1 Samuel 16

1 Awurade bisaa Samuel se, “Woadi Saulo ho awerɛhow sɛnea ɛsɛ. Mapo no sɛ Israel hene. Fa ngo gu wo toa mu, na tutu so kɔ Betlehem. Hwehwɛ obi a wɔfrɛ no Yisai na mayi ne mmabarima no mu baako sɛ ɔnyɛ me hene foforo.”

And the LORD said unto Samuel: 'How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided Me a king among his sons.'

2 Samuel bisae se, “Mɛyɛ dɛn ayɛ eyi? Sɛ Saulo te a obekum me.” Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Fa nantwi ba ka wo ho, na ka se, ‘maba sɛ merebɛbɔ afɔre ama Awurade.’

And Samuel said: 'How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me.' And the LORD said: 'Take a heifer with thee, and say: I am come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 To nsa frɛ Yisai na ɔmmra afɔrebɔ no, na mɛkyerɛ wo ne mmabarima no mu nea wobɛsra no ngo ama me.”

And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will tell thee what thou shalt do; and thou shalt anoint unto Me him whom I name unto thee.'

4 Samuel yɛɛ nea Awurade kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no. Bere a oduu Betlehem no, ɛhɔ mpanyimfo no bɔɔ hu. Wobisaa no se, “Wobaa no asomdwoe mu ana?”

And Samuel did that which the LORD spoke, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said: 'Comest thou peaceably?'

5 Samuel buae se, “Yiw, asomdwoe mu. Merebɛbɔ afɔre ama Awurade. Munnwira mo ho, na mommɛka me ho na yɛmmɔ.” Enti Samuel dwiraa Yisai ne ne mmabarima no na ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ wɔn baa afɔrebɔ no ase.

And he said: 'Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.' And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 Wodui no, Samuel huu Eliab na osusuwii se, “Ampa, nea Awurade asra no no ni.”

And it came to pass, when they were come, that he beheld Eliab, and said: 'Surely the LORD'S anointed is before Him.'

7 Nanso Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel se, “Nhwɛ nʼahoɔfɛ ne ne tenten, efisɛ mapo no. Awurade nhwɛ nneɛma sɛnea nnipa hwɛ no. Onipa hwɛ nea aniwa hu, na Awurade de, ɔhwɛ koma mu.”

But the LORD said unto Samuel: 'Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him; for it is not as man seeth: for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.'

8 Na Yisai frɛɛ Abinadab ma otwaa mu wɔ Samuel anim. Nanso Samuel kae se, “Oyi nyɛ nea Awurade ayi no.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

9 Yisai maa Sama twaa mu, nanso Samuel kae se, “Saa ara na Awurade nyii oyi.”

Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said: 'Neither hath the LORD chosen this.'

10 Yisai maa ne mmabarima baason bɛfaa Samuel anim, na Samuel ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Awurade nyii wɔn mu biara ɛ.”

And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'The LORD hath not chosen these.'

11 Enti obisaa Yisai se, “Mmabarima a wowɔ nyinaa ni ana?” Yisai buae se, “Akumaa pa ara wɔ hɔ, nanso ɔrehwɛ nguan.” Samuel kae se, “Soma na wɔnkɔfa no mmra mprempren. Sɛ ɔmmae a, yɛrentena ase nnidi.”

And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Are here all thy children?' And he said: 'There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep.' And Samuel said unto Jesse: 'Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.'

12 Enti Yisai soma ma wɔkɔfaa no bae. Na ɔyɛ ɔkɔkɔɔ a ahoɔfɛ aguare no na nʼani yɛ fɛ. Awurade kae se, “Sɔre na sra no ngo. Ɔno ni.”

And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of beautiful eyes, and goodly to look upon. And the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'

13 Enti Samuel faa toa a ngo wɔ mu no sraa no wɔ ne nuanom anim. Na efi saa da no, Awurade honhom baa Dawid so wɔ tumi mu. Samuel kɔɔ Rama.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Saa bere yi na Awurade honhom afi Saulo so. Na Awurade maa ɔhaw honhom bɛhyɛɛ no ma. Ɛma ɔtenaa ase ehu ne osuro mu.

Now the spirit of the LORD had departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrified him.

15 Ɛbaa saa no, Saulo asomfo no bi kyerɛɛ adwene bi se, “Honhommɔne bi a efi Onyankopɔn hɔ rehaw wo.

And Saul's servants said unto him: 'Behold now, an evil spirit from God terrifieth thee.

16 Momma yɛn Awurade mma ne nkoa mpɛ sankubɔfo papa bi, na sɛ honhom no fi Onyankopɔn hɔ ba wo so a, wabɔ nnwom ama wo, na wo ho bɛtɔ wo.”

Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp; and it shall be, when the evil spirit from God cometh upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.'

17 Saulo kae se, “Monhwehwɛ ɔsankubɔni papa bi na momfa no mmrɛ me.”

And Saul said unto his servants: 'Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.'

18 Asomfo no mu baako buae se, “Yisai a ofi Betlehem babarima baako nim sankubɔ yiye. Ɔyɛ ɔkokodurofo hoɔdenfo, na ɔyɛ ɔbadwemma nso. Ɔyɛ aberante a ne ho yɛ fɛ, na Awurade ka ne ho.”

Then answered one of the young men, and said: 'Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valour, and a man of war, and prudent in affairs, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him.'

19 Enti Saulo tuu abɔfo kɔɔ Yisai hɔ kɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Fa wo babarima Dawid a ɔyɛ oguanhwɛfo no brɛ me.”

Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said: 'Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.'

20 Yisai penee so de Dawid kɔmaa Saulo a abirekyi ba ne afurum a wɔahyehyɛ aduan ne nsa wɔ ne so ka ho.

And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.

21 Dawid kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn kɔsom no. Na Saulo pɛ Dawid asɛm yiye, enti ɔbɛyɛɛ Saulo akodekurafo no mu baako.

And David came to Saul, and stood before him; and he loved him greatly; and he became his armour-bearer.

22 Na Saulo de nkra kɔmaa Yisai se, “Ma Dawid nka mʼadwumayɛfo no ho, efisɛ mepɛ nʼasɛm yiye.”

And Saul sent to Jesse, saying: 'Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight.'

23 Na bere biara a honhommɔne a efi Onyankopɔn bɛba Saulo so abɛhaw no no, Dawid bɔ sanku no. Ɛba saa a, Saulo ho tɔ no, na honhommɔne no nso kɔ.

And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul found relief, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him.