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, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to 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.

Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to 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. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? 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 defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’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, “The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He 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 the LORD who appointed 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 plead with you before the LORD concerning 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 had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to 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.

But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army 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.’

They cried to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of 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.

The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

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 children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, 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 see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD has 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 you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of 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 you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand 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 still 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.”

Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD’s sight, in 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 the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. Then 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.”

All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask 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.

Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away 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.

Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or 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 has pleased the LORD 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.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in 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 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 keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”