1 Samuel 8
1 Samuel bɔɔ akwakoraa no, oyii ne mmabarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufo.
When Samuel was old, 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.
The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3 Nanso na ne mmabarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibere, gyigyee adanmude, san buu ntɛnkyew.
His sons did not walk in his ways, but chased after dishonest gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
4 Enti Israel mpanyimfo nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bedii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to 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.”
They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
6 Wɔn abisade no anyɛ Samuel dɛ nti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kobisaa akwankyerɛ.
But it displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
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.
Yahweh said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in everything they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king 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.
They are acting now the same as they did since the day I brought them out of Egypt, forsaking me, and serving other gods, and so they are also doing 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.”
Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know the way the king will rule over them.”
10 Enti Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.
So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who were asking for 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.
He said, “This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run 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.
He will appoint for himself captains of thousands and captains of fifties. He will make some plow his ground, some reap his harvest, and some make his weapons of war and the equipment for 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.
He will also take your daughters to be perfumers, 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 the very best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, and give them to his servants.
15 Obegye mo nnɔbae mu nkyɛmu du mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfo ne nʼasomfo.
He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give to his officers and his servants.
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 the best of your young men and your donkeys; he will put them all to work for him.
17 Obegye mo nguan mu nkyɛmu du mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfo.
He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.
18 Sɛ da no du a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegye afi saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”
Then on that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves; but Yahweh will not answer you on that day.”
19 Nanso ɔmanfo no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkae ara ne se, “Yɛpɛ ɔhene.
But the people refused to listen to Samuel; they said, “No! There must 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.”
so that we might be like all the other nations, and so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 Enti Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfo no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,
When Samuel heard all the words of the people he repeated them in the ears of Yahweh.
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.
Yahweh said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and cause someone to be king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man must go to his own city.”
