1 Samuel 11
1 Ɛbɛyɛ ɔsram akyi, Amonhene Nahas dii nʼakofo anim bɛtoaa Israel kuropɔn Yabes Gilead. Na Yabesman mma srɛɛ sɛ, “Momma yɛne mo nyɛ apam, na yɛbɛyɛ mo asomfo.”
About a month later, King Nahash of Ammon [led his army across the Jordan River, and they] surrounded Jabesh [city] in [the] Gilead [region]. But all the men of Jabesh [went and] said to Nahash, “Make an agreement/treaty with us [not to kill us], and then we will let you rule us.”
2 Nanso Amonni Nahas buae se, “Eye, na ade baako pɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ mopene so. Ɛne sɛ, metu obiara ani nifa baako de agu Israel nyinaa anim ase.”
Nahash replied, “I will do that if you do one thing. Allow us to gouge out all the right eyes of your people. By doing that we will cause the people [in other countries] to despise all you Israeli people.”
3 Na Yabes mpanyin no buae se, “Ma yɛn nnanson, na yɛmfa nsoma abɔfo mfa Israel nyinaa, na sɛ yɛn abusuafo amma ammegye yɛn de a, yɛbɛpene wo nhyehyɛe no so.”
The leaders of Jabesh replied, “Do not attack us for the next seven days. During that time, we will send messengers throughout Israel [to tell them what you are demanding]. If no one will help us, then we will (surrender to you/allow you to do to us whatever you want).”
4 Abɔfo no beduu Gibea a ɛyɛ Saulo kurom, bɛkaa asɛm a ato wɔn no kyerɛɛ ɔmanfo maa wɔn nyinaa sui.
[Being very confident that his army was very superior, Nahash agreed. So the leaders of Jabesh sent messengers throughout Israel]. When the messengers came to Gibeah, which was [the city] where Saul lived, and they told the people there about the situation, everyone started to cry.
5 Saa bere no, na Saulo refuntum nʼafuw. Na ɔbaa fie no, obisae se, “Dɛn asɛm na asi? Adɛn nti na nusu abu obiara kɔn yi?” Enti wɔbɔɔ asɛm a efi Yabes aba no ho amanneɛ.
At that time, Saul was plowing in the field. When he returned home, he asked, “Why are all the people [crying]?” So they told him what the messengers from Jabesh had reported.
6 Onyankopɔn honhom besii Saulo so denneennen. Na ne bo fuw yiye.
Then God’s Spirit came powerfully upon Saul, and he became very angry [because of what Nahash wanted to do].
7 Ɔfaa anantwi abien, twitwaa wɔn asinasin, na wɔmaa abɔfo no soa kyinii Israel nyinaa, kae se, “Obiara a wanni Saulo ne Samuel akyi ankɔ ɔko no, saa ara na ne nantwi bɛyɛ!” Na Awurade maa nnipa no suroo Saulo abufuw no. Enti wɔn nyinaa bɛboaa wɔn ho ano.
He took two of his oxen [and killed them] and cut them into pieces. Then he sent messengers [carrying those pieces] throughout Israel to tell people this message: “Saul says that [he cut this ox in pieces, and that he] will do the same thing to the oxen of anyone who refuses to come with him and Samuel to fight [the army from Ammon]!” Then Yahweh caused all the people of Israel to be afraid of what Saul might do to them (OR, of what Yahweh might do to them) [if they did not go and help Saul]. So the men all gathered together.
8 Bere a Saulo boaa wɔn ano wɔ Besek a ɔkan wɔn no, na Israel mmarima dodow yɛ mpem ahaasa na Yudafo nso dodow yɛ mpem aduasa.
When Saul gave them all weapons at Bezek, he saw that there were 300,000 Israeli men there, as well as 30,000 men from the tribe of Judah.
9 Saulo somaa abɔfo no ma wɔsan wɔn akyi kɔɔ Yabes Gilead kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn se, “Enkosi ɔkyena awia owigyinae bere mu no, yebeyi mo afi mo ahokyere no mu.” Abɔfo no kɔka eyi kyerɛɛ Yabes mmarima no, wɔn ani gyei.
So Saul sent messengers back to the people at Jabesh to tell them, “We will rescue/save you by noontime tomorrow.” When the people of Jabesh heard that message, they were very joyful/happy.
10 Na Yabes mmarima ka kyerɛɛ wɔn atamfo no se, “Ɔkyena yɛbɛba mo so, na nea mopɛ no, monyɛ yɛn.”
Then the men of Jabesh told [Nahash], “Tomorrow we will surrender to you, and then you can do to us whatever you want to.”
11 Nanso ansa na ade bɛkye no, na Saulo adu hɔ dedaw. Ɔkyekyɛɛ nʼakofo no mu akuw abiɛsa. Ɔtow hyɛɛ Amonfo no so mpofirim, kunkum wɔn anɔpa mu no nyinaa. Wɔn asraafo nkae no bɔ hwetee baabiara a obi mpo nhu sɛ wɔn mu baanu bi gyina faako.
But before the sun rose the next morning, Saul [and his army arrived. He] divided them into three groups. They rushed into the camp of the soldiers from Ammon, and attacked them. By noontime they had killed most of them, and those who were not killed scattered. Each of them who ran away ran away alone.
12 Afei, nnipa no teɛɛ mu frɛɛ Samuel se, “Nnipa a wɔka se ɛnsɛ sɛ Saulo di yɛn so hene no wɔ he? Momfa wɔn mmra na yenkum wɔn.”
Then the people [of Jabesh] said to Samuel, “Where are those men who said that they did not want Saul to be our king? Bring them here, and we will kill them!”
13 Nanso Saulo buae se, “Wɔrenkum obiara nnɛ, efisɛ, Awurade agye Israel nnɛ.”
But Saul replied, “[No], we are not going to execute anyone today, because this is the day that Yahweh has saved us Israeli people. [It is a day to rejoice, not to kill anyone].”
14 Na Samuel ka kyerɛɛ nnipa no se, “Mommra na yɛn nyinaa nkɔ Gilgal nkosi Saulo ahenni no so dua.”
Then Samuel said to the people, “Let’s all go to Gilgal, and there we will again proclaim [that Saul is] our king.”
15 Enti wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ Gilgal, na wɔhyɛɛ Saulo ahenkyɛw wɔ Awurade anim. Na wɔbɔɔ asomdwoe afɔre maa Awurade, na Saulo ne Israelfo nyinaa gyee wɔn ani.
So they went to Gilgal. There, knowing that Yahweh was watching, they proclaimed that Saul was their king. Then they offered sacrifices to enable them to maintain fellowship with Yahweh. And Saul and all the other Israeli people were very happy.
