Genesis 37
1 Jacob continued to live in the Canaan region where his father had lived previously.
Yosef tenaa Kanaan asase a na nʼagya te so sɛ ɔhɔhoɔ no so.
2 (This is/I will now tell you) what happened to Jacob’s family. When his son Joseph was 17 years old, he was taking care of the flocks of sheep and goats with some of his older brothers. They were sons of his father’s (concubines/female slaves that he had taken to be his secondary wives). Joseph sometimes told his father about bad things that his brothers were doing.
Yosef abusua ho asɛm nie: Ɛberɛ a Yakob ba Yosef dii mfirinhyia dunson no, na ɔne ne nuanom hwɛ wɔn agya Yakob nnwan so. Na ɔyɛ Bilha ne Silpa a wɔyɛ nʼagya yerenom no mmammarima no ɔboafoɔ. Na ɔyɛ obi a nneɛma a ne nuanom no yɛ a ɛnyɛ no, ɔtaa bɛka kyerɛ wɔn agya Yakob.
3 Jacob loved Joseph more than he loved any of his other children, because Joseph had been born when Jacob was an old man. Jacob made for Joseph a long pretty robe that had long sleeves.
Na Israel pɛ ne ba Yosef asɛm sene ne mma a aka no nyinaa, ɛfiri sɛ, ɔwoo no ne nkɔkoraaberɛ mu; ɛno enti, ɔpam batakari bi a ɛyɛ fɛ maa no.
4 When Joseph’s older brothers realized that their father loved him more than he loved any of them, they hated him. They never spoke kindly to him.
Ɛberɛ a ne nuanom no hunuu sɛ wɔn agya pɛ nʼasɛm sene wɔn nyinaa no, wɔtan no a na wɔnka abodwosɛm nkyerɛ no.
5 One night Joseph had a dream. He told his brothers about the dream.
Ɛda bi, Yosef soo daeɛ. Ɔkaa daeɛ a ɔsoeɛ no kyerɛɛ ne nuanom mmarima no, wɔtan no kyɛnee kane no mpo.
6 He said to them, “Listen to the dream I had!
Yosef ka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Montie daeɛ bi a maso.
7 In the dream, we were tying up bundles of wheat in the field. Suddenly my bundle stood up straight, and surprisingly, your bundles gathered around my bundle and bowed down to it!”
Mesoo daeɛ, na yɛrekyekyere aburoo afiafi wɔ afuom. Ɛberɛ a yɛgu so rekyekyere aburoo no, amonom hɔ ara, me afiafi a makyekyere no sɔre gyinaa ntenten. Mo afiafi a moakyekyere no nso twaa me deɛ no ho hyiaeɛ, kotoo no.”
8 His brothers said to him, “Do you think that some day you will rule over us? Are you [saying that some day] you are going to be our king?” [RHQ] They hated him even more than before because of what he had told them about his dream.
Yosef nuanom no bisaa no sɛ, “Enti, wʼadwene ne sɛ wobɛdi yɛn so anaa? Wogye di sɛ, ampa ara, wobɛtumi aka yɛn ahyɛ?” Esiane ne daeɛ a ɔsoeɛ no ne asɛm a ɔkaeɛ no enti, ɛmaa ne nuanom no kyirii no kɔkɔɔkɔ.
9 Later he had another dream, and again he told his older brothers about it. He said, “Listen to this! I had another dream. In this dream, the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me!”
Afei, ɔsane soo daeɛ bio. Ɔkaa daeɛ a ɔsoeɛ no kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Montie: Maso daeɛ foforɔ bio. Mesoo daeɛ, na owia, ɔsrane ne nsoromma dubaako rekoto me.”
10 He also told his father about it. His father rebuked him, saying “What are you suggesting by that dream [RHQ]? Do you think it means that your mother and I and your older brothers will some day bow down to the ground in front of you?” [RHQ]
Saa daeɛ yi deɛ, ɔka kyerɛɛ nʼagya ne ne nuammarimanom no. Nʼagya tee saa daeɛ no, ɔkaa nʼanim sɛ, “Ɛdeɛn daeɛ na woaso yi? Wopɛ sɛ wokyerɛ sɛ ampa ara, wo maame ne me ne wo nuammarimanom no bɛba abɛkoto wo anaa?”
11 Joseph’s older brothers were furious/angry with him, but his father just kept thinking about what the dream meant.
Yei maa ne nuammarimanom no ani beree no mmorosoɔ. Nanso, nʼagya deɛ, ɔdwenee asɛm no ho kɔɔ akyiri.
12 One day Joseph’s older brothers went to take care of their father’s sheep and goats that were eating grass near Shechem.
Ɛda bi, Yosef nuammarimanom no de wɔn agya nnwan kɔɔ adidi wɔ Sekem.
13 Some time later, Jacob said to Joseph, “Your brothers are taking care of the sheep and goats near Shechem [RHQ]. I am going to send you there to see them.” Joseph replied, “Okay.”
Israel ka kyerɛɛ Yosef sɛ, “Sɛdeɛ wonim no, wo nuanom no de mmoa no kɔ adidi wɔ Sekem. Bra, na mensoma wo wɔn nkyɛn.” Yosef buaa sɛ, “Yoo, agya, mate.”
14 Jacob said, “Go and see if they are doing okay, and if the flocks are doing okay. Then come back and give me a report.” So Jacob sent Joseph from [the valley where they were living], the valley where Hebron is located, [to go north] to find his brothers. When Joseph arrived near Shechem [city],
Enti, Israel ka kyerɛɛ Yosef sɛ, “Kɔ na kɔhwɛ sɛ wo nuanom ho te sɛn, na nnwan no nso, na sane bɛka biribi kyerɛ me.” Enti, Israel somaa Yosef firii Hebron subɔnhwa no mu. Ɛberɛ a Yosef duruu Sekem no,
15 while he was wandering around in the fields looking/searching for his brothers, a man saw him and asked him, “Whom are you looking/searching for?”
ɔbarima bi hunuu no sɛ ɔnenam wura no mu. Ɔbarima no bisaa no sɛ, “Worehwehwɛ ɛdeɛn?”
16 Joseph replied, “I am looking for my older brothers. Can you tell me where they are taking care of their sheep and goats?”
Yosef buaa no sɛ, “Merehwehwɛ me nuammarima. Mesrɛ wo, wobɛtumi akyerɛ me baabi a wɔde wɔn nnwan no kɔ adidi?”
17 The man replied, “They are not here any more. I heard one of them saying, ‘Let’s take the sheep and goats and go to Dothan [town].’” So Joseph left there and went north, and found his older brothers near Dothan.
Ɔbarima no buaa no sɛ, “Wo nuammarimanom no afiri ha kɔ. Metee sɛ wɔreka sɛ, ‘Momma yɛnkɔ Dotan.’” Enti, Yosef tii ne nuanom no, kɔtoo wɔn wɔ Dotan hɔ.
18 But they saw him when he was still far away, and they decided to kill him.
Ɛberɛ a Yosef fitiiɛ no, wɔhunuu no wɔ akyirikyiri sɛ ɔreba. Ansa na ɔreduru wɔn nkyɛn no, wɔbɔɔ ne ho pɔ sɛ wɔbɛkum no.
19 They said to each other [things like], “Here comes that dreamer!”
Wɔkeka kyerɛkyerɛɛ wɔn ho wɔn ho sɛ, “Monhwɛ! Ɔdaeɛsofoɔ no na ɔreba no!
20 and “Hey, let’s kill him, and then throw his body into one of the pits/cisterns. Then we will tell people that a ferocious/wild animal attacked and killed him and ate him. And then we will (find out whether his dreams come true/make sure that his dreams do not come true)!”
Mommra seesei ara, na yɛnkum no, na yɛnto no ntwene amena no bi mu, na yɛnkɔka nkyerɛ yɛn agya sɛ, aboa bi akye no awe, na yɛnhwɛ sɛ biribi bɛfiri ne daeɛ ahodoɔ no mu aba anaa.”
21 Reuben heard what they were saying, so he tried to persuade them not to kill [MTY] Joseph. He said, “No, we should not kill him.
Ruben a ɔyɛ wɔn nua panin tee saa asɛm yi no, ɔbɔɔ mmɔden sɛ ɔbɛgye Yosef nkwa. Ɔkaa sɛ, “Mommma yɛnkum no.
22 Do not even shed his blood! We can throw him into this pit/cistern in the desert, but we should not harm him [MTY].” He said that, and then left them, planning to rescue Joseph later and take him back to his father.
Monnhwie mogya ngu. Momma yɛnto no ntwene amena a ɛwɔ ɛserɛ yi so no bi mu. Na mommma yɛmfa yɛn nsa nka no.” Ruben kaa saa asɛm yi de gyee no firii wɔn nsam, sɛdeɛ ɔbɛnya ɛkwan de no akɔhyɛ wɔn agya nsa.
23 So when Joseph arrived where his older brothers were, they seized him and ripped off his pretty robe with long sleeves.
Yosef bɛduruu ne nuammarimanom no nkyɛn no, wɔworɔɔ ne batakari fɛfɛ a ɛhyɛ no no.
24 Then they took him and threw him into the pit/cistern. But the pit/cistern was dry; there was no water in it.
Afei, wɔtoo no twenee amena bi mu. Saa amena no, na nsuo biara nni mu.
25 After they sat down to eat some food, they looked up and saw a (caravan/group [of traders]), descendants of Ishmael, coming from the Gilead area. Their camels were loaded with bags of spices and nice-smelling resins. They were going down to Egypt to sell those things there.
Afei, ɛberɛ a anuanom no tenaa ase sɛ wɔredidi no, wɔtoo wɔn ani hunuu sɛ nyoma bebree sa so reba faako a na wɔrebɛdidi hɔ no. Wɔhunuu sɛ saa nkurɔfoɔ no yɛ Ismaelfoɔ adwadifoɔ bi a wɔsoso hyehwam, akyenkyennuro ne kurobo a wɔde firi Gilead rekɔtɔn no wɔ Misraim asase so.
26 Judah said to his [older and younger] brothers, “If we kill our younger brother and hide his body, (what will we gain?/we will not gain anything!) [RHQ]
Yuda ka kyerɛɛ ne nuanom no sɛ, “Sɛ yɛkum yɛn nua yi, kata ne mogya so a, ɛdeɛn mfasoɔ na yɛbɛnya.
27 So, instead of harming him, let’s sell him to these men who are descendants of Ishmael. Don’t forget, he is our own younger brother!” So they all agreed to do that.
Momma yɛnyi no, na yɛntɔn no mma Ismaelfoɔ adwadifoɔ yi, sene sɛ yɛbɛkum no. Ɛkɔsi sɛn ara a, ɔyɛ yɛn nua kumaa a ɔyɛ yɛn busuani.” Ne nuanom mmarima no penee nʼadebisa no so.
28 When those traders from the Midian area came near, Joseph’s brothers pulled him up out of the pit/cistern. Then they sold him to the men from Midian for 20 pieces of silver. The traders then took Joseph to Egypt.
Ɛberɛ a Midian adwadifoɔ no bɛduru hɔ no, Yosef nuanom no yii no firii amena no mu, tɔn no gyee dwetɛ gram ahanu aduonu nwɔtwe maa Ismaelfoɔ no, maa wɔde no kɔɔ Misraim.
29 When Reuben returned to the pit/cistern, he saw that his younger brother was not there. He was so grieved that he tore his clothes.
Ruben sane nʼakyi baa amena no ho, na ɔhunuu sɛ Yosef nni amena no mu no, ɔsunsuanee ne ntadeɛ mu.
30 He went back to his [younger] brothers and said, “The boy is not in the pit/cistern! What can I do now?” [RHQ]
Ɔkɔɔ ne nuammarimanom no hɔ, kɔka kyerɛɛ wɔn sɛ, “Abarimaa no nni hɔ oo! Enti, seesei menyɛ me ho dɛn ni!”
31 [Joseph’s brothers did not dare to tell their father what they had done. So, they decided to invent a story about what had happened]. They got Joseph’s robe. Then they killed a goat and dipped the robe in the goat’s blood.
Afei, anuanom no faa Yosef batakari no, kumm abirekyie, de batakari no nuu ne mogya no mu.
32 They took that pretty robe back to their father and said, “We found this robe! Look at it. Is it your son’s robe?”
Wɔde Yosef batakari fɛfɛ no kɔɔ wɔn agya nkyɛn, kɔka kyerɛɛ no sɛ, “Yɛhunuu saa atadeɛ yi wɔ wura mu hɔ baabi. Hwɛ sɛ ɛyɛ Yosef atadeɛ anaa?”
33 He recognized it, and he said, “Yes, it is my son’s robe! Some ferocious/wild animal must have attacked and killed him! I am sure that the animal has torn Joseph to pieces!”
Wɔn agya hunuiɛ ampa, kaa sɛ, “Nokorɛ, ɛyɛ me ba Yosef atadeɛ! Aboa bi akye no awe. Ampa ara sɛ, aboa ko no atete Yosef ɛnam pasaa.”
34 Jacob was so grieved that he tore his clothes. He put on (sackcloth/clothes that people wear when they are mourning for someone who has died). He mourned/cried for his son for many days.
Na Yakob sunsuanee ne ntadeɛ mu, hyɛɛ ayitadeɛ, suu ne ba no nna bebree.
35 All of his children came to try to comfort him, but he did not pay attention to what they said. He said, “No, I will still be mourning/crying when I die and go to be with my son.” So Joseph’s father continued to cry because of what had happened to his son. (Sheol h7585)
Ne mmammarima ne ne mmammaa nyinaa bɛtwaa ne ho hyiaeɛ, kyekyeree ne werɛ, nanso ankɔsi hwee. Yakob kaa sɛ, “Dabi, mede awerɛhoɔ bɛwu akɔto me ba no asamando.” Enti, nʼagya Yakob suu no. (Sheol h7585)
36 In the meantime, the men/traders from Midian took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, who was one of the king’s officials. He was the captain of the soldiers who protected the king.
Deɛ ɛbaeɛ ne sɛ, Midianfoɔ no nso kɔtɔn Yosef maa Potifar wɔ Misraim. Saa Potifar no na ɔyɛ ɔhene Farao dabehene ne nʼawɛmfoɔ so panin.
