1 Samuel 8

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

And it comes to pass, when Samuel [is] aged, that he makes 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.

And the name of his firstborn son is Joel, and the name of his second Abiah, judges in Beer-Sheba:

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

and his sons have not walked in his ways, and turn aside after the dishonest gain, and take a bribe, and turn aside judgment.

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

And all [the] elderly of Israel gather themselves together, and come to Samuel at Ramath,

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 say to him, “Behold, you have become aged, and your sons have not walked in your ways; now, appoint a king to us, to judge us, like all the nations.”

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

And the thing is evil in the eyes of Samuel when they have said, “Give a king to us, to judge us”; and Samuel prays to 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 says to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people, to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from reigning 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 that they have done from the day of My bringing them up out of Egypt, even to this day, when they forsake Me, and serve other gods—so they are also doing to you.

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.”

And now, listen to their voice; only, surely you certainly protest to them, and have declared to them the custom of the king who reigns over them.”

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

And Samuel speaks all the words of YHWH to the people who are asking [for] a king from him,

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

and says, “This is the custom of the king who reigns over you: he takes your sons, and has appointed for himself among his chariots, and among his horsemen, and they have 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.

also to appoint for himself heads of thousands, and heads of fifties; also to plow his plowing, and to reap his reaping; and to make instruments of his war, and instruments of his charioteer.

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 takes your daughters for perfumers, and for cooks, and for 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 your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards—he takes the best, and has given to his servants.

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

And he tithes your seed and your vineyards, and has given to his eunuchs, 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 your menservants and your maidservants, and the best of your young men and your donkeys, he takes, and has prepared for his own work;

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

he tithes your flock, and you are for servants to him.

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

And you have cried out in that day because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and YHWH does not answer 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.

And the people refuse to listen to the voice of Samuel, and say, “No, but a king is 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.”

and we have been, even we, like all the nations; and our king has judged us, and gone out before us, and fought our battles.”

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

And Samuel hears all the words of the people, and speaks 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 says to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and you have caused a king to reign over them.” And Samuel says to the men of Israel, “Go, each man, to his city.”