1 Samuel 12

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

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

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

And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto 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.”

Behold, here I [am: ] witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

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

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man’s hand.

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!”

And he said unto them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, [He is] witness.

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

And Samuel said unto the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that 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 therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to 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 was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell 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.

And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they 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.’

And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

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

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

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.

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when 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 therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, [and] whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set 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 ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

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 ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD 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, which 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 wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you 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 unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and 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.”

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins [this] evil, to ask us 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.

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not 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.

And turn ye not aside: for [then should ye go] after vain [things], which cannot profit nor deliver; for they [are] vain.

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

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

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

Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

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

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great [things] he hath done for you.

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

But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.