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.”
Yahweh 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 of Bethlehem, for I have selected for myself 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.’
Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” Yahweh said, “Take a heifer with you and say, 'I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.'
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 will do. You will anoint for me the one whom I tell 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?”
Samuel did as Yahweh said and went to Bethlehem. The elders of the city were trembling as they came to meet him and said, “Are you coming in peace?”
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.
He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh. Prepare to set yourselves apart and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he set apart Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
6 Wodui no, Samuel huu Eliab na osusuwii se, “Ampa, nea Awurade asra no no ni.”
When they came, he looked at Eliab and said to himself that Yahweh's anointed was certainly standing 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 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Do not look at his outward appearance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him. For Yahweh does not see as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks 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. Then Samuel said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”
9 Yisai maa Sama twaa mu, nanso Samuel kae se, “Saa ara na Awurade nyii oyi.”
Jesse then made Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Neither has Yahweh chosen this one.”
10 Yisai maa ne mmabarima baason bɛfaa Samuel anim, na Samuel ka kyerɛɛ no se, “Awurade nyii wɔn mu biara ɛ.”
Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen any of 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 of your sons here?” He replied, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” 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.”
Jesse sent and brought him in. Now this son was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. Yahweh 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 middle of his brothers. The Spirit of Yahweh rushed on David from that day forward. Then 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 Yahweh left Saul, and a harmful spirit from Yahweh troubled him instead.
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, “Look, a harmful spirit from God troubles 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 master now command your servants who are before you to look for a man who is a skillful player on the harp. Then when the harmful spirit from God is on you, he will play it and you will be well.”
17 Saulo kae se, “Monhwehwɛ ɔsankubɔni papa bi na momfa no mmrɛ me.”
Saul said to his servants, “Find me 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 one of the young men answered, and said, “I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a strong, courageous man, a man of war, one prudent in speech, a handsome man; and Yahweh 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.”
So Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me your son David, 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.
Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them with his son David to Saul.
21 Dawid kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn kɔsom no. Na Saulo pɛ Dawid asɛm yiye, enti ɔbɛyɛɛ Saulo akodekurafo no mu baako.
Then David came to Saul and entered his service. Saul 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, “Let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my eyes.”
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.
Whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the harp and played it. So Saul would be refreshed and well, and the harmful spirit would depart from him.
