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.”

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself 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.’

Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have 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.”

Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

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 what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?"

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, "Peaceful; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." 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.”

It happened, when they had come, that he looked at 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 to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For humans do not see as God sees, for humans look at the outward appearance, but God looks at 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. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

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

Then Jesse made Shimeah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

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 pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has 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.”

Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest. Look, he is tending the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

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.”

So he sent and brought him in. And he was reddish brown, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for he is the one."

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 brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on 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 departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.

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

Saul's servants said to him, "See now, a harmful spirit from God is tormenting you.

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 your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the harmful spirit is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

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

Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who 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 one of the young men answered, and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and articulate in speech, and a handsome man; 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.”

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your 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 a donkey and loaded it with an omer of bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

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

David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

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

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor 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.

It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.