1 Samuel 16:1-23
16 Akyiri yi, Yehowa ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ: “Wubedi Saul ho awerɛhow akosi da bɛn,+ bere a mapo no sɛ onnni Israel so hene no?+ Fa ngo+ gu w’abɛn mu na sim kɔ, na meresoma wo akɔ Betlehemni Yese+ nkyɛn, efisɛ ne mma mu na mapaw ɔhene.”+
2 Ɛnna Samuel kae sɛ: “Mɛyɛ dɛn akɔ? Sɛ Saul te a, obekum me.”+ Na Yehowa ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ: “Fa nantwi ba na kɔ, na ka sɛ, ‘Maba sɛ merebɛbɔ afɔre ama Yehowa.’+
3 Na frɛ Yese bra afɔrebɔ no ase, na me nso mɛkyerɛ wo nea yɛ,+ na woasra+ nea mɛkyerɛ wo no ama me.”
4 Ɛnna Samuel yɛɛ nea Yehowa kae no. Bere a oduu Betlehem+ a kurow no mu mpanyimfo huu no no, wɔn ho popoe,+ enti wobisae sɛ: “Asomdwoe so na wobae anaa?”+
5 Ɛnna ɔkae sɛ: “Asomdwoe so. Afɔre a merebɛbɔ ama Yehowa nti na mebae. Munnwira+ mo ho na mo ne me nkɔ afɔrebɔ no ase.” Na odwiraa Yese ne ne mma no, na ɔfrɛɛ wɔn baa afɔrebɔ no ase.
6 Bere a wɔbae a n’ani bɔɔ Eliab+ so no, ɛhɔ ara na ɔkae sɛ: “Ampa, nea Yehowa asra no no na ɔwɔ n’anim yi.”
7 Nanso Yehowa ka kyerɛɛ Samuel sɛ: “Nhwɛ sɛnea ɔte ne ne tenten ne ne kɛse,+ na mempɛ no. Ɛnyɛ sɛnea onipa hwɛ ade na Onyankopɔn hwɛ,+ efisɛ onipa desani hwɛ nea etua aniwa,+ na Yehowa de, ɔhwɛ komam.”+
8 Na Yese frɛɛ Abinadab+ ma obetwaam Samuel anim, nanso ɔkae sɛ: “Oyi nso Yehowa mpaw no.”
9 Afei Yese maa Samma+ nso betwaam, nanso ɔkae sɛ: “Oyi nso Yehowa mpaw no.”
10 Enti Yese maa ne mmabarima no mu baason betwaam Samuel anim, nanso Samuel ka kyerɛɛ Yese sɛ: “Yehowa mpaw eyinom mu biara.”
11 Ɛnna Samuel bisaa Yese sɛ: “Wo mmabarima no nyinaa ni anaa?” Na ɔkae sɛ: “Akumaa koraa no nni ha bi;+ ɔde nguan kɔ adidi.”+ Ɛnna Samuel ka kyerɛɛ Yese sɛ: “Soma ma wɔnkɔfa no mmra, efisɛ yɛrentena ase nnidi gye sɛ waba ansa.”
12 Enti ɔsoma kɔfaa no bae. Ná ɔbere,+ na ɔyɛ aberante a n’aniwa yɛ fɛ na ne ho nso yɛ fɛ. Ɛnna Yehowa kae sɛ: “Sɔre sra no, na ɔno ara ni!”+
13 Enti Samuel faa abɛn a ngo+ wom no, na ɔsraa no ne nuanom mu. Na Yehowa honhom sii Dawid so fi saa da no rekɔ.+ Akyiri yi, Samuel sɔre siim kɔɔ Rama.+
14 Na Yehowa honhom fii Saul so,+ na Yehowa maa honhom bɔne+ bɛhaw no.
15 Na Saul nkoa ka kyerɛɛ no sɛ: “Hwɛ, Onyankopɔn ama honhom bɔne rehaw wo.
16 Yɛn wura, yɛsrɛ wo, ka ma wo nkoa a wɔwɔ w’anim yi nkɔhwehwɛ obi a onim sanku+ bɔ yiye,+ na sɛ Onyankopɔn ma honhom bɔne no ba wo so a, ɔde ne nsa abɔ ama wo ho atɔ wo.”
17 Enti Saul ka kyerɛɛ ne nkoa no sɛ: “Monkɔhwehwɛ obi a onim bɔ yiye mma me, na momfa no mmrɛ me.”+
18 Na n’asomfo no mu biako bɛkae sɛ: “Hwɛ! Mahu Betlehemni Yese ba bi a onim bɔ yiye;+ ɔyɛ ɔbarima kokodurufo a ne ho yɛ den+ ne ɔkofo,+ onim kasa,+ na ɔyɛ ɔbarima mũ,+ na Yehowa nso di n’akyi.”+
19 Ɛnna Saul somaa abɔfo kɔɔ Yese hɔ sɛ: “Ma wo ba Dawid a ɔhwɛ nguan+ no mmra me nkyɛn.”
20 Enti Yese faa afurum, paanoo ne kotoku+ a bobesa wom ne abirekyi ba, na ɔde hyɛɛ ne ba Dawid nsa sɛ ɔmfa nkɔma Saul.+
21 Na Dawid baa Saul nkyɛn bɛsom no;+ ɔpɛɛ n’asɛm yiye, na ɔbɛyɛɛ n’akodekurafo.+
22 Na Saul soma kɔɔ Yese hɔ sɛ: “Mesrɛ wo, ma Dawid ntoa so nsom me, na wanya m’anim dom.”
23 Enti sɛ ɛba sɛ Onyankopɔn ma honhom no ba Saul so a, na Dawid afa sanku no de ne nsa abɔ, na Saul ho atɔ no ma n’asom adwo no, na honhom bɔne no afi no so.+
