutɔ miazu eƒe kluviwo.

Your flocks, will he tithe, —and, ye yourselves, shall become his servants.

18 Ne ŋkeke ma va ɖo la, miafa avi be woana gbɔdzɔe mi tso fia si mietia la si me eye Yehowa matɔ na mi le ŋkeke ma dzi o.”

Then will ye make outcry, in that day, because of your king whom ye have chosen for yourselves, —and Yahweh will not answer you, in that day.

19 Ke ameawo gbe toɖoɖo Samuel. Wogblɔ nɛ be, “Ao! Míedi fia be wòaɖu mía dzi.

But the people refused to hearken unto the voice of Samuel, —and they said—Nay! but, a king, shall be over us:

20 Ekema míanɔ abe dukɔ bubuawo katã ene eye fia anɔ mía si, ame si akplɔ mí eye wòado anɔ ŋgɔ na mí, awɔ aʋawo na mí.”

so shall, even we, become like all the nations, —and our king shall judge us, and go forth before us, and fight our battles.

21 Esi Samuel se nya siawo katã si ameawo gblɔ la, egbugbɔ wo gblɔ na Yehowa.

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, —and spake them in the ears of Yahweh.

22 Yehowa ɖo eŋu nɛ be, “Ɖo to wo eye nàna fia wo.” Tete Samuel gblɔ na Israel ŋutsuawo be, “Ame sia ame netrɔ yi eƒe du me.” Samuel lɔ̃ eye wòɖo ame sia ame ɖe eƒe du me.

And Yahweh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel: Go ye, every man to his own city.