Yosua 9

1 Afei, ahemfo a wɔwɔ Yordan atɔe fam no nyinaa tee nsɛm a asisi. Eyinom ne Hetifo, Amorifo, Kanaanfo, Perisifo, Hewifo ne Yebusifo ahemfo a na wɔtete mmepɔw nsase a ɛwɔ atɔe fam mmepɔw no ase ne Po Kɛse no mpoano kosi Lebanon atifi fam mmepɔw no so tɔnn.

And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard [of it],

2 Saa ahemfo yi boaa wɔn nsraadɔm ano ntɛm so sɛ wɔbɛko atia Yosua ne Israelfo.

they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.

3 Nanso Gibeonfo tee asɛm a ato Yeriko ne Ai no,

And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai.

4 wɔfaa nnaadaa kwan so de gyee wɔn ho nkwa. Wɔsomaa ananmusifo kɔɔ Yosua nkyɛn. Wɔde nkotoku a atetew ne mmoa nhoma nsa nkotoku a ayɛ dedaw na wɔatetare mu soaa wɔn mfurum.

And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and tore and patched bottles of wine,

5 Wɔhyehyɛɛ ntade dedaw ne mpaboa a akyɛ na wɔapempam. Afei wɔfaa brodo a abɔ ntuw sɛ wɔn aduan.

and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them—and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.

6 Woduu Israelfo atenae wɔ Gilgal no, wɔka kyerɛɛ Yosua ne Israel mmarima no se, “Yefi akyirikyiri man bi so na aba rebɛsrɛ mo sɛ mo ne yɛn nyɛ asomdwoe apam.”

And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us.

7 Israelfo no buaa saa Hewifo yi sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛahu sɛ monnte mmɛn ha? Efisɛ sɛ ɛte saa a, yɛrentumi ne mo nnyɛ apam.”

And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure you dwell among us; and how should I make a covenant with you?

8 Wobuae se, “Yɛbɛyɛ mo asomfo.” Yosua bisaa wɔn se, “Moyɛ ɛhefo na mufi he?”

And they said to Joshua, We are your servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are you, and whence have you come?

9 Wobuaa se, “Yefi akyirikyiri asase bi so. Yɛate Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn no kɛseyɛ ne nea ɔyɛɛ wɔ Misraim nyinaa.

And they said, Your servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord your God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt,

10 Afei yɛate nea ɔyɛɛ Amorifo ahemfo baanu wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apuei fam, Hesbonhene Sihon ne Basanhene Og (a ɔtenaa Astarot no).

and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who lived in Astaroth and in Edrain.

11 Ɛno nti, yɛn mpanyimfo ne ɔmanfo no ka kyerɛɛ yɛn ɔhyɛ so sɛ, ‘Munsiesie mo ho mma akwantu tenten. Munkohyia Israelfo na mompae mu nka se “Yɛn nkurɔfo bɛyɛ wɔn asomfo na mompere asomdwoe.”’

And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and you shall say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.

12 Yɛresi mu no, na brodo yi yɛ hyerehyere a efi fonoo mu. Nanso sɛnea muhu no, akyenkyen na abɔ ntuw.

These [are] the loaves—we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.

13 Saa mmoa nhoma nsa nkotoku yi, bere a yɛde nsa guu mu no na ɛyɛ foforo, nanso mprempren, apaapae ayɛ dedaw. Na yɛn ntade ne mpaboa nso, esiane akwantu tenten nti, atetew.”

And these [are] the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are tore; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.

14 Enti Israelfo no hwehwɛɛ wɔn brodo no ho nanso wɔammisa Awurade.

And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not [counsel of] the Lord.

15 Yosua kɔɔ so ne wɔn yɛɛ asomdwoe apam no na Israel mpanyimfo no kekaa ntam a emu yɛ den nam so gye too mu.

And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.

16 Nnansa akyi no, nokware no daa adi sɛ saa nnipa a wɔyɛ Gibeonfo no te bɛn.

And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbors, and that they lived among them.

17 Enti Israelfo no anna so koraa na wɔyɛɛ sɛ wɔbɛyɛ nhwehwɛmu. Nnansa akyi no woduu wɔn nkurow no so. Saa nkurow no ne Gibeon, Kefira, Beerot ne Kiriat-Yearim.

And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities [were] Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.

18 Nanso Israelfo no antow anhyɛ nkurow no so, efisɛ na wɔn mpanyimfo aka ntam akyerɛ Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn. Esiane Apam no nti, Israelfo no nwiinwii hyɛɛ wɔn mpanyimfo no.

Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.

19 Na mpanyimfo no buae se, “Yɛaka ntam wɔ Awurade, Israel Nyankopɔn anim. Yɛrentumi mfa yɛn nsa nka wɔn.

And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

20 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛma wɔtena. Sɛ yebu yɛn ntam no so a, Onyankopɔn bo befuw yɛn.

This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

21 Momma wɔntena. Nanso, yɛbɛma wɔabu nnua, akɔ asu ama asafo no nyinaa.” Enti Israelfo no dii bɔ a wɔahyɛ Gibeonfo no so.

They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

22 Na Yosua frɛɛ Gibeonfo mpanyimfo no bisaa wɔn se, “Adɛn nti na mutwaa atoro kyerɛɛ yɛn? Adɛn nti na mokaa se mote akyirikyiri asase so wɔ bere a mote yɛn mu pɛɛ?

And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have you deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas you are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell among us?

23 Nnome mmra mo so! Efi nnɛ rekɔ, mubebu nnua, atwe nsu de akɔ me Nyankopɔn fi.”

And now you are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.

24 Wobuaa Yosua se, “Yɛyɛɛ saa, efisɛ wɔka kyerɛɛ yɛn se, Awurade, mo Nyankopɔn hyɛɛ ne somfo Mose sɛ ɔmmɛko nni saa asase yi nyinaa so na ɔnsɛe nnipa a wɔte so nyinaa. Yesuroo sɛ mubekunkum yɛn. Ɛno nti na ɛma yɛyɛɛ saa.

And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord your God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that lived on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and [therefore] we did this thing.

25 Mprempren yɛdan mo. Nea mususuw sɛ eye ma mo biara no, monyɛ.”

And now, behold, we [are] in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems [good] to you.

26 Yosua amma Israelfo no ankum wɔn.

And they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not kill them.

27 Na ɛda no, ɔmaa Gibeonfo no yɛɛ nnuabufo ne asukɔfo maa Israelfo ne Awurade afɔremuka no wɔ baabiara a Awurade bɛka sɛ wonsi no no. Saa nhyehyɛe no wɔ hɔ de besi nnɛ.

And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.