1 Samuel 11
1 Ɛbɛyɛ bosome akyi, Amonhene Nahas dii nʼakodɔm anim bɛtoaa Israel kuropɔn Yabes Gilead. Na Yabesman mma bisaa asomdwoeɛ. Wɔsrɛɛ sɛ, “Momma yɛne mo nyɛ apam, na yɛbɛyɛ mo asomfoɔ.”
Then Nahash the Ammonite came up, and encamped against Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said unto Nahash: 'Make a covenant with us, and we will serve thee.'
2 Nahas kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ, na adeɛ baako pɛ na ɛsɛ sɛ mopene so. Ɛne sɛ, mɛtu obiara ani nifa baako de agu Israel nyinaa anim ase.”
And Nahash the Ammonite said unto them: 'On this condition will I make it with you, that all your right eyes be put out; and I will lay it for a reproach upon all Israel.'
3 Na Yabes mpanin no buaa sɛ, “Ma yɛn nnanson, na yɛmfa nsoma abɔfoɔ mfa Israel nyinaa, na sɛ yɛn abusuafoɔ amma ammɛgye yɛn deɛ a, yɛbɛpene wo nhyehyɛeɛ no so.”
And the elders of Jabesh said unto him: 'Give us seven days' respite, that we may send messengers unto all the borders of Israel; and then, if there be none to deliver us, we will come out to thee.'
4 Abɔfoɔ no bɛduruu Gibea a ɛyɛ Saulo kurom, bɛkaa asɛm a ato wɔn no kyerɛɛ ɔmanfoɔ maa wɔn nyinaa suiɛ.
Then came the messengers to Gibeath-shaul, and spoke these words in the ears of the people; and all the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
5 Saa ɛberɛ no, na Saulo refuntum nʼafuo. Na ɔbaa efie no, ɔbisaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn asɛm na asie? Adɛn enti na nisuo abu obiara kɔn yi?” Enti, wɔbɔɔ asɛm a ɛfiri Yabes hɔ aba no ho amanneɛ.
And, behold, Saul came following the oxen out of the field; and Saul said: 'What aileth the people that they weep?' And they told him the words of the men of Jabesh.
6 Onyankopɔn honhom bɛsii Saulo so dendeenden. Na ne bo fuu yie.
And the spirit of God came mightily upon Saul when he heard those words, and his anger was kindled greatly.
7 Ɔfaa anantwie mmienu, twitwaa wɔn asinasini, na wɔmaa abɔfoɔ no soa kyinii Israel nyinaa, de saa nkratoɔ yi kaa ho sɛ, “Obiara a wanni Saulo ne Samuel akyi ankɔ ɔko no, saa ara na ne nantwie bɛyɛ!” Na Awurade maa nnipa no suroo Saulo abufuo no. Enti, wɔn nyinaa bɛboaa wɔn ho ano.
And he took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces, and sent them throughout all the borders of Israel by the hand of messengers, saying: 'Whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and after Samuel, so shall it be done unto his oxen.' And the dread of the LORD fell on the people, and they came out as one man.
8 Ɛberɛ a Saulo boaa wɔn ano wɔ Besek a ɔkan wɔn no, na Israel mmarima dodoɔ yɛ ɔpehasa ne Yudafoɔ a wɔn dodoɔ yɛ ɔpeduasa.
And he numbered them in Bezek; and the children of Israel were three hundred thousand, and the men of Judah thirty thousand.
9 Enti, Saulo somaa abɔfoɔ no ma wɔsane wɔn akyi kɔɔ Yabes Gilead kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Ɔkyena awia prɛmtoberɛ mu, yɛbɛyi mo afiri mo ahokyere no mu.” Abɔfoɔ no duruu kuro no mu no, anigyeɛ bunkam faa hɔ.
And they said unto the messengers that came: 'Thus shall ye say unto the men of Jabesh-gilead: To-morrow, by the time the sun is hot, ye shall have deliverance.' And the messengers came and told the men of Jabesh; and they were glad.
10 Na Yabes mmarima ka kyerɛɛ wɔn atamfoɔ no sɛ, “Ɔkyena yɛbɛba mo so, na deɛ mopɛ no, monyɛ yɛn.”
And the men of Jabesh said: 'To-morrow we will come out unto you, and ye shall do with us all that seemeth good unto you.'
11 Nanso, ansa na adeɛ rebɛkye no, na Saulo aduru hɔ dada. Ɔkyekyɛɛ nʼakodɔm no mu akuo mmiɛnsa. Ɔto hyɛɛ Amonfoɔ no so mpofirim, kunkumm wɔn anɔpa mu no nyinaa. Wɔn akodɔm nkaeɛ no bɔ hwetee baabiara a obi mpo nhunu sɛ wɔn mu baanu bi gyina baabi.
And it was so on the morrow, that Saul put the people in three companies; and they came into the midst of the camp in the morning watch, and smote the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and it came to pass, that they that remained were scattered, so that two of them were not left together.
12 Afei, nnipa no teaam frɛɛ Samuel sɛ, “Nnipa a wɔka sɛ ɛnsɛ sɛ Saulo di yɛn so ɔhene no wɔ he? Momfa wɔn mmra na yɛnkum wɔn.”
And the people said unto Samuel: 'Who is he that said: Shall Saul reign over us? bring the men, that we may put them to death.'
13 Nanso, Saulo buaa sɛ, “Wɔrenkum obiara ɛnnɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade agye Israel ɛnnɛ.”
And Saul said: 'There shall not a man be put to death this day; for to-day the LORD hath wrought deliverance in Israel.'
14 Na Samuel ka kyerɛɛ nnipa no sɛ, “Mommra na yɛn nyinaa nkɔ Gilgal nkɔsi Saulo ahennie no so dua.”
Then said Samuel to the people: 'Come and let us go to Gilgal, and renew the kingdom there.'
15 Enti, wɔn nyinaa kɔɔ Gilgal, na wɔhyɛɛ Saulo sahenekyɛ wɔ Awurade anim. Na wɔbɔɔ asomdwoeɛ afɔdeɛ maa Awurade, na Saulo ne Israelfoɔ nyinaa ani gyeeɛ.
And all the people went to Gilgal; and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal; and there they sacrificed sacrifices of peace-offerings before the LORD; and there Saul and all the men of Israel rejoiced greatly.
