5 Mose 1

1 Eyi ne nsɛm a Mose ka kyerɛɛ Israelfo nyinaa wɔ sare no so wɔ Yordan apuei. Wɔbɔɔ atenae wɔ Yordan bon a ɛbɛn Suf, wɔ Paran, Tofel, Laban, Haserot ne Di-Sahab ntam no.

In this book is written what Moses/I said to the Israeli people. He/I told them these things when they/we were in the desert, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. They/We had set up our tents near [a place named] Suph, between Paran [town on the one side of the river] and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Dizahab [towns on the other side of the river].

2 Efi Horeb de kɔ Kades-Barnea no, ɔkwan a ɛfa bepɔw Seir no, yɛ nnafua dubaako kwan.

To walk from Sinai [Mountain] to the Kadesh-Barnea [oasis], people usually travel for only eleven days, going by way of the hilly area named Edom.

3 Israelfo fii Bepɔw Sinai no, afe a ɛto so aduanan no ɔsram dubaako no da a edi kan no, Mose kaa nsɛm a Awurade hyɛɛ no sɛ ɔnka nkyerɛ Israelfo no pɛpɛɛpɛ kyerɛɛ wɔn.

Forty years after (the Israelis/we) left Egypt, in the middle of January, Moses/I told the Israeli people everything that Yahweh had commanded him/me to tell them.

4 Ɔkaa saa asɛm yi wɔ bere a na wɔadi Amorifo hene Sihon a na odi ade wɔ Hesbon ne Basanhene Og a na odi ade wɔ Astarot ne Edrei so nkonim.

This was after they/we had defeated Sihon, the king of the Amor people-group, who lived in Heshbon [city], and Og, the king of the Bashan [region] who lived in Ashtaroth and Edrei [towns].

5 Yordan apuei fam a ɛwɔ Moab asase so na Mose fii ase kyerɛkyerɛɛ mmara no mu se:

Moses/I told them these things while the people were in the Moab region, on the east side of the Jordan [River]. He/I (explained to them/enabled them to understand) God’s laws. This is what he/I said to them:

6 Awurade ka kyerɛɛ yɛn wɔ Horeb se: “Moatena saa bepɔw yi so akyɛ dodo.

“Yahweh our God said to us when we were at Sinai [Mountain], ‘You have stayed for a very long time at [the bottom of] this mountain.

7 Muntutu nkɔtena Amorifo nkoko no so; monkɔtena nnipa a wɔbemmɛn Araba mmepɔw no mu ne atɔe mmepɔw ayaase hɔ nyinaa mu; monkɔ Negeb na momfa mpoano nkosi Kanaanfo asase so ne Lebanon nkodu Asubɔnten Eufrate ho.

So now continue traveling. Go to the hilly area where the Amor people-group lives and to the nearby areas—to the Jordan [River] Valley, to the hilly region, to the western (foothills/hills at the bottom of the mountains), to the desert area to the south, to the [Mediterranean] Seacoast, to all of Canaan land, to the Lebanon [Mountains], and [northeast] to the great Euphrates River.

8 Muntie! Mede saa asase yi ama mo. Monkɔ na monkɔfa asase a Awurade hyɛɛ bɔ sɛ ɔde bɛma mo agyanom Abraham, Isak ne Yakob ne wɔn asefo no.”

Note that I will give that land to you. I, Yahweh, promised to your ancestors Abraham and Isaac and Jacob that I would give it to them and to their descendants. So now go and occupy it.’”

9 Saa bere no, meka kyerɛɛ mo se, “Me nko ara merentumi nyɛ mo ho adwuma.

Moses/I also said to the people, “When [we were still at Sinai Mountain], I told your ancestors ‘It is a very big burden/responsibility for me to govern all of you. So I cannot do it by myself.

10 Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, ama mo ase adɔ enti nnɛ yi, mo ase afɛe te sɛ ɔsoro nsoromma.

Yahweh our God has caused us Israelis to now become as numerous as the stars in the sky.

11 Awurade mo agyanom Nyankopɔn mma mo nnɔ mmɔho mpempem na onhyira mo sɛnea wahyɛ mo bɔ no!

And I hope/desire that Yahweh, the God whom our ancestors [worshiped], will cause us to become 1,000 times as numerous as we are now and that he will bless us just like he promised to do.

12 Na ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na me nko metumi asoa mo haw ne mo nnesoa ne mo ntawntaw?

But I certainly cannot [RHQ] (solve/deal with) all of your complaints/problems.

13 Mompaw mmarima bi a wɔwɔ nyansa, ntease na wɔwɔ din pa mfi abusuakuw biara mu na memfa wɔn ntuatua mo ano.”

So choose some men from your tribes who are wise and who have good sense and who are respected. Then I will appoint them to be your leaders.’

14 Mubuaa me se, “Dwuma a woasusuw sɛ wubedi no ye.”

Your ancestors replied, ‘What you have suggested is good for us to do.’

15 Enti mede mo mmusuakuw mu mmarima atitiriw, anyansafo a wɔn anim wɔ nyam no tuatuaa mo ano apem apem, ɔha ɔha, aduonum aduonum ne du du so mpanyin ne mo mmusuakuw so sɛ ahwɛfo.

So I took the wise and respected men [that your ancestors chose] from your tribes, and I appointed them to be your leaders. I appointed some to (rule/have authority) over 1,000 people, some to have authority over 100 people, some to have authority over 50 people, and some to have authority over ten people. I also appointed other officers from throughout your tribes.

16 Na atemmufo a wɔwɔ hɔ saa bere no nso, mehyɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Sɛ akasakasa ba anuanom ntam, sɛ asɛm no yɛ Israelni ne ne nua bi anaa Israelni ne ɔhɔho bi a, monhwɛ na mummu atɛntrenee.

I instructed/told your leaders, ‘Listen to the disputes that occur among your people. Judge each dispute, including disputes between close relatives and quarrels between your people and people from other countries who live among you.

17 Mo atemmu mu, mummmu ntɛnkyew. Muntie ɔketewa ne ɔkɛse pɛ. Munnsuro onipa biara, efisɛ Onyankopɔn na obu atɛn. Asɛm a ɛyɛ den ma mo no, momfa mmrɛ me na minni.”

You must (be impartial/not favor one person more than another); you must treat poor people and important people equally. You must not worry about what anyone will think [about how you decide matters], because you will decide matters as God [wants you to]. If any quarrel/dispute is very difficult and you are unable to decide it, bring it to me, and I will decide.’

18 Na saa bere no, mekaa biribiara a ɛsɛ sɛ moyɛ kyerɛɛ mo.

At that time I also told you other things that you should do.”

19 Na sɛnea Awurade hyɛɛ yɛn no, yefii Horeb de yɛn ani kyerɛɛ Amorifo bepɔw a yɛnam sare pradada a moahu no so koduu Kades-Barnea.

“Then, just like Yahweh our God commanded us, we left Sinai [Mountain] and went through that huge desert that was very (dangerous/difficult to travel through), on the road to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. We arrived at Kadesh-Barnea.

20 Afei, meka kyerɛɛ mo se, “Moadu Amorifo bepɔw man a Awurade de rema yɛn no so.

I said to your ancestors, ‘We have now come to the hilly area where the Amor people-group live. This is part of the area that Yahweh our God, the one whom our ancestors [worshiped], is giving to us.

21 Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn, de asase no ama mo. Momforo nkɔfa, sɛnea Awurade, mo agyanom Nyankopɔn, ka kyerɛɛ mo no. Munnsuro: mommma obi mmu mo aba mu.”

Note that Yahweh our God is giving this land to us. So go and occupy it as he commanded. Do not be (at all/even a little bit) afraid.’

22 Na mo nyinaa baa me nkyɛn bɛkae se, “Momma yɛnsoma mmarima nni yɛn anim na wɔnkɔsra asase no so mma yɛn na wɔmmɛka nea wobehu nkyerɛ yɛn na ɛno na ɛbɛkyerɛ yɛn kwan ne nkurow ko a yɛbɛfa so.”

But all of your ancestors came to me and said, ‘Before we go, we should [first] send some men there to explore the land, in order that they can return and tell us which will be the best road to go there and what kind of towns are there.’

23 Na saa nsusuwii yi ye ma me nti mepaw akwansrafo dumien a mo mmusuakuw dumien no mu nnipa biara wɔ mu.

I thought that it would be good to do that, so I chose twelve men, one man from each tribe.

24 Wɔforoo bepɔw no na wokoduu Eskol subon mu sraa hɔ.

They went up into the hilly area as far as Eshcol Valley, and they explored all that area.

25 Na wɔfaa asase no so aba bi de brɛɛ yɛn. Na wɔkae se, asase a Awurade yɛn Nyankopɔn de ama yɛn no yɛ asase pa.

They picked some of the fruit that they found there and brought it to us. They reported that the land that Yahweh our God was giving to us is very good/fertile.”

26 Nanso na mompɛ sɛ moforo kɔ soro. Motew Awurade asɛm so atua.

“But your ancestors refused to go [and conquer that land]. They rebelled against what Yahweh our God had commanded them to do, and they would not go into that land.

27 Munwiinwii wɔ mo ntamadan mu kae se, “Awurade tan yɛn nti na ɔde yɛn fi Misraim de yɛn abɛhyɛ Amorifo nsam sɛ wonkunkum yɛn no.

Your ancestors [stayed] in their tents and complained saying ‘Yahweh hates us. So he has brought us here from Egypt just to allow the Amor people-group to destroy us.

28 Yɛrekɔ he? Yɛn akwansrafo no amanneɛbɔ no abu yɛn aba mu. ‘Wɔka se nnipa yɛ atenten ahoɔdenfo sen yɛn. Wɔn nkurow yɛ akɛse a afasu a wɔatoto afa ho no kɔ sorosoro. Na mpo, yehuu Anakfo wɔ hɔ!’”

(Why should we go there?/We do not want to go there.) [RHQ] The men whom we sent there have caused us to become very discouraged/afraid. They have told us that the people there are much stronger and taller than we are and that there are extremely high [HYP] walls around their towns. Also they reported that they saw [giants there that are] descendants of Anak.’

29 Na meka kyerɛɛ mo se, “Mommɔ hu, munnsuro wɔn.

Then I said to your ancestors, ‘Do not be afraid (at all/even a little bit) [DOU] of those people!

30 Awurade di mo anim. Ɔbɛko ama mo sɛnea muhuu no sɛ ɔyɛɛ wɔ Misraim no.

Yahweh our God will go ahead of you, and he will fight for you, just like you saw him do for you in Egypt

31 Na muhuu nso sɛnea Awurade kɔɔ so hwɛɛ mo ntoatoaso wɔ sare so ha sɛnea agya hwɛ ne ba no. Moatwa kwan no nyinaa de abedu beae ha.”

and in the desert. You saw how he brought you safely here, like a man would carry his son. [SIM]’

32 Nanso eyi nyinaa akyi no, moannya Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no, mu awerehyɛmu.

[I reminded them that] he always went ahead of them while they traveled [in the desert]. He directed them by [a pillar of] fire during the night and a [pillar of] cloud during the day. He showed them places to set up their tents. But in spite of what I said, your ancestors would not trust Yahweh our God.

33 Ɔno na odii mo akwantu no anim, pɛɛ beae pa maa mo tenae, de ogya dum kyerɛɛ mo kwan anadwo de omununkum dum kyerɛɛ mo kwan awia.

34 Awurade tee sɛ morenwiinwii no, ne bo fuw yiye na ɔkaa ntam se,

Yahweh heard what they said, and he became angry. He solemnly declared,

35 “Saa awo ntoatoaso bɔne yi mu onipa baako koraa nni hɔ a obehu asase pa a, maka ho ntam sɛ mede bɛma mo agyanom no,

‘Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter the land. He has obeyed me completely. So I will give to him and to his descendants [some of] the land that he explored. He is the only one of all you people who will enter that land. None of these evil people will ever see that good land which I solemnly promised to give to your ancestors.’

36 gye Yefune babarima Kaleb. Ɔno na obehu saa asase yi. Mede asase a ne nan sii so no bɛma ɔne nʼasefo, efisɛ ɔde ne koma nyinaa dii Awurade akyi.”

37 Me nso, esiane mo nti, Awurade bo fuw me. Ɔka kyerɛɛ me se, “Wo nan rensi Bɔhyɛ Asase no so da.

But because of [what] your ancestors [did], Yahweh was also angry with me. He said to me, ‘You also will not enter that land.

38 Na mmom, wo boafo Nun babarima Yosua na obedi ɔmanfo no anim akɔ asase no so. Hyɛ no nkuran, efisɛ obedi Israelfo no anim akɔfa asase no.

Joshua, the son of Nun, who is your helper, will enter it. Encourage him, because he is the one who will enable you Israeli people to occupy that land.’

39 Mede asase no bɛma wo mma a wonnim biribiara. Wo mma a wonnim papa nnim bɔne no a na wusuro sɛ wɔbɛkyere wɔn nnommum no na mede asase no bɛma wɔn. Wɔn na wɔbɛtena asase no so.

Then Yahweh said to all of us, ‘You said that your children would be captured by your enemies. Because they are very young, they do not yet know what is good and what is evil. But they are the ones to whom I will give that land, and they will enter it and occupy it.

40 Na wo de, dan wʼani kɔ sare so a ɛkeka kɔ Po Kɔkɔɔ no so hɔ.”

But as for you, turn around and go back into the desert, toward the (Red Sea/Gulf of Aqaba).’

41 Ɛno na mugye too mu se “Yɛayɛ bɔne atia Awurade. Yɛbɛkɔ asase no so akɔko sɛnea Awurade aka akyerɛ yɛn no.” Enti mo mu biara faa nʼakode hyehyɛe. Na mususuwii sɛ ɔman a ɛda bepɔw so no sokɔ yɛ mmerɛw.

Then your ancestors replied, ‘We have sinned; we have disobeyed Yahweh. So we will go and attack [the people who live in] that land, just like Yahweh our God commanded us to do.’ And each of their men put on his weapons, and they thought that it would be easy to invade the hilly region.

42 Nanso Awurade ka kyerɛɛ me se, “Ka kyerɛ wɔn se, ‘Monnkɔ hɔ nkɔko, efisɛ merenka mo ho nkɔ. Mo atamfo no bedi mo so.’”

But Yahweh said to me, ‘Tell them, “Do not go up there and attack those people, because I will not go with you. If you go, your enemies will defeat you.”’

43 Meka kyerɛɛ mo, nanso moantie. Mosɔre tiaa Awurade ahyɛde no na monam ahomaso so foro kɔɔ asase no so kɔkoe.

So I told that to your ancestors, but they would not heed what I said. They [again] rebelled against what Yahweh commanded them to do. Their soldiers proudly/arrogantly marched up into that hilly region.

44 Amorifo a wɔte bepɔw no so nso sɔre baa mo so; wɔtaa mo sɛ nnowa, boroo mo fi Seir koduu Horma.

Then the men of the Amor people-group who lived in that region came out [of their towns] and attacked those soldiers. They pursued your ancestors’ soldiers like [a swarm of] bees pursues people, and they pursued them [south] from the Edom area and defeated them at Hormah [city].

45 Afei, mosan ba besuu wɔ Awurade anim, nanso osiw nʼaso a wantie mo su no.

So your ancestors went back [to Kadesh-Barnea] and cried out to request Yahweh [to help them], but he did not heed them. He did not pay any attention to them [DOU].

46 Ɛno nti, motenaa Kades nna bebree.

So we stayed there at Kadesh-Barnea for a long time.”