1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel bɔɔ akwakoraa no, oyii ne mmabarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufo.

And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Nʼabakan no din de Yoel, na ne ba a ɔto so abien no din de Abiya. Na wɔyɛ atemmufo wɔ Beer-Seba.

And these [are] the names of his sons; Joel the first-born, and the name of the second Abia, judges in Bersabee.

3 Nanso na ne mmabarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibere, gyigyee adanmude, san buu ntɛnkyew.

And his sons did not walk in his way; and they turned aside after gain, and took gifts, and perverted judgments.

4 Enti Israel mpanyimfo nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bedii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.

And the men of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Armathaim to Samuel,

5 Wɔka kyerɛɛ no se, “Woabɔ akwakoraa, na wo mmabarima nso nnantew wʼakwan so; enti si ɔhene na onni yɛn anim sɛnea aman bebree yɛ no no.”

and they said to him, Behold, thou art grown old, and thy sons walk not in thy way; and now set over us a king to judge us, as also the other nations [have].

6 Wɔn abisade no anyɛ Samuel dɛ nti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kobisaa akwankyerɛ.

And the thing [was] evil in the eyes of Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us: and Samuel prayed to the Lord.

7 Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel se, “Tie nsɛm a ɔmanfo no reka kyerɛ wo no na yɛ. Ɛnyɛ wo na wɔapo, na mmom, me na wɔapo me, sɛ minnni wɔn so hene bio.

And the Lord said to Samuel, Hear the voice of the people, in whatever they shall say to thee; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me from reigning over them.

8 Efi bere a miyii wɔn fii Misraim no besi nnɛ yi no, wɔakɔ so apo me akodi anyame afoforo akyi; na nnɛ yi, saa ara na wɔde reyɛ wo.

According to all their doings which they have done to me, from the day that I brought them out of Egypt until this day, even [as] they have deserted me, and served other gods, so they do also to thee.

9 Ɛno nti, tie wɔn, nanso bɔ wɔn kɔkɔ anibere so, na ma wonhu ɔkwan a ɔhene a ɔrebedi wɔn so no de wɔn bɛfa so.”

And now hearken to their voice; only thou shalt solemnly testify to them, and thou shalt describe to them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.

10 Enti Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.

And Samuel spoke every word of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king.

11 “Sɛɛ na ɔhene ne mo bɛtena. Ɔhene bɛtwe mo mmabarima na wama wɔde ne nteaseɛnam ne apɔnkɔ asom, na wama wɔn atu mmirika adi ne nteaseɛnam anim.

And he said, This shall be the manner of the king that shall rule over you: he shall take your sons, and put them in his chariots, and among his horsemen, and running before his chariots,

12 Ebinom bɛyɛ nʼakofo mpem ne aduonum so asahene, na ebinom nso ayɛ nkoa ma wɔafuntum nʼasase, na wɔatwa ne nnɔbae, na afoforo ayɛ nʼakode ne ne teaseɛnam ho nneɛma.

and [his manner shall be] to make them to himself captains of hundreds and captains of thousands; and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and prepare his instruments of war, and the implements of his chariots.

13 Ɔhene no begye mo mmabea afi mo nsam, na wahyɛ wɔn ama wɔanoa nnuan, na wɔato nnuan, na wɔayɛ nnuhuam nso ama no.

And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and cooks, and bakers.

14 Obegye mo mfuw ne mo bobe mfuw ne mo ngo mfuw a eye no afi mo nsam, na ɔde ama ɔno ankasa nʼasomfo.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your good oliveyards, and give them to his servants.

15 Obegye mo nnɔbae mu nkyɛmu du mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼasomfo.

And he will take the tithe of your seeds and your vineyards, and give [it] to his eunuchs, and to his servants.

16 Ɔbɛpɛ sɛ obenya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwi papa ne mo mfurum de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.

And he will take your servants, and your handmaids, and your good herds and your asses, and will take the tenth of them for his works.

17 Obegye mo nguan mu nkyɛmu du mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfo.

And he will tithe your flocks; and ye shall be his servants.

18 Sɛ da no du a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegye afi saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye have chosen to yourselves, and the Lord shall not hear you in those days, because ye have chosen to yourselves a king.

19 Nanso ɔmanfo no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkae ara ne se, “Yɛpɛ ɔhene.

But the people would not hearken to Samuel; and they said to him, Nay, but there shall be a king over us.

20 Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛyɛ sɛ aman a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia no. Yɛn hene bedi yɛn so, na wadi yɛn anim akɔ ɔko.”

An we also will be like all the nations; and our king shall judge us, and shall go out before us, and fight our battles.

21 Enti Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and spoke them in the ears of the Lord.

22 na Awurade buae se, “Yɛ nea wɔreka no ma wɔn, na ma wɔn ɔhene.” Afei, Samuel penee so, na ɔmaa obiara kɔɔ ne kurom.

And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and appoint them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let each man depart to his city.