1 Samuel 12

1 Afei, Samuel kasa kyerɛɛ ɔman no bio se, “Nea mopɛɛ sɛ meyɛ no mayɛ, mama mo ɔhene.

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.

2 Matwa me mmabarima ho ayi no, na migyina ha sɛ akwakoraa tidwen. Masom sɛ mo kannifo fi me mmofraase.

Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

3 Afei, monka nkyerɛ me, bere a migyina Awurade ne nea wɔasra no wɔ ne din mu anim yi, hena nantwi anaa nʼafurum na mawia? Masisi mo mu bi pɛn ana? Madi mo nya pɛn ana? Magye adanmude bi pɛn ana? Sɛ mayɛ bɔne bi a, monka nkyerɛ me, na mesiesie nea manyɛ no.”

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

4 Wobuaa se, “Dabi, wunsisii yɛn, na wunnii yɛn nya ɔkwan biara so, na wunnyee adanmude fua pɛ mpo.”

“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

5 Samuel kae se, “Awurade ne ne onipa a wasra no no yɛ me nnansefo sɛ morentumi nka sɛ mabɔ mo korɔn.” Wɔn nyinaa kae se, “Ampa ara, ɛyɛ nokware!”

Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

6 Samuel toaa so se, “Ɛyɛ Awurade na oyii Mose ne Aaron. Ɔno na oyii mo agyanom fii Misraim asase so.

Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Mprempren, munnyina ha dinn wɔ Awurade anim bere a migu so rekaakae mo nneɛma akɛse a Awurade ayɛ ama mo ne mo agyanom no.

Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.

8 “Bere a na Israelfo wɔ Misraim na wosu frɛɛ Awurade no, ɔsomaa Mose ne Aaron sɛ, wonnyi wɔn mfi Misraim, na wɔmfa wɔn mmra saa asase yi so.

When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 “Nanso ankyɛ biara na nnipa no werɛ fii Awurade, wɔn Nyankopɔn, enti ɔmaa Sisera a ɔyɛ Hasor asraafo sahene no ne Filistifo ne Moabhene dii wɔn so.

But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.

10 Afei, wosu frɛɛ Awurade bio, na wɔpaee mu kaa wɔn bɔne se, ‘Yɛayɛ bɔne sɛ yɛatwe yɛn ho afi Awurade ho, na yɛresom ahoni Baalim ne Astoret. Na sɛ wugye yɛn fi yɛn atamfo nsam a, yɛbɛsom wo, na wo nko ara na yɛbɛsom.’

Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

11 Na Awurade somaa Yerub-Baal, Barak, Yefta ne Samuel, na ogyee mo fii mo atamfo nsam na mobɛtenaa asomdwoe mu.

So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.

12 “Nanso musuroo Amonfo hene Nahas nti, moka kyerɛɛ me se, ‘Dabi, yɛrepɛ ɔhene ama wadi yɛn so’—nanso na Awurade mo Nyankopɔn yɛ mo so hene.

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.

13 Afei, mo hene a moayi no ni; nea mobisae no. Hwɛ, Awurade ayɛ mo apɛde ama mo.

Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.

14 Sɛ musuro Awurade, na mosom no, tie nʼasɛm, na sɛ moammu ne mmara so, na mo ne mo hene a odi mo so no nyinaa di Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn akyi a, biribiara bɛyɛ yiye.

If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.

15 Na sɛ moantie Awurade, na mubu ne mmara so a, ne nsa bɛyɛ duru wɔ mo so sɛnea ɛyɛɛ mo agyanom so no.

But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.

16 “Enti afei, munnyina hɔ dinn, na monhwɛ ade kɛse a Awurade rebɛyɛ.

Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.

17 Munim sɛ saa bere yi a ɛyɛ awitwabere yi, osu ntɔ. Mɛma Awurade apae aprannaa na ama osu atɔ. Afei mubehu bɔne a moyɛe sɛ mobisaa ɔhene no.”

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”

18 Ɛhɔ ara Samuel frɛɛ Awurade, na da no ara, Awurade paee aprannaa, tɔɔ osu. Nnipa no nyinaa suroo Awurade ne Samuel.

So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 Nnipa no nyinaa ka kyerɛɛ Samuel se, “Bɔ Awurade, wo Nyankopɔn, mpae ma wʼasomfo sɛnea yɛrenwu, na yɛrenyɛ bɔne nka yɛn bɔne ahorow nyinaa ho sɛ yɛabisa ɔhene.”

They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 Samuel buae se, “Munnsuro. Moayɛ saa bɔne yi nyinaa bi de, nanso monnnan mo ani mmfi Awurade so, na momfa mo koma nyinaa nsom Awurade.

“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 Monnsan nkodi ahoni huhuw a wɔrenyɛ mo papa biara, na wɔrentumi nnye mo nkwa no akyi, efisɛ wɔn so nni mfaso.

Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

22 Esiane ne din kɛse no nti, Awurade rempo ne nkurɔfo. Awurade afa mo sɛ nʼankasa nʼade.

Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

23 Na me de, merenyɛ bɔne ntia Awurade sɛ meremmɔ mpae mma mo. Na mɛkɔ so akyerɛ mo papa ne bɔne.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

24 Nanso monhwɛ sɛ mubesuro Awurade na moasom no nokware mu.

Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.

25 Na sɛ mokɔ so yɛ bɔne a, wɔbɛsɛe mo ne mo hene nyinaa.”

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”