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 ye 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, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and gray-headed; and behold, my sons [are] with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day.

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.”

Behold, here I [am]: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed; whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received [any] bribe to blind my eyes with it? and I will restore it you.

4 Baphendula bathi, “Kawuzange usiqilibezele loba usincindezele. Kawuthathanga lutho esandleni somuntu.”

And they said thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken aught from 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 ye have not found aught in my hand. And they answered, [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 that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your 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 still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did 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.

When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your fathers from 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 when they forgot the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host 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.’

And they cried to the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: 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 Jerubbaal and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelt safe.

12 Kodwa kwathi lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yama-Amoni wayesizalihlasela, lathi kimi, ‘Hatshi, sifuna inkosi yokusibusa,’ lanxa uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu wayeyinkosi yenu.

And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said to me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God [was] your king.

13 Khathesi nansi inkosi eliyikhethileyo, yona elayicelayo; khangelani, uThixo uselibekele inkosi phezu kwenu.

Now therefore, behold the king whom ye have chosen, [and] whom ye have desired! and behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.

14 Nxa limesaba uThixo limkhonze njalo limlalele lingahlamukeli imilayo yakhe, njalo nxa lina kanye lenkosi elibusayo lilandela uThixo uNkulunkulu wenu, kuhle!

If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye, and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God.

15 Kodwa nxa uThixo lingamlaleli, njalo nxa lihlamukela imilayo yakhe, isandla sakhe sizamelana lani, njengoba sasimelane laboyihlo.

But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as [it was] against your fathers.

16 Khathesi-ke manini lithule libone into enkulu uThixo asezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu!

Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.

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 to-day? I will call to the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness [is] great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

18 Emva kwalokho uSamuyeli wakhuleka kuThixo, njalo khona mhlalokho uThixo wathumela umdumo lezulu. Ngakho abantu bonke bamesaba uThixo loSamuyeli.

So Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

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 said to Samuel, Pray for thy servants to the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added to all our sins [this] evil, to ask us 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: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside 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 ye not aside: for then [would ye go] after vain [things], which cannot profit nor deliver; for they [are] vain.

22 Ngenxa yebizo lakhe elikhulu uThixo kayikubalahla abantu bakhe, ngoba uThixo wathokoziswa yikulenza libe ngabakhe.

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

23 Mina-ke kangiyikukwenza ukuthi ngenze isono kuThixo ngokungalikhulekeli. Njalo ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.

Moreover as for me, Far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

24 Kodwa mesabeni ngeqiniso uThixo, limkhonze ngobuqotho ngezinhliziyo zenu zonke. Khumbulani izinto ezinkulu alenzela zona.

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great [things] he hath done for you.

25 Kodwa lingaphikelela ukwenza okubi, lina lenkosi yenu lizakhukhulwa.”

But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye will be consumed, both ye and your king.