1 USamuyeli 12

1 USamuweli wasesithi kuIsrayeli wonke: Khangelani, ngililalele ilizwi lenu kukho konke elakutsho kimi, sengibeke inkosi phezu kwenu.

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-ke, khangelani, inkosi iyahamba phambi kwenu; mina sengimdala, sengiyimpunga, khangelani, lamadodana ami akini; mina-ke ngihambile phambi kwenu kusukela ebutsheni bami kuze kube lamuhla.

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 Khangelani, ngilapha; fakazani limelane lami phambi kweNkosi laphambi kogcotshiweyo wayo: Ngithethe inkabi kabani? Loba ngithethe ubabhemi kabani? Ngiqilibezele bani? Ngicindezele bani? Ngemukele kubani isivalamlomo ukuze ngiphofuze amehlo ami ngawo? Njalo ngizakubuyisela kini.

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 Basebesithi: Kawusiqilibezelanga, kawusicindezelanga, njalo kawemukelanga lalutho esandleni samuntu.

And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

5 Wasesithi kibo: INkosi ingumfakazi imelene lani logcotshiweyo wayo ungumfakazi lamuhla ukuthi kalitholanga lutho esandleni sami. Bathi: Ingumfazaki.

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 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: KuyiNkosi eyenza uMozisi loAroni, eyenyusa oyihlo elizweni leGibhithe.

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 njalo ngahlulelane lani phambi kweNkosi ngezenzo zonke ezilungileyo zeNkosi eyazenza kini lakuboyihlo.

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 Lapho uJakobe esefikile eGibhithe, oyihlo bakhala eNkosini, iNkosi yasithuma oMozisi loAroni, abakhupha oyihlo eGibhithe, babenza bahlala kulindawo.

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 Sebeyikhohliwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, yabathengisa esandleni sikaSisera induna yebutho leHazori, lesandleni samaFilisti, lesandleni senkosi yakoMowabi; basebesilwa bemelene 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 Basebekhala eNkosini bathi: Sonile, ngoba siyilahlile iNkosi, sakhonza oBhali laboAshitarothi. Kodwa khathesi sophule esandleni sezitha 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 INkosi yasithuma uJerubali, loBhedani, loJefitha, loSamuweli, yalikhulula esandleni sezitha zenu inhlangothi zonke, laselihlala 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 Lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yabantwana bakoAmoni yeza ukumelana lani, lathi kimi: Hatshi, kodwa inkosi izasibusa; kanti iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yayiyinkosi 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-ke, khangelani, inkosi elayikhethayo, elayicelayo; khangelani-ke, iNkosi imisile inkosi phezu kwenu.

Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.

14 Uba liyesaba iNkosi liyikhonza lilalela ilizwi layo, lingawuvukeli umlomo weNkosi, khona lina, lani kanye lenkosi ezabusa phezu kwenu lizalandela iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu.

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 uba lingalilaleli ilizwi leNkosi, kodwa livukela umlomo weNkosi, isandla seNkosi sizamelana lani, njengoba samelana 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 Lakhathesi manini, libone linto enkulu iNkosi ezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu.

Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.

17 Angithi lamuhla kuyisivuno sengqoloyi? Ngizakhala eNkosini njalo izanika umdumo lezulu, ukuze lazi libone ukuthi ububi benu bukhulu elibenze emehlweni eNkosi ngokuzicelela 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 USamuweli wasekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yasinika umdumo lezulu mhlalokho; ngakho bonke abantu bayesaba kakhulu iNkosi loSamuweli.

And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.

19 Bonke abantu basebesithi kuSamuweli: Khulekela izinceku zakho eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, ukuze singafi; ngoba sengezelele ezonweni zethu zonke lobububi bokuzicelela 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 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: Lingesabi; lina lenze bonke lobububi, kodwa lingaphambuki ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, kodwa likhonze iNkosi ngenhliziyo yenu yonke.

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 Njalo lingaphambuki ngoba lingalandela izinto eziyize ezingasizi lutho ezingakhululiyo, ngoba ziyize.

And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.

22 Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikubatshiya abantu bayo ngenxa yebizo layo elikhulu, ngoba iNkosi yathokoza ukulenza libe ngabantu bayo.

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 kakube khatshana lami ukuthi ngone eNkosini ngokuyekela ukulikhulekela; kodwa 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 Kuphela yesabani iNkosi, liyikhonze ngeqiniso ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, ngoba bonani okukhulu elenzele khona.

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 uba liphikelela lisenza okubi, lina kanye lenkosi yenu lizachithwa.

But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”