1 USamuyeli 12
1 USamuyeli wathi kubo bonke abako-Israyeli, “Ngikuzwile konke elikukhulumileyo kimi njalo sengilibekele inkosi.
And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made 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 goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day, behold here I am.
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 of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man’s ox, or ass: If I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man’s hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.
4 Baphendula bathi, “Kawuzange usiqilibezele loba usincindezele. Kawuthathanga lutho esandleni somuntu.”
And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.
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 witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.
6 USamuyeli wasesithi ebantwini, “NguThixo owakhetha uMosi lo-Aroni wakhupha oyihlomkhulu eGibhithe.
And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord, who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of 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 up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn 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 went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt: and made them dwell in this place.
9 Kodwa bamkhohlwa uThixo uNkulunkulu wabo; ngakho wabanikela esandleni sikaSisera, umlawuli webutho laseHazori, lasezandleni zamaFilistiya kanye lasenkosini yamaMowabi, balwa labo.
And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands 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 afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 Lapho-ke uThixo wathuma uJerubhi-Bhali, loBhedani, loJeftha kanye loSamuyeli, walikhulula ezandleni zezitha zenu inxa zonke, yikho lahlala livikelekile.
And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.
12 Kodwa kwathi lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni wayesizalihlasela, lathi kimi, ‘Hatshi, sifuna inkosi yokusibusa,’ lanxa uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wayeyinkosi yenu.
But seeing that Naas king of the children of Ammon was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.
13 Khathesi nansi inkosi eliyikhethileyo, yona elayicelayo; khangelani, uThixo uselibekele inkosi phezu kwenu.
Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath 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 hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of 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 hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.
16 Khathesi-ke manini lithule libone into enkulu uThixo asezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu!
Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do 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 wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring 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 unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain 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 greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.
20 USamuyeli waphendula wathi, “Lingesabi. Selibenzile bonke lobububi; kodwa lingamfulatheli uThixo; kodwa khonzani uThixo ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke.
And Samuel said to the people: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
21 Lingaphendukeli ezithombeni ezingasizi lutho. Zingeke zilenzele lutho, kumbe zilihlenge, ngoba kazilasizo.
And turn not aside after vain things which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.
22 Ngenxa yebizo lakhe elikhulu uThixo kayikubalahla abantu bakhe, ngoba uThixo wathokoziswa yikulenza libe ngabakhe.
And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.
23 Mina-ke kangiyikukwenza ukuthi ngenze isono kuThixo ngokungalikhulekeli. Njalo ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.
And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you, and I will teach you the good and right 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 with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.
25 Kodwa lingaphikelela ukwenza okubi, lina lenkosi yenu lizakhukhulwa.”
But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.
