1 Samuel 12

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

Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set a king over you.

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 with you. I have walked before you from my youth until today.

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; testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with? Testify against 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.”

They said, “You have not cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from 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!”

He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand.” They replied, “Yahweh is witness.”

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

Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from 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 then, present yourself, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh about all of the righteous deeds of Yahweh, which he did 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 came to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and they settled 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 Yahweh their God; he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the armies of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; these all fought against your ancestors.

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.’

They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'

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

So Yahweh sent Jerub Baal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and gave you victory over your enemies all around you, so that you lived in security.

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.

When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No! Instead, a king must reign over us'—although Yahweh 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 whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as 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 Yahweh, serve him, obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be followers of Yahweh 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.

If you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commands of Yahweh, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

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

Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh 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 upon Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves 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 Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh 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.”

Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil in asking for a king for ourselves.”

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.

Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, but do not turn away from Yahweh, but serve Yahweh 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 away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.

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

For the sake of his great name, Yahweh will not reject his people, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.

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 Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. Instead, I will teach you the way that is good and right.

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

Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the 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 destroyed.”