1 USamuyeli 12
1 USamuyeli wathi kubo bonke abako-Israyeli, “Ngikuzwile konke elikukhulumileyo kimi njalo sengilibekele inkosi.
Then Samuel said to all of Israel: “Behold, I have listened to your voice, according to all that you have said to me, and I have appointed a king over you.
2 Khathesi selilenkosi engumkhokheli wenu. Mina sengiluphele lenwele sezimpunga, lamadodana ami lilawo khonapha. Kade ngingumkhokheli wenu kusukela ebutsheni bami kuze kube lamhla.
And now the king advances before you. But I am old and have gray hair. Moreover, my sons are with you. And so, having conversed before you from my youth, even until this day, behold, I am here.
3 Ngikhonapha. Fakazani okubi ngami phambi kukaThixo logcotshiweyo wakhe. Ngubani engake ngathatha inkabi yakhe na? Ngubani engake ngathatha ubabhemi wakhe na? Ngubani engake ngamqilibezela? Ngubani engake ngamncindezela na? Kukwezikabani izandla engake ngamukela isivalamlomo ukuba ngivale amehlo ami na? Nxa ngake ngenza okunye kwalokhu, ngizakubuyisela.”
Speak about me before the Lord, and before his Christ, as to whether I have taken anyone’s ox or donkey, or whether I have falsely accused anyone, or whether I have oppressed anyone, or whether I have accepted a bribe from the hand of anyone, and I will repudiate the same, this day, and I will restore it to you.”
4 Baphendula bathi, “Kawuzange usiqilibezele loba usincindezele. Kawuthathanga lutho esandleni somuntu.”
And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”
5 USamuyeli wasesithi kubo, “Uthixo ungufakazi umelane lani, logcotshiweyo wakhe ungufakazi ngalelilanga, ukuthi kalitholanga lutho esandleni sami.” Bona bathi, “Yena ungufakazi.”
And he said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and his Christ is a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is the witness.”
6 USamuyeli wasesithi ebantwini, “NguThixo owakhetha uMosi lo-Aroni wakhupha oyihlomkhulu eGibhithe.
And Samuel said to the people: “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who led our fathers away from the land of Egypt.
7 Khathesi-ke, manini khonapha, ngoba ngizamelana lani ngobufakazi phambi kukaThixo ngazozonke izenzo ezilungileyo uThixo owazenzela lina laboyihlo.
Now therefore, stand, so that I may contend in judgment against you before the Lord, about all the mercies of the Lord, which he has given to you and to your fathers:
8 Emva kokuba uJakhobe esefikile eGibhithe, bakhalela usizo kuThixo, uThixo wasethuma uMosi lo-Aroni, abakhupha okhokho benu eGibhithe bazabahlalisa kule indawo.
How Jacob entered into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the Lord. And the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and he led your fathers away from Egypt, and he transferred them to this place.
9 Kodwa bamkhohlwa uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo; ngakho wabanikela esandleni sikaSisera, umlawuli webutho laseHazori, lasezandleni zamaFilistiya kanye lasenkosini yamaMowabi, balwa labo.
But they forgot the Lord their God, and so he delivered them into the hand of Sisera, master of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them.
10 Bakhala kuThixo bathi, ‘Sonile, simdelile uThixo sakhonza oBhali labo-Ashithorethi. Kodwa khathesi ake usikhulule ezandleni zezitha zethu, sizakukhonza.’
But afterward, they cried out to the Lord, and they said: ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and we have served the Baals and Ashtaroth. Now therefore, rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
11 Lapho-ke uThixo wathuma uJerubhi-Bhali, loBhedani, loJeftha kanye loSamuyeli, walikhulula ezandleni zezitha zenu inxa zonke, yikho lahlala livikelekile.
And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and he rescued you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived in confidence.
12 Kodwa kwathi lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni wayesizalihlasela, lathi kimi, ‘Hatshi, sifuna inkosi yokusibusa,’ lanxa uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wayeyinkosi yenu.
Then, seeing that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, had arrived against you, you said to me, ‘By no means! Instead, a king shall reign over us,’ even though the Lord your God was reigning over you.
13 Khathesi nansi inkosi eliyikhethileyo, yona elayicelayo; khangelani, uThixo uselibekele inkosi phezu kwenu.
Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.
14 Nxa limesaba uThixo limkhonze njalo limlalele lingahlamukeli imilayo yakhe, njalo nxa lina kanye lenkosi elibusayo lilandela uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kuhle!
If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord, then both you, and the king who rules over you, will be following the Lord your God.
15 Kodwa nxa uThixo lingamlaleli, njalo nxa lihlamukela imilayo yakhe, isandla sakhe sizamelana lani, njengoba sasimelane laboyihlo.
But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but instead you provoke his words, then the hand of the Lord will be over you and over your fathers.
16 Khathesi-ke manini lithule libone into enkulu uThixo asezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu!
Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.
17 Kanti khathesi akusisikhathi sokuvuna ingqoloyi na? Ngizakhuleka kuThixo ukuba athumele umdumo lezulu. Njalo lizabona ukuthi yinto embi njani elayenzayo emehlweni kaThixo lapho licela inkosi.”
Is it not the harvest of the wheat today? I will call upon the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain. And you will know and see that you have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, by petitioning for a king over you.”
18 Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wakhuleka kuThixo, njalo khona mhlalokho uThixo wathumela umdumo lezulu. Ngakho abantu bonke bamesaba uThixo loSamuyeli.
And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.
19 Bonke abantu bathi kuSamuyeli, “Khulekela izinceku zakho kuThixo uNkulunkulu wakho ukuze singafi, ngoba sesengeze kwezinye zonke izono zethu ngobubi bokucela inkosi.”
And all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly. And all the people said to Samuel: “Pray, on behalf of your servants, to the Lord your God, so that we may not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil, that we would petition for a king.”
20 USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Lingesabi. Selibenzile bonke lobububi; kodwa lingamfulatheli uThixo; kodwa khonzani uThixo ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke.
Then Samuel said to the people: “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil. Yet truly, do not choose to withdraw from the back of the Lord. Instead, serve the Lord with all your heart.
21 Lingaphendukeli ezithombeni ezingasizi lutho. Zingeke zilenzele lutho, kumbe zilihlenge, ngoba kazilasizo.
And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.
22 Ngenxa yebizo lakhe elikhulu uThixo kayikubalahla abantu bakhe, ngoba uThixo wathokoziswa yikulenza libe ngabakhe.
And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.
23 Mina-ke kangiyikukwenza ukuthi ngenze isono kuThixo ngokungalikhulekeli. Njalo ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.
So then, far be it from me, this sin against the Lord, that I would cease to pray for you. And so, I will teach you the good and upright way.
24 Kodwa mesabeni ngeqiniso uThixo, limkhonze ngobuqotho ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke. Khumbulani izinto ezinkulu alenzela zona.
Therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and from your whole heart. For you have seen the great works that he has done among you.
25 Kodwa lingaphikelela ukwenza okubi, lina lenkosi yenu lizakhukhulwa.”
But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”
