Atemmufoɔ 19
1 Saa ɛberɛ no na Israel nni ɔhene. Na ɔbarima bi a ɔfiri Lewi abusuakuo mu te Efraim bepɔ asase no so akyirikyiri baabi. Ɛda bi, ɔde ɔbaa bi firi Betlehem a ɛwɔ Yuda baa fie sɛ ne mpena.
And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that a certain Levite, sojourning on the further side of mount Ephraim, took him a concubine out of Bethlehem-Judah.
2 Nanso, ɔbaa no anni no nokorɛ enti ɔsane kɔɔ nʼagya fie wɔ Betlehem. Abosome ɛnan akyi,
And his concubine played the whore against him, and went away from him to her father's house to Bethlehem-Judah, and was there some time, — four months.
3 ne kunu no faa ɔsomfoɔ ne afunumu foforɔ kaa ne ho kɔɔ Betlehem sɛ ɔde rekɔkorɔkorɔ no na wasane nʼakyi aba. Ɔduruu ɔbaa no agya fie no, ɔde no kɔɔ efie no mu maa nʼagya no gyee no fɛ so.
And her husband rose up and went after her, to speak kindly to her, to bring her again; and his servant was with him, and a couple of asses. And she brought him into her father's house; and when the father of the damsel saw him he rejoiced to meet him.
4 Ɔbaa no agya ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ ɔntena nkyɛ kakra. Enti, ɔdii nnansa, didiiɛ, nomeeɛ, daa hɔ.
And his father-in-law, the damsel's father, retained him, and he abode with him three days; and they ate and drank, and lodged there.
5 Ne nna ɛnan so no, ɔbarima no sɔree anɔpa, pɛɛ sɛ ɔkɔ. Nanso, ɔbaa no agya ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Didi ansa na woakɔ.”
And it came to pass on the fourth day, that they arose early in the morning, and he rose up to depart; and the damsel's father said to his son-in-law, Refresh thy heart with a morsel of bread, and afterwards ye may go your way.
6 Enti, wɔn baanu no tenaa ase didiiɛ, nomeeɛ. Afei, ɔbaa no agya ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Mesrɛ wo, da anadwo yi na gye wʼani.”
And they sat down, and ate and drank, both of them together. And the damsel's father said to the man, Be content, I pray thee, and pass the night, and let thy heart be glad.
7 Ɔbarima no sɔree sɛ anka ɔrekɔ, nanso, nʼase no hyɛɛ no sɛ ɔntena. Enti, ɔpenee so daa hɔ anadwo no.
And the man rose up to depart, but his father-in-law urged him, and he lodged there again.
8 Nnanum so anɔpa no, ɔsɔree bio a ɔpɛɛ sɛ ɔkɔ. Nanso, bio, ɔbaa no agya kaa sɛ, “Didi ansa, na awiam kakra no wobɛtumi akɔ.” Enti, wɔsane didii bio.
And he arose early in the morning on the fifth day to depart; but the damsel's father said, Refresh thy heart, I pray thee. And they lingered until the afternoon, and they did eat both of them.
9 Awia no, ɔbarima no ne ne mpena no ne ne ɔsomfoɔ boaboaa wɔn ho pɛɛ sɛ wɔkɔ. Nanso, nʼase no ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Montie! Adeɛ reyɛ asa. Montena na monnye mo ani anadwo yi. Ɔkyena mobɛtumi asim anɔpahema.”
And the man rose up to depart, he, and his concubine, and his servant; and his father-in-law, the damsel's father, said to him, Behold now, the day draws toward evening — I pray you stay all night; behold, the day is declining, lodge here, and let thy heart be merry; and to-morrow get you early on your way, that thou mayest go to thy tent.
10 Nanso, afei deɛ ɔbarima no pɛɛ sɛ ɔbɛkɔ. Enti ɔfaa ne mfunumu mmienu a wɔahyehyɛ wɔn no ne mpena no, na wɔde wɔn ani kyerɛɛ Yebus (a ɛyɛ Yerusalem).
But the man would not tarry the night; and he rose up and departed, and came opposite to Jebus, that is, Jerusalem; and there were with him two asses saddled, and his concubine was with him.
11 Ɛberɛ a wɔduruu Yebus no na adeɛ reyɛ asa, na ɔsomfoɔ no ka kyerɛɛ ne wura no sɛ, “Adeɛ reyɛ asa, enti momma yɛnna Yebusifoɔ kuropɔn yi mu anadwo yi.”
They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, Come, I pray thee, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites, and lodge in it.
12 Ne wura no buaa sɛ, “Dabi, yɛrentumi ntena ananafoɔ kuropɔn a Israelfoɔ nni mu yi mu. Yɛbɛtoa so akɔ Gibea.
But his master said to him, We will not turn aside into the city of a stranger, which is not of the children of Israel, but we will pass on to Gibeah.
13 Yɛbɛnya daberɛ anadwo yi wɔ Gibea anaa Rama.”
And he said to his servant, Come and let us draw near to one of these places, and lodge in Gibeah, or in Ramah.
14 Enti, wɔtoaa so. Wɔrebɛduru kuro Gibea a ɛwɔ Benyamin asase so no, na owia rekɔtɔ,
And they passed on and went their way; and the sun went down upon them [when they were] by Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin.
15 Enti wɔdaa hɔ anadwo no. Wɔdaa kuro no abɔntene kɛseɛ so, na obiara amfa wɔn ankɔ fie ankɔsom wɔn hɔhoɔ.
And they turned aside thither, to go in, to lodge in Gibeah. And he went in, and sat down in the open place of the city; and there was no one that received him into his house to pass the night.
16 Anwummerɛ no, akɔkoraa bi firii nʼafuom baa fie. Na ɔfiri Efraim bepɔ asase so, nanso na ɔte Gibea wɔ Benyamin asase so.
And behold, there came an old man from his work out of the field at even; and the man was of mount Ephraim, and he sojourned in Gibeah; but the men of the place were Benjaminites.
17 Ɛberɛ a ɔhunuu akwantufoɔ yi sɛ wɔtete kuro no abɔntene kɛseɛ so no, ɔbisaa wɔn baabi a wɔfiri ne baabi a wɔrekorɔ.
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the wayfaring man in the open place of the city; and the old man said, Whither goest thou? and whence comest thou?
18 Ɔbarima no buaa no sɛ, “Yɛfiri Betlehem a ɛwɔ Yudea na yɛrekɔ Efraim bepɔ asase no so kuro bi a ɛwɔ akyirikyiri, na yɛrekɔ Awurade Asɔrefie. Nanso obiara amfa yɛn ankɔ ne fie ankɔpɛ yɛn daberɛ,
And he said to him, We are travelling from Bethlehem-Judah towards the further side of mount Ephraim; from thence am I; and I went to Bethlehem-Judah, and I have to do with the house of Jehovah; and there is no man that receives me into his house.
19 ɛwom sɛ yɛwɔ deɛ ɛhia yɛn biara. Yɛwɔ ɛserɛ ne aduane a yɛde bɛma yɛn mfunumu; yɛwɔ burodo ne nsã.”
And we have both straw and provender for our asses; and I have bread and wine also for me, and for thy handmaid, and for the young man with thy servants: there is no lack of anything.
20 Akɔkoraa no kaa sɛ, “Mommra mmɛsoɛ me. Mɛma mo biribiara a ɛbɛhia mo. Na mmom, anadwo yi deɛ, ɛnsɛ sɛ moda abɔntene kɛseɛ so hɔ.”
Then the old man said, Peace be with thee; only let all thy wants lie on me; but lodge not in the street.
21 Enti, ɔfaa wɔn de wɔn kɔɔ ne fie, na ɔmaa wɔn mfunumu no aduane. Wɔhohoroo wɔn nan ase wieeɛ no, wɔbɔɔ mu didiiɛ.
And he brought him into his house, and gave the asses provender; and they washed their feet, and ate and drank.
22 Ɛberɛ a wɔregye wɔn ani no, kuro no mu nnipa bɔnefoɔ bi bɛtwaa fie no ho hyiaeɛ. Wɔhyɛɛ aseɛ pempem ɛpono no teateaam guu akɔkoraa no so sɛ, “Fa ɔbarima a wabɛsoɛ wo no ma yɛn sɛdeɛ yɛbɛtumi ne no ada.”
They were making their hearts merry, when behold, the men of the city, sons of Belial, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, Bring forth the man that came into thy house, that we may know him.
23 Akɔkoraa no firi baeɛ, bɛkasa kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Dabi, anuanom, monnyɛ bɔne a ɛte saa. Saa ɔbarima yi yɛ me hɔhoɔ na sɛ moyɛ saa a, ɛbɛyɛ animguaseɛ.
And the man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, No, my brethren, I pray you, do not wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, do not this villany.
24 Me babaa ɔbaabunu ne ɔbarima yi mpena nie. Mede wɔn bɛma mo. Na deɛ mopɛ biara no monyɛ wɔn. Na mo ne saa ɔbarima yi nyɛ saa animguasedeɛ yi.”
Behold, my daughter, who is a virgin, and his concubine; let me bring them out, and humble ye them, and do to them as is good in your sight; but to this man do not so vile a thing.
25 Nanso, wɔantie no. Enti, Lewini no faa ne mpena no piaa no firii adi. Na kuro no mu mmarima no faa no nnidisoɔ nnidisoɔ kɔsii adekyeeɛ. Ahemadakye no na wɔgyaa no ma ɔkɔeɛ.
But the men would not hearken to him; and the man took his concubine, and brought her forth to them; and they knew her, and abused her all the night until the morning; and let her go when the morning-dawn arose.
26 Ɔbaa no kɔduruu fie a ne kunu no te mu no ɛpono ano ara pɛ na ɔtɔɔ mum. Ɔdaa hɔ ara kɔsii sɛ anim teteeɛ.
And the woman came at the dawning of the day, and fell down at the entrance of the man's house where her lord was, till it was light.
27 Ɛberɛ a ne kunu buee ɛpono sɛ ɔrepue pɛ na ɔhunuu sɛ ɔda hɔ. Na nʼanim butu hɔ a ne nsa gu aponnwa no so.
And her lord rose up in the morning, and opened the door of the house, and went out to go his way, and behold, there lay the woman his concubine at the entrance of the house, and her hands were upon the threshold.
28 Ɔhunuu no no, ɔkaa sɛ, “Sɔre! Ma yɛnkɔ!” Nanso, wammua. Enti, ɔde no too nʼafunumu no so de no kɔɔ efie.
And he said to her, Up, and let us go; but no one answered. And he took her upon the ass; and the man rose up, and went to his place.
29 Ɔduruu fie no, ɔtwee sekan de twitwaa ne mpena no mu asinasini dumienu. Na ɔde esini baako biara kɔɔ Israel mmusuakuo dumienu no mu.
And when he was come into his house, he took the knife, and laid hold on his concubine, and divided her, according to her bones, into twelve pieces, and sent her into all the borders of Israel.
30 Na obiara a ɔhunuu saa aninyanneɛ yi kaa sɛ, “Ɛfiri ɛberɛ a Israel firii Misraim no, obi nnii saa amumuyɛsɛm yi bi da. Adɛn enti na ɛnsɛ sɛ yɛkasa na yɛyɛ ho biribi?”
And it came to pass that every one that saw it said, There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came out of Egypt to this day. Think it over, advise, and speak.
