1 Samuel 8
1 Samuel bɔɔ akwakoraa no, oyii ne mmabarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufo.
When Samuel grew old, he made his sons leaders 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.
His first son was named Joel, and his second son was named Abijah. They were rulers in Beersheba.
3 Nanso na ne mmabarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibere, gyigyee adanmude, san buu ntɛnkyew.
However, his sons did not follow his ways. They were corrupt, making money by accepting bribes and perverting justice.
4 Enti Israel mpanyimfo nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bedii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.
So the elders of Israel all joined together and came to meet Samuel at Ramah.
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.”
“Look here,” they told him, “you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. Choose a king to rule over us like all the other nations.”
6 Wɔn abisade no anyɛ Samuel dɛ nti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kobisaa akwankyerɛ.
Samuel thought this was a bad idea when they said, “Give us a king to rule over us,” so he prayed to the Lord about it.
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.
“Do what the people tell you,” the Lord said to Samuel, “because it's not you they're rejecting, but me as their king.
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.
They're doing just as they have always done since I led them out of Egypt right up to now. They have abandoned me and worshiped other gods, and they're doing just the same to you.
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.”
So do what they want, but give them a solemn warning—explain to them what a king will do when he rules over them.”
10 Enti Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.
Samuel repeated all that the Lord had said to the people asking him to give them 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.
“This is what a king will do when he rules over you,” he told them. “He will take your sons and make them serve as charioteers and horsemen, and to run as a guard in front of his chariot.
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.
Some of them he will make commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some will have to plow his fields and reap his harvest. Some will be assigned to making weapons of war and chariot equipment.
13 Ɔhene no begye mo mmabea afi mo nsam, na wahyɛ wɔn ama wɔanoa nnuan, na wɔato nnuan, na wɔayɛ nnuhuam nso ama no.
He will take your daughters and have them work as perfume-makers, 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.
He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves and give them to his officials.
15 Obegye mo nnɔbae mu nkyɛmu du mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼasomfo.
He will take a tenth of your grain harvest and the produce of your vineyards and allocate it to his chief officers and officials.
16 Ɔbɛpɛ sɛ obenya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwi papa ne mo mfurum de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.
He will take your male servants and your female servants, and your best young men and your donkeys, and make them work for him.
17 Obegye mo nguan mu nkyɛmu du mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfo.
He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will be his slaves.
18 Sɛ da no du a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegye afi saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”
On that day you will plead to be rescued from the king you have chosen, but the Lord won't answer you then.”
19 Nanso ɔmanfo no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkae ara ne se, “Yɛpɛ ɔhene.
But the people refused to listen to what Samuel said. “No!” they insisted. “We want our own king!
20 Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛyɛ sɛ aman a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia no. Yɛn hene bedi yɛn so, na wadi yɛn anim akɔ ɔko.”
That way we can be like all the other nations. Our king will rule us, and will lead us when we go out to fight our battles.”
21 Enti Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,
Samuel listened to everything the people said and repeated it to 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.
The Lord told Samuel, “Do what they say and give them a king.” Then Samuel told the Israelites, “Go back to your homes.”
