1 Samuele 8
1 Tango Samuele akomaki mobange, aponaki bana na ye ya mibali mpo ete bazala basambisi kati na Isalaele.
When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to lead/rule the people of Israel.
2 Kombo ya mwana na ye ya liboso ya mobali ezalaki « Joeli, » mpe ya mibale, « Abiya. » Bazalaki kosala mosala na bango na Beri-Sheba,
They judged people’s disputes/cases in Beersheba [town].
3 kasi batambolaki te na nzela ya Samuele, tata na bango: bamipesaki na lokoso ya mbongo, na kozwaka kanyaka mpe na kokataka makambo na bosembo te.
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 Mpo na yango, bakambi nyonso ya mabota ya Isalaele basanganaki elongo mpe bakendeki epai ya Samuele, na Rama.
Finally, the Israeli leaders met at Ramah [town to discuss the matter] with Samuel.
5 Balobaki na ye: « Tala, yo okomi na yo mobange, mpe bana na yo ya mibali bazali kotambola te na banzela na yo. Sik’oyo, pona mokonzi oyo akokamba biso ndenge ezali na bikolo nyonso. »
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 Kasi tango balobaki: « Pesa biso mokonzi oyo akokamba biso, » Samuele asepelaki na likambo yango te; boye asambelaki Yawe.
Samuel was very unhappy with them for requesting that, so he prayed to Yahweh about it.
7 Mpe Yawe azongiselaki Samuele: « Yoka makambo nyonso oyo bato bazali koloba na yo. Ezali yo te nde basundoli, kasi basundoli nde Ngai lokola Mokonzi na bango.
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 Bazali kosala yo ndenge kaka basalaki Ngai, banda mokolo oyo nabimisaki bango na Ejipito kino lelo: basundolaki Ngai mpe basalelaki banzambe mosusu.
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 Sik’oyo, yoka bango; kasi kebisa bango malamu mpe yebisa bango makambo nyonso oyo mokonzi oyo akokonza bango akobanda kosala. »
Do what they are asking you to do. But warn/tell them about how their kings will act toward them!”
10 Samuele ayebisaki bato oyo bazalaki kosenga ye mokonzi maloba nyonso ya Yawe.
So Samuel told those people what Yahweh had said.
11 Alobaki na bango: — Tala makambo oyo mokonzi oyo akokonza bino akobanda kosala: Akozwa bana na bino ya mibali mpe akotia bango na mosala ya kokumba bashar na ye kati na basoda na ye oyo babundaka na bampunda; bakobanda kokima mbangu liboso ya shar na ye lokola bakengeli ya mokonzi.
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 Akotia bamoko, bakonzi ya bankoto ya basoda; bamosusu, bakonzi ya basoda tuku mitano; bamosusu, akotia bango na mosala ya kobalola mabele ya bilanga na ye, kobuka bambuma na ye mpe kosalela ye bibundeli ya bitumba mpe bisalelo mpo na bashar na ye.
[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 Akokamata bana na bino ya basi mpo ete basalaka malasi, balambaka bilei mpe mapa.
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 Akokamata bilanga na bino ya vino mpe ya olive oyo eleki kitoko, mpe akopesa yango epai ya basali na ye.
He will take your best fields and vineyards and olive tree groves/orchards, and give them to his own officials.
15 Akokamata eteni ya zomi ya milona na bino mpe ya bilanga na bino ya vino, mpe akopesa yango epai ya kalaka na ye ya lokumu mpe epai ya basali na ye.
He will take a tenth of your harvests and distribute it among the officers and servants [who work in] his [palace].
16 Bongo, kati na basali na bino ya mibali, basali na bino ya basi, bilenge na bino mpe ba-ane na bino, akokamata ba-oyo baleki kitoko mpo na misala na ye.
He will take from you your male and female servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and force them to work for him.
17 Akokamata eteni ya zomi ya bameme na bino, mpe bino moko bokokoma bawumbu na ye.
He will take one tenth of your sheep and goats. And you will become his slaves!
18 Bongo na mokolo wana, tango bokobanda kolelalela mpo na mokonzi oyo bino moko bokomiponela, na mokolo yango, Yawe akoyanola bino ata moke te.
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 Kasi bato baboyaki koyokela Samuele, balobaki: — Te! Biso tolingi kaka mokonzi.
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 Na bongo, biso mpe tokozala lokola bikolo mosusu. Mokonzi na biso akokamba biso, akobima liboso na biso mpe akotambolisa biso na bitumba.
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 Tango Samuele ayokaki maloba nyonso ya bato, amemaki yango liboso ya Yawe.
When Samuel told Yahweh what the people had said,
22 Mpe Yawe alobaki na Samuele: « Yokela bango mpe pesa bango mokonzi! » Bongo Samuele alobaki na bato ya Isalaele: « Tika ete moto na moto azonga na engumba na ye! »
Yahweh replied, “Do what they are telling you to do. Give them a king!” [So Samuel agreed], and then he sent the people home.
