1 Samuel 8
1 Samuel khaw patong la a om coeng dongah a ca rhoek te Israel ham lai aka tloek la a khueh.
When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to lead/rule the people of Israel.
2 Te vaengah a ca cacuek ming tah Joel, a pabae ah Abijah te om tih Beersheba ah lai a tloek.
They judged people’s disputes/cases in Beersheba [town].
3 A ca rhoi te amah long, amah long ah a pongpa rhoi kolla mueluemnah hnukah phael tih kapbaih a loh rhoi dongah laitloeknah khaw a haeh sak rhoi.
But they were not like their father. They wanted only to get a lot of money. They accepted bribes, and they did not make honest decisions about people’s disputes/cases.
4 Te dongah Israel kah a hamca rhoek tah boeih coi uh thae tih Ramah kah Samuel te a paan uh.
Finally, the Israeli leaders met at Ramah [town to discuss the matter] with Samuel.
5 Te phoeiah anih te, “Na patong coeng tih na ca rhoi te na longpuei ah a pongpa moenih ke, kaimih ham manghai khueh laeh, namtom cungkuem bangla kaimih lai aka tloek ham,” a ti na uh.
They said to him, “Listen! You are now old, and your sons are not like you. Appoint a king to rule over us, like the kings that other countries have!”
6 Tedae ol te Samuel mik ah lolh coeng. “Kaimih lai aka tloek la kaimih taengah manghai m'pae,” a ti uh van neh Samuel tah BOEIPA taengah thangthui.
Samuel was very unhappy with them for requesting that, so he prayed to Yahweh about it.
7 Te vaengah BOEIPA loh Samuel te, “A cungkuem la pilnam ol te hnatun lah, nang taengah a cal uh te nang n'hnawt uh dongah moenih. Tedae kai he ni amih kah manghai lamloh n'hnawt uh.
Yahweh replied, “Do what they have requested you to do. But ([do not think/the truth is not]) that you are the one whom they are really rejecting. I have been their king, and I am the one they are really rejecting.
8 Egypt lamkah amih ka caeh puei khohnin lamloh tahae khohnin duela tekah khoboe te boeih a saii uh. Kai he n'hnoo uh tih Pathen tloe rhoek taengah tho a thueng uh. Amih tangkhuet loh nang taengah khaw a saii uh.
Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have rejected me, and they have worshiped other gods. And now they are also rejecting you in the same way.
9 Te dongah amih ol te hnatun mai. Tedae amih te rhalrhing rhoe rhalrhing sak lamtah manghai kah laitloeknah te amih taengah thui pah. Anih te amih soah manghai bitni,” a ti nah.
Do what they are asking you to do. But warn/tell them about how their kings will act toward them!”
10 Te dongah Samuel loh BOEIPA ol boeih te amah taeng lamloh manghai aka bih pilnam taengah a thui.
So Samuel told those people what Yahweh had said.
11 Te vaengah, “Nangmih soah aka manghai ham manghai kah laitloeknah tah he tlam he om ni. Na ca rhoek te a loh vetih leng dongah amah ham tloep a khueh ni. A marhang caem yueng la leng hmai ah yong uh ni.
He said, “If a king rules over you, this is what he will do to you: He will force many of your sons to join the army. He will make [some of] them run in front of his chariots [to clear people out of his way].
12 Te phoeiah a tawn te phoh pah ham, a cangah te aka ah pah ham, caemtloek hnopai neh leng dongkah hnopai aka saii ham te thawngkhat kah mangpa, sawmnga kah mangpa te a khueh ni.
[Some of] them will be commanders of his soldiers, but others will work for him like slaves. He will force some of them to plow his fields and [then later] harvest his crops. He will force others to make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13 Na tanu rhoek te khaw buhpoep la, buthongnu la, maehhai la a loh ni.
The king will take [some of] your daughters [from you and force them] to make perfumes for him and cook food for him and bake [bread for him].
14 Na khohmuen neh na misur khaw, na olive then te a rhawt vetih a sal taengla a paek ni.
He will take your best fields and vineyards and olive tree groves/orchards, and give them to his own officials.
15 Na cangtii neh na misur te parha ah pakhat a loh vetih a imkhoem neh a sal taengla a paek ni.
He will take a tenth of your harvests and distribute it among the officers and servants [who work in] his [palace].
16 Na salpa neh na sal huta khaw, na tongpang then neh na laak khaw a loh vetih amah bi te a saii sak ni.
He will take from you your male and female servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and force them to work for him.
17 Nangmih kah boiva te a loh vetih namamih te anih kah sal la na om uh ni.
He will take one tenth of your sheep and goats. And you will become his slaves!
18 Tekah khohnin ah namamih ham na tuek uh na manghai kongah na pang uh cakhaw amah khohnin ah nangmih te BOEIPA loh n'doo van mahpawh,” a ti nah.
When that time comes, you will complain loudly to the king, the king that you yourselves have chosen, but Yahweh will not (pay attention to/help) you.”
19 Tedae Samuel ol te hnatun ham pilnam loh a aal uh tih, “Moenih, manghai pakhat tah kaimih soah om saeh.
But the people refused to pay attention to what Samuel said. They said, “We do not [care what you say]! We want a king!
20 Te daengah ni kaimih khaw namtom rhoek bangla boeih ka om uh eh. Ka manghai long tah kaimih ham lai a tloek vetih kaimih hmai ah lamhma ni, kaimih kah caemtloek khaw a tloek ni,” a ti uh.
We want to be like the other nations. We want a king to rule us and to lead our soldiers when they go to fight.”
21 Pilnam ol te Samuel loh boeih a yaak vaengah tah BOEIPA kah a hna dongla a thui pah.
When Samuel told Yahweh what the people had said,
22 Tedae Samuel te BOEIPA loh, “Amih ol te hnatun lamtah manghai pakhat tah amih taengah manghai sak,” a ti nah. Te phoeiah Israel hlang rhoek te Samuel loh, “Hlang boeih loh amah kho la cet laeh saeh,” a ti nah.
Yahweh replied, “Do what they are telling you to do. Give them a king!” [So Samuel agreed], and then he sent the people home.
