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, “Behold, 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, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and grey-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. 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. Witness against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? 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 from anyone’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, “The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, 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 the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up 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 plead with you before the LORD concerning 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 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 the LORD 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.’

They cried to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD 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.

The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, 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 children of Ammon came against you, you 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 see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD 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 the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of 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 you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand will 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 still 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.”

Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD’s sight, 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 the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. Then 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.”

All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for 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, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away 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.

Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or 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 has pleased the LORD 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.

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 instruct you in 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 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 keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”