< 1 Samuel 8 >
1 Mgbe Samuel ghọrọ agadi, o mere ụmụ ya ndị ikom ka ha bụrụ ndị ikpe ndị Izrel.
And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2 Juel, ọkpara ya, na Abija, nke na-eso ya ka ọ họpụtara. Ha nọkwa na Bịasheba na-ekpe ndị Izrel ikpe.
Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.
3 Ma ụmụ ya esoghị ụzọ ya. Ha na-agbaso naanị ihe ga-abara ha. Ha na-erikwa ngarị, na-ekpe ikpe na-ezighị ezi.
But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.
4 Nʼihi ya, ndị okenye ụmụ Izrel niile zukọtara, bịakwute Samuel na Rema sị ya,
Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.
5 “I meela agadi, ụmụ gị ndị ikom adịghịkwa eso ụzọ gị. Ugbu a họpụtara anyị onye ga-abụ eze anyị, onye ga na-edu anyị, dịka mba ndị ọzọ.”
And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”
6 Ma obi adịghị Samuel ụtọ mgbe ha rịọrọ sị, “Nye anyị eze ga-edu anyị.” Nʼihi ya, Samuel kpọkuru Onyenwe anyị nʼekpere.
And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7 Onyenwe anyị gwara ya, “Gee ntị nʼihe niile ndị a na-agwa gị; ọ bụghị gị ka ha jụrụ, kama ọ bụ mụ onwe m ka ha jụrụ ibu eze ha.
Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.
8 Site nʼụbọchị m mere ka ha si nʼIjipt pụta ruo taa, ha na-agbakụta m azụ, na-efe chi ndị ọzọ. Ọ bụkwa otu a ka ha na-eme gị ugbu a.
In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.
9 Mee dịka ha rịọrọ, ma echefula ịgwa ha ụdị omume eze ahụ ga-achị ha ga-emeso ha.”
Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”
10 Samuel gwara ndị Izrel na-arịọ ka e nye ha eze ihe Onyenwe anyị kwuru.
And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.
11 Ọ zara sị ha, “Ihe ndị a bụ ụdị mmeso eze ahụ ga-achị unu ga-emeso unu: Ọ ga-eduru ụmụ unu ndị ikom mee ha ndị na-agba ọsọ nʼihu ụgbọ agha ya na ịnyịnya ya.
And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.
12 Ụfọdụ ka ọ ga-eme ọchịagha, ndị ga-elekọta ọtụtụ puku ndị agha, maọbụ iri ndị agha ise; ndị ụfọdụ ga-abụ ndị ga-akọ ubi ya, ndị ọzọ ga-ewebatakwa ihe owuwe ubi ya, ma ndị ọzọ ga-akpụrụ ya ngwa agha na ihe niile e ji anya ụgbọ agha ya.
And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.
13 Ọ ga-eduru ụmụ unu ndị inyom mee ka ha bụrụ ndị na-esiri ya mmanụ otite na-esi isi ụtọ, na ndị na-esiri ya nri, na ndị na-eghere ya ihe oghịghe.
Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.
14 Ọ ga-anarakwa unu ubi unu, na ubi vaịnị unu, na ubi oliv unu ndị kachasị mma, were ha nye ndị na-ejere ya ozi.
Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.
15 Ọ ga-ewere otu ụzọ nʼime ụzọ iri nke mkpụrụ ubi unu na ubi vaịnị unu nye ndịisi ọrụ ya na ndị na-ejere ya ozi.
Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.
16 Ọ ga-akwagidekwa unu ka unu nye ya ndị ohu unu, ndị ikom nʼime ha, na ndị inyom nʼime ha, ya na anụ ụlọ unu ahụ dị ezi mma, na ịnyịnya ibu unu.
Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.
17 Ọ ga-ewerekwa otu ụzọ nʼụzọ iri nke igwe anụ ụlọ unu, meekwa ka unu onwe unu bụrụkwa ndị ohu ya.
Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.
18 Mgbe ụbọchị ndị ahụ bịara, mgbe ihe ndị a bidoro imezu, unu ga-akwa akwa, rịọọ ka e wezugara unu eze ahụ unu họpụtaara onwe unu, ma Onyenwe anyị agaghị aṅa unu ntị nʼụbọchị ahụ.”
And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”
19 Ma ndị Izrel jụrụ ige Samuel ntị. Ha sịrị, “Anyị chọrọ eze ga-achị anyị.
But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,
20 Mgbe ahụ, anyị onwe anyị ga-adị ka ndị mba niile ọzọ, anyị ga-enwe eze ga na-edu anyị, na-aga nʼihu anyị na-ebukwa agha anyị.”
and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”
21 Samuel gwara Onyenwe anyị ihe niile ha kwuru.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them to the ears of the Lord.
22 Ma Onyenwe anyị zara ya ọzọ sị, “Mee ihe ha kwuru, nye ha eze.” Mgbe ahụ, Samuel gwara ndị ikom Izrel okwu sị ha, “Laanụ, nwoke ọbụla nʼobodo ya.”
Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”