< 1 Samuel 4 >

1 Saa bere no, na Israelfo ne Filistifo reko. Israelfo nsraadɔm kyeree nsraban wɔ Ebeneser, na Filistifo nso kyeree nsraban wɔ Afek.
The word of Samuel came to all of Israel. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They set up camp at Ebenezer, and the Philistines set up camp at Aphek.
2 Filistifo no tow hyɛɛ Israelfo nsraadɔm no so, dii wɔn so nkonim, na wokum nnipa mpem anan.
The Philistines lined up for battle against Israel. When the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.
3 Ɔko no baa awiei, na Israel nsraadɔm no san kɔɔ wɔn nsraban mu hɔ no, Israel mpanyimfo no bisae se, “Adɛn nti na Awurade ama yɛadi nkogu nnɛ yi wɔ Filistifo anim yi? Momma yɛnkɔfa Awurade Apam Adaka no mfi Silo. Sɛ yɛde kɔ ɔsa a, ebegye yɛn afi yɛn atamfo nsam.”
When the people came into the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has Yahweh defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of Yahweh here from Shiloh, that it may be here with us, that it might keep us safe from the hands of our enemies.”
4 Enti nnipa no somaa mmarima kɔɔ Silo, na wɔde Asafo Awurade a ɔte kerubim ntam Apam Adaka no bae. Saa bere no na Eli mmabarima baanu Hofni ne Pinehas ka wɔn a wɔsoaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no kɔɔ akono hɔ no ho.
So the people sent men to Shiloh; from there they carried the ark of the covenant of Yahweh of hosts, who sits above the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 Bere a Israelfo no huu sɛ wɔde Awurade Apam Adaka no reba nsraban no mu no, wɔn nyinaa bɔɔ ose maa asase wosowee.
When the ark of the covenant of Yahweh came into the camp, all of the people of Israel gave a great shout, and the earth resounded.
6 Filistifo no bisae se, “Dɛn na ɛrekɔ so yi? Dɛn osebɔ na ɛwɔ Hebrifo nsraban mu hɔ yi?” Wɔtee sɛ Awurade Apam Adaka no na abedu nsraban mu hɔ no,
When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” Then they realized that the ark of Yahweh had come into the camp.
7 wosuroe. Na wɔkae se, “Anyame no aba wɔn nsraban mu hɔ. Ɛno de, asɛm ato yɛn! Yenhyiaa asɛm a ɛte sɛɛ bi da.
The Philistines were afraid; they said, “A god has come into the camp.” They said, “Woe to us! Nothing like this has happened before!
8 Hena na obegye yɛn afi saa Israel anyame atumfo yi nsam? Wɔne anyame a wɔde owu ɔyare ahorow nyinaa bi sɛee Misraimfo, bere a Israelfo wɔ sare so hɔ no.
Woe to us! Who will protect us from the strength of these mighty gods? These are the gods who attacked the Egyptians with many different kinds of plagues in the wilderness.
9 Monyere mo ho, Filistifo! Munnyina sɛ mmarima; anyɛ saa a, Hebrifo no bɛfa mo nkoa sɛnea wɔyɛɛ yɛn nkoa no.”
Take courage, and be men, you Philistines, or you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they have been slaves to you. Be men, and fight.”
10 Enti Filistifo no koe anibere so, dii Israelfo no so bio. Wɔn a wokunkum wɔn no dɔɔso. Israelfo mpem aduasa na wokunkum wɔn da no. Wɔn a wonyaa wɔn ti didii mu no guan kɔɔ wɔn ntamadan mu.
The Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated. Every man fled to his house, and the slaughter was very great; for thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell.
11 Wɔfaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no, na wokunkum Eli mmabarima baanu no, Hofni ne Pinehas.
The ark of God was taken, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
12 Da no ara, ɔbarima bi fi Benyamin abusua mu guan fii akono hɔ beduu Silo. Na watetew ne ntade mu, de mfutuma ahura ne ti mu, de kyerɛ nʼawerɛhow.
A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line and came to Shiloh the same day, arriving with his clothes torn and earth on his head.
13 Na Eli retwɛn wɔ kwankyɛn baabi, pɛ sɛ ɔte ɔko no mu nsɛm, efisɛ na ne bo ntɔ ne yam koraa wɔ Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ho. Ɔbɔfo no ba bɛkaa asɛm a asi no, wɔtee nteɛteɛmu bi wɔ kurow no mu nyinaa.
When he arrived, Eli was sitting on his seat by the road watching because his heart trembled with concern for the ark of God. When the man entered the city and told the news, the whole city cried out.
14 Eli bisae se, “Saa nteɛteɛmu yi ase ne dɛn?” Ɔbɔfo no yɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ Eli,
When Eli heard the noise of the outcry, he said, “What is the meaning of this uproar?” The man quickly came and told Eli.
15 a na wadi mfe aduɔkron awotwe na nʼani afura no nkyɛn.
Now Eli was ninety-eight years old; his eyes did not focus, and he could not see.
16 Ɔka kyerɛɛ Eli se, “Mprempren ara na mifi akono hɔ bae. Nnɛ yi ara, na mewɔ hɔ.” Eli bisae se, “Na ekosii dɛn?”
The man said to Eli, “I am the one who came from the battle line. I fled from the battle today.” Eli said, “How did it go, my son?”
17 Ɔbɔfo no buae se, “Israelfo adi nkogu. Israel nsraadɔm no mpem mpem atotɔ wɔ akono hɔ. Afei, wo mmabarima baanu a ɛyɛ Hofni ne Pinehas no nso awuwu, na Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no nso, wɔafa.”
The man who brought the news answered and said, “Israel fled from the Philistines. Also, there has been a great defeat among the people. Also, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been taken.”
18 Ɔbɔfo no kaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ho asɛm ara pɛ, Eli fi akongua a ɔte so mu wɔ abɔntenpon ho no te hwee nʼakyi. Ne kɔn mu bui, efisɛ na wabɔ akwakoraa a ne mu nso yɛ duru. Na wadi Israel anim mfirihyia aduanan.
When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell over backward from his seat by the side of the gate. His neck was broken, and he died, because he was old and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.
19 Saa bere no na nʼasebea a ɔyɛ Pinehas yere anyinsɛn a ɔreyɛ awo. Ɔtee sɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no, na nʼase ne ne kunu awuwu no, awo kaa no amono mu hɔ ara.
Now his daughter-in-law, Phinehas' wife, was pregnant and about to give birth. When she heard the news that the ark of God was captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she knelt down and gave birth, but her labor pains overwhelmed her.
20 Owuu wɔ awoko mu, nanso ansa na ɔrebewu no, mmea a wɔregye no awo no kae se, “Mpa abaw; woawo abarimaa.” Nanso wammua wɔn na wankasa wɔn ho nso.
About the time of her death the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not answer or take what they said to heart.
21 Ɔbesebesee nʼano too abarimaa no din Ikabod, “Anuonyam no wɔ he, Israel anuonyam no asa,” efisɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no na nʼase ne ne kunu nso awuwu.
She named the child Ichabod, saying, “The glory has gone away from Israel!” for the ark of God had been captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.
22 Ɔkae se, “Anuonyam afi Israel mu, efisɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no.”
She said, “The glory has gone away from Israel, because the ark of God has been captured.”

< 1 Samuel 4 >