1 Samwiri 12
1 Samwiri n’ayogera eri Isirayiri yenna, ng’agamba nti, “Mpulirizza buli kintu kye muŋŋambye, ne mbateerawo kabaka okubafuga.
Then Samuel said this to all the Israeli people: “I have done everything that you told me to do, and I have given/appointed a king to rule you.
2 Kaakano mulina kabaka ng’omukulembeze wammwe. Naye nze nkaddiye, mmeze n’envi, era n’abaana bange bali wano nammwe. Mbadde mukulembeze wammwe okuva mu buvubuka bwange n’okutuusa leero.
My own sons [are grown up and] with you now, but I have appointed Saul [instead of one of them], and he is now your leader. I am now old, and my hair is gray. I have been your leader ever since I was a boy.
3 Nzuuno mu maaso gammwe. Munnumirize ensonga yonna mu maaso ga Mukama ne mu maaso g’oyo gwe yafukako amafuta. Ani gwe nnali ntwalidde ente ye? Oba ani gwe nnali ntwalidde endogoyi ye? Oba ani gwe nnali ndyazaamaanyizza? Oba ani gwe nnali njooze? Oba ani gwe nnali nsabye enguzi? Bwe wabaawo anvunaana mu nsonga yonna nzija kumuliyira.”
Now tell me, while Yahweh is listening, and while the king whom he has chosen is listening: whose ox or donkey have I stolen [during all those years]? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed/treated badly? From whom have I accepted a bribe, in order that I would ignore [the evil things he had done]? If I have done any of those things, tell me, and I will pay back what I owe.”
4 Ne baddamu nti, “Totunyagangako newaakubadde okutujooga, wadde okulya enguzi okuva mu mukono gw’omuntu yenna.”
They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”
5 Awo Samwiri n’abaddamu nti, “Mukama ye mujulirwa gye muli, era n’oyo gwe yafukako amafuta mujulirwa leero, nga sirina nsobi yonna mu maaso gammwe.” Ne baddamu nti, “Mujulirwa.”
Then Samuel said, “Today Yahweh can testify, and the king whom you chose can testify, that I have not taken a bribe from anyone.” They replied, “Yes, Yahweh can say that he knows that is true.”
6 Samwiri n’agamba abantu nti, “Mukama ye yalonda Musa ne Alooni era n’aggya bajjajjammwe mu Misiri.
Samuel continued by saying, “Yahweh is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron [to lead] our ancestors. He is the one who brought them out of Egypt. [And he is the one who will testify that what I am saying is true].
7 Kale nno, musseeyo omwoyo mutege amatu mu maaso ga Mukama, eri okubalamula era n’okubajjukiza ebikolwa eby’obutuukirivu Mukama bye yabakolera mmwe ne bajjajjammwe.
Now while Yahweh is listening, stand here quietly while I accuse you [and tell you that your requesting a king instead of trusting Yahweh to lead you was wrong]. I will do that by reminding you of all the great miracles that Yahweh performed for you and your ancestors.
8 “Yakobo bwe yabeera mu Misiri, bajjajjammwe ne bakaabirira Mukama; Mukama yatuma Musa ne Alooni, abaabaggya mu Misiri, n’abateeka mu kifo kino.
[“Many years] after Jacob went to Egypt, our ancestors pleaded to Yahweh to help them. So Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron to them, and they led our ancestors out of Egypt, and eventually they settled in this land.
9 “Naye ne beerabira Mukama Katonda waabwe, kyeyava abatunda mu mukono gwa Sisera omuduumizi w’eggye lya Kazoli, ne mu mukono gw’Abafirisuuti, ne mu mukono gwa kabaka wa Mowaabu, abaabalwanyisanga.
“But our ancestors soon forgot about Yahweh, their God. So he allowed Sisera, the commander of the army from Hazor, to defeat them. He also allowed the Philistines and the army of the king of Moab to fight our ancestors and defeat them.
10 Abayisirayiri ne bakaabirira Mukama, nga boogera nti, ‘Twasobya, twava ku Mukama ne tuweereza Babaali ne Baasutoleesi. Naye kaakano tulokole okuva mu mukono gw’abalabe baffe, tunaakuweerezanga.’
Then our ancestors pleaded with Yahweh again to help them. They admitted, ‘Yahweh, we have sinned, and we have forsaken you. We have worshiped [idols that represent the god] Baal and [the goddess] Astarte. But if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you only.’
11 Mukama n’alyoka atuma Yerubbaali, ne Bedani, ne Yefusa ne Samwiri ne babalokola mu mukono gw’abalabe bammwe enjuuyi zonna, ne mutuula mirembe.
So Yahweh sent men such as Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and me to save you. And as a result, you did not have to worry about any enemies attacking you.
12 Naye bwe mwalaba Nakkasi kabaka w’Abamoni ng’abalumba, newaakubadde nga Mukama Katonda wammwe ye yali kabaka wammwe ne muŋŋamba nti, ‘Nedda, ffe twagala kabaka okutufuga.’
“But now, when king Nahash of Ammon came [with his army] to attack you, [you were afraid. So], you [came to me, and] said, ‘We want a king to rule us,’ even though Yahweh was already your king!
13 Kaakano kabaka gwe mulonze era gwe mwasaba wuuno, era laba Mukama ataddewo kabaka okubafuga.
So now, look, here is the king whom you have chosen. You asked for a king, and Yahweh has now appointed a king for you.
14 Bwe munaatyanga Mukama ne mumuweerezanga, ne mugonderanga eddoboozi lye, ne mutajeemera biragiro bye, mmwe ne kabaka abafuga ne mugobereranga Mukama Katonda wammwe, kinaabanga kirungi.
If you will revere Yahweh and if you serve him, and if you listen to what he says and obey what he commands, and if you and the king who rules over you do what Yahweh your God wants you to do, [(things will go well for you all/Yahweh will bless you)].
15 Naye bwe mutaagonderenga Mukama, ne mujeemera ebiragiro bye, omukono gwe gunaalwananga nammwe, nga bwe kyali ku bajjajjammwe.
But if you do not listen to what Yahweh says, if you disobey what he commands, then he will punish [MTY] you all, just as he punished our ancestors.
16 “Kale nno mulindirire mulabe ekintu ekikulu Mukama kyagenda okukola mu maaso gammwe.
“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.
17 Bino kaakano si biseera bya kukungula ŋŋaano. Naye nzija kusaba Mukama, aweereze okubwatuka n’enkuba, mulyoke mutegeere nga kye mwakola okusaba kabaka kyali kibi mu maaso ga Mukama.”
You know that [RHQ] [it does not rain at this time of the year], during the time when you harvest wheat. But I will ask Yahweh to send thunder [and lightning] and rain today. When he does that, you will realize that Yahweh considers that you have done a very wicked thing by requesting a king.”
18 Awo Samwiri n’asaba Mukama, Mukama n’aweereza okubwatuka n’enkuba, abantu bonna ne batya nnyo Mukama ne Samwiri.
Then Samuel prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh caused it to thunder [and lightning] and rain. So all the people became very afraid of Yahweh and of Samuel.
19 Awo abantu bonna ne bagamba Samwiri nti, “Tusabire eri Mukama Katonda wo, ffe abaweereza bo, tuleme kufa, kubanga twongedde ku bibi byaffe ebirala byonna, bwe twasabye kabaka.”
They cried out to Samuel, “Pray for us! We have added to our previous sins by requesting a king! Pray to Yahweh, your God, in order that we will not die [because of having done that]!”
20 Samwiri n’addamu abantu nti, “Temutya, okukola mwakola ebibi ebyo byonna, naye temuvanga ku Mukama, kaakano mumuweerezenga n’omutima gwammwe gwonna.
Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid! You have done this evil thing, but do not turn away from doing the things that Yahweh wants you to do. Instead, serve Yahweh wholeheartedly.
21 Temukyukanga okugoberera ebintu ebitaliimu, ebitayinza kubagasa wadde okubawonya, kubanga tebiriimu nsa.
Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.
22 Mukama tagenda kwabulira bantu be, olw’erinnya lye ekkulu, kubanga Mukama yasiima okubafuula ababe.
Yahweh decided to make us his people. So he will not abandon us people whom he has chosen, because he would injure his own reputation [of being completely faithful] if he did that.
23 Nze ku lwange, kikafuuwe, okwonoona eri Mukama ne ssibasabira; nnaabalaganga ekkubo ettuufu era eggolokofu.
But as for me, I have solemnly promised that I will not sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you what things are good and right [for you to do].
24 Kyokka mutyenga Mukama era mumuweerezenga n’obwesigwa n’omutima gwammwe gwonna, nga mujjukira ebintu ebikulu bye yabakolera.
But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.
25 Naye bwe muneeyongeranga okukola ebibi, mmwe ne kabaka wammwe mulizikirizibwa.”
But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”
