< 1 Samuel 1 >

1 Na ɔbarima bi firi Ramataim-Sofim a ɛwɔ Efraim bepɔ asase so a ne din de Elkana. Na Elkana yi yɛ Yeroham babarima ne Elihu nana nso. Na wɔfiri Tohu fie, a ɛwɔ Suf abusua mu.
Once there was a man from Ramathaim-zophim in the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, from the tribe of Ephraim.
2 Na Elkana wɔ yerenom baanu. Na wɔn din de Hana ne Penina. Na Penina wɔ mma. Hana deɛ, na ɔnni ba.
He had two wives. The name of the first wife was Hannah, and the name of the second, Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.
3 Afe biara, na Elkana ne nʼabusuafoɔ kɔ Silo kɔsom, bɔ afɔdeɛ ma Otumfoɔ Awurade wɔ Awurade fie. Na Eli mmammarima baanu a wɔn din de Hofni ne Pinehas na wɔyɛ Awurade asɔfoɔ wɔ hɔ saa ɛberɛ no.
Every year Elkanah would leave his town and go to worship and sacrifice to the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Eli's two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were the Lord's priests.
4 Da biara a Elkana bɛba abɛbɔ afɔdeɛ no, ɔde ɛnam no mu nkyɛmu bi ma ne yere Penina ne ne mma no mu biara.
Whenever Elkanah offered a sacrifice, he would give portions of it to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.
5 Nanso, Hana deɛ, na ne kyɛfa yɛ soronko, ɛfiri sɛ, na ɔdɔ no yie, ɛwom sɛ na Awurade mmaa no mma.
He would give an extra portion to Hannah, to show his love for her even though the Lord hadn't given her any children.
6 Nanso na Awurade ato nʼawodeɛ mu enti, na Penina di ne ho fɛw.
Her rival—the other wife—would taunt her badly to upset her because the Lord hadn't given her any children.
7 Na saa asɛm yi kɔɔ so afe biara. Ɛberɛ biara a wɔbɛkɔ Awurade fie no, Penina bɔ Hana akutia. Na yei ma Hana su na ɔnnidi mpo.
This went on for years. Whenever Hannah went to the Lord's Temple, Peninnah would taunt her until she cried and couldn't eat.
8 Ɛba saa a, ne kunu Elkana bisa no sɛ, “Hana, ɛdeɛn asɛm? Adɛn enti na wonnidie? Adɛn enti na wo werɛ ahoɔ, sɛ wonni mma nti? Mensom bo mma wo, nsen sɛ anka wowɔ mmammarima edu mpo?”
“Hannah, what are you crying for?” her husband Elkanah would ask. “Why don't you eat? Why are you so upset? Aren't I better to you than ten sons?”
9 Ɛda koro bi na wɔwɔ Silo no, Hana firii adi anwummerɛ bi a wɔadidi awie sɛ ɔrekɔ Awurade fie akɔbɔ mpaeɛ. Na ɔsɔfoɔ Eli te baabi a ɔtena daa wɔ Awurade fie ɛpono ano hɔ.
One time when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah got up and went to the Temple. Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the entrance to the Lord's Temple.
10 Hana firi awerɛhoɔ a ano yɛ den mu suiɛ, ɛberɛ a na ɔrebɔ Awurade mpaeɛ.
She was terribly upset, and prayed to the Lord as she cried and cried.
11 Na ɔhyɛɛ bɔ sɛ, “Ao Awurade Otumfoɔ, sɛ wobɛhwɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ awerɛhoɔdie so, na wotie me mpaeɛbɔ ma me ɔbabarima a, ɛnneɛ mede no bɛsane ama wo. Ne nna a ɔbɛdi nyinaa ɔbɛyɛ wo dea. Deɛ ɛbɛyɛ adansedie sɛ wɔde no ama Awurade ne sɛ wɔremfa yiwan nka ne ti da.”
She made a vow, asking, “Lord Almighty, if only you would pay attention to the suffering of your servant and remember me, and not forget me but give me a son, then I will dedicate him to the Lord for his whole life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
12 Ɔgu so rebɔ Awurade mpaeɛ no, na Eli rehwɛ no.
As Hannah went on praying before the Lord, Eli watched her mouth.
13 Ɔhunuu sɛ ɔrebesebese nʼano, nanso ɔnte nne biara no, Eli susuu sɛ wanom nsã.
Hannah was praying in her head, and though her lips were moving, her voice made no sound. Eli thought she must be drunk.
14 Ɔbisaa no sɛ, “Ɛsɛ sɛ woba ha ɛberɛ a waboro nsã anaa? Ma wʼani nna hɔ!”
“Do you have to come here drunk?” he asked. “Get rid of your wine!”
15 Na Hana buaa sɛ, “Dabi, me wura, memmoroo nsã, na mmom, me werɛ na aho enti na mereka mʼahiasɛm akyerɛ Awurade.
“It's not that, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I'm a very miserable woman. I haven't been drinking wine or beer; I'm just pouring my heart out to the Lord.
16 Mesrɛ wo, mfa no sɛ meyɛ ɔbaa omumuyɛfoɔ. Na anibereɛ ne awerɛhoɔ so na merebɔ mpaeɛ.”
Please don't think I'm a bad woman! I have been praying because of all my troubles and grief.”
17 Ɛnna Eli kaa sɛ, “Sɛ saa na ɛte deɛ a, ma wʼani nnye! Israel Onyankopɔn nyɛ wʼabisadeɛ mma wo.”
“Go in peace, and may the God of Israel give you what you have asked him for,” Eli replied.
18 Hana teaam sɛ, “Meda wo ase, awura!” Ɔsane kɔ kɔdidiiɛ, na wanni awerɛhoɔ bio.
“Thank you for your kindness to your servant,” she said. Then she went on her way, had something to eat, and she didn't look sad any more.
19 Adeɛ kyee anɔpahema no, efie no mu nnipa sɔre kɔsom Awurade bio. Afei, wɔsane kɔɔ Rama. Ɛberɛ a Elkana de ne ho kaa Hana no, Awurade kaee Hana adebisa no,
Elkanah and Hannah got up early the next morning to worship the Lord and then they went home to Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord honored her request.
20 na anni da bi, ɔwoo ɔbabarima. Ɔtoo no edin Samuel na ɔkaa sɛ, “Mebisaa no firii Awurade nkyɛn.”
In due course she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”
21 Afe akyi no, Elkana, Penina, ne wɔn mma kɔɔ sɛ wɔrekɔbɔ afirinhyia afɔdeɛ ama Awurade.
Elkanah and all his family went to make the yearly sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfill his vow.
22 Hana ankɔ bi. Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne kunu sɛ, “Sɛ abɔfra no twa nufoɔ a, mede no bɛkɔ Awurade fie na makɔgya no hɔ ama Awurade afebɔɔ.”
But Hannah did not go. She told her husband, “Once the boy is weaned I will take him to be presented to the Lord and to remain there forever.”
23 Elkana kaa sɛ, “Deɛ wogye di sɛ ɛyɛ ma wo biara no, yɛ. Tena ha ansa na Awurade mmoa wo mma wonni wo bɔhyɛ so.” Enti ɔbaa no tenaa fie hwɛɛ ne babarima no.
“Do as you see fit,” her husband Elkanah replied. “Stay here until you have weaned him. May the Lord fulfill what he has said.” So Hannah stayed behind and nursed her son until she had weaned him.
24 Ɔtwaa no nufoɔ wieeɛ no, ɔde no kɔɔ Awurade asɔrefie wɔ Silo. Wɔde nantwinini a wadi mfeɛ mmiɛnsa ne esiam lita dunsia ne bobesa kakra baeɛ.
When she had weaned him, Hannah took the boy with her, along with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour, and a wineskin containing wine. Even though the boy was young, she brought him to the Lord's Temple at Shiloh.
25 Wɔde nantwinini no bɔɔ afɔdeɛ wieeɛ no, wɔde abɔfra no brɛɛ Eli.
After they had slaughtered the bull, they presented the boy to Eli.
26 Hana bisaa no sɛ, “Owura wokae me anaa? Me wura, me ne ɔbaa a ɔbɛgyinaa ha mfeɛ bebree ni bɔɔ Awurade mpaeɛ no.
“Please, my lord,” said Hannah, “as surely as you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood here with you praying to the Lord.
27 Mebɔɔ saa abɔfra yi ho mpaeɛ, na Awurade ayɛ mʼabisadeɛ ama me.
I prayed for this boy, and since the Lord has given me what I asked him for,
28 Enti, seesei, mede abɔfra yi rema Awurade. Ne nkwa nna nyinaa, ɔbɛyɛ Awurade dea.” Na wɔsomm Awurade wɔ hɔ.
now I'm giving him to the Lord. As long as he lives he will be dedicated to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

< 1 Samuel 1 >