1 USamuyeli 12
1 USamuweli wasesithi kuIsrayeli wonke: Khangelani, ngililalele ilizwi lenu kukho konke elakutsho kimi, sengibeke inkosi phezu kwenu.
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 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.
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 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.
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 Basebesithi: Kawusiqilibezelanga, kawusicindezelanga, njalo kawemukelanga lalutho esandleni samuntu.
They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”
5 Wasesithi kibo: INkosi ingumfakazi imelene lani logcotshiweyo wayo ungumfakazi lamuhla ukuthi kalitholanga lutho esandleni sami. Bathi: Ingumfazaki.
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 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: KuyiNkosi eyenza uMozisi loAroni, eyenyusa oyihlo elizweni leGibhithe.
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 Khathesi-ke, manini njalo ngahlulelane lani phambi kweNkosi ngezenzo zonke ezilungileyo zeNkosi eyazenza kini lakuboyihlo.
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 Lapho uJakobe esefikile eGibhithe, oyihlo bakhala eNkosini, iNkosi yasithuma oMozisi loAroni, abakhupha oyihlo eGibhithe, babenza bahlala kulindawo.
[“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 Sebeyikhohliwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, yabathengisa esandleni sikaSisera induna yebutho leHazori, lesandleni samaFilisti, lesandleni senkosi yakoMowabi; basebesilwa bemelene labo.
“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 Basebekhala eNkosini bathi: Sonile, ngoba siyilahlile iNkosi, sakhonza oBhali laboAshitarothi. Kodwa khathesi sophule esandleni sezitha zethu, sizakukhonza.
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 INkosi yasithuma uJerubali, loBhedani, loJefitha, loSamuweli, yalikhulula esandleni sezitha zenu inhlangothi zonke, laselihlala livikelekile.
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 Lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yabantwana bakoAmoni yeza ukumelana lani, lathi kimi: Hatshi, kodwa inkosi izasibusa; kanti iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yayiyinkosi yenu.
“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 Khathesi-ke, khangelani, inkosi elayikhethayo, elayicelayo; khangelani-ke, iNkosi imisile inkosi phezu kwenu.
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 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 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 Kodwa uba lingalilaleli ilizwi leNkosi, kodwa livukela umlomo weNkosi, isandla seNkosi sizamelana lani, njengoba samelana laboyihlo.
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 Lakhathesi manini, libone linto enkulu iNkosi ezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu.
“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.
17 Angithi lamuhla kuyisivuno sengqoloyi? Ngizakhala eNkosini njalo izanika umdumo lezulu, ukuze lazi libone ukuthi ububi benu bukhulu elibenze emehlweni eNkosi ngokuzicelela inkosi.
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 USamuweli wasekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yasinika umdumo lezulu mhlalokho; ngakho bonke abantu bayesaba kakhulu iNkosi loSamuweli.
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 Bonke abantu basebesithi kuSamuweli: Khulekela izinceku zakho eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, ukuze singafi; ngoba sengezelele ezonweni zethu zonke lobububi bokuzicelela inkosi.
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 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: Lingesabi; lina lenze bonke lobububi, kodwa lingaphambuki ekuyilandeleni iNkosi, kodwa likhonze iNkosi ngenhliziyo yenu yonke.
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 Njalo lingaphambuki ngoba lingalandela izinto eziyize ezingasizi lutho ezingakhululiyo, ngoba ziyize.
Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.
22 Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikubatshiya abantu bayo ngenxa yebizo layo elikhulu, ngoba iNkosi yathokoza ukulenza libe ngabantu bayo.
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 Mina-ke kakube khatshana lami ukuthi ngone eNkosini ngokuyekela ukulikhulekela; kodwa ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.
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 Kuphela yesabani iNkosi, liyikhonze ngeqiniso ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, ngoba bonani okukhulu elenzele khona.
But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.
25 Kodwa uba liphikelela lisenza okubi, lina kanye lenkosi yenu lizachithwa.
But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”
