1 Samweli 12
1 Samweli akawaambia Israeli wote, “Nimesikiliza kila kitu mlichoniambia nami nimewawekea mfalme juu yenu.
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 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.
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 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.”
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 Wakajibu, “Hujatudanganya wala kutuonea. Hujapokea chochote kutoka kwenye mkono wa mtu awaye yote.”
And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”
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.”
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 Kisha Samweli akawaambia watu, “Bwana ndiye alimchagua Mose na Aroni, na kuwaleta baba zenu akiwapandisha kutoka Misri.
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 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 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 “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.
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 “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 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 Wakamlilia Bwana na kusema, ‘Tumetenda dhambi; tumemwacha Bwana na kutumikia Mabaali na Maashtorethi. Lakini sasa tuokoe kutoka mikono ya adui zetu, nasi tutakutumikia.’
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 Ndipo Bwana akawatuma Yerub-Baali, Baraka, Yefta na Samweli, naye akawaokoa kutoka mikononi mwa adui zenu kila upande, ili ninyi mpate kukaa salama.
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 “Lakini mlipomwona yule Nahashi mfalme wa Waamoni anakuja dhidi yenu, mliniambia, ‘Hapana, tunataka mfalme atutawale,’ hata ingawa Bwana Mungu wenu alikuwa mfalme wenu.
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 Sasa huyu hapa ndiye mfalme mliyemchagua, yule mliyeomba; tazameni, Bwana amemweka mfalme juu yenu.
Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.
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 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 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 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 “Sasa basi, simameni kimya mkaone jambo hili kubwa ambalo Bwana anakwenda kulifanya mbele ya macho yenu!
Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.
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 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 Kisha Samweli akamwomba Bwana, na siku ile ile Bwana akatuma ngurumo na mvua. Hivyo watu wote wakamwogopa sana Bwana na Samweli.
And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.
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.”
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 Samweli akajibu, “Msiogope, mmefanya uovu huu wote; hata hivyo msimwache Bwana, bali mtumikieni Bwana kwa moyo wenu wote.
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 Msigeukie sanamu zisizofaa. Haziwezi kuwatendea jema, wala haziwezi kuwaokoa kwa sababu hazina maana.
And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.
22 Kwa ajili ya jina lake kuu Bwana hatawakataa watu wake, kwa sababu ilimpendeza Bwana kuwafanya kuwa wake mwenyewe.
And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.
23 Kwa habari yangu, iwe mbali nami kutenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana kwa kushindwa kuwaombea. Mimi nitawafundisha njia iliyo njema na ya kunyooka.
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 Lakini hakikisheni mnamcha Bwana na kumtumikia kwa uaminifu kwa moyo wenu wote; tafakarini mambo makubwa aliyoyatenda kwa ajili yenu.
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 Hata hivyo mkiendelea kufanya uovu, ninyi na mfalme wenu mtafutiliwa mbali!”
But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”
