< 2 Samuel 7 >
1 Ɛberɛ a wɔbɔɔ ɔhene no atenaseɛ wɔ nʼahemfie na Awurade ama asomdwoeɛ aba asase no so no,
By now the king was comfortable in his palace and the Lord had given him peace from all the enemy nations around him.
2 Dawid frɛɛ nkɔmhyɛni Natan sɛ, “Hwɛ, mete ahemfie a wɔde ntweneduro asi mu, na Onyankopɔn Adaka no nso si ntomadan mu.”
So he said to Nathan the prophet, “Look at me—I live in a palace made of cedar, but the Ark of God is still in a tent.”
3 Na Natan buaa ɔhene no sɛ, “Biribiara a woadwene ho sɛ wobɛyɛ no, kɔ so na yɛ, na Awurade ka wo ho.”
“Go ahead, do whatever you want, for the Lord is with you,” Nathan told the king.
4 Na anadwo no, Awurade asɛm baa Natan so sɛ,
But that night the Lord spoke to Nathan and told him,
5 “Kɔka kyerɛ me ɔsomfoɔ Dawid sɛ, ‘Sɛdeɛ Awurade seɛ nie: Wone obi a ɛsɛ sɛ wosi ɛdan ma me na metena mu anaa?
“Go and tell my servant David, This is what the Lord says: Should you be the one to build a house for me to live in?
6 Ɛfiri ɛberɛ a mede Israelfoɔ firi Misraim baeɛ de bɛsi ɛnnɛ no, mentenaa ɛdan mu da. Daa wɔtu mʼase firi beaeɛ kɔ beaeɛ.
For I have never lived in a house, from the time I led the Israelites out of Egypt up till now. I have always moved from place to place, living in a tent and a Tabernacle.
7 Ɛberɛ biara a wɔtu mʼase a Israelman nyinaa ka me ho no, motee sɛ mebisaa wɔn sodifoɔ, wɔn a mehyɛ wɔn sɛ wɔnhwɛ me nkurɔfoɔ Israelfoɔ no sɛ, “Adɛn enti na momfaa ntweneduro nsii fie mmaa me da?”’
But in all those travels with all of Israel did I ever ask any Israelite leader I'd ordered to take care of my people, ‘Why haven't you built a cedar house for me?’
8 “Afei, kɔka kyerɛ me ɔsomfoɔ Dawid sɛ, ‘Sɛdeɛ Awurade Otumfoɔ seɛ nie: Meyii wo firii mmoa adidibea ne nnwan akyidie mu, de wo bɛsii me nkurɔfoɔ Israel so ɔhene.
So then, tell my servant David this is what the Lord Almighty says. It was me who took you from the fields, from looking after sheep, to become a leader of my people Israel.
9 Na baabiara a wokɔ no, meka wo ho, na matwa wʼatamfoɔ nyinaa afiri wʼanim. Na mɛma wɔagye din wɔ asase yi nyinaa so.
I have been with you wherever you've gone. I have destroyed all your enemies right in front of you, and I will make your reputation as great as the most famous people on earth.
10 Na mapɛ tenaberɛ ama me nkurɔfoɔ Israel; beaeɛ bi a ɛwɔ banbɔ a obiara renha wɔn. Ɛhɔ bɛyɛ wɔn ankasa asase a aman amumuyɛfoɔ renhyɛ wɔn so, sɛdeɛ wɔyɛɛ wɔ ɛberɛ bi a atwam no,
I will choose a place for my people Israel. I will settle them there and they won't be disturbed anymore. Evil people won't persecute them as they used to,
11 ɛfiri ɛberɛ a mepaa atemmufoɔ sɛ wɔnni me nkurɔfoɔ so no. Mɛsane ama mo banbɔ afiri mo atamfoɔ nyinaa nsam. “‘Na Awurade aka akyerɛ wo sɛ, ɔno Awurade na ɔbɛkyekyere efie ama wo; ahemfo ntoatoasoɔ efie.
from the time I placed judges in charge of my people. I will defeat all of your enemies. Also I want to make it clear that I the Lord will build a house for you.
12 Na sɛ wo nna to twa a, mɛma wʼaseni a ɔfiri wʼasenem adi wʼadeɛ, na matim nʼahemman ase.
For when you come to the end of your life and join your ancestors in death, I will bring to power one of your descendants, one of your sons, and make sure his kingdom is successful.
13 Ɔno ne obi a ɔbɛsi dan de me din ato so. Na matim nʼahemman mu ahennwa ase afebɔɔ.
He will be the one to build me a house, and I will make sure his kingdom lasts forever.
14 Mɛyɛ nʼagya, na wayɛ me ba. Sɛ ɔyɛ bɔne a, mɛma aman bi atwe nʼaso.
I will be a father to him, and he will be a son to me. If he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod like people do, like a parent punishing a child.
15 Nanso, merenyi me dɔ mfiri ne so da, sɛdeɛ meyi mefirii Saulo a meyii no firii wʼanim no so ansa na wobɛdii nʼadeɛ no.
But I will never take away my kindness and love from him, as I did in the case of Saul who I removed before you.
16 Wo fie ne wʼahemman bɛtim wɔ mʼanim afebɔɔ; na wʼahennwa bɛtena hɔ daa.’”
Your house and your kingdom will last forever; your dynasty will be secure forever.”
17 Natan kaa saa adiyisɛm yi nyinaa kyerɛɛ Dawid.
This is what Nathan explained to David—everything he was told in this divine revelation.
18 Na ɔhene Dawid kɔtenaa Awurade anim bɔɔ mpaeɛ sɛ, “Ao, Awurade Otumfoɔ, mene hwan, na me fiefoɔ yɛ ɛdeɛn a wode me abɛduru ɛnnɛ?
Then King David went and sat down in the presence of the Lord. He prayed, “Who am I, Lord God, and what is significant about my family, that you have brought me to this place?
19 Na afei Otumfoɔ Awurade, yeinom nyinaa akyi no, woka sɛ wobɛma me ahennie a ɛte hɔ daa. Woyɛ nnipa nyinaa sei anaa, Ao Awurade Otumfoɔ?
God, you talk as if this was a small thing in your eyes, and you also have spoken about the future of my house, my family dynasty. Is this your usual way of dealing with human beings, Lord God?
20 “Ɛdeɛbɛn bio na mɛtumi aka? Ɛfiri sɛ, wonim sɛdeɛ wʼakoa teɛ, Ao Awurade Otumfoɔ.
What more can I, David, tell you? You know exactly what your servant is like, Lord God.
21 Wʼasɛm ne wo pɛ mu enti, woayɛ nneɛma kɛseɛ yi nyinaa akyerɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ.
You're doing all this for me and you have explained it to me, your servant, and because of your promise and because it's what you want to do.
22 “Wo kɛseyɛ yɛ kokuroo, Ao Awurade Otumfoɔ! Obi biara nte sɛ wo, Onyankopɔn bi nni hɔ sɛ wo, na yɛntee onyame foforɔ bi mpo ho asɛm!
How great you are, Lord God! There really is no-one like you; there is no other God, only you. We have never heard about anyone else.
23 Ɔman bɛn na ɛwɔ asase yi so a ɛte sɛ Israel? Ɔman foforɔ bɛn na woayi no afiri nkoasom mu de wɔn ayɛ wo ɔman? Ɛberɛ a woyii wo nkurɔfoɔ firii Misraim no, wogyee edin. Woyɛɛ anwanwadeɛ akɛseɛ de pamoo aman ne ahoni ahodoɔ a na wɔyɛ akwansideɛ ma wo nkurɔfoɔ.
Who else is as fortunate as your people Israel? Who else on earth did God go and redeem to make his own people? You gained a wonderful reputation for yourself by all the tremendous, amazing things you did in driving out other nations and their gods before your people as you redeemed them from Egypt.
24 Woatim wo nkurɔfoɔ Israel sɛ wʼankasa wʼadeɛ afebɔɔ, na wo Ao Awurade, woabɛyɛ wɔn Onyankopɔn.
You made your people Israel your own forever, and you, Lord, have become their God.
25 “Na afei, Awurade Onyankopɔn, di ɛbɔ a wohyɛ faa wʼakoa ne ne mʼabusuafoɔ ho no so. Ma ɛnyɛ bɔhyɛ a ɛbɛtena hɔ daa.
So now, Lord God, please ensure that what you have said about me and my house happens, and is confirmed forever. Please do as you have promised,
26 Na ma wo din nkron afebɔɔ na ewiase nyinaa nka sɛ, ‘Awurade Otumfoɔ yɛ Israel so Onyankopɔn.’ Na ma wo ɔsomfoɔ Dawid ahennie ase ntim wɔ wʼanim.
and may your true nature be honored forever, with people declaring, ‘The Lord Almighty is Israel's God!’ May the house of your servant David continue to be there in your presence.
27 “Ao, Awurade Otumfoɔ, Israel Onyankopɔn, masi me bo abɔ saa mpaeɛ yi ɛfiri sɛ woakyerɛ sɛ wobɛkyekyere fie a ɛyɛ daa ahennie ama me.
Lord Almighty, God of Israel, you have revealed this to me, your servant, telling me, ‘I will build a house for you.’ That's why your servant has had the courage to pray this prayer to you.
28 Ao, Awurade Otumfoɔ, woyɛ Onyankopɔn! Wo nsɛm mu wɔ ahotosoɔ, na woahyɛ wo ɔsomfoɔ nnepa ho bɔ.
Lord Almighty, you are God! Your words are truth, and you are the one who has promised these good things to your servant.
29 Afei, ma ɛnyɛ wo pɛ sɛ wobɛhyira wʼakoa fie so, na atoa so afebɔɔ wɔ wʼanim, na wo, Ao Awurade Otumfoɔ, woakasa, na wo nhyira a wode bɛhyira wo ɔsomfoɔ fie no bɛyɛ daapem nhyira.”
So now, please bless your servant's house that it may continue in your presence forever. For you have spoken, Lord God, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”