1 Samuel 8

1 Samuel bɔɔ akɔkoraa no, ɔyii ne mmammarima sɛ wɔnyɛ Israel atemmufoɔ.

And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 Nʼabakan no din de Yoɛl ɛnna ne ba a ɔtɔ so mmienu no din de Abiya. Na wɔyɛ atemmufoɔ wɔ Beer-Seba.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beer–sheba.

3 Nanso, na ne mmammarima no nte sɛ wɔn agya. Wɔyɛɛ sikanibereɛ. Wɔgyegyee adanmudeɛ, buu ntɛnkyea.

And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

4 Enti, Israel mpanimfoɔ nyinaa hyiaa Samuel wɔ Rama ne no bɛdii saa asɛm yi ho nkɔmmɔ.

Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,

5 Wɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Woabɔ akɔkoraa, na wo mmammarima nso nnante wʼakwan so; enti, si ɔhene na ɔnni yɛn anim sɛdeɛ aman bebree yɛ noɔ no.”

And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

6 Wɔn abisadeɛ no anyɛ Samuel dɛ enti, ɔkɔɔ Awurade anim kɔbisaa akwankyerɛ.

But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto Yhwh.

7 Na Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ, “Tie nsɛm a ɔmanfoɔ no reka kyerɛ wo no na yɛ. Ɛnyɛ wo na wɔapo, na mmom, me na wɔapo me, sɛ mennni wɔn so ɔhene bio.

And Yhwh said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

8 Ɛfiri ɛberɛ a meyii wɔn firi Misraim no bɛsi ɛnnɛ yi no, wɔakɔ so apo me akɔdi anyame foforɔ akyi; na ɛnnɛ yi, saa ara na wɔde reyɛ wo.

According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.

9 Ɛno enti, tie wɔn, nanso bɔ wɔn kɔkɔ anibereɛ so, na ma wɔnhunu ɛkwan a ɔhene a ɔrebɛdi wɔn so no de wɔn bɛfa so.”

Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

10 Enti, Samuel kaa Awurade kɔkɔbɔ no kyerɛɛ nnipa no.

And Samuel told all the words of Yhwh unto the people that asked of him a king.

11 “Sei na ɔhene ne mo bɛtena. Ɔhene bɛtwe mo mmammarima akɔfra nʼasradɔm mu, na wɔama wɔn atu mmirika adi ne nteaseɛnam anim.

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots.

12 Ebinom bɛyɛ nʼakodɔm mu asahene, na ebinom nso ayɛ nkoa mu asomfoɔ. Wɔbɛhyɛ ebinom ma wɔafuntum nʼafuo, na wɔatwa nʼafudeɛ, na afoforɔ ayɛ nʼakodeɛ ne ne teaseɛnam ho nneɛma.

And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 Ɔhene no bɛgye mo mmammaa afiri mo nsam, na wahyɛ wɔn ama wɔanoa nnuane, na wɔato nnuane, na wɔayɛ nnuhwam nso ama no.

And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.

14 Ɔbɛgye mo mfuo ne mo bobe mfuo ne mo ngo mfuo a ɛyɛ no afiri mo nsam, na ɔde ama ɔno ankasa nʼasomfoɔ.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 Ɔbɛgye mo mfudeɛ mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako, na wakyekyɛ ama nʼadwumayɛfoɔ ne nʼasomfoɔ.

And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.

16 Ɔbɛpɛ sɛ ɔbɛnya mo mfenaa ne nkoa, na wagye mo anantwie papa ne mo mfunumu de wɔn ayɛ nʼadwuma.

And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.

17 Ɔbɛgye mo nnwan mu nkyɛmu edu mu baako na moayɛ nʼasomfoɔ.

He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

18 Sɛ ɛda no duru a, mobɛsrɛ ahomegyeɛ afiri saa ɔhene a morepɛ no no nkyɛn, nanso Awurade remmoa mo.”

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and Yhwh will not hear you in that day.

19 Nanso, ɔmanfoɔ no antie Samuel kɔkɔbɔ no. Asɛm a wɔkaeɛ ara ne sɛ, “Sɛ ɛte sɛn koraa a, yɛpɛ ɔhene.

Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us;

20 Yɛpɛ sɛ yɛyɛ sɛ aman a wɔatwa yɛn ho ahyia no. Yɛn ɔhene bɛdi yɛn so, na wadi yɛn anim akɔ ɔko.”

That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

21 Enti, Samuel kaa asɛm a nkurɔfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ no no kyerɛɛ Awurade,

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of Yhwh.

22 na Awurade buaa sɛ, “Yɛ deɛ wɔreka no ma wɔn, na ma wɔn ɔhene.” Afei, Samuel penee so, na ɔmaa obiara kɔɔ ne kurom.

And Yhwh said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.