1 USamuyeli 12
1 USamuweli wasesithi kuIsrayeli wonke: Khangelani, ngililalele ilizwi lenu kukho konke elakutsho kimi, sengibeke inkosi phezu kwenu.
Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to everything you said to me, and I have set 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.
Now, here is the king walking before you; and I am old and gray; and, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until today.
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.
Here I am; testify against me before Yahweh and before his anointed one. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with? Testify against me, and I will restore it to you.”
4 Basebesithi: Kawusiqilibezelanga, kawusicindezelanga, njalo kawemukelanga lalutho esandleni samuntu.
They said, “You have not cheated us, oppressed us, or have stolen anything from any man's hand.”
5 Wasesithi kibo: INkosi ingumfakazi imelene lani logcotshiweyo wayo ungumfakazi lamuhla ukuthi kalitholanga lutho esandleni sami. Bathi: Ingumfazaki.
He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed one is witness today, that you have found nothing in my hand.” They replied, “Yahweh is witness.”
6 USamuweli wasesithi ebantwini: KuyiNkosi eyenza uMozisi loAroni, eyenyusa oyihlo elizweni leGibhithe.
Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt.
7 Khathesi-ke, manini njalo ngahlulelane lani phambi kweNkosi ngezenzo zonke ezilungileyo zeNkosi eyazenza kini lakuboyihlo.
Now then, present yourself, so that I may plead with you before Yahweh about all of the righteous deeds of Yahweh, which he did for you and your fathers.
8 Lapho uJakobe esefikile eGibhithe, oyihlo bakhala eNkosini, iNkosi yasithuma oMozisi loAroni, abakhupha oyihlo eGibhithe, babenza bahlala kulindawo.
When Jacob came to Egypt, and your ancestors cried out to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who led your ancestors out of Egypt and they settled in this place.
9 Sebeyikhohliwe iNkosi uNkulunkulu wabo, yabathengisa esandleni sikaSisera induna yebutho leHazori, lesandleni samaFilisti, lesandleni senkosi yakoMowabi; basebesilwa bemelene labo.
But they forgot Yahweh their God; he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the armies of Hazor, into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; these all fought against your ancestors.
10 Basebekhala eNkosini bathi: Sonile, ngoba siyilahlile iNkosi, sakhonza oBhali laboAshitarothi. Kodwa khathesi sophule esandleni sezitha zethu, sizakukhonza.
They cried out to Yahweh and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtoreths. But now 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.
So Yahweh sent Jerub Baal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and gave you victory over your enemies all around you, so that you lived in security.
12 Lapho libona ukuthi uNahashi inkosi yabantwana bakoAmoni yeza ukumelana lani, lathi kimi: Hatshi, kodwa inkosi izasibusa; kanti iNkosi uNkulunkulu wenu yayiyinkosi yenu.
When you saw that Nahash the king of the people of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No! Instead, a king must reign over us'—although Yahweh your God, was your king.
13 Khathesi-ke, khangelani, inkosi elayikhethayo, elayicelayo; khangelani-ke, iNkosi imisile inkosi phezu kwenu.
Now here is the king whom you have chosen, whom you have asked for and whom Yahweh has now appointed as king over 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 fear Yahweh, serve him, obey his voice, and not rebel against the command of Yahweh, then both you and the king who reigns over you will be followers of Yahweh your God.
15 Kodwa uba lingalilaleli ilizwi leNkosi, kodwa livukela umlomo weNkosi, isandla seNkosi sizamelana lani, njengoba samelana laboyihlo.
If you do not obey the voice of Yahweh, but rebel against the commands of Yahweh, then Yahweh's hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.
16 Lakhathesi manini, libone linto enkulu iNkosi ezayenza phambi kwamehlo enu.
Even now present yourself and see this great thing which Yahweh will do before your eyes.
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 wheat harvest today? I will call upon Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain. Then you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of Yahweh, in asking for yourselves a king.”
18 USamuweli wasekhala eNkosini, iNkosi yasinika umdumo lezulu mhlalokho; ngakho bonke abantu bayesaba kakhulu iNkosi loSamuweli.
So Samuel called to Yahweh; and that same day Yahweh sent thunder and rain. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.
19 Bonke abantu basebesithi kuSamuweli: Khulekela izinceku zakho eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, ukuze singafi; ngoba sengezelele ezonweni zethu zonke lobububi bokuzicelela inkosi.
Then all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, so that we do not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil in asking for a king for ourselves.”
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 all this evil, but do not turn away from Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.
21 Njalo lingaphambuki ngoba lingalandela izinto eziyize ezingasizi lutho ezingakhululiyo, ngoba ziyize.
Do not turn away after empty things that cannot profit or rescue you, because they are useless.
22 Ngoba iNkosi kayiyikubatshiya abantu bayo ngenxa yebizo layo elikhulu, ngoba iNkosi yathokoza ukulenza libe ngabantu bayo.
For the sake of his great name, Yahweh will not reject his people, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.
23 Mina-ke kakube khatshana lami ukuthi ngone eNkosini ngokuyekela ukulikhulekela; kodwa ngizalifundisa indlela enhle lelungileyo.
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. Instead, I will teach you the way that is good and right.
24 Kuphela yesabani iNkosi, liyikhonze ngeqiniso ngenhliziyo yenu yonke, ngoba bonani okukhulu elenzele khona.
Only fear Yahweh and serve him in truth with all your heart. Consider the great things he has done for you.
25 Kodwa uba liphikelela lisenza okubi, lina kanye lenkosi yenu lizachithwa.
But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be destroyed.”
