2 Mose 1

1 Yakob mma ne wɔn abusuafoɔ a wɔne no tu kɔtenaa no din na ɛdidi so yi.

These are the names of the sons of Israel who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family:

2 Ruben, Simeon, Lewi ne Yuda;

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah;

3 Isakar, Sebulon ne Benyamin;

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin;

4 Dan, Naftali; Gad ne Aser.

Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.

5 Yakob asefoɔ a ɔne wɔn kɔeɛ no nyinaa ano si aduɔson. Na Yosef wɔ Misraim dada.

The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy in all, including Joseph, who was already in Egypt.

6 Yosef ne ne nuanom ne wɔn ɛberɛ sofoɔ no nyinaa wuwuiɛ,

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,

7 nanso Israelfoɔ no ase dɔreeɛ, na wɔyɛɛ bebree, hyɛɛ asase no so ma.

but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them.

8 Na ɔhene foforɔ bi bɛdii adeɛ wɔ Misraim a na ɔnnim Yosef ho asɛm.

Then a new king, who did not know Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

9 Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne mamfoɔ no sɛ, “Monhwɛ, Israelfoɔ yi ase adɔre, wɔreyɛ adɔɔso dodo ama yɛn.

“Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.

10 Momma yɛmpɛ ɛkwan bi na yɛmfa so nsi saa dɔre a wɔredɔre no ano. Sɛ yɛanyɛ saa na ɔko bi si a, wɔbɛdɔm yɛn atamfoɔ ne wɔn ako atia yɛn na wɔafiri ɔman yi mu.”

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”

11 Enti wɔde nkoa sohwɛfoɔ gyinagyinaa wɔn kɔn so ma wɔyɛɛ adwuma den de kyekyeree adekora nkuropɔn Pitom ne Rameses maa Farao.

So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.

12 Nanso mpɛn dodoɔ a Misraimfoɔ no hyɛɛ wɔn so no, dɔ ara na Israelfoɔ no dɔɔso. Yei maa Misraimfoɔ no suroo Israelfoɔ

But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites.

13 na wɔkɔɔ so hyɛɛ Israelfoɔ no so ketee.

They worked the Israelites ruthlessly

14 Wɔde adwumadenyɛ dii Israelfoɔ no nya. Wɔma wɔyɛɛ ntayaa ne dɔteɛ ho adwuma a ɛyɛ den ne mfuom nnwuma ahodoɔ. Yeinom nyinaa akyiri no Misraimfoɔ yɛɛ atirimuɔden akwan bebree so kyerɛɛ Israelfoɔ no.

and made their lives bitter with hard labor in brick and mortar, and with all kinds of work in the fields. Every service they imposed was harsh.

15 Misraimhene ka kyerɛɛ Hebrifoɔ awogyefoɔ a wɔn din ne Sifra ne Pua sɛ,

Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah,

16 “Sɛ mokɔgye Hebrini biara awoɔ, na awoeɛ hɔ mohunu sɛ ɔyɛ ɔbabarima a, monkum no, na sɛ ɔyɛ ɔbabaa deɛ a, monnyɛ no hwee.”

“When you help the Hebrew women give birth, observe them on the birthstools. If the child is a son, kill him; but if it is a daughter, let her live.”

17 Esiane sɛ na awogyefoɔ no yɛ onyamesurofoɔ no enti, wɔanni mmara a ɔhene no hyɛɛ wɔn no so maa mmarimaa a wɔwowoo wɔn no tenaeɛ.

The midwives, however, feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt had instructed; they let the boys live.

18 Ɔhene no frɛɛ wɔn bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Adɛn enti na moanni mmara a mehyɛeɛ no so na moama mmarimaa a Hebrifoɔ no wowoo wɔn no atena?”

So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”

19 Wɔbuaa no sɛ, “Hebrifoɔ mmaa no de ahoɔden wo ɔherɛ so enti yɛbɛduru hɔ no, na wɔawo dada. Wɔnte sɛ Misraimfoɔ mmaa no.”

The midwives answered Pharaoh, “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before a midwife arrives.”

20 Onyankopɔn hyiraa awogyefoɔ no. Na Israelfoɔ no dɔɔso ara bɛyɛɛ ɔman kɛseɛ.

So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied and became even more numerous.

21 Esiane sɛ na awogyefoɔ no yɛ nyamesurofoɔ enti, Onyankopɔn domm wɔn mma.

And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.

22 Afei, Farao hyɛɛ mmara sɛ Herbrifoɔ mmarimaa a wɔbɛwo wɔn foforɔ no, wɔnto wɔn ngu Asubɔnten Nil mu na mmaayewa a wɔbɛwo wɔn foforɔ no deɛ, wɔntena hɔ.

Then Pharaoh commanded all his people: “Every son born to the Hebrews you must throw into the Nile, but every daughter you may allow to live.”