1 Samuel 16

1 Awurade bisaa Samuel sɛ, “Woadi Saulo ho awerɛhoɔ sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ. Mapo no sɛ Israel ɔhene. Fa ngo gu wo toa mu, na tutu so kɔ Betlehem. Hwehwɛ obi a wɔfrɛ no Yisai na mayi ne mmammarima no mu baako sɛ ɔnyɛ me ɔhene foforɔ.”

The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite; for I have provided a king for myself among his sons."

2 Samuel bisaa sɛ, “Mɛyɛ dɛn ayɛ yei? Sɛ Saulo te a ɔbɛkum me.” Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa nantwie ba ka wo ho, na ka sɛ, maba sɛ merebɛbɔ afɔdeɛ ama Awurade.

Samuel said, "How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me." The LORD said, "Take a heifer with you, and say, I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.

3 To nsa frɛ Yisai na ɔmmra afɔrebɔ no, na mɛkyerɛ wo ne mmammarima no mu deɛ wobɛsra no ngo ama me.”

Call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do. You shall anoint to me him whom I name to you."

4 Samuel yɛɛ deɛ Awurade kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ no. Ɛberɛ a ɔduruu Betlehem no, ɛhɔ mpanimfoɔ no bɔɔ hu. Wɔbisaa no sɛ, “Wobaa no asomdwoeɛ mu anaa?”

And Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling. And they said, "Is your visit peaceful, seer?"

5 Samuel buaa sɛ, “Aane, asomdwoeɛ mu. Merebɛbɔ afɔdeɛ ama Awurade. Monnwira mo ho, na mommɛka me ho na yɛmmɔ.” Enti, Samuel dwiraa Yisai ne ne mmammarima no na ɔtoo nsa frɛɛ wɔn afɔrebɔ no ase.

And he said, "Peaceful; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice." He sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.

6 Wɔduruiɛ no, Samuel hunuu Eliab na ɔdwenee sɛ, “Ampa, deɛ Awurade asra noɔ no ni.”

It happened, when they had come, that he looked at Eliab, and said, "Surely the LORD's anointed is before him."

7 Nanso, Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ, “Nhwɛ nʼahoɔfɛ ne ne tenten, ɛfiri sɛ, mapo no. Awurade nhwɛ nneɛma sɛdeɛ nnipa hwɛ no. Onipa hwɛ deɛ aniwa hunu, na Awurade deɛ, ɔhwɛ akoma mu.”

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For humans do not see as God sees, for humans look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart."

8 Na Yisai frɛɛ Abinadab maa ɔtwaam Samuel anim. Nanso, Samuel kaa sɛ, “Yei nyɛ deɛ Awurade ayi no.”

Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

9 Yisai maa Sama twaam, nanso Samuel kaa sɛ, “Saa ara na Awurade nyii yei.”

Then Jesse made Shimeah to pass by. He said, "Neither has the LORD chosen this one."

10 Yisai maa ne mmammarima baason bɛfaa Samuel anim, na Samuel ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Awurade nyii wɔn mu biara.”

And Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen these."

11 Enti, ɔbisaa Yisai sɛ, “Mmammarima a wowɔ nyinaa ni anaa?” Yisai buaa sɛ, “Akumaa pa ara wɔ hɔ, nanso ɔrehwɛ nnwan.” Samuel kaa sɛ, “Soma na wɔnkɔfa no mmra seesei. Sɛ ɔmmaeɛ a, yɛrentena ase nnidi.”

Then Samuel said to Jesse, "Are all your children here?" And he said, "There remains yet the youngest. Look, he is tending the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse, "Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here."

12 Enti, Yisai soma ma wɔkɔfaa no baeɛ. Na ɔyɛ bɔkɔɔ a ahoɔfɛ adware no na nʼani yɛ fɛ. Awurade kaa sɛ, “Sɔre na sra no ngo. Ɔno nie.”

So he sent and brought him in. And he was reddish brown, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. And the LORD said, "Arise, anoint him, for he is the one."

13 Enti, Samuel faa toa a ngo wɔ mu no sraa no wɔ ne nuanom anim. Na, ɛfiri saa ɛda no, Awurade honhom baa Dawid so wɔ tumi mu. Samuel kɔɔ Rama.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brothers: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily on David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

14 Saa ɛberɛ yi na Awurade honhom afiri Saulo so. Na Awurade maa ɔhaw honhom bɛhyɛɛ no ma. Ɛmaa ɔtenaa ase ehu ne suro mu.

Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and a harmful spirit from the LORD tormented him.

15 Ɛbaa saa no, Saulo asomfoɔ no bi kyerɛɛ adwene bi sɛ, “Akyinnyeɛ biara nni ho sɛ honhommɔne bi na ɛreha wo.

Saul's servants said to him, "See now, a harmful spirit from God troubles you.

16 Sɛ saa a, ɛnneɛ, momma yɛmpɛ sankubɔfoɔ papa bi, na sɛ honhom no ba bɛha wo a, wabɔ nnwom ama wo. Sankuo so nnwom bɛdwodwo wo. Na ɛrenkyɛre, wo ho bɛtɔ wo bio.”

Let our lord now command your servants who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. It shall happen, when the harmful spirit is on you, that he shall play with his hand, and you shall be well, and it will give you relief."

17 Saulo kaa sɛ, “Ɛyɛ asɛm papa. Monhwehwɛ sankubɔni papa bi na momfa no mmra ha.”

Saul said to his servants, "Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me."

18 Asomfoɔ no mu baako ka kyerɛɛ Saulo sɛ, “Yisai a ɔfiri Betlehem babarima baako nim sankuo bɔ yie. Ɛnyɛ ɛno nko. Ɔyɛ ɔkokoɔdurufoɔ hoɔdenfoɔ, na ɔyɛ ɔbadwemma nso. Ɔyɛ aberanteɛ a ne ho yɛ fɛ, na Awurade ka ne ho.”

Then one of the young men answered, and said, "Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a warrior, and articulate in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him."

19 Enti, Saulo tuu abɔfoɔ kɔɔ Yisai hɔ kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Fa wo babarima Dawid a ɔyɛ odwanhwɛfoɔ no brɛ me.”

Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, "Send me David your son, who is with the sheep."

20 Yisai penee so de Dawid kɔmaa Saulo a abirekyie ba ne afunumu a wɔahyehyɛ aduane ne nsã wɔ ne so ka ho.

And Jesse took a donkey and loaded it with an omer of bread, and a skin of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul.

21 Enti, Dawid kɔɔ Saulo nkyɛn kɔsom no. Na Saulo pɛ Dawid asɛm yie, enti ɔbɛyɛɛ Saulo akodeɛkurafoɔ no mu baako.

David came to Saul, and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer.

22 Na Saulo too Yisai nkra sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo, ma Dawid mmɛka mʼadwumayɛfoɔ ho, ɛfiri sɛ, mepɛ nʼasɛm yie.”

Saul sent to Jesse, saying, "Please let David stand before me; for he has found favor in my sight."

23 Na ɛberɛ biara a honhommɔne a ɛfiri Onyankopɔn bɛba Saulo so abɛha no no, Dawid bɔ sankuo no. Ɛba saa a, Saulo ho tɔ no, na honhommɔne no nso kɔ.

It happened, when the spirit from God was on Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him.