< 1 Samuel 2 >
1 Na Hana bɔɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Mʼakoma di ahurisie wɔ Awurade mu! Ao, Awurade mu na me nhyira wɔ! Afei, manya mmuaeɛ ama mʼatamfoɔ, na mʼani gye wɔ wo gyeɛ no ho.
My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies: because I have joyed in thy salvation.
2 “Obiara nyɛ kronkron sɛ Awurade! Obi bi nka wo ho; Ɔbotan bi nni hɔ sɛ yɛn Onyankopɔn.
There is none holy as the Lord is: for there is no other beside thee, and there is none strong like our God.
3 “Gyae ahantansu ne ahomasoɔ no, nkasa wɔ ahantan so saa! Ɛfiri sɛ, Awurade yɛ Onyankopɔn a ɔnim wo nneyɛeɛ na ɔbɛbu wo deɛ woayɛ no so atɛn.
Do not multiply to speak lofty things, boasting: let old matters depart from your mouth: for the Lord is a God of all knowledge, and to him are thoughts prepared.
4 “Wɔn a na wɔyɛ atumfoɔ no nnyɛ atumfoɔ bio; na wɔn a na wɔyɛ mmerɛ no nso, afei, wɔayɛ den.
The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength.
5 Wɔn a na wɔdidi mee pintinn no afei ɔkɔm rekum wɔn. Na wɔn a ɔkɔm rekum wɔn no nso afei wɔamee pintinn. Afei, obonini wɔ mma baason, na ɔbaa a na ɔwɔ mma pii no mma bɛbɔ no.
They that were full before have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she that had many children is weakened.
6 “Awurade de nkwa ne owuo nyinaa ba; Ɔka ebi hyɛ damena mu, na ɔnyane ebinom. (Sheol )
The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to hell and bringeth back again. (Sheol )
7 Awurade yɛ obi ohiani na wayɛ obi ɔdefoɔ; ɔbrɛ obi ase na wapagya obi.
The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he humbleth and he exalteth.
8 Ɔpagya ohiani firi mfuturo mu aane, ɔyi no firi nsosie mu; ɔyɛ wɔn sɛ mmapɔmma de wɔn tena animuonyam nkonnua so. “Ɛfiri sɛ, asase fapem yɛ Awurade dea, na watoto ewiase sɛdeɛ ɛsɛ.
He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory. For the poles of the earth are the Lord’s, and upon them he hath set the world.
9 Ɔbɛbɔ nyamesurofoɔ ho ban, na amumuyɛfoɔ bɛyera esum mu. “Sɛ ahoɔden mu nko deɛ a, obi renni nim;
He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness, because no man shall prevail by his own strength.
10 Wɔn a wɔko tia Awurade no, ɔbɛdwerɛ wɔn. Ɔdwa aprannaa firi ewiem gu wɔn so; Awurade bu atɛn wɔ asase so baabiara. “Ɔma ne ɔhempɔn ahoɔden kɛseɛ; deɛ wasra no no, ɔhyɛ nʼahoɔden mu den.”
The adversaries of the Lord shall fear him: and upon them shall he thunder in the heavens. The Lord shall judge the ends of the earth, and he shall give empire to his king, and shall exalt the horn of his Christ.
11 Afei, Elkana ne Hana gyaa Samuel hɔ kɔɔ efie wɔ Rama. Na abarimaa no bɛyɛɛ Awurade ɔboafoɔ, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔboaa ɔsɔfoɔ Eli.
And Elcana went to Ramatha, to his house: but the child ministered in the sight of the Lord before the face of Heli the priest.
12 Eli mmammarima no yɛ asansafoɔ a wɔmfɛre Awurade,
Now the sons of Heli were children of Belial, not knowing the Lord,
13 anaa wɔn asɔfodwuma. Ɛberɛ biara a obi bɛba abɛbɔ afɔdeɛ no na wɔrenoa ɛnam no, Eli mma no soma ɔsomfoɔ de adinam a ɛwɔ ano mmiɛnsa ba. Ɛberɛ a ɛnam no si ogya so no,
Nor the office of the priests to the people: but whosoever had offered a sacrifice, the servant of the priest came, while the flesh was in boiling, with a fleshhook of three teeth in his hand,
14 ɔsomfoɔ no de adinam no wɔ dadesɛn no mu. Na wɔhyɛ sɛ deɛ adinam no bɛwɔ mu no nyinaa yɛ Eli mma no dea. Wɔde Israelfoɔ a wɔba Silo hɔ nyinaa faa saa ɛkwan yi so.
And thrust it into the kettle, or into the caldron, or into the pot, or into the pan: and all that the fleshhook brought up, the priest took to himself. Thus did they to all Israel that came to Silo.
15 Ɛtɔ dabi a, ansa na wɔbɛhye sradeɛ no, ɔsɔfoɔ no ɔsomfoɔ ba bɛka kyerɛ onipa a ɔrebɔ afɔdeɛ no sɛ, “Ma ɔsɔfoɔ no ɛnam no bi, na ɔntoto. Ɔmpɛ wo ɛnam a woanoa, na mmom, ɛnam mono nko ara.”
Also before they burnt the fat, the servant of the priest came, and said to the man that sacrificed: Give me flesh to boil for the priest: for I will not take of thee sodden flesh, but raw.
16 Onipa a ɔrebɔ afɔdeɛ no ka sɛ, “Fa dodoɔ biara a wopɛ, nanso sradeɛ no deɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ wɔhye ansa.” Ɛhɔ na ɔsomfoɔ no bɛka sɛ, “Dabi, fa ma me seesei ara, anyɛ saa a, mede tumi bɛfa.”
And he that sacrificed said to him: Let the fat first be burnt today according to the custom, and then take as much as thy soul desireth. But he answered and said to him: Not so: but thou shalt give it me now, or else I will take it by force.
17 Na saa bɔne a mmeranteɛ yi yɛ yi yɛ akyiwadeɛ wɔ Awurade anim, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔbu Awurade afɔrebɔ no animtia.
Wherefore the sin of the young men was exceeding great before the Lord: because they withdrew men from the sacrifice of the Lord.
18 Samuel deɛ, ɛwom na ɔyɛ abarimaa, nanso na ɔyɛ Awurade ɔboafoɔ. Na wɔde nwera asɔfotadeɛ ahyɛ no te sɛ ɔsɔfoɔ.
But Samuel ministered before the face of the Lord: being a child girded with a linen ephod.
19 Afe biara a ne maame ne ne kunu rekɔbɔ afirinhyia afɔdeɛ no, na ne maame pam batakari kumaa bi de kɔma no.
And his mother made him a little coat, which she brought to him on the appointed days, when she went up with her husband, to offer the solemn sacrifice.
20 Ansa na wɔbɛsane akɔ efie no, Eli hyira Elkana ne ne yere ka sɛ, “Awurade mma ɔbaa yi nwo mma, na ɔmmɛsi deɛ ɔbɔɔ ho mpaeɛ nyaeɛ a ɔde no maa Awurade no ananmu.”
And Heli blessed Elcana and his wife: and he said to him: The Lord give thee seed of this woman, for the loan thou hast lent to the Lord. And they went to their own home.
21 Na Awurade maa Hana woo mmammarima baasa ne mmammaa baanu. Na Samuel nyinii wɔ Awurade anim.
And the Lord visited Anna, and she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters: and the child Samuel became great before the Lord.
22 Afei, Eli bɔɔ akɔkoraa, nanso na ɔnim deɛ ne mmammarima no de reyɛ Israelfoɔ. Nhwɛsoɔ bi ne sɛ, na ɔnim sɛ ne mmammarima no fa mmabaawa a wɔboa ntomadan no ano adwumayɛ no.
Now Heli was very old, and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel: and how they lay with the women that waited at the door of the tabernacle:
23 Eli ka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Metete mo ho nsɛm firi ɔmanfoɔ nkyɛn a ɛfa amumuyɛsɛm a modie no ho. Adɛn enti na mokɔ so yɛ bɔne?
And he said to them: Why do ye these kinds of things, which I hear, very wicked things, from all the people?
24 Me mma, ɛsɛ sɛ mogyae! Mo ho nsɛm a metete firi Awurade nkurɔfoɔ nkyɛn fa mo ho no nyɛ.
Do not so, my sons: for it is no good report that I hear, that you make the people of the Lord to transgress.
25 Sɛ obi yɛ bɔne tia ɔfoforɔ a, Onyankopɔn tumi gyina mu ma ɔfɔdifoɔ no. Nanso, sɛ obi yɛ bɔne tia Awurade a, hwan na ɔbɛtumi adi agyinamu?” Eli mma no antie wɔn agya no afotuo, na Awurade nso reyɛ nʼadwene sɛ ɔbɛkum wɔn.
If one man shall sin against another, God may be appeased in his behalf: but if a man shall sin against the Lord, who shall pray for him? And they hearkened not to the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
26 Na abɔfra Samuel nyiniiɛ, na ɔkɔɔ so nyaa adom firii Awurade ne ɔmanfoɔ nkyɛn.
But the child Samuel advanced, and grew on, and pleased both the Lord and men.
27 Ɛda koro bi Onyankopɔn onipa bi baa Eli nkyɛn de nkra yi brɛɛ no sɛ, “Sei na Awurade ka, ‘Manna me ho adi pefee ankyerɛ wʼagya fie ɛberɛ a na wɔyɛ nkoa wɔ Misraim no anaa?
And there came a man of God to Heli, and said to him: Thus saith the Lord: Did I not plainly appear to thy father’s house, when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharao?
28 Israel mmusuakuo no nyinaa mu no, Aaron na meyii no sɛ, ɔnyɛ me ɔsɔfoɔ a ɔbɛkɔ afɔrebukyia anim akɔhye aduhwam, na wahyɛ asɔfotadeɛ wɔ mʼanim. Na mede afɔdeɛ a wɔbɔɔ no ogya so no nyinaa maa mo asɔfoɔ no.
And I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my sitar, and burn incense to me, and to wear the ephod before me: and I gave to thy father’s house of all the sacrifices of the children of Israel.
29 Adɛn enti na motiatia me kum afɔdeɛ ne mʼaduane afɔdeɛ so? Adɛn enti na mobu mo mmammarima sene me? Moawe afɔrebɔdeɛ a me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ bɔ no mu kyɛfa a ɛyɛ no, na monam so ayeyɛ akɛseɛ!’
Why have you kicked away my victims, and my gifts which I commanded to be offered in the temple: and thou hast rather honoured thy sons than me, to eat the firstfruits of every sacrifice of my people Israel?
30 “Enti, asɛm a Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn ka ne sɛ, ‘Meremma nneɛma bɔne a moreyɛ yi nkɔ so! Mehyɛɛ bɔ sɛ wo Lewi abusua fa no bɛyɛ mʼasɔfoɔ, nanso, wɔn a wɔdi me ni no, mɛdi wɔn ni; na wɔn a wɔbu me animtia no, mɛbɔ wɔn ahohora.
Wherefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father should minister in my sight, for ever. But now saith the Lord: Far be this from me: but whosoever shall glorify me, him will I glorify: but they that despise me, shall be despised.
31 Mɛma mo fiefoɔ agyae mʼasɔfodie som no. Mpatuwuo mpa mo fie da na mo mu biara rentena ase nni mfeɛ, mmee.
Behold the days come: and I will cut off thy arm, and the arm of thy father’s house, that there shall not be an old man in thy house.
32 Mode anibereɛ na ɛbɛhwɛ nkɔsoɔ a mede bɛma me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ. Na mo abusuafoɔ no mu biara nni hɔ a ɔbɛbɔ akɔkoraa.
And thou shalt see thy rival in the temple, in all the prosperity of Israel, and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever.
33 Wɔn a wɔbɛka akyire no bɛtena ase awerɛhoɔ ne ntehem mu. Na wɔn mma bɛwuwu atɔfowuo.
However I will not altogether take away a man of thee from my altar: but that thy eyes may faint and thy soul be spent: and a great part of thy house shall die when they come to man’s estate.
34 “‘Na sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ na wobɛhunu sɛ deɛ maka no bɛba mu saa no enti, mɛma wo mmammarima baanu no a ɛyɛ Hofni ne Pinehas no awuwu da korɔ mu.
And this shall be a sign to thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, Ophni and Phinees: In one day they shall both of them die.
35 Ɛno akyi masi ɔsɔfoɔ foforɔ a ɔyɛ ɔnokwafoɔ a ɔbɛsom me, na wayɛ deɛ mɛkyerɛ no sɛ ɔnyɛ biara. Mɛhyira nʼasefoɔ, na ne fiefoɔ bɛyɛ ahene a mɛsra wɔn ngo no asefoɔ akɔsi daa.
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, who shall do according to my heart, and my soul, and I will build him a faithful house, and he shall walk all days before my anointed.
36 Na wʼasefoɔ nyinaa bɛkoto nʼasefoɔ, asrɛsrɛ wɔn sika ne aduane. Wɔbɛka sɛ, “Mesrɛ mo, momma yɛn nnwuma bi nyɛ wɔ asɔfoɔ no mu sɛdeɛ ɛbɛma yɛanya aduane adi, amee.”’”
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall remain in thy house, shall come that he may be prayed for, and shall offer a piece of silver, and a roll of bread, and shall say: Put me, I beseech thee, to somewhat of the priestly office, that I may eat a morsel of bread.