Yosua 9

1 Afei, ahemfo a wɔwɔ Yordan atɔeɛ fam no nyinaa tee nsɛm a asisi. (Yeinom ne Hetifoɔ, Amorifoɔ, Kanaanfoɔ, Perisifoɔ, Hewifoɔ ne Yebusifoɔ ahemfo a na wɔtete mmepɔ nsase a ɛwɔ atɔeɛ fam mmepɔ ayaase ne Ɛpo Kɛseɛ no mpoano kɔsi Lebanon atifi fam mmepɔ so tɔnn.)

And when the kings of the Amorites on the other side of Jordan, who were in the mountain country, and in the plain, and in all the coast of the great sea, and those who were near Antilibanus, and the Chettites, and the Chananites, and the Pherezites, and the Evites, and the Amorites, and the Gergesites, and the Jebusites, heard [of it],

2 Saa ahemfo yi boaa wɔn akodɔm ano ntɛm so sɛ wɔbɛko atia Yosua ne Israelfoɔ.

they came all together at the same time to make war against Joshua and Israel.

3 Nanso Gibeonfoɔ tee asɛm a ato Yeriko ne Ai no,

And the inhabitants of Gabaon heard of all that the Lord did to Jericho and Gai.

4 wɔfaa nnaadaa kwan so de gyee wɔn ho nkwa. Wɔsomaa ananmusifoɔ kɔɔ Yosua nkyɛn. Wɔde nkotokuo a atete ne mmoa nwoma nsã nkotokuo a ayɛ dada na wɔatetɛ mu soaa wɔn mfunumu.

And they also wrought craftily, and they went and made provision and prepared themselves; and having taken old sacks on their shoulders, and old and tore and patched bottles of wine,

5 Wɔhyehyɛɛ ntadeɛ dada ne mpaboa a akyɛre na wɔapempam. Afei wɔfaa burodo a abɔ ntu sɛ wɔn aduane.

and the upper part of their shoes and their sandals old and clouted on their feet, and their garments old upon them—and the bread of their provision was dry and mouldy and corrupt.

6 Wɔduruu Israelfoɔ atenaeɛ wɔ Gilgal no, wɔka kyerɛɛ Yosua ne Israel mmarimma no sɛ, “Yɛfiri akyirikyiri ɔman bi so na aba rebɛsrɛ mo sɛ mo ne yɛn nyɛ asomdwoeɛ apam.”

And they came to Joshua into the camp of Israel to Galgala, and said to Joshua and Israel, We are come from a far land: now then make a covenant with us.

7 Israelfoɔ no buaa saa Hewifoɔ yi sɛ, “Ɛbɛyɛ dɛn na yɛahunu sɛ monnte mmɛn ha? Ɛfiri sɛ, sɛ ɛte saa a, yɛrentumi ne mo nnyɛ apam.”

And the children of Israel said to the Chorrhaean, Peradventure you dwell amongst us; and how should I make a covenant with you?

8 Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Yɛbɛyɛ mo asomfoɔ.” Yosua bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Moyɛ ɛhefoɔ na mofiri he?”

And they said to Joshua, We are your servants: and Joshua said to them, Whence are you, and whence have you come?

9 Wɔbuaa sɛ, “Yɛfiri akyirikyiri asase bi so. Yɛate Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn no kɛseyɛ ne deɛ ɔyɛɛ wɔ Misraim nyinaa.

And they said, Your servants are come from a very far country in the name of the Lord your God: for we have heard his name, and all that he did in Egypt,

10 Afei yɛate deɛ ɔyɛɛ Amorifoɔ ahemfo baanu wɔ Asubɔnten Yordan apueeɛ fam, Hesbonhene Sihon ne Basanhene Og (a ɔtenaa Astarot no).

and all that he did to the kings of the Amorites, who were beyond Jordan, to Seon king of the Amorites, and Og king of Basan, who lived in Astaroth and in Edrain.

11 Ɛno enti, yɛn mpanimfoɔ ne ɔmanfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ yɛn ɔhyɛ so sɛ, ‘Monsiesie mo ho mma akwantuo tenten. Monkɔhyia Israelfoɔ na mompae mu nka sɛ, “Yɛn nkurɔfoɔ bɛyɛ wɔn asomfoɔ na mompere asomdwoeɛ.”’

And our elders and all that inhabit our land when they heard spoke to us, saying, Take to yourselves provision for the way, and go to meet them; and you shall say to them, We are your servants, and now make a covenant with us.

12 Yɛresi mu no, na burodo yi yɛ hyeehyeehye a ɛfiri fononoo mu. Nanso sɛdeɛ mohunu no, akyenkyene na abɔ ntu.

These [are] the loaves—we took them hot for our journey on the day on which we came out to come to you; and now they are dried and become mouldy.

13 Saa mmoa nwoma nsã nkotokuo yi, ɛberɛ a yɛde nsã guu mu no na ɛyɛ foforɔ, nanso seesei, apaapae ayɛ dada. Na yɛn ntadeɛ ne mpaboa nso, ɛsiane akwantuo tenten enti, atete.”

And these [are] the skins of wine which we filled when new, and they are tore; and our garments and our shoes are worn out because of the very long journey.

14 Enti, Israelfoɔ no hwehwɛɛ wɔn burodo no ho nanso wɔammisa Awurade.

And the chiefs took of their provision, and asked not [counsel of] the Lord.

15 Yosua kɔɔ so ne wɔn yɛɛ asomdwoeɛ apam no na Israel mpanimfoɔ no kekaa ntam a emu yɛ den nam so gye too mu.

And Joshua made peace with them, and they made a covenant with them to preserve them; and the princes of the congregation sware to them.

16 Nnansa akyi no, nokorɛ no daa adi sɛ saa nnipa a wɔyɛ Gibeonfoɔ no te bɛn.

And it came to pass three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were near neighbours, and that they lived amongst them.

17 Enti, Israelfoɔ no anna so koraa na wɔyɛɛ sɛ wɔbɛyɛ nhwehwɛmu. Nnansa akyi no wɔduruu wɔn nkuro no so. Saa nkuro no ne Gibeon, Kefira, Beerot ne Kiriat-Yearim.

And the children of Israel departed and came to their cities; and their cities [were] Gabaon, and Kephira, and Berot, and the cities of Jarin.

18 Nanso, Israelfoɔ no anto anhyɛ nkuro no so, ɛfiri sɛ, na wɔn mpanimfoɔ aka ntam akyerɛ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn. Esiane Apam no enti, Israelfoɔ no nwiinwii hyɛɛ wɔn mpanimfoɔ no.

Land the children of Israel fought not with them, because all the princes sware to them by the Lord God of Israel; and all the congregation murmured at the princes.

19 Na mpanimfoɔ no buaa sɛ, “Yɛaka ntam wɔ Awurade, Israel Onyankopɔn anim. Yɛrentumi mfa yɛn nsa nka wɔn.

And the princes said to all the congregation: We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel, and now we shall not be able to touch them.

20 Ɛsɛ sɛ yɛma wɔtena. Sɛ yɛbu yɛn ntam no so a, Onyankopɔn bo bɛfu yɛn.

This we will do; take them alive, and we will preserve them: so there shall not be wrath against us by reason of the oath which we swore to them.

21 Momma wɔntena. Nanso, yɛbɛma wɔabu nnua, akɔ asuo ama asafo no nyinaa.” Enti Israelfoɔ no dii ɛbɔ a wɔahyɛ Gibeonfoɔ no so.

They shall live, and shall be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation, as the princes said to them.

22 Na Yosua frɛɛ Gibeonfoɔ mpanimfoɔ no bisaa wɔn sɛ, “Adɛn enti na motwaa atorɔ kyerɛɛ yɛn? Adɛn enti na mokaa sɛ mote akyirikyiri asase so wɔ ɛberɛ a mote yɛn mu pɛɛ?

And Joshua called them together and said to them, Why have you deceived me, saying, We live very far from you; whereas you are fellow-countrymen of those who dwell amongst us?

23 Nnome mmra mo so! Ɛfiri ɛnnɛ rekorɔ, mobɛbu nnua, atwe nsuo de akɔ me Onyankopɔn fie.”

And now you are cursed: there shall not fail of you a slave, or a hewer of wood, or a drawer of water to me and my God.

24 Wɔbuaa Yosua sɛ, “Yɛyɛɛ saa, ɛfiri sɛ, wɔka kyerɛɛ yɛn sɛ, Awurade, mo Onyankopɔn hyɛɛ ne ɔsomfoɔ Mose sɛ ɔmmɛko nni saa asase yi nyinaa so na ɔnsɛe nnipa a wɔte so nyinaa. Yɛsuroo sɛ mobɛkum yɛn. Ɛno enti na ɛma yɛyɛɛ saa.

And they answered Joshua, saying, It was reported to us what the Lord your God charged his servant Moses, to give you this land, and to destroy us and all that lived on it from before you; and we feared very much for our lives because of you, and [therefore] we did this thing.

25 Seesei yɛdan mo. Deɛ mosusu sɛ ɛyɛ ma mo biara no, monyɛ.”

And now, behold, we [are] in your power; do to us as it is pleasing to you, and as it seems [good] to you.

26 Yosua amma Israelfoɔ no ankum wɔn.

And they did so to them; and Joshua rescued them in that day out of the hands of the children of Israel, and they did not kill them.

27 Na ɛda no, ɔmaa Gibeonfoɔ no yɛɛ nnuabufoɔ ne asukɔfoɔ maa Israelfoɔ ne Awurade afɔrebukyia no wɔ baabiara a Awurade bɛka sɛ wɔnsi no no. Saa nhyehyɛeɛ no wɔ hɔ bɛsi ɛnnɛ.

And Joshua made them in that day hewers of wood and drawers of water to the whole congregation, and for the altar of God: therefore the inhabitants of Gabaon became hewers of wood and drawers of water for the altar of God until this day, even for the place which the Lord should choose.