5 Mose 4

1 Afei, Israel, muntie mmara ne nhyehyɛe a merebɛkyerɛkyerɛ mo yi. Munni so na moanya nkwa, na moatumi akɔ asase a Awurade, mo agyanom Nyankopɔn, de rema mo no so akɔtena hɔ.

People of Israel, pay attention to the rules and regulations I'm teaching you to observe. That way you can stay alive, and go in and take over the country the Lord, the God of your forefathers, is giving you.

2 Mommfa bi nka ho, na munnyi biribiara nso mmfi ahyɛde a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, de ama me se memfa mma mo no mu, na mmom munni so.

You are not to add to or take away from what I'm telling you, so that you can keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I'm ordering you to follow.

3 Mode mo ani huu nea Awurade yɛɛ mo wɔ Baal-Peor no. Ɔsɛee onipa biara a na ɔsom Baal-Peor no.

You've seen for yourselves what the Lord did at Baal-peor where the Lord your God killed everyone among you who worshiped Baal of Peor.

4 Nanso wɔn a na wodi Awurade mo Nyankopɔn nokware nyinaa da so te ase besi nnɛ.

Those of you who were faithful to the Lord your God are still alive today, every one of you.

5 Sɛ mudu asase a mobɛtena so no so a, eyinom ne mmara ne ahyɛde a makyerɛkyerɛ mo a ɛsɛ sɛ mudi so. Efi Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, nkyɛn. Ɔde ama me se memfa mma mo.

Listen, I have taught you the rules and regulations just as the Lord my God ordered me to do, so you can follow them in the country that you are about to enter and take over.

6 Sɛ mudi so a, ɛbɛda mo nyansa ne ntease a mowɔ no adi akyerɛ aman a wɔbɛte saa ahyɛde yi nyinaa no na wɔaka se, “Ampa, nnipa yi yɛ ɔman kɛse a wonim nyansa na wɔwɔ ntease.”

Be careful to observe them, because this will demonstrate your wisdom and insight to the other people living there who are watching. They will find out about all these rules and say, “The people of this great nation are very wise and have good insight.”

7 Ɔman kɛse bɛn na ɔwɔ onyame a ɔbɛn wɔn pɛɛ te sɛ Awurade, yɛn Nyankopɔn, a yɛfrɛ no a ogye yɛn so yi?

What nation is as great as us, having a god so close to them as the Lord our God is to us whenever we call on him?

8 Na ɔman kɛse bɛn na ɛwɔ trenee ahyɛde ne mmara sɛ saa mmara yi a mede rema mo nnɛ yi?

What nation is as great as us, having such good rules and regulations like all these laws that I'm placing before you today?

9 Monhwɛ yiye, na mo ani nna hɔ yiye pa ara na nna dodow a mote nkwa mu no, mo werɛ amfi nea moahu, anaa ampa amfi mo koma mu. Monkyerɛkyerɛ mo mma na awo ntoatoaso a ɛbɛba no nhu.

Just make sure to be very careful, and really watch what you do, so you don't forget the things you've have seen. Keep them in mind as long as you live. Teach them to your children and grandchildren.

10 Ka kyerɛ wɔn, ne titiriw no, da a mokogyinaa Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, anim wɔ bepɔw Horeb so a ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, “Frɛ nnipa no wɔ mʼanim na wontie me nsɛm na wɔasua sɛnea wobedi me ni bere dodow a wɔte asase no so na ama wɔatumi akyerɛkyerɛ wɔn mma.”

That day when you stood in the presence of the Lord your God at Horeb, the Lord told me, “Have the people come to me and to hear what I have to say, so they may learn to have respect for me throughout their lives here on earth, and so they may teach this to their children.”

11 Mubegyina bɛnee bepɔw no ase bere a na bepɔw no rehyew na ogyaframa no retu kɔ ɔsoro a omununkum ne esum kabii aduru no.

You gathered and stood at the foot of the mountain. The mountain was on fire, shooting out flames into the sky and producing thick dark clouds.

12 Na Awurade kasa fii ogya no mu kyerɛɛ mo. Motee nsɛm no nanso, moanhu no, nne kɛkɛ na ɛbae.

The Lord spoke to you from the fire. You heard the words, but you didn't see the form of anyone speaking—there was just a voice.

13 Ɔdaa nʼapam a ɔkyerɛɛ mo sɛ munni so no adi; Mmaransɛm du a ɔkyerɛw guu abo pon abien so no.

He explained to you his agreement, the Ten Commandments, which he ordered you to follow. He wrote them down on two tablets of stone.

14 Saa bere no na Awurade kyerɛɛ me sɛ menkyerɛkyerɛ mo ahyɛde ne mmara a ɛsɛ sɛ mudi so wɔ asase a morebetwa Yordan akɔfa no so.

This was the time that the Lord ordered me to teach you the rules and regulations that you are to follow when you arrive in the country you're going to own once you've crossed the Jordan.

15 Da a Awurade kasa fii ogya mu kyerɛɛ mo wɔ bepɔw Horeb so no moanhu no. Enti monhwɛ mo akwan yiye,

You didn't see any form when the Lord spoke to you from the fire at Horeb, so be very careful

16 na porɔwee annidi mo amma moanyɛ ɔbosom, ohoni bi sɛso; sɛ ɛyɛ ɔbarima anaa ɔbea sɛso,

that you don't spoil your relationship with the Lord by making an idol for yourselves in any shape or form, whether it looks like a male or female,

17 anaa nea ɛsɛ asase so aboa bi, anaa anomaa a otu fa wim,

or any land animal or bird that flies,

18 anaa nea ɛsɛ aboa bi a ɔwea wɔ fam anaa apataa bi a ɔwɔ nsu ase.

or of any animal that crawls on the ground or any fish in the deep sea.

19 Na sɛ mohwɛ wim na muhu owia, ɔsram ne nsoromma, wim abɔde nyinaa a, momma ɛnntwetwe mo mma monnkotow nsom nneɛma a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, de ama ɔsoro ase aman no nyinaa no.

When you look up at the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the heavenly bodies—don't be tempted to bow down to them. Don't worship them like all the other nations on earth in the way that the Lord has allowed.

20 Na mo de, Awurade yii mo fii ogya framfram a ɛnan dade mu wɔ Misraim sɛ mommɛyɛ nʼadiadefo sɛnea mote nnɛ yi.

Remember that the Lord took you and led you out of the iron furnace which was Egypt to be his own people, just as you are today.

21 Mo nti, Awurade bo fuw me yiye. Ɔkaa ntam se, merentwa Asubɔnten Yordan nkɔ asase pa a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, de rema mo sɛ mo agyapade no so.

But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and he vowed that I wouldn't cross the Jordan to enter the good land that the Lord your God is giving you to own.

22 Mewu wɔ asase yi so; merentwa Yordan; nanso morebetwa akɔfa asase pa no.

So I will not be crossing the Jordan, because I have to die here in this land. But you will cross over and occupy that good land.

23 Monhwɛ yiye na moammu apam a Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, ne mo ayɛ no so. Monyɛ abosom a ɛyɛ biribiara nsɛso a mo Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, abra mo no.

However, be careful not to forget the agreement of the Lord your God that he made with you. Don't make an idol for yourselves in the form of anything, because he has forbidden you to do this.

24 Efisɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, yɛ Onyame ninkufo, ogya a ɔhyew ade.

For the Lord your God is a fire that burns everything up. He is an exclusive God.

25 Moawowo mma anya nananom akyi no na moatena asase no so akyɛ no, sɛ moma porɔwee didi mo na moyɛ ohoni bi nam so yɛ bɔne wɔ Awurade mo Nyankopɔn ani so hyɛ no abufuw a,

After you have been living in the country for a long time and have had children and grandchildren, if you then spoil the relationship you have with the Lord and make an idol in any form. The Lord your God sees this as evil makes him angry.

26 mefrɛ ɔsoro ne asase sɛ nnansefo de tia mo saa da yi sɛ, mobɛhyew afi asase a moretwa Yordan akɔfa no so. Morentena hɔ nkyɛ na wɔbɛsɛe mo ampa.

If you do this, I call on heaven and earth to be witnesses against you today that you will be completely wiped out from the country that you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will not live long there—you will be totally destroyed.

27 Na Awurade bɛbɔ mo apansam akɔ aman so a mo mu kakraa bi na ɛbɛka wɔ aman a Awuradebɛpam mo akɔ so no so.

The Lord will scatter you among the other nations, and not many of you will survive in the countries where the Lord has exiled you.

28 Ɛhɔ na mobɛsom onipa nsa ano ahoni a wɔde nnua ne abo na ayɛ, anyame a wonhu ade na wɔnte asɛm na wonnidi nte hua no.

There you will worship gods of wood and stone made by human beings. These idols can't see or hear or eat or smell.

29 Ɛhɔ na mobɛpere bio ahwehwɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no. Na sɛ mode mo koma ne mo kra nyinaa hwehwɛ no a, mubehu no.

However, if while you're there you decide to come to the Lord your God, you will find him if you come to him whole-heartedly, with complete commitment.

30 Sɛ ɔhaw bi to mo na eyinom nyinaa ba mo so a, akyiri no, mobɛsan akɔ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, nkyɛn na moayɛ osetie ama no.

When you are in trouble, after you've experienced all these things, then eventually you will return to the Lord your God and do what he says.

31 Efisɛ Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, no yɛ mmɔborɔhunu Nyankopɔn; ɔrennyaw mo na ɔrensɛe mo anaa ne werɛ remfi apam a ɔne mo agyanom pamee a ɔkaa ntam sii so no.

The Lord your God is a merciful God. He won't abandon you or destroy you or forget the agreement he made with your forefathers, confirmed by a solemn promise.

32 Hwehwɛ abakɔsɛm mu fi bere a Onyankopɔn bɔɔ nnipa wɔ asase so besi nnɛ yi; hwehwɛ fi ɔsoro ti de kosi ti. Hwɛ sɛ biribi kɛse a ɛte sɛ eyi asi pɛn anaasɛ woate biribi saa pɛn?

Think about it! Examine the whole of history from the beginning of time, long before you existed, when God made human beings, right up until now. Ask this question anywhere, from one end of the earth to the other: Has anything as amazing as this ever happened before; has anyone ever heard anything like this?

33 So nnipa foforo bi ate Onyankopɔn nne sɛ ɔrekasa afi ogya mu sɛnea motee no na wɔda so te ase yi ana?

Has a people ever heard the voice of God speaking out of the fire, like you have, and survived?

34 So onyame foforo bi nam ogye a ɔnam amanehunu, nsɛnkyerɛnne a ɛyɛ nwonwa, ɔko, tumidi ne ahodwiriwde so agye ɔman bi afi ɔman foforo bi nsam afa sɛ ne de, sɛnea Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, yɛ maa mo wɔ Misraim a na mo ani tua no?

Has any god tried to take a nation out of another nation and make them his own, using tests and signs and miracles and war—with his great power and incredible strength and terrifying actions—like the Lord your God did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes?

35 Ɔdaa eyinom nyinaa adi kyerɛɛ mo sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a mubehu sɛ Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn a nʼakyi obi nni hɔ.

You were shown all this so you could be certain that the Lord is God and there is no one like him.

36 Ɔma motee ne nne fi ɔsoro nam so teɛteɛɛ mo so. Ɔma muhuu ne gya fadum asase so na motee ne nsɛm fii ogya no mu.

He made you hear his voice from heaven so you would obey him. On earth he revealed himself though blazing fire, and you heard him speak to you from the fire.

37 Esiane sɛ na ɔpɛ mo agyanom asɛm, na ɔpɛɛ sɛ ohyira wɔn asefo nti na ɔno ara de nʼanim ne ne tumi kɛse no yii mo fii Misraim no.

Because he loved your forefathers, he chose you, their descendants. He himself led you out of Egypt by his great power,

38 Ɔpam aman a na wɔn ho yɛ den sen mo no wɔ mo anim sɛnea ɔde mo bɛba wɔn asase so abɛfa sɛ mo agyapade, sɛnea ɛte nnɛ yi.

driving out ahead of you nations that were greater and stronger than you, in order to lead you to their land and give it to you as yours to own, just as you do today.

39 Enti munhu na momma ɛntena mo koma mu nnɛ yi sɛ Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn wɔ ɔsoro ne asase so. Obi nni hɔ.

So today be sure about this and never forget: the Lord is the only God in heaven above and on the earth below.

40 Munni saa ahyɛde ne mmara yi a mede rema mo nnɛ no so na ama asi mo ne mo mma yiye, na moanyin akyɛ wɔ asase a Awurade mo Nyankopɔn de rema mo afebɔɔ no so.

Observe his rules and regulations that I'm giving you right now, so that you and your children will do well, and that you may have long lives in the country that the Lord your God is giving you for all time.

41 Afei, Mose yii nkuropɔn abiɛsa bi wɔ Yordan apuei fam

Then Moses assigned three sanctuary towns to the east of the Jordan

42 a, sɛ ɛba sɛ obi kum obi na wanhyɛ da na onni onipa ko no ho menasepɔw bi a otumi guan kɔ kɔ emu baako so kɔbɔ ne ho aguaa.

where a person could run to after accidentally killing someone without deliberate hatred. To save their life they could run to one of these towns:

43 Oyii Beser a ɛda sare ne asase tataw so no maa Rubenfo. Ɔde Ramot a ɛwɔ Gilead no maa Gadfo na ɔde Golan a ɛwɔ Basan no nso maa Manase abusuakuw.

Bezer in the desert plain belonging to the tribe of Reuben; Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the tribe of Gad, or Golan in Bashan belonging to the tribe of Manasseh.

44 Eyinom ne mmara a Mose de maa Israelfo no.

This is the law that Moses placed before the Israelites.

45 Israelfo no fii Misraim no, akwankyerɛ, mmara ne ahyɛde a Mose de maa wɔn

These are the laws, rules, and regulations Moses gave them after they had come out of Egypt.

46 bere a na wɔwɔ obon a ɛbɛn Bet-Peor a ɛda Asubɔnten Yordan apuei fam, wɔ Amorifo hene Sihon a odii ade wɔ Hesbon, a na Mose ne Israelfo no fi Misraim ɛreba no, wɔko dii ne so no.

This was when they were in the valley to the east of the Jordan near Beth-peor in the country of Sihon king of the Amorites. He had ruled from Heshbon and had been defeated by Moses and the Israelites after they had left Egypt.

47 Wɔfaa nʼasase no san faa Basanhene Og asase kaa ho. Saa ahemfo baanu yi na wɔyɛ Amorifo ahemfo a wɔte Yordan apuei fam.

They took over his country and the country of Og king of Bashan. (They were the two kings of the Amorites who previously ruled on the east side of the Jordan.)

48 Saa asase yi na efi Aroer a ɛda Arnon subon no ano kosi Sion bepɔw a ɛyɛ Hermon ho.

The territory went from the town of Aroer on the edge of the Arnon Valley all the way to Mount Sirion, otherwise known as Mount Hermon,

49 Israelfo no san faa nsase a ɛwɔ Araba po no ano wɔ Yordan apuei fam de kosi Nkyene Po wɔ Pisga mmepɔw no ase.

and included all the Arabah to the east of the Jordan down as far as the Dead Sea beside the slopes of Mount Pisgah.