1 Hamuera 12

1 Na ka mea a Hamuera ki a Iharaira katoa, Nana, kua rongo nei ahau ki to koutou reo, ki nga mea katoa i kiia mai ki ahau, kua whakakingi hoki i tetahi kingi mo koutou.

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 Ina, te kingi na, e haereere na i to koutou aroaro: ko ahau hoki, kua koroheketia ahau, kua hina; a ko aku tama kei a koutou ena: no toku tamarikitanga hoki toku haereere i to koutou aroaro a tae noa mai ki tenei ra.

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 Tenei ahau: whakaaturia mai toku he i te aroaro o Ihowa, i te aroaro ano hoki o tana tangata i whakawahi ai: i tango ranei ahau i te kau a tetahi? i tango ranei ahau i te kaihe a tetahi? i riro mai ranei i ahau nga taonga o tetahi? i tukinotia ra nei e ahau tetahi? i tango ranei ahau i te utu whakapati a tetahi hei mea kia huna oku kanohi? a ka whakahokia e ahau ki a koutou.

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 Ano ra ko ratou, Kihai tetahi mea a matou i riro he i a koe, kihai hoki koe i tukino i a matou, kihai ano hoki i tangohia e koe tetahi mea a te tangata.

They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”

5 Na ka mea ia ki a ratou, Ko Ihowa hei kaiwhakaatu mo ta koutou; hei kaiwhakaatu ano hoki inaianei tana tangata i whakawahi ai, kihai i mau i a koutou tetahi mea a toku ringa. A ka mea ratou, Hei kaiwhakaatu ano ia.

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 Na ka mea a Hamuera ki te iwi, Na Ihowa i whakatu a Mohi raua ko Arona, nana hoki o koutou matua i kawe mai i te whenua o Ihipa.

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 Na, tu tonu koutou, a ka whakahaerea e ahau ki a koutou ki te aroaro o Ihowa nga mahi tika katoa a Ihowa i mahia e ia ki a koutou, ki o koutou matua hoki.

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 I te haerenga atu o Hakopa ki Ihipa, a ka tangi o koutou matua ki a Ihowa, na ka tonoa e Ihowa a Mohi raua ko Arona hei whakaputa mai i o koutou matua i Ihipa, hei whakanoho hoki i a ratou ki tenei wahi.

[“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 A ka wareware ratou ki a Ihowa, ki to ratou Atua, na hokona ana ratou e ia ki te ringa o Hihera, rangatira o te ope a Hatoro, ki te ringa hoki o nga Pirihitini, ki te ringa hoki o te kingi o Moapa, a whawhai ana ratou ki a ratou.

“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 A ka tangi atu ratou ki a Ihowa, ka mea, Kua hara matou, i a matou i whakarere nei i a Ihowa, i mahi ki nga Paara, ki a Ahataroto; otiia whakaorangia matou i te ringa o o matou hoariri, a ka mahi matou ki a koe.

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 Na ka unga mai e Ihowa a Ierupaara, a Perana, a Iepeta, a Hamuera, a whakaorangia ana koutou i roto i nga ringa o o koutou hoariri i tetahi taha, i tetahi taha, a noho wehikore noa iho ana koutou.

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 A, no to koutou kitenga e haere mai ana a Nahaha kingi o nga tama a Amona ki a koutou, ka mea koutou ki ahau, Kahore, engari me whai kingi ano matou; i te mea ko Ihowa, ko to koutou Atua to koutou kingi.

“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 Ina ra te kingi i whiriwhiria nei e koutou, i tonoa nei e koutou! Nana, kua hoatu e Ihowa he kingi mo koutou.

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 Ki te wehi koutou i a Ihowa, ki te mahi ki a ia, ki te whakarongo ki tona reo, ki te kore hoki e tutu ki te kupu a Ihowa, katahi koutou ko te kingi e kingi ana i a koutou ka whai tonu i a Ihowa, i to koutou Atua.

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 Engari ki te kore koutou e rongo ki te reo o Ihowa, a ka tutu ano ki te kupu a Ihowa, katahi ka anga mai ki a koutou te ringa o Ihowa, ka rite ki tana ki o koutou matua.

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 Tena, tu tonu koutou, kia kite koutou i tenei mea nui ka meatia nei e Ihowa ki to koutou aroaro.

“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.

17 Ehara ianei tenei i te kotinga witi inaianei? Ka karanga ahau ki a Ihowa, a ka homai he whatitiri, he ua, kia mohio ai koutou, kia kite ai, he nui to koutou he i meatia nei e koutou i te aroaro o Ihowa i a koutou i tono kingi nei mo koutou.

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 Na ka karanga a Hamuera ki a Ihowa, a homai ana e Ihowa he whatitiri, he ua, i taua rangi ano. Na nui noa atu te wehi o te iwi katoa ki a Ihowa, ki a Hamuera.

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 Na ka mea te iwi katoa ki a Hamuera, Inoi atu mo au pononga ki a Ihowa, ki tou Atua, kei mate matou; kua tapiritia hoki o matou hara katoa ki tenei kino, ki ta matou tono i te kingi mo matou.

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 Ano ra ko Hamuera ki te iwi, Kaua e wehi: kua oti tenei kino katoa te mea e koutou, kaua ia e peka atu i te whai a Ihowa; engari me whakapau o koutou ngakau ki te mahi ki a Ihowa.

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 Kaua ano hoki e peka atu: ko reira hoki koutou whai ai i nga mea tekateka noa, e kore e mana, e kore ano hoki e whakaora; he mea tekateka noa hoki.

Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.

22 E kore hoki a Ihowa e whakarere i tana iwi, ka mahara ia ki tona ingoa nui; kua pai nei hoki a Ihowa ki te mea i a koutou hei iwi mana.

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 Ko ahau hoki! E! kia hara ahau ki a Ihowa! kia mutu taku inoi mo koutou! Tena ko tenei, me whakaako koutou e ahau ki te ara pai, ki te ara tika.

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 Engari kia wehi i a Ihowa; whakapaua hoki o koutou ngakau ki te mahi ki a ia i runga i te pono; whakaaroa hoki nga mea nunui i mea ai ia ki a koutou.

But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.

25 Na, ki te mahi tonu koutou i te he, ka ngaro ngatahi koutou ko to koutou kingi.

But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”