1 Samuel 12
1 Then Samuel said to all of Israel, “I have paid attention to everything you asked from me, and I have given you a king to rule over you.
Samweli akawaambia Israeli wote, “Nimesikiliza kila kitu mlichoniambia nami nimewawekea mfalme juu yenu.
2 Now your king is your leader. I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from the time I was a boy up to today.
Sasa mnaye mfalme kama kiongozi wenu. Lakini kwa habari yangu mimi ni mzee na nina mvi, nao wanangu wapo hapa pamoja nanyi. Nimekuwa kiongozi wenu tangu ujana wangu mpaka siku hii ya leo.
3 I stand here before you. Bring any charges you have against me in the presence of the Lord and of his anointed one. Have I taken anyone's ox or donkey? Have I wronged anyone? Have I oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone to turn a blind eye? Tell me, and I will repay you.”
Mimi ninasimama hapa. Shuhudieni juu yangu mbele za Bwana na mpakwa mafuta wake. Nimechukua maksai wa nani? Nimechukua punda wa nani? Ni nani nimepata kumdanganya? Ni nani nimepata kumwonea? Ni kutoka kwenye mkono wa nani nimepokea rushwa ili kunifanya nifumbe macho yangu? Kama nimefanya chochote katika hivi, mimi nitawarudishia.”
4 “No, you have never cheated or oppressed us,” they replied, “and you have never taken anything from anyone.”
Wakajibu, “Hujatudanganya wala kutuonea. Hujapokea chochote kutoka kwenye mkono wa mtu awaye yote.”
5 Samuel told them, “The Lord is a witness, and his anointed is a witness today, in this case involving you, that you have not found me guilty of anything.” “He is a witness,” they replied.
Samweli akawaambia, “Bwana ni shahidi juu yenu, pia mpakwa mafuta wake ni shahidi siku hii ya leo, kwamba hamkukuta chochote mkononi mwangu.” Wakasema, “Yeye ni shahidi.”
6 “The Lord is a witness, he who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel went on. “He led your forefathers out of the land of Egypt.
Kisha Samweli akawaambia watu, “Bwana ndiye alimchagua Mose na Aroni, na kuwaleta baba zenu akiwapandisha kutoka Misri.
7 So stand here as I present to you in the presence of the Lord the evidence of all the good things the Lord has done for you and your forefathers.
Sasa basi, simameni hapa, kwa sababu nitakabiliana nanyi kwa ushahidi mbele za Bwana wa matendo yote ya haki yaliyofanywa na Bwana kwenu na kwa baba zenu.
8 After Jacob had gone to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron to lead your forefathers out of Egypt and settle them here.
“Baada ya Yakobo kuingia Misri, walimlilia Bwana kwa ajili ya msaada, naye Bwana akawatuma Mose na Aroni, ambao waliwatoa baba zenu kutoka Misri na kuwakalisha mahali hapa.
9 But they forgot about the Lord their God, so he abandoned them to Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab, who attacked them.
“Lakini wakamsahau Bwana Mungu wao, hivyo Mungu akawauza katika mkono wa Sisera, jemadari wa jeshi la Hazori na katika mikono ya Wafilisti na mfalme wa Moabu, ambaye alipigana dhidi yao.
10 They cried out to the Lord for help and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have rejected the Lord and worshiped the Baals and Ashtoreths. Please save us from the hands of our enemies, and we will worship you.’
Wakamlilia Bwana na kusema, ‘Tumetenda dhambi; tumemwacha Bwana na kutumikia Mabaali na Maashtorethi. Lakini sasa tuokoe kutoka mikono ya adui zetu, nasi tutakutumikia.’
11 Then the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he saved you from your enemies who surrounded you so you could live in safety.
Ndipo Bwana akawatuma Yerub-Baali, Baraka, Yefta na Samweli, naye akawaokoa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zenu kila upande, ili ninyi mpate kukaa salama.
12 But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, we want our own king,’ even though the Lord your God was your king.
“Lakini mlipomwona yule Nahashi mfalme wa Waamoni anakuja dhidi yenu, mliniambia, ‘Hapana, tunataka mfalme atutawale,’ hata ingawa Bwana Mungu wenu alikuwa mfalme wenu.
13 So here's the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. Look—the Lord now gives him to you as your king!
Sasa huyu hapa ndiye mfalme mliyemchagua, yule mliyeomba; tazameni, Bwana amemweka mfalme juu yenu.
14 If you honor the Lord, worship him, do what he tells you, and don't rebel against the Lord's instructions, and if both you and your king follow the Lord your God, then good!
Kama mkimcha Bwana na kumtumikia na kumtii nanyi msipoasi dhidi ya amri zake, ninyi pamoja na mfalme anayetawala juu yenu mkimfuata Bwana, Mungu wenu, mambo yatakuwa mema kwenu!
15 However, if you refuse to do what he tells you, and rebel against the Lord's instructions, then the Lord will be against you as he was against your forefathers.
Lakini kama hamkumtii Bwana, nanyi kama mkiasi dhidi ya amri zake, mkono wake utakuwa dhidi yenu, kama ulivyokuwa dhidi ya baba zenu.
16 Now stand still and watch what the Lord is going to do, right before your very eyes.
“Sasa basi, simameni kimya mkaone jambo hili kubwa ambalo Bwana anakwenda kulifanya mbele ya macho yenu!
17 Isn't it the time of wheat harvest? Well, I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain. Then you will realize how very evil you were in the Lord's sight when you demanded your own king.”
Je, sasa si mavuno ya ngano? Nitamwomba Bwana ili alete ngurumo na mvua. Nanyi mtatambua jambo hili lilivyo baya mlilolifanya mbele za macho ya Bwana mlipoomba mfalme.”
18 Then Samuel prayed to the Lord, and that very day the Lord sent thunder and rain. Everyone was in absolute awe of the Lord and of Samuel.
Kisha Samweli akamwomba Bwana, na siku ile ile Bwana akatuma ngurumo na mvua. Hivyo watu wote wakamwogopa sana Bwana na Samweli.
19 “Please pray to the Lord your God for us your servants, so we will not die!” they begged Samuel. “For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for our own king.”
Watu wote wakamwambia Samweli, “Mwombe Bwana Mungu wako kwa ajili ya watumishi wako, ili tusije tukafa, kwa kuwa tumeongeza uovu juu ya dhambi zetu nyingine kwa kuomba mfalme.”
20 “Don't be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have indeed done all these evil things, don't give up following the Lord, but dedicate yourselves completely to worshiping him.
Samweli akajibu, “Msiogope, mmefanya uovu huu wote; hata hivyo msimwache Bwana, bali mtumikieni Bwana kwa moyo wenu wote.
21 Don't worship worthless idols that can't help you or save you, for they are nothing.
Msigeukie sanamu zisizofaa. Haziwezi kuwatendea jema, wala haziwezi kuwaokoa kwa sababu hazina maana.
22 The fact is because of the kind of person the Lord is, he won't give up on his people, because he was happy to claim you as his own.
Kwa ajili ya jina lake kuu Bwana hatawakataa watu wake, kwa sababu ilimpendeza Bwana kuwafanya kuwa wake mwenyewe.
23 As for me, how could I sin against the Lord by no longer praying for you. I will also continue to teach you the way of goodness and right.
Kwa habari yangu, iwe mbali nami kutenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana kwa kushindwa kuwaombea. Mimi nitawafundisha njia iliyo njema na ya kunyooka.
24 Make sure you honor God and worship him faithfully, with complete dedication. Think of all the tremendous things he has done for you.
Lakini hakikisheni mnamcha Bwana na kumtumikia kwa uaminifu kwa moyo wenu wote; tafakarini mambo makubwa aliyoyatenda kwa ajili yenu.
25 But if you continue to do what is evil, you and your king will be wiped out.”
Hata hivyo mkiendelea kufanya uovu, ninyi na mfalme wenu mtafutiliwa mbali!”
