1 Samuel 12

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

And Samuel said to all Israel, behold, I have hearkened to your voice in all that ye 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.

And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood 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.”

Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed; whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind my eyes with it? and I will restore it you.

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

And they said thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught 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!”

And he said to them, The LORD [is] witness against you, and his anointed [is] witness this day, that ye have not found aught in my hand. And they answered, [He is] witness.

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

And Samuel said to the people, [It is] the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers out of 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 therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, 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 had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers from Egypt, and made them 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.

And when they forgot the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host 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 the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

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

And the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe.

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.

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD 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, behold the king whom ye have chosen, [and] whom ye have desired! and behold, the LORD hath 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 ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye, and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD 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.

But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as [it was] against your fathers.

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

Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD 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 wheat-harvest to-day? I will call to the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you 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 the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD 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.”

And all the people said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the LORD thy God, that we die not: 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.

And Samuel said to the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD 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.

And turn ye not aside: for then [would ye go] after vain [things], which cannot 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 the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

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 the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

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

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great [things] he hath done for you.

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

But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye will be consumed, both ye and your king.