2 Mose 1

1 Yakob mma ne wɔn abusuafo a wɔne no tu kɔtenaa no din na edidi so yi.

These are the names of the sons of Israel, who went into Egypt with Jacob. They entered, each one with his house:

2 Ruben, Simeon, Lewi ne Yuda;

Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah,

3 Isakar, Sebulon ne Benyamin;

Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, Naftali; Gad ne Aser.

Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher.

5 Yakob asefo a ɔne wɔn kɔe no nyinaa ano si aduɔson. Na Yosef wɔ Misraim dedaw.

Therefore, all the souls of those who went forth from Jacob’s thigh were seventy. Now Joseph was in Egypt.

6 Yosef ne ne nuanom ne wɔn bere sofo no nyinaa wuwui,

When he had died, along with all of his brothers and all of that generation,

7 nanso Israelfo no ase fɛee, na wɔyɛɛ bebree, hyɛɛ asase no so ma.

the sons of Israel increased, and they multiplied like seedlings. And having been strengthened exceedingly, they filled the land.

8 Na ɔhene foforo bi bedii ade wɔ Misraim a na onnim Yosef ho asɛm.

Meanwhile, there arose a new king over Egypt, who was ignorant of Joseph.

9 Ɔka kyerɛɛ ne manfo no se, “Monhwɛ, Israelfo yi ase adɔ, wɔreyɛ adɔɔso dodo ama yɛn.

And he said to his people: “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are many, and they are stronger than we are.

10 Momma yɛmpɛ ɔkwan bi na yɛmfa so nsiw saa dɔ a wɔredɔ no ano. Sɛ yɛanyɛ saa na ɔko bi si a, wɔbɛdɔm yɛn atamfo ne wɔn ako atia yɛn na wɔafi ɔman yi mu.”

Come, let us wisely oppress them, lest they multiply; and if any war should advance against us, they may be added to our enemies, and having fought against us, they might depart from the land.”

11 Enti wɔde nkoa sohwɛfo gyinagyinaa wɔn kɔn so ma wɔyɛɛ adwumaden de kyekyeree adekora nkuropɔn Pitom ne Rameses maa Farao.

And so he set over them masters of the works, in order to afflict them with burdens. And they built for Pharaoh the cities of the tabernacles: Pithom and Raamses.

12 Nanso mpɛn dodow a Misraimfo no hyɛɛ wɔn so no, na dɔ ara na Israelfo no redɔɔso. Eyi maa Misraimfo no suroo Israelfo

And the more they oppressed them, so much more did they multiply and increase.

13 na wɔkɔɔ so hyɛɛ Israelfo no so ketee.

And the Egyptians hated the sons of Israel, and they afflicted them and mocked them.

14 Wɔde adwumadenyɛ dii Israelfo no nya. Wɔma wɔyɛɛ ntayaa ne dɔte ho adwuma a ɛyɛ den ne mfum nnwuma ahorow. Eyinom nyinaa akyi no Misraimfo faa akwan bebree so daa atirimɔden adi kyerɛɛ Israelfo no.

And they led their life directly into bitterness, with hard work in clay and brick, and with all kinds of servitude, so that they were being overwhelmed with the works of the land.

15 Misraimhene ka kyerɛɛ Hebrifo awogyefo a wɔn din ne Sifra ne Pua se,

Then the king of Egypt spoke to the midwives of the Hebrews, (one of whom one was called Shiphrah, another Puah)

16 “Sɛ mukogye Hebrini biara awo, na awoe hɔ muhu sɛ ɔyɛ ɔbabarima a, munkum no, na sɛ ɔyɛ ɔbabea de a, monnyɛ no hwee.”

instructing them: “When you will act as a midwife to the Hebrew women, and the time of delivery has arrived: if it is male, put it to death; if it is female, retain it.”

17 Esiane sɛ na awogyefo no yɛ nyamesurofo no nti, wɔanni mmara a ɔhene no hyɛɛ wɔn no so, maa mmarimaa a wɔwowoo wɔn no tenae.

But the midwives feared God, and so they did not act according to the precept of the king of Egypt, but they kept the males safe.

18 Ɔhene no frɛɛ wɔn bisaa wɔn se, “Adɛn nti na moanni mmara a mehyɛe no so na moama mmarimaa a Hebrifo no wowoo wɔn no atena?”

And summoning them, the king said, “What did you intend to do, so that you would save the boys?”

19 Wobuaa no se, “Hebrifo mmea no de ahoɔden wo ɔhare so nti yebedu hɔ no, na wɔawo dedaw. Wɔnte sɛ Misraimfo mmea no.”

They responded: “The Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women. For they themselves have the wisdom of a midwife, and so they give birth before we can come to them.”

20 Onyankopɔn hyiraa awogyefo no. Na Israelfo no dɔɔso ara bɛyɛɛ ɔman kɛse.

Therefore, God acted favorably toward the midwives. And the people increased, and they were strengthened exceedingly.

21 Esiane sɛ na awogyefo no yɛ nyamesurofo nti, Onyankopɔn dom wɔn mma.

And because the midwives feared God, he built houses for them.

22 Na Farao hyɛɛ mmara sɛ Hebrifo mmarimaa a wɔbɛwo wɔn foforo no, wɔntow wɔn ngu Asubɔnten Nil mu na mmeawa a wɔbɛwo wɔn foforo no de, wɔntena hɔ.

Therefore, Pharaoh instructed all his people, saying: “Whatever will be born of the male sex, cast it into the river; whatever will be born of the female sex, retain it.”