1 Ahemfo 12

1 Rehoboam kɔɔ Sekem, efisɛ na Israelfo nyinaa akɔ hɔ sɛ wɔrekosi no hene.

And Rehobo'am went to Shechem; for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king.

2 Bere a Nebat babarima Yeroboam tee sɛ Salomo awu no, ofi Misraim bae, efisɛ oguan fii ɔhene Salomo nsam kɔtenaa Misraim.

And it came to pass, when Jerobo'am the son of Nebat, heard of it, (but he was yet in Egypt, whither he was fled from the presence of king Solomon, and Jerobo'am dwelt in Egypt;

3 Enti Israel mpanyimfo soma ma wɔkɔfaa Yeroboam, na Israel nnipadɔm no nyinaa kɔɔ Rehoboam nkyɛn, ne no kɔkasae se,

And they had sent and called him; ) that Jerobo'am and all the congregation of Israel came, and spoke unto Rehobo'am, saying,

4 “Wʼagya hyɛɛ yɛn ma yɛyɛɛ adwumaden. Yɛsrɛ wo, tew saa adwumaden ne sonkahiri adesoa duruduru a wʼagya de soaa yɛn no so. Woyɛ saa a, yɛbɛsom wo nokware mu.”

Thy father made our yoke hard; but do thou now make lighter the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

5 Rehoboam buae se, “Momma me nnansa na menwene mo asɛm yi ho. Ɛno akyi, mommra mmegye me mmuae.” Enti nnipa no san kɔe.

And he said unto them, Go away yet for three days, and then return to me. And the people went away.

6 Na Ɔhene Rehoboam kɔɔ ne mpanyimfo bi a na wotu nʼagya Salomo fo ne wɔn kosusuw asɛm no ho. Obisaa wɔn se, “Moka asɛm no ho dɛn? Mmuae bɛn na memfa mma saa nnipa yi?”

Then consulted king Rehobo'am with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I should give an answer to this people?

7 Wobuaa no se, “Sɛ nnɛ yi, wopɛ sɛ woyɛ ɔsomfo ma saa nnipa yi, na woma wɔn mmuae pa a, ɛno de, daa wɔbɛsom wo nokware mu.”

And they spoke unto him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, and be attentive to them, and speak to them good words; then will they be servants unto thee for all times.

8 Nanso Rehoboam amfa afotu a mpanyimfo no maa no no. Mmom, ɔkɔɔ nʼatipɛnfo mmabun bi a ɔne wɔn sii so a na wotu no fo no nkyɛn.

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, those who stood before him:

9 Okobisaa wɔn se, “Mo nso, mo afotu ne dɛn? Mmuae bɛn na memfa mma saa nnipa a wɔpɛ sɛ metew adesoa duruduru a mʼagya de soaa wɔn no so?”

And he said unto them, What do you counsel how we should give an answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make lighter the yoke which thy father did put upon us?

10 Mmerante no buae se, “Asɛm a ɛsɛ sɛ woka kyerɛ wɔn ne se, ‘Me nsateaa ketewa no mu piw sen mʼagya asen mu. Na sɛ modwene sɛ na ɔyɛ den wɔ mo so a, montwɛn na mubehu sɛnea mete.’

Then spoke unto him the young men that were grown up with him, saying, Thus must thou say unto this people that have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but do thou make it lighter unto us: thus must thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

11 Yiw, mʼagya yɛɛ den wɔ mo so, na mɛyɛ aboro saa. Mʼagya hwee mo mpire na me de, mede nkekantwɛre na ɛbɛhwe mo.”

And now, if my father hath burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will even add to your yoke; if my father hath chastised you with whips, then will I chastise you with scorpion-thorns.

12 Nnansa akyi no, Yeroboam ne nnipa no nyinaa san baa sɛ wɔrebetie Rehoboam mmuae sɛnea ɔkae no.

When now Jerobo'am and all the people came to Rehobo'am on the third day, as the king had spoken, saying, Return to me on the third day.

13 Ɔhene no buaa nnipa no abufuw so. Wamfa mpanyimfo no afotu no;

The king answered the people harshly, and forsook the old men's counsel that they had advised him;

14 ɔfaa mmabun no afotu. Ɔka kyerɛɛ nnipa no se, “Mʼagya yɛɛ den wɔ mo so, na mɛyɛ aboro saa. Mʼagya hwee mo mpire na me de mede nkekantwɛre bɛkeka mo.”

And he spoke to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will even add to your yoke; my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpion-thorns.

15 Enti ɔhene no anyɛ nnipa no abisade no ho hwee. Saa nsɛm a esisii yi yɛ Onyankopɔn nhyehyɛe, efisɛ ɛmaa Awurade nkɔm a ɔnam odiyifo Ahiya a ofi Silo no hyɛɛ Nebat babarima Yeroboam no baa mu.

Thus the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was so brought about from the Lord, in order that he might fulfill his word, which the Lord had spoken by means of Achiyah the Shilonite unto Jerobo'am the son of Nebat.

16 Bere a Israel nyinaa huu sɛ ɔhene anyɛ wɔn abisade amma wɔn no, wɔteɛteɛɛ mu se, “Yɛne Dawid nni hwee yɛ! Yɛne Yisai babarima no nni hwee yɛ! Israel, momma yɛnkɔ yɛn nkyi! Dawid, hwɛ wʼankasa wo fi so!” Enti Israelfo no san kɔɔ wɔn fi.

So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people gave the king an answer saying, What portion have we in David? nor have we an inheritance in the son of Jesse; to your tents, O Israel: now see to thy own house, David. So did Israel go away unto their tents.

17 Na Rehoboam kɔɔ so dii Israelfo a na wɔtete Yuda nkurow so no so hene.

But as for the children of Israel who dwelt in the cities of Judah, over them did Rehobo'am reign.

18 Ɔhene Rehoboam somaa Adoram a na ɔhwɛ adwumayɛfo so no sɛ ɔnkɔhwɛ mma ɔman no nyɛ dinn, nanso Israelfo no siw no abo kum no. Bere a ɔhene Rehoboam tee saa asɛm no, ntɛm ara, ohuruw tenaa ne teaseɛnam mu, guan kɔɔ Yerusalem.

Then sent king Rehobo'am Adoram, who was over the tribute; but all Israel stoned him with stones, that he died. Therefore king Rehobo'am made speed with all his might to get up into his chariot, to flee to Jerusalem.

19 Israel mmusuakuw a wɔwɔ atifi fam no ampene sɛ Dawid aseni biara bedi wɔn so, de besi nnɛ.

So did Israel rebel against the house of David unto this day.

20 Bere a Israelfo tee sɛ Yeroboam fi Misraim asan aba no, wɔyɛɛ nhyiamu, sii no hene wɔ Israel nyinaa so. Enti Yuda abusuakuw no nko ara na wɔkae, som Dawid fi nokware mu.

And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jerobo'am was returned, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, save the tribe of Judah alone.

21 Bere a Rehoboam duu Yerusalem no, ɔboaboaa Yuda ne Benyamin asraafo ano. Oyii akofo mpem ɔha ne aduɔwɔtwe, sɛ wɔrekɔko atia Israel asraafo, na wɔafa ahemman no adi so.

And when Rehobo'am was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring back the kingdom to Rehobo'am the son of Solomon.

22 Nanso Onyankopɔn ka kyerɛɛ Semaia, Onyankopɔn nipa no se,

But the word of God came unto Shema'yah the man of God, saying,

23 “Ka kyerɛ Salomo babarima Rehoboam, Yudahene ne nnipa a wofi Yuda ne Benyamin se,

Say unto Rehobo'am, the son of Solomon, the king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying,

24 ‘Sɛnea Awurade se ni, Mo ne mo nuanom Israelfo nntwa mo ho nko. Monsan nkɔ mo akyi, na nea asi no nyinaa fi me!’” Enti wotiee Awurade asɛm no, san kɔɔ wɔn fi sɛnea Awurade hyɛe no.

Thus hath said the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight with your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for from me hath this thing been brought about. And they hearkened to the word of the Lord, and returned to go home, according to the word of the Lord.

25 Yeroboam kyekyeree Sekem kurow wɔ Efraim bepɔw asase so ma ɛbɛyɛɛ ne kuropɔn. Akyiri no, ɔkɔkyekyeree kurow Penuel.

And Jerobo'am built Shechem in the mountain of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from there and built Penuel.

26 Yeroboam dwenee ho dinn, see ne koma mu se, “Sɛ manhwɛ yiye a, ahemman no bɛsan akɔ Dawid fifo adedifo nsam.

And Jerobo'am said in his heart, Now may the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 Na sɛ wɔkɔ Yerusalem, kɔbɔ afɔre wɔ Awurade Asɔredan mu nso a, wɔbɛsom Yudahene Rehoboam. Ɛba saa a, wobekum me, de ɔno mmom asi wɔn so hene.”

If this people go up to prepare sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then may the heart of this people turn again unto their Lord, even unto Rehobo'am the king of Judah, and they might kill me, and return to Rehobo'am the king of Judah.

28 Enti otiee nea nʼafotufo ka, na ɔyɛɛ sikakɔkɔɔ anantwi mma abien. Ɔka kyerɛɛ nnipa no se, “Ɛyɛ ɔbrɛ bebree sɛ mobɛforo akɔ Yerusalem akɔsom. Ɛno nti, Israel, eyinom ne anyame a woyii mo fii Misraim!”

Whereupon the king took counsel, and he made two calves of gold, and said unto the people, You have been long enough going up to Jerusalem: behold, here are thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

29 Ɔde nantwi mma ahoni yi sisii Israel anafo ne atifi, wɔ Bet-El ne Dan.

And he placed the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

30 Eyi bɛyɛɛ bɔne kɛse, efisɛ nnipa no som ahoni no, a na mpo wotwa kwan kɔ Dan.

And this thing became a sin; and the people went before the one, as far as Dan.

31 Yeroboam sisii abosonnan wɔ nkoko so, na ɔpaw asɔfo fii nnipa no mu a na womfi Lewi asɔfo abusua mu.

And he made a house of the high-places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 Yeroboam hyehyɛɛ nyamesom dapɔnna wɔ Bet-El a na wodi saa nna no Bul ɔsram (bɛyɛ Ahinime) mu a na ɛte sɛ Yuda Guankɔbea Afahyɛ no ara. Bet-El hɔ na ɔno ankasa bɔɔ afɔre maa nantwimma ahoni a wayɛ no. Na Bet-El hɔ ara nso na ɔpaw asɔfo maa abosomfi a osisii no.

And Jerobo'am made a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar; so did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he stationed at Beth-el the priests of the high-places whom he had made.

33 Na ɔno ankasa yii da bi too hɔ, Bul ɔsram (bɛyɛ Ɔsannaa) mfimfini mu hɔ, na Yeroboam kɔbɔɔ afɔre wɔ afɔremuka so wɔ Bet-El. Ɔhyɛɛ anyamesom afahyɛ ase maa Israel, na ɔforo kɔɔ afɔremuka no so kɔhyew aduhuam.

So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had falsely devised of his own heart; and he ordained a feast unto the children of Israel, and he went up to the altar, to burn incense.