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 it came to pass when all the kings which were beyond Jordan, in the hill country, and in the lowland, and on all the shore of the great sea in front of Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite, heard thereof;

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

that they gathered themselves together, to fight with Joshua and with Israel, with one accord.

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

But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done unto Jericho and to Ai,

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.

they also did work wilily, and went and made as if they had been ambassadors, and took old sacks upon their asses, and wineskins, old and rent and bound up;

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

and old shoes and clouted upon their feet, and old garments upon them; and all the bread of their provision was dry and was become mouldy.

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 went to Joshua unto the camp at Gilgal, and said unto him, and to the men of Israel, We are come from a far country: now therefore make ye 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 men of Israel said unto the Hivites, Peradventure ye dwell among us; and how shall we make a covenant with you?

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

And they said unto Joshua, We are thy servants. And Joshua said unto them, Who are ye? and from whence come ye?

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

And they said unto him, From a very far country thy servants are come because of the name of the LORD thy God: for we have heard the fame of him, 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 two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond Jordan, to Sihon king of Heshbon, and to Og king of Bashan, which was at Ashtaroth.

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 the inhabitants of our country spake to us saying, Take provision in your hand for the journey and go to meet them, and say unto them, We are your servants: and now make ye 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.

This our bread we took hot for our provision out of our houses on the day we came forth to go unto you; but now, behold, it is dry, and is 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 wineskins, which we filled, were new; and, behold, they be rent: and these our garments and our shoes are become old by reason of the very long journey.

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

And the men took of their provision, and asked not counsel at the mouth 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 made a covenant with them, to let them live: and the princes of the congregation sware unto them.

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

And it came to pass at the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbours, and that they dwelt 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 journeyed, and came unto their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

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.

And the children of Israel smote them not, because the princes of the congregation had sworn unto them by the LORD, the God of Israel. And all the congregation murmured against the princes.

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

But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the LORD, the God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.

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

This we will do to them, and let them live; lest wrath be upon us, because of the oath which we sware unto them.

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

And the princes said unto them, Let them live: so they became hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had spoken unto 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 for them, and he spake unto them, saying, Wherefore have ye beguiled us, saying, We are very far from you; when ye dwell among us?

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

Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall never fail to be of you bondmen, both hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of 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, and said, Because it was certainly told thy servants, how that the LORD thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land from before you; therefore we were sore afraid for our lives because of you, and have done this thing.

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

And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

26 Yosua amma Israelfo no ankum wɔn.

And so did he unto them, and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel, that they slew them not.

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 that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, unto this day, in the place which he should choose.