Yosua 20

1 Awurade ka kyerɛɛ Yosua sɛ,

And the Lord spoke to Josue, saying: Speak to the children of Israel and say to them:

2 “Afei, ka kyerɛ Israelfoɔ no na wɔnyiyi dwanekɔbea nkuropɔn no sɛdeɛ mehyɛɛ Mose no.

Appoint cities of refuge, a of which I spoke to you by the hand of Moses:

3 Obiara a wanhyɛ da na ɔbɛkum obi no tumi dwane kɔ nkuropɔn yi bi so, kɔbɔ ne ho adwaa, sɛdeɛ owufoɔ no abusuafoɔ no ntumi ntɔ okum no so were.

That whosoever shall kill a person unawares may flee to them: and may escape the wrath of the kinsman, who is the avenger of blood:

4 Sɛ onipa a wanhyɛ da na ɔkum obi no duru kuropɔn no bi so a, ɔnkɔhunu kuropɔn no mu mpanimfoɔ wɔ kuropɔn no ɛpono ano na ɔnkyerɛ wɔn deɛ ɛsiiɛ. Ɛsɛ sɛ wɔma ho kwan ma ɔwura kuropɔn no mu, na wɔne no tena.

And when he shall flee to one of these cities: he shall stand before the gate of the city, and shall speak to the ancients of that city, such things as prove him innocent: and so shall they receive him, and give him a place to dwell in.

5 Sɛ owufoɔ no abusuafoɔ ba sɛ wɔrebɛtɔ okum no so were a, ɛnsɛ sɛ mpanimfoɔ no yi okumfoɔ no ma, ɛfiri sɛ, ɛyɛ ɛsiane.

And when the avenger of blood shall pursue him, they shall not deliver him into his hands, because he slew his neighbour unawares, and is not proved to have been his enemy two or three days before.

6 Nanso, ɛsɛ sɛ okumfoɔ no tena kuropɔn no mu na ɔmanfoɔ di nʼasɛm bu no bem. Na ɛsɛ sɛ okumfoɔ no kɔ so tena kuro no mu, ɛfiri sɛ, owuo no yɛ asiane. Ɔbɛtena hɔ akɔsi sɛ ɔsɔfopanin a ɔwɔ hɔ saa ɛberɛ no a asɛm no siiɛ no bɛwu. Ɛno akyi, okumfoɔ no wɔ ho kwan sɛ ɔsane kɔ ne kurom.”

And he shall dwell in that city, till he stand before judgment to give an account of his fact, and till the death of the high priest, who shall be at that time: then shall the manslayer return, and go into his own city and house from whence he fled.

7 Nkuropɔn a ɛdidi so yi na wɔyiyi yɛɛ hɔ dwanekɔbea nkuropɔn: Kedes a ɛwɔ Galilea wɔ Naftali bepɔ asase so, Sekem a ɛwɔ Efraim bepɔ asase so, Kiriat-Arba a wɔfrɛ no Hebron a ɛwɔ Yuda bepɔ asase so.

And they appointed Cedes in Galilee of mount Nephtali, and Sichem in mount Ephraim, and Cariath-Arbe, the same is Hebron in the mountain of Juda.

8 Na Asubɔnten Yordan apueeɛ fam nso a ɛtwam firi Yeriko no, saa nkuropɔn a ɛdidi soɔ yi na wɔyiyii sɛ dwanekɔbea nkuropɔn: Beser a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ pradada so a ɛyɛ Ruben abusuakuo dea no, Ramot a ɛwɔ Gilead a ɛwɔ Gad abusuakuo asase so ne Golan a ɛwɔ Basan a ɛyɛ Manase abusuakuo no asase.

And beyond the Jordan to the east of Jericho, they appointed Bosor, which is upon the plain of the wilderness of the tribe of Ruben, and Ramoth in Galaad of the tribe of Cad, and Gaulon in Basan of the tribe of Manasses.

9 Yeinom ne nkuropɔn a wɔyiyi maa Israelfoɔ ne ahɔhoɔ a wɔne wɔn teɛ no. Obiara a wanfiri boapayɛ mu ankum ɔfoforɔ no, ɔtumi kɔpɛ dwanekɔbea wɔ saa nkuropɔn yi mu biara so. Sɛ wɔfa saa ɛkwan yi so a wɔn a wɔrepɛ aweretɔ nsa renka awudifoɔ no nkum wɔn ansa na wɔaba ɔmanfoɔ asɛnniiɛ abɛyi wɔn ho ano.

These cities were appointed for all the children of Israel, and for the strangers, that dwelt among them: that whosoever had killed a person unawares might flee to them, and not die by the hand of the kinsman, coveting to revenge the blood that was shed, until he should stand before the people to lay open his cause.