1 Samuel 5

After the Philistines had captured the ark of God, they took it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.

Yenim sɛ, sɛ yewu na yegyaw saa nipadua yi a, yebenya honhom foforo a Onyankopɔn ankasa ayɛ a ɛnyɛ nipadua na ɛbɛyɛ yɛn ankasa de daa wɔ soro hɔ.

Then they carried the ark into Dagon’s temple and set it beside Dagon.

Mprempren, yesi apini pɛ sɛ wɔde soro atenae foforo no kata yɛn ho,

When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! They took Dagon and put him back in his place.

efisɛ, sɛ wɔde kata yɛn ho a, wɔrenhu yɛn nipadua nka ho.

But the following morning when they rose, there was Dagon, fallen on his face on the ground before the ark of the Lord! His head and hands had been broken off and were lying on the threshold; only his body remained.

Na sɛ yɛwɔ saa honam yi mu a, yesi apini na adesoa bi da yɛn so; ɛnyɛ sɛ yɛmpɛ sɛ yegyaw nipadua no na mmom yɛpɛ sɛ wɔde soro atenae foforo no kata yɛn ho sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a nkwa bɛmene nea ewu no.

That is why to this day neither the priests of Dagon nor any others who enter Dagon’s temple at Ashdod step on the threshold.

Onyankopɔn na wasiesie yɛn ama saa nsakrae yi na ɔde ne Honhom no maa yɛn sɛ nea ɔwɔ ma yɛn no nyinaa akyigyina.

The Lord’s hand was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation on them and afflicted them with tumors.^[a]

Eyi nti, daa yɛwɔ akokoduru. Yenim sɛ mmere dodow a yɛwɔ saa nipadua yi mu no, ɛma yɛne Awurade fi kwan ware.

When the people of Ashdod saw what was happening, they said, “The ark of the god of Israel must not stay here with us, because his hand is heavy on us and on Dagon our god.”

Efisɛ, yɛn nkwa gyina gyidi so na ennyina nea yehu so.

So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and asked them, “What shall we do with the ark of the god of Israel?”

They answered, “Have the ark of the god of Israel moved to Gath.” So they moved the ark of the God of Israel.

Yɛwɔ nkuranhyɛ nti ɛyɛ yɛn pɛ sɛ yebetu afi yɛn fi wɔ saa honam yi mu na yɛne Awurade akɔtena ne fi.

But after they had moved it, the Lord’s hand was against that city, throwing it into a great panic. He afflicted the people of the city, both young and old, with an outbreak of tumors.^[b]

Sɛ yɛwɔ yɛn fi ha anaa nohɔ no, yɛpɛ sɛ yɛsɔ n’ani sen biribiara.

So they sent the ark of God to Ekron.

As the ark of God was entering Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, “They have brought the ark of the god of Israel around to us to kill us and our people.”

Efisɛ, ɛsɛ sɛ yɛn nyinaa ba Kristo anim ma obu yɛn atɛn. Sɛnea obiara tenaa ase wɔ nipadua no abrabɔ mu no, sɛ ɛyɛ papa anaa bɔne no so na wobegyina abu atɛn no.

Yɛne Onyankopɔn ayɔnkofa

So they called together all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it^[c] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.

Yenim sɛnea yɛfɛre Awurade, enti yɛka ne ho asɛmpa kyerɛ nnipa. Onyankopɔn nim yɛn yiye na mewɔ anidaso sɛ munim me nso wɔ mo koma mu.

Those who did not die were afflicted with tumors, and the outcry of the city went up to heaven.

Yɛrensan nka yɛn ho asɛmpa nkyerɛ mo na mmom yɛrebɔ ho mmɔden sɛnea mode yɛn bɛhoahoa mo ho sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, mubetumi ama wɔn a wɔde nipa anim hoahoa wɔn ho na ɛnyɛ wɔn su no mmuae.

Yɛabobɔ adam anaa? Ɛyɛ Onyankopɔn nti. Anaasɛ yɛn adwenem da hɔ? Ɛyɛ mo nti.

Afei a yɛahu sɛ onipa biako na owu maa nnipa nyinaa wuu bi no nti, Kristo dɔ a ɔde dɔ yɛn no na ɛhyɛ yɛn so. Eyi kyerɛ sɛ nnipa nyinaa wɔ ne wu no mu kyɛfa bi.

Owu maa yɛn nyinaa sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a wɔn a wɔte ase no rentena ase mma wɔn ho bio na mmom wɔbɛtena ase ama nea yɛn nti, owui a wɔma ɔsɔre fii awufo mu no.

Enti ɛnsɛ sɛ yegyina onipa abrabɔ so bu no atɛn bio. Na sɛ mpo bere bi a atwam no na yegyina nnipa abrabɔ so na yebuu Kristo atɛn a, afei de, yɛrenyɛ saa bio.

Sɛ wɔka obi ne Kristo bom a, na ɔyɛ onipa foforo na onipa dedaw no kɔ ama onipa foforo aba.

Onyankopɔn a ɔnam Kristo so sesaa yɛn sɛ atamfo bɛyɛɛ ne nnamfo na ɔhyɛ yɛn sɛ yɛmfa afoforo nnamfo no so na ɔnam yɛ eyinom nyinaa.

Asɛm a wɔde brɛ yɛn ne sɛ, Onyankopɔn nam Kristo so fa nnipa nyinaa adamfo. Onyankopɔn ankan wɔn bɔne antia wɔn na wɔakyerɛ yɛn ɔkwan a ɔfaa so faa wɔn nnamfo.

Ɛha yi, yɛkasa ma Kristo sɛnea Onyankopɔn nam yɛn so kasa kyerɛ mo se: Kristo nti, yɛsrɛ mo, momma Onyankopɔn nsakra mo mfi atamfo mu mmɛyɛ nnamfo.

Na Kristo nni bɔne nanso yɛn nti, Onyankopɔn ma ɔfaa yɛn bɔne sɛnea ɛbɛyɛ a, yɛne no nyinaa benya Onyankopɔn trenee no.