1 Samuel 4

1 Na nnipa a wɔwɔ Israel nyinaa tee nsɛm a ɛfiri Samuel hɔ. Saa ɛberɛ no, na Israelfoɔ ne Filistifoɔ reko. Israelfoɔ akodɔm kyeree sraban wɔ Ebeneser ɛnna Filistifoɔ nso kyeree sraban wɔ Afek.

And it happened that, in those days, the Philistines assembled to fight. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and he made camp beside the Stone of Assistance. But the Philistines went to Aphek,

2 Filistifoɔ no to hyɛɛ Israelfoɔ akodɔm no so, dii wɔn so nkonim, na wɔkumm nnipa mpemnan.

and they positioned their troops against Israel. Then, when the conflict began, Israel turned his back to the Philistines. And they were cut down in that conflict, in various places in the fields, about four thousand men.

3 Ɔko no baa awieeɛ, na Israel akodɔm sane kɔɔ wɔn sraban mu hɔ no, Israel mpanimfoɔ no bisaa sɛ, “Adɛn nti na Awurade ama yɛadi nkoguo ɛnnɛ yi wɔ Filistifoɔ anim yi? Momma yɛnkɔfa Awurade Apam Adaka no mfiri Silo. Sɛ yɛde kɔ ɔsa a, ɛbɛgye yɛn afiri yɛn atamfoɔ nsam.”

And the people returned to the camp. And those greater by birth of Israel said: “Why has the Lord struck us today before the Philistines? Let us bring to ourselves the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. And let it enter into our midst, so that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.”

4 Enti, nnipa no somaa mmarima kɔɔ Silo, na wɔde Otumfoɔ Awurade a ɔte Kerubim ntam Apam Adaka no baeɛ. Saa ɛberɛ no na Eli mmammarima baanu Hofni ne Pinehas ka wɔn a wɔsoaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no kɔɔ akono hɔ no ho.

Therefore, the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, sitting upon the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of the covenant of God.

5 Ɛberɛ a Israelfoɔ no hunuu sɛ wɔde Awurade Apam Adaka no reba nsraban no mu no, wɔn nyinaa bɔɔ ose maa asase wosoeɛ.

And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord had arrived in the camp, all of Israel shouted with a great clamor, and the land resounded.

6 Filistifoɔ no bisaa sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn na ɛrekɔ so yi? Ɛdeɛn osebɔ na ɛwɔ Hebrifoɔ sraban mu hɔ yi?” Wɔtee sɛ Awurade Apam Adaka no na abɛduru sraban mu hɔ no,

And the Philistines heard the voice of the clamor, and they said, “What is this voice of a great clamor in the camp of the Hebrews?” And they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp.

7 wɔsuroeɛ. Na wɔkaa sɛ, “Anyame no aba wɔn sraban mu hɔ. Ɛnneɛ, asɛm ato yɛn! Yɛnhyiaa asɛm a ɛte sei bi da.

And the Philistines were afraid, saying, “God has entered into the camp.” And they groaned, saying:

8 Hwan na ɔbɛgye yɛn afiri saa Israel anyame atumfoɔ yi nsam? Wɔne anyame a wɔde owu yadeɛ ahodoɔ nyinaa bi sɛee Misraimfoɔ, ɛberɛ a Israelfoɔ wɔ ɛserɛ so hɔ no.

“Woe to us! For there was no such great exultation yesterday, or the day before. Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of these sublime gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with all the plagues, in the desert.”

9 Monnyere mo ho, Filistifoɔ! Monnyina sɛ mmarima; anyɛ saa a, Hebrifoɔ no bɛfa mo nkoa sɛdeɛ wɔyɛɛ yɛn nkoa no.”

“Be strengthened, and be manly, O Philistines! Otherwise, you may serve the Hebrews, as they also have served you. Be strengthened and wage war!”

10 Enti, Filistifoɔ no koo anibereɛ so, dii Israelfoɔ no so bio. Wɔn a wɔkunkumm wɔn no dɔɔso. Israelfoɔ ɔpeduasa na wɔkunkumm wɔn ɛda no. Wɔn a wɔnyaa wɔn ti didii mu no dwane kɔɔ wɔn ntomadan mu.

Therefore, the Philistines fought, and Israel was cut down, and each one fled to his own tent. And an exceedingly great slaughter occurred. And thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell.

11 Wɔfaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no, na wɔkunkumm Eli mmammarima baanu a wɔyɛ Hofni ne Pinehas no.

And the ark of God was captured. Also, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

12 Ɛda no ara, ɔbarima bi firi Benyamin abusuakuo mu dwane firii akono hɔ bɛduruu Silo. Na watete ne ntadeɛ mu, de mfuturo ahura ne tiri mu, de kyerɛ nʼawerɛhoɔ.

Now a man of Benjamin, rushing from the troops, arrived at Shiloh on the same day, with his clothing torn, and with his head sprinkled with dust.

13 Na Eli retwɛn wɔ kwankyɛn baabi, pɛ sɛ ɔte ɔko no mu nsɛm, ɛfiri sɛ, na ne bo ntɔ ne yam koraa wɔ Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ho. Ɔbɔfoɔ no ba bɛkaa asɛm a asie no, wɔtee nteateamu bi wɔ kuro no mu nyinaa.

And when he had arrived, Eli was sitting on a seat opposite the way, gazing out. For his heart was fearful on behalf of the ark of God. Then, after this man entered the city, he announced it to the city. And the entire city wailed.

14 Eli bisaa sɛ, “Saa nteateamu yi ase ne sɛn?” Ɔbɔfoɔ no yɛɛ ntɛm kɔɔ Eli,

And Eli heard the sound of the outcry, and he said, “What is this sound, this tumult?” And the man hurried, and he went and announced it to Eli.

15 a na wadi mfeɛ aduɔkron nwɔtwe na nʼani afira no nkyɛn.

Now Eli was ninety-eight years old, and his eyes had dimmed, so that he was not able to see.

16 Ɔka kyerɛɛ Eli sɛ, “Seesei ara na mefiri akono hɔ baeɛ. Nnɛ yi ara, na mewɔ hɔ.” Eli bisaa sɛ, “Na ɛkɔsii sɛn?”

And he said to Eli: “I am the one who came from the battle. And it is I who fled from the troops today.” And he said to him, “What has happened, my son?”

17 Ɔbɔfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Israelfoɔ adi nkoguo. Israel akodɔm no mpem mpem atotɔ wɔ akono hɔ. Afei, wo mmammarima baanu a ɛyɛ Hofni ne Pinehas no nso wɔawuwu, na Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no nso, wɔafa.”

And responding, the man reported and said: “Israel has fled before the Philistines. And a great ruin has happened to the people. Moreover, your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, also have died. And the ark of God has been captured.”

18 Ɔbɔfoɔ no kaa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no ho asɛm ara pɛ, Eli firi akonnwa a ɔte so mu wɔ abɔntenpono ho no te hwee nʼakyi. Ne kɔn mu buiɛ, ɛfiri sɛ, na wabɔ akɔkoraa a ne mu nso yɛ duru. Na wadi Israel anim mfirinhyia aduanan.

And when he had named the ark of God, he fell from the seat backwards, toward the door, and, having broken his neck, he died. For he was an old man of great age. And he judged Israel for forty years.

19 Saa ɛberɛ no na nʼase baa a ɔyɛ Pinehas yere nyem a ɔreyɛ awoɔ. Ɔtee sɛ wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no, na nʼase ne ne kunu awuwuo no, awoɔ kaa no amonom hɔ.

Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, and her delivery was near. And upon hearing the news that the ark of God had been captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband had died, she bent down and went into labor. For her pains rushed upon her suddenly.

20 Ɔwuu wɔ awokoɔ mu, nanso ansa na ɔrebɛwu no, mmaa a wɔregye no awoɔ no kaa sɛ, “Nsuro woawo abarimaa.” Nanso, wammua wɔn na wankasa wɔn ho nso.

Then, when she was near death, those who were standing around her said to her, “You should not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond to them, and she did not notice them.

21 Ɔbesebesee nʼano too abarimaa no edin Ikabod, “Animuonyam no wɔ he, Israel animuonyam no asa,” ɛfiri sɛ, wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no na nʼase ne ne kunu nso awuwu.

And she called the boy Ichabod, saying, “The glory of Israel has been taken away,” because the ark of God was captured, and because of her father-in-law and her husband.

22 Ɔkaa sɛ, “Animuonyam afiri Israel mu, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔafa Onyankopɔn Apam Adaka no.”

And she said, “The glory has been taken away from Israel,” because the ark of God had been captured.