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, “I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set 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, here is the king walking before you; and I am old and gray; and, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until today.

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 Yahweh and before his anointed one. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with? 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 cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from 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, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand.” They replied, “Yahweh 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 Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land 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 then, present yourself, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh about all of the righteous deeds of Yahweh, which he did for you and 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 came to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and they settled 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 Yahweh their God; he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the armies of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; these all fought against your ancestors.

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.’

They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now rescue us from 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.

So Yahweh sent Jerub Baal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and gave you victory over your enemies all around you, so that you lived in security.

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! Instead, a king must reign over us'—although Yahweh your God, was your king.

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

Now here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as 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 fear Yahweh, serve him, obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be followers of Yahweh your God.

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

If you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commands of Yahweh, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

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

Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh 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.”

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves 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 Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh 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.”

Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil in asking for a king for ourselves.”

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 replied, “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil, but do not turn away from Yahweh, but serve Yahweh 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 away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.

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

For the sake of his great name, Yahweh will not reject his people, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.

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

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. Instead, I will teach you the way that is good and right.

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

Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the great things he has done for you.

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

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be destroyed.”