1 Beresosɛm 17
1 Dawid bɔɔ ne ho atenase wɔ nʼahemfi hɔ no, ɔka kyerɛɛ odiyifo Natan se, “Me de, manya ahemfi a wɔde sida asi no fɛfɛ mu atena, nanso Awurade Apam Adaka no de, ɛhyɛ ntamadan mu.”
Once David had settled into his palace, he spoke to the prophet Nahum. “Look,” he said, “I'm living in a cedar palace while the Ark of the Lord's Agreement is kept in a tent!”
2 Natan buae se, “Nea ɛwɔ wʼadwene mu a wopɛ sɛ woyɛ no, kɔ so na Onyankopɔn ka wo ho.”
“Do what you think you should, for the God is with you,” Nathan replied.
3 Saa anadwo no ara, Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Natan se,
But that night God told Nathan,
4 “Kɔka kyerɛ me somfo Dawid se, ‘Sɛnea Awurade se ni: ɛnyɛ wo na ɛsɛ sɛ wusi asɔredan ma me tena mu.
“Go and talk to my servant David. Tell him, this is what the Lord says, You are not to build a house for me to live in.
5 Efi bere a mede Israelfo fii Misraim besi nnɛ, mentenaa asɔredan mu da. Daa, mete ntamadan mu na wɔde di atutena.
I have not lived in a house from the time I led Israel out of Egypt until now. I have lived in tents, moving from place to place.
6 Na mannwiinwii ankyerɛ Israel ntuanofo no a wɔyɛ me nkurɔfo nguanhwɛfo no da. Mimmisaa wɔn da sɛ: “Adɛn nti na munsii sida dua asɔredan fɛfɛ mmaa me?”’
But in all those travels with all of Israel did I ever ask any Israelite leader I'd ordered to take care of my people, ‘Why haven't you built a cedar house for me?’
7 “Afei, kɔka kyerɛ me somfo Dawid se, ‘Sɛnea Asafo Awurade se ni: Miyii wo sɛ di me nkurɔfo Israelfo anim bere a na woyɛ abarimaa guanhwɛfo a worehwɛ wo nguan wɔ adidibea.
So then, go and tell my servant David this is what the Lord Almighty says. It was me who took you from the fields, from looking after sheep, to become a leader of my people Israel.
8 Baabiara a wokɔe no, mekaa wo ho. Na masɛe wʼatamfo nyinaa. Na afei, mɛma wo din ahyeta wɔ asase so baabiara.
I have been with you wherever you've gone. I have struck down all your enemies right in front of you, and I will make your reputation as great as the most famous people on earth.
9 Mama me nkurɔfo Israelfo no baabi a wɔbɛtena afebɔɔ. Beae bi a ɛwɔ bammɔ a obiara renhaw wɔn. Ɛhɔ bɛyɛ wɔn ankasa asase a aman amumɔyɛfo renhyɛ wɔn so, sɛnea wɔyɛɛ bere bi a atwa mu no,
I will choose a place for my people Israel. I will settle them there and they won't be disturbed anymore. Evil people won't persecute them as they used to,
10 fi bere a miyii atemmufo sɛ wonni me nkurɔfo so no. Na mɛka wʼatamfo nyinaa ahyɛ. “‘Na merepae mu aka se, Awurade besi fi ama wo, ahenni nnidiso.
from the time I placed judges in charge of my people. I will defeat all of your enemies. Also I want to make it clear that I the Lord will build a house for you.
11 Na sɛ wuwu a, mɛma wo mmabarima no mu baako so, na mama nʼahenni ayɛ den.
For when you come to the end of your life and join your ancestors in death, I will bring to power one of your descendants, one of your sons, and make sure his kingdom is successful.
12 Ɔno ne obi a obesi fi a ɛyɛ asɔredan no ama me. Na metim nʼahengua ase afebɔɔ.
He will be the one to build me a house, and I will make sure his kingdom lasts forever.
13 Mɛyɛ nʼagya na ɔbɛyɛ me ba. Merenyi me dɔ a ɛnsa da no mfi ne so, sɛnea miyi fii Saulo a wudii nʼade so no.
I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. I will never take away my kindness and love from him, as I did in the case of the one who ruled before you.
14 Mɛma nʼase atim wɔ mʼahenni nnidiso ne mʼaheman mu bere nyinaa mu, na nʼahengua no bɛtena hɔ daa.’”
I will put him in charge of my house and my kingdom forever, and his dynasty will last forever.”
15 Enti Natan san kɔɔ Dawid nkyɛn kɔkaa nsɛm a Awurade aka no nyinaa kyerɛɛ no.
This is what Nathan explained to David—everything he was told in this divine revelation.
16 Afei, ɔhene Dawid kɔtenaa Awurade anim bɔɔ mpae se, “Me ne hena, Awurade Nyankopɔn, na mʼabusua yɛ abusua bɛn a nti wode me abedu saa tebea yi mu?
Then King David went and sat down in the presence of the Lord. He prayed, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is significant about my family, that you have brought me to this place?
17 Na mprempren, Awurade, eyi nyinaa akyi no, woka se wobɛma me ahenni nnidiso afebɔɔ. Wokasa me ho te sɛ obi a meyɛ ɔkɛse pa ara, Awurade Nyankopɔn!
God, you talk as if this was a small thing in your eyes, and you also have spoken about the future of my house, my family dynasty. You also see me as someone very important, Lord God.
18 “Dɛn na menka bio mfa ɔkwan a woafa so ahyɛ me anuonyam yi ho? Wunim sɛnea mete ankasa.
What more can I, David, say to you for honoring me in this way? You know your servant all too well!
19 Awurade, me nti ne wo pɛ mu nti, woayɛ saa nneɛma akɛse yi nyinaa, na woada no adi.
Lord, you're doing all this for me, your servant, and because it's what you want—doing all these amazing things and letting people know about them.
20 “Awurade, obiara nni hɔ a ɔte sɛ wo. Onyame foforo bi nni hɔ! Yɛntee da mpo sɛ onyame foforo bi wɔ hɔ te sɛ wo!
Lord, there really is no-one like you; there is no other God, only you. We have never heard about anyone else.
21 Ɔman foforo bɛn na ɛwɔ asase so a, ɛte sɛ Israel? Ɔman foforo bɛn, Onyankopɔn, na woayi no afi nkoasom mu de wɔn abɛyɛ wʼankasa wo nkurɔfo? Bere a wugyee wo nkurɔfo fii Misraim no, wode gyee din. Wonam nsɛnkyerɛnne a ɛyɛ ahodwiriw so pam aman a wɔayɛ akwanside ama wɔn no.
Who else is as fortunate as your people Israel? Who else on earth did God go and redeem to make his own people? You gained a wonderful reputation for yourself by all the tremendous, amazing things you did in driving out other nations before your people as you redeemed them from Egypt.
22 Wuyii Israel sɛ wɔmmɛyɛ wo nkurɔfo afebɔɔ, na wo, Awurade, woabɛyɛ wɔn Nyankopɔn.
You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
23 “Awurade, afei yɛ nea woahyɛ ho bɔ afa me ne mʼabusuafo ho no. Ma ɛnyɛ bɔhyɛ a ebetim hɔ daa.
So now, Lord, please ensure that what you have said about me and my house happens, and lasts forever. Please do as you have promised,
24 Wo din ase ntim, na wɔnhyɛ no anuonyam afebɔɔ sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wiase nyinaa bɛka se, ‘Asafo Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ Israel!’ Na ma wo somfo Dawid ahenni nnidiso no ase ntim wɔ wʼanim.
and may your true nature be recognized and honored forever, with people declaring, ‘The Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, is Israel's God!’ May the house of your servant David continue to be there in your presence.
25 “Wo me Nyankopɔn, masi me bo abɔ saa mpae yi, efisɛ woada no adi sɛ wubesi fi ama me, mʼahenni nnidiso a ɛbɛtena hɔ daa.
You, my God, have explained to me, your servant, that you will build me a house. That's why your servant has had the courage to pray to you.
26 Efisɛ woyɛ Onyankopɔn, Awurade. Na me, wo somfo, woahyɛ me nneɛma pa yi ho bɔ.
For you, Lord, are God! You are the one who has promised all these good things to your servant.
27 Na afei asɔ wʼani sɛ wubehyira me ne mʼabusuafo, sɛnea yɛn ahenni nnidiso bɛkɔ so afebɔɔ wɔ wʼanim. Na sɛ wuhyira a, Awurade, ɛyɛ nhyira a ɛtena hɔ daa nyinaa!”
So now, please bless your servant's house that it may continue in your presence forever. For when you bless, Lord, it is blessed forever.”
