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 these things were heard, all the kings across the Jordan, who lived among the mountains and plains, along the coastline and shores of the great sea, also those who were living near Lebanon, the Hittite, and the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,

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

gathered themselves together, so that they might fight against Joshua and Israel, with one mind and with the same resolve.

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

But those who were living in Gibeon, hearing all that Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,

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.

planning cleverly, took for themselves provisions, placing old sacks upon their donkeys, and wineskins that had torn and been sewed up,

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

and having very old shoes, which had been sewn with patches indicating their age, and being clothed in old garments, having also loaves, which they carried as food for the journey, which were hard and broken into pieces.

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 traveled to Joshua, who at that time was staying in the camp at Gilgal. And they said to him, and to all of Israel with him, “We have come from a far away land, desiring to make peace with you.” And the sons of Israel responded to them, and said,

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.”

“Perhaps instead, you live in the land which ought to be ours by lot, and we would be unable to form a pact with you.”

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

But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.” And Joshua said to them: “But who are you? And where are you from?”

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

They responded: “Your servants have arrived, from a very far away land, in the name of the Lord, your God. For we have heard about the fame of his power, all the things that he has done 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 to the two kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan: Sihon, the king of Heshbon, and Og, the king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth.

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 the inhabitants of our land, have said to us: ‘Take in hand provisions for the very long journey, and meet with them, and say: We are your servants; form a pact with us.’

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

Lo, the loaves were taken up warm when we departed from our houses, so that we might come to you. Now they have become dry and broken, due to age.

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.”

These wineskins were new when we filled them, now they are torn and broken. The garments we are wearing, and the shoes we have on our feet, due to the great length of the distance, have become worn and are nearly consumed.”

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

And so they accepted this, because of their provisions, and they did not consult the mouth 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 entering into a pact, he promised that they would not be put to death. The leaders of the multitude also swore to them.

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

Then, three days after the pact was formed, they heard that they lived in the vicinity, and that they would soon be among 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 so the sons of Israel moved the camp, and they arrived at their cities on the third day, those which are called: Gibeon, and Chephirah, and Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.

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.

And they did not strike them, because the leaders of the multitude had sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. And so all of the common people murmured against the leaders.

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

And they responded to them: “We have sworn to them in the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, and for that reason, we are not able to touch them.

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

But we shall do this to them: Certainly, let them be preserved so that they may live, lest the wrath of the Lord be stirred up against us, since we would have sworn falsely.

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

But though they live, let them serve the entire multitude by cutting wood and carrying water.” And while they were discussing these things,

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?

Joshua called the Gibeonites, and he said to them: “Why would you be willing to deceive us by fraud, saying, ‘We live very far away from you,’ when you are in our midst?

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

Therefore, you shall be under a curse, and your stock shall not cease to be cutters of wood and carriers of water, into the house of 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 responded: “It was reported to us, your servants, that the Lord your God had promised his servant Moses that he would give you the entire land, and that he would destroy all its inhabitants. Therefore, we were very afraid, and we made a provision for our lives, compelled by the dread of you, and we undertook this counsel.

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

And now we are in your hand. Act toward us as it seems good and right to you.”

26 Yosua amma Israelfoɔ no ankum wɔn.

Therefore, Joshua did just as he had said, and he freed them from the hand of the sons of Israel, so that they would not be killed.

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 he decreed on that day, that they would be in the ministry of all the people and of the altar of the Lord, cutting wood and carrying water, even until this present time, in the place which the Lord had chosen.