1 Samuel 12

1 Afei, Samuel kasa kyerɛɛ ɔman no bio sɛ, “Deɛ mopɛɛ sɛ meyɛ no mayɛ, mama mo ɔhene.

Samuel said to all Israel, "Look, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

2 Matwa me mmammarima ho ayi no, na megyina ha sɛ akɔkoraa tidwono. Masom sɛ mo ɔkannifoɔ firi me mmɔfraase.

Now, look, the king walks before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and look, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my youth to this day.

3 Afei, monka nkyerɛ me, ɛberɛ a megyina Awurade ne deɛ wɔasra no wɔ ne din mu anim yi, hwan nantwie anaa nʼafunumu na mawia? Masisi mo mu bi pɛn anaa? Madi mo nya pɛn anaa? Magye adanmudeɛ bi pɛn anaa? Sɛ mayɛ bɔne bi a, monka nkyerɛ me, na mɛtenetene deɛ manyɛ no yie.”

Here I am. Testify against me before Jehovah, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe, or a shoe? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you."

4 Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Dabi, wonsisii yɛn, na wonnii yɛn nya ɛkwan biara so, na wonnyee adanmudeɛ fua pɛ mpo.”

They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything of any man's hand."

5 Samuel kaa sɛ, “Awurade ne ne onipa a wɔasra no no yɛ mʼadansefoɔ sɛ morentumi nka sɛ mabɔ mo korɔno.” Wɔn nyinaa kaa sɛ, “Ampa ara, ɛyɛ nokorɛ!”

He said to them, "Jehovah is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand." They said, "He is witness."

6 Samuel toaa so sɛ, “Ɛyɛ Awurade na ɔyii Mose ne Aaron. Ɔno na ɔyii mo agyanom firii Misraim asase so.

Samuel said to the people, "It is Jehovah who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of Egypt.

7 Seesei, monnyina ha dinn wɔ Awurade anim ɛberɛ a megu so rekaakae mo nneɛma akɛseɛ a Awurade ayɛ ama mo ne mo agyanom no.

Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Jehovah concerning all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which he did to you and to your fathers.

8 “Ɛberɛ a na Israelfoɔ wɔ Misraim na wɔsu frɛɛ Awurade no, ɔsomaa Mose ne Aaron sɛ, wɔnnyi wɔn mfiri Misraim, na wɔmfa wɔn mmra saa asase yi so.

"When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, and your fathers cried to Jehovah, then Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

9 “Nanso, ankyɛre biara na nnipa no werɛ firii Awurade, wɔn Onyankopɔn, enti ɔmaa Sisera a ɔyɛ Hasor akodɔm sahene no ne Filistifoɔ ne Moabhene dii wɔn so.

"But they forgot Jehovah their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.

10 Afei, wɔsu frɛɛ Awurade bio, na wɔpaee mu kaa wɔn bɔne sɛ, ‘Yɛayɛ bɔne sɛ yɛatwe yɛn ho afiri Awurade ho, na yɛresom ahoni Baalim ne Astoret. Na sɛ wogye yɛn firi yɛn atamfoɔ nsam a, yɛbɛsom wo, na wo nko ara na yɛbɛsom.’

And they cried to Jehovah, and they said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'

11 Na Awurade somaa Yerub-Baal, Barak, Yefta ne Samuel, na ɔgyee mo firii mo atamfoɔ nsam na mobɛtenaa asomdwoeɛ mu.

Jehovah sent Jerubbaal, and Barak, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

12 “Nanso, mosuroo Amonfoɔ ɔhene Nahas enti, moka kyerɛɛ me sɛ, ‘Dabi, yɛrepɛ ɔhene ama wadi yɛn so’—nanso na Awurade mo Onyankopɔn yɛ mo so ɔhene.

"When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us;' when Jehovah your God was your king.

13 Afei, mo ɔhene a moayi no nie; deɛ mobisaeɛ no. Hwɛ, Awurade ayɛ mo apɛdeɛ ama mo.

Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for: and look, Jehovah has set a king over you.

14 Sɛ mosuro Awurade, na mosom no, tie nʼasɛm, na sɛ moammu ne mmara so, na mo ne mo ɔhene a ɔdi mo so no nyinaa di Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn akyi a, biribiara bɛyɛ yie.

If you will fear Jehovah, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, and both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Jehovah your God, then he will rescue you.

15 Na sɛ moantie Awurade, na motia ne mmara a, ne nsa bɛyɛ duru wɔ mo so sɛdeɛ ɛyɛɛ mo agyanom so no.

But if you will not listen to the voice of Jehovah, but rebel against the commandment of Jehovah, then the hand of Jehovah will be against you, and against your king to destroy you.

16 “Enti afei, monnyina hɔ dinn, na monhwɛ ade kɛseɛ a Awurade rebɛyɛ.

"Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Jehovah will do before your eyes.

17 Monim sɛ saa ɛberɛ yi a ɛyɛ ayuotwaberɛ yi, osuo nntɔ. Mɛma Awurade adwa aprannaa na ama osuo atɔ. Afei mobɛhunu bɔne a moyɛeɛ sɛ mobisaa ɔhene no.”

Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to Jehovah, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Jehovah, in asking for a king."

18 Ɛhɔ ara Samuel frɛɛ Awurade, na ɛda no ara, Awurade dwaa aprannaa, tɔɔ osuo. Nnipa no nyinaa suroo Awurade ne Samuel.

So Samuel called to Jehovah; and Jehovah sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared Jehovah and Samuel.

19 Nnipa no nyinaa ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ, “Bɔ Awurade, wo Onyankopɔn, mpaeɛ ma wʼasomfoɔ sɛdeɛ yɛrenwuo, na yɛrenyɛ bɔne nka yɛn bɔne ahodoɔ nyinaa ho sɛ yɛabisa ɔhene.”

All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Jehovah your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask us a king."

20 Samuel buaa sɛ, “Monnsuro. Moayɛ saa bɔne yi nyinaa bi deɛ, nanso monnnane mo ani mfiri Awurade so, na momfa mo akoma nyinaa nsom Awurade.

Samuel said to the people, "Do not be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet do not turn aside from following Jehovah, but serve Jehovah with all your heart.

21 Monnsane nkɔdi ahoni huhuo a wɔrenyɛ mo papa biara, na wɔrentumi nnye mo nkwa no akyi, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔn ho nni mfasoɔ.

Do not turn aside to go after vain things which can't profit nor deliver, for they are vain.

22 Esiane ne din kɛseɛ no enti, Awurade rempo ne nkurɔfoɔ. Awurade afa mo sɛ nʼankasa nʼadeɛ.

For Jehovah will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased Jehovah to make you a people to himself.

23 Na me deɛ, merenyɛ bɔne ntia Awurade sɛ meremmɔ mpaeɛ mma mo. Na mɛkɔ so akyerɛ mo papa ne bɔne.

Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Jehovah in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

24 Nanso, monhwɛ sɛ mobɛsuro Awurade na moasom no nokorɛm.

Only fear Jehovah, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.

25 Na sɛ mokɔ so yɛ bɔne a, wɔbɛsɛe mo ne mo ɔhene nyinaa.”

But if you shall still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king."