1 Samoela 12
1 Ary hoy Samoela tamin’ ny Isiraely rehetra: Indro, efa nihaino ny teninareo aho tamin’ izay rehetra nolazainareo tamiko ka efa nanendry mpanjaka hanjaka aminareo.
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 Ary ankehitriny, indro, ny mpanjaka mandeha eo anatrehanareo; fa izaho efa antitra sy fotsy volo; koa, indreo, eo aminareo ny zanako, ary izaho efa nandeha teo anatrehanareo hatry ny fony vao zaza ka mandraka androany.
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 Koa inty aho; tondroy maso eto anatrehan’ i Jehovah sy ny voahosony aho: ombin’ iza moa no nalaiko? na borikin’ iza no nalaiko? na an’ iza no nanaovako an-keriny? na iza no nampahoriko? na teo an-tànan’ iza no nandraisako kolikoly hahatampina ny masoko? fa honerako aminareo izany.
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 Ary hoy ireo: Hianao tsy nanao an-keriny taminay, na nampahory anay, na naka zavatra teny an-tànan’ olona na dia iray akory aza.
They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”
5 Dia hoy Samoela taminy: Vavolombelona aminareo anio Jehovah, ary vavolombelona koa ny voahosony, fa tsy nisy zavatra hitanareo teo an-tanako na inona na inona. Dia hoy ireo: Eny, vavolombelona Izy.
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 Ary hoy Samoela tamin’ ny olona: Jehovah no nanendry an’ i Mosesy sy Arona, ary nitondra ny razanareo niakatra avy tany amin’ ny tany Egypta.
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 Koa ankehitriny avia ianareo, fa hifandahatra aminareo eto anatrehan’ i Jehovah aho ny amin’ ny asa marina rehetra izay nataon’ i Jehovah taminareo sy ny razanareo.
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 Rehefa tonga tany Egypta Jakoba, ka nitaraina tamin’ i Jehovah ny razanareo, Jehovah dia naniraka an’ i Mosesy sy Arona, ka ireo no nitondra ny razanareo nivoaka avy tany Egypta ary namponina azy teto amin’ ity tany ity.
[“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 Nefa raha nanadino an’ i Jehovah Andriamaniny izy, dia namidiny ho eo an-tànan’ i Sisera, komandin’ ny miaramilan’ i Hazora, sy ho eo an-tànan’ ny Filistina ary ho eo an-tànan’ ny mpanjakan’ i Moaba, ka niadian’ ireo izy.
“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 Dia nitaraina tamin’ i Jehovah izy ka nanao hoe: Efa nanota izahay, fa efa nahafoy an’ i Jehovah ka nanompo ireo Bala sy Astarta, nefa ankehitriny vonjeo amin’ ny tanan’ ny fahavalonay izahay, dia hanompo Anao.
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 Ary Jehovah efa naniraka an’ i Jerobala sy Bedana sy Jefta ary Samoela, ka namonjy anareo tamin’ ny tanan’ ny fahavalonareo manodidina Izy, dia nandry fahizay ianareo.
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 Kanjo nony hitanareo fa avy hiady taminareo Nahasy, mpanjakan’ ny Amonita, dia hoy ianareo tamiko: Tsia, fa aoka hisy mpanjaka hanjaka aminay; kanefa Jehovah Andriamanitrareo no mpanjakanareo.
“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 Koa ankehitriny, indro ny mpanjaka izay nofidinareo sy nangatahinareo; ary indro fa Jehovah nanome mpanjaka hanjaka aminareo.
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 Enga anie ka hatahotra an’ i Jehovah sy hanompo Azy ary hihaino ny feony ka tsy handà ny didiny ianareo, fa samy hanaraka an’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrareo ianareo sy ny mpanjaka izay manjaka aminareo.
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 Fa raha tsy mihaino ny tenin’ i Jehovah kosa ianareo, fa mandà ny didiny, dia hamely anareo ny tànan’ i Jehovah tahaka ny namelezany ny razanareo.
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 Koa mitsangàna ankehitriny, ka jereo izao zavatra lehibe hataon’ i Jehovah eto imasonareo izao:
“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.
17 Moa tsy taom-pijinjana vary tritika va izao? Hiantso an’ i Jehovah aho, ary hahatonga kotrokorana sy orana Izy, dia ho hitanareo sy ho fantatrareo fa lehibe ny ratsy nataonareo teo imason’ i Jehovah, satria nangataka mpanjaka ianareo.
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 Ary Samoela niantso an’ i Jehovah, ary Jehovah nahatonga kotrokorana sy orana tamin’ izany andro izany; ary ny vahoaka rehetra dia natahotra an’ i Jehovah sy Samoela indrindra.
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 Dia hoy ny vahoaka rehetra tamin’ i Samoela: Mangataha amin’ i Jehovah Andriamanitrao ho an’ ny mpanomponao, Fandrao maty izahay! fa efa nanao izao ratsy Izao izahay ho fanampin’ ny fahotanay rehetra, satria nangataka mpanjaka ho anay.
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 Ary hoy Samoela tamin’ ny vahoaka: Aza matahotra; efa nanao izany ratsy rehetra izany tokoa ianareo; kanefa aza mivily tsy hanaraka an’ i Jehovah; fa manompoa Azy amin’ ny fonareo rehetra.
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 Eny, aza mivily; fa manaraka ireo zava-poana ianareo, izay tsy mahasoa na mahavonjy; fa zava-poana ireo.
Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.
22 Fa Jehovah tsy hahafoy ny olony noho ny anarany lehibe, satria sitrak’ i Jehovah ny nanaovany anareo ho olony.
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 Ary ny amiko, sanatria raha hanota amin’ i Jehovah aho ka hitsahatra tsy hangataka ho anareo; fa izaho hanoro anareo izay lalana tsara sy mahitsy.
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 Kanefa matahora an’ i Jehovah ianareo, ka manompoa Azy marina amin’ ny fonareo rehetra; fa eritrereto izao zavatra lehibe nataony ho anareo izao.
But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.
25 Fa raha mbola manao ratsy ihany ianareo, dia haringana ianareo sy ny mpanjakanareo koa.
But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”
