< 1 Samueri 12 >
1 Samueri akati kuvaIsraeri vose, “Ndakateerera zvose zvamakataura kwandiri ndikagadza mambo pamusoro penyu.
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 Zvino mava namambo somutungamiri wenyu. Kana ndiri ini, ndakwegura uye ndachena musoro, uye vanakomana vangu vanemi pano. Ndakava mutungamiri wenyu kubvira paudiki hwangu kusvikira zuva ranhasi.
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 Zvino ndiri pano. Chindipupurirai pamberi paJehovha nomuzodziwa wake. Ndeyani hando yandakatora? Ndeyani mbongoro yandakatora? Ndiani wandakanyengera? Ndianiko wandakambodzvinyirira? Ndakagamuchira fufuro kubva muruoko rwaani kuti ndipofumadze meso angu? Kana ndakaita chimwe chaizvozvi, ndichazvigadzirisa.”
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 Vakapindura vachiti, “Hamuna kutinyengera kana kutidzvinyirira. Hamuna kutora kana chinhu kubva muruoko rwomunhu.”
They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”
5 Samueri akati kwavari, “Jehovha ndiye chapupu chinokupomerai, uye muzodziwa wake ndiye chapupu zuva ranhasi, kuti hamuna kuwana kana chinhu muruoko rwangu.” Vakati, “Ndiye chapupu.”
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 Ipapo Samueri akati kuvanhu, “Jehovha ndiye akasarudza Mozisi naAroni akabudisa madzitateguru enyu kubva muIjipiti.
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 Naizvozvo zvino chimbomirai nditaure nemi pamberi paJehovha pamusoro pezvose zvakarurama zvamakaitirwa naJehovha, imi namadzibaba enyu.
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 “Mushure mokunge Jakobho aenda muIjipiti, vakachema kuna Jehovha kuti vabatsirwe, uye Jehovha akatuma Mozisi naAroni, vakabudisa madzitateguru enyu kubva muIjipiti vakavagarisa munzvimbo ino.
[“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 “Asi vakakanganwa Jehovha Mwari wavo; naizvozvo akavatengesa kuna Sisera, mutungamiri wehondo yaHazori, uye nokumaoko avaFiristia namambo weMoabhu, uyo akavarwisa.
“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 Vakachema zvikuru kuna Jehovha vachiti, ‘Takatadza; takasiya Jehovha tikashandira vanaBhaari navaAshitoreti. Asi iye zvino tinunurei kubva mumaoko avavengi vedu, tigokushumirai.’
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 Ipapo Jehovha akatuma Jerubhi Bhaari, Bharaki, Jefuta naSamueri, uye akakununurai kubva mumaoko avavengi venyu kumativi ose, mukagara zvakanaka.
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 “Asi pamakaona kuti Nahashi mambo wavaAmoni akanga achiuya kuzokurwisai, makati kwandiri, ‘Kwete, tinoda kuti tive namambo anotitonga,’ kunyange zvazvo Jehovha Mwari wenyu akanga ari mambo wenyu.
“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 Zvino hoyu mambo wamasarudza, uyo wamakakumbira; tarirai, Jehovha agadza mambo pamusoro penyu.
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 Kana mukatya Jehovha uye mukamushandira nokumuteerera uye mukasamukira mirayiro yake, uye kana imi namambo anotonga pamusoro penyu mukatevera Jehovha Mwari wenyu, zvichava zvakanaka!
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 Asi kana mukasateerera Jehovha, uye kana mukamukira mirayiro yake, ruoko rwake rucharwa nemi, sokurwa kwarwakaita namadzibaba enyu.
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 “Naizvozvo zvino, rambai mumire muone chinhu chikuru ichi chava kuda kuitwa naJehovha pamberi penyu!
“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.
17 Haisi nguva yokukohwa gorosi here ino? Ndichadana kuna Jehovha kuti atume kutinhira nemvura. Uye muchaona kuti chinhu chakashata sei chamakaita pamberi paJehovha pamakakumbira kuti mupiwe mambo.”
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 Ipapo Samueri akadana kuna Jehovha uye, nomusi iwoyo, Jehovha akatuma kutinhira nemvura, nokudaro vanhu vose vakamira vakatya Jehovha naSamueri.
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 Vanhu vose vakati kuna Samueri, “Nyengetererai varanda venyu kuna Jehovha Mwari wenyu kuti tirege kufa, nokuti pamusoro pezvimwe zvivi zvedu takawedzera chivi chokukumbira mambo.”
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 Samueri akapindura achiti, “Musatya. Makaita zvose zvakaipa izvi; asi musatsauka kubva kuna Jehovha, asi shumirai Jehovha nomwoyo wenyu wose.
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 Musatsaukira kuzvifananidzo zvisina maturo. Hazvina chakanaka chazvingakuitirai, kana kukununurai, nokuti hazvina maturo.
Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.
22 Nokuda kwezita rake guru Jehovha haazorambi vanhu vake nokuti Jehovha akafadzwa kuti akuitei vake.
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 Kana ndiri ini, ngazvive kure neni kuti nditadzire Jehovha nokurega kukunyengetererai. Uye ndichakudzidzisai nzira yakanaka uye yakarurama.
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 Asi ityai Jehovha, mumushumire iye nokutendeka, nomwoyo wenyu wose; rangarirai zvinhu zvikuru zvaakakuitirai.
But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.
25 Asi kana mukaramba muchiita zvakaipa, imi namambo wenyu muchaparadzwa.”
But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”