1 Samweli 12

1 Samweli akawaambia Israeli wote, “Nimesikiliza kila kitu mlichoniambia nami nimewawekea mfalme juu yenu.

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.

2 Sasa mnaye mfalme kama kiongozi wenu. Lakini kwa habari yangu mimi ni mzee na nina mvi, nao wanangu wapo hapa pamoja nanyi. Nimekuwa kiongozi wenu tangu ujana wangu mpaka siku hii ya leo.

Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

3 Mimi ninasimama hapa. Shuhudieni juu yangu mbele za Bwana na mpakwa mafuta wake. Nimechukua maksai wa nani? Nimechukua punda wa nani? Ni nani nimepata kumdanganya? Ni nani nimepata kumwonea? Ni kutoka kwenye mkono wa nani nimepokea rushwa ili kunifanya nifumbe macho yangu? Kama nimefanya chochote katika hivi, mimi nitawarudishia.”

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

4 Wakajibu, “Hujatudanganya wala kutuonea. Hujapokea chochote kutoka kwenye mkono wa mtu awaye yote.”

“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

5 Samweli akawaambia, “Bwana ni shahidi juu yenu, pia mpakwa mafuta wake ni shahidi siku hii ya leo, kwamba hamkukuta chochote mkononi mwangu.” Wakasema, “Yeye ni shahidi.”

Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

6 Kisha Samweli akawaambia watu, “Bwana ndiye alimchagua Mose na Aroni, na kuwaleta baba zenu akiwapandisha kutoka Misri.

Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Sasa basi, simameni hapa, kwa sababu nitakabiliana nanyi kwa ushahidi mbele za Bwana wa matendo yote ya haki yaliyofanywa na Bwana kwenu na kwa baba zenu.

Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.

8 “Baada ya Yakobo kuingia Misri, walimlilia Bwana kwa ajili ya msaada, naye Bwana akawatuma Mose na Aroni, ambao waliwatoa baba zenu kutoka Misri na kuwakalisha mahali hapa.

When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 “Lakini wakamsahau Bwana Mungu wao, hivyo Mungu akawauza katika mkono wa Sisera, jemadari wa jeshi la Hazori na katika mikono ya Wafilisti na mfalme wa Moabu, ambaye alipigana dhidi yao.

But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.

10 Wakamlilia Bwana na kusema, ‘Tumetenda dhambi; tumemwacha Bwana na kutumikia Mabaali na Maashtorethi. Lakini sasa tuokoe kutoka mikono ya adui zetu, nasi tutakutumikia.’

Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

11 Ndipo Bwana akawatuma Yerub-Baali, Baraka, Yefta na Samweli, naye akawaokoa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zenu kila upande, ili ninyi mpate kukaa salama.

So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.

12 “Lakini mlipomwona yule Nahashi mfalme wa Waamoni anakuja dhidi yenu, mliniambia, ‘Hapana, tunataka mfalme atutawale,’ hata ingawa Bwana Mungu wenu alikuwa mfalme wenu.

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.

13 Sasa huyu hapa ndiye mfalme mliyemchagua, yule mliyeomba; tazameni, Bwana amemweka mfalme juu yenu.

Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.

14 Kama mkimcha Bwana na kumtumikia na kumtii nanyi msipoasi dhidi ya amri zake, ninyi pamoja na mfalme anayetawala juu yenu mkimfuata Bwana, Mungu wenu, mambo yatakuwa mema kwenu!

If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.

15 Lakini kama hamkumtii Bwana, nanyi kama mkiasi dhidi ya amri zake, mkono wake utakuwa dhidi yenu, kama ulivyokuwa dhidi ya baba zenu.

But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.

16 “Sasa basi, simameni kimya mkaone jambo hili kubwa ambalo Bwana anakwenda kulifanya mbele ya macho yenu!

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

17 Je, sasa si mavuno ya ngano? Nitamwomba Bwana ili alete ngurumo na mvua. Nanyi mtatambua jambo hili lilivyo baya mlilolifanya mbele za macho ya Bwana mlipoomba mfalme.”

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”

18 Kisha Samweli akamwomba Bwana, na siku ile ile Bwana akatuma ngurumo na mvua. Hivyo watu wote wakamwogopa sana Bwana na Samweli.

So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 Watu wote wakamwambia Samweli, “Mwombe Bwana Mungu wako kwa ajili ya watumishi wako, ili tusije tukafa, kwa kuwa tumeongeza uovu juu ya dhambi zetu nyingine kwa kuomba mfalme.”

They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 Samweli akajibu, “Msiogope, mmefanya uovu huu wote; hata hivyo msimwache Bwana, bali mtumikieni Bwana kwa moyo wenu wote.

“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 Msigeukie sanamu zisizofaa. Haziwezi kuwatendea jema, wala haziwezi kuwaokoa kwa sababu hazina maana.

Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

22 Kwa ajili ya jina lake kuu Bwana hatawakataa watu wake, kwa sababu ilimpendeza Bwana kuwafanya kuwa wake mwenyewe.

Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

23 Kwa habari yangu, iwe mbali nami kutenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana kwa kushindwa kuwaombea. Mimi nitawafundisha njia iliyo njema na ya kunyooka.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

24 Lakini hakikisheni mnamcha Bwana na kumtumikia kwa uaminifu kwa moyo wenu wote; tafakarini mambo makubwa aliyoyatenda kwa ajili yenu.

Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.

25 Hata hivyo mkiendelea kufanya uovu, ninyi na mfalme wenu mtafutiliwa mbali!”

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”