1 Samweli 12
1 Samweli akawaambia Israeli wote, “Nimesikiliza kila kitu mlichoniambia nami nimewawekea mfalme juu yenu.
And Samuel saith unto all Israel, 'Lo, I have hearkened to your voice, to all that ye said to me, and I cause to reign 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.
and now, lo, the king is walking habitually before you, and I have become aged and gray-headed, and my sons, lo, they [are] with you, and I have walked habitually before you from my youth till 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.”
'Lo, here [am] I; testify against me, over-against Jehovah, and over-against His anointed; whose ox have I taken, and whose ass have I taken, and whom have I oppressed; whom have I bruised, and of whose hand have I taken a ransom, and hide mine eyes with it? — and I restore to you.'
4 Wakajibu, “Hujatudanganya wala kutuonea. Hujapokea chochote kutoka kwenye mkono wa mtu awaye yote.”
And they say, 'Thou hast not oppressed us, nor hast thou crushed us, nor hast thou taken from the hand of any one anything.'
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 saith unto them, 'A witness [is] Jehovah against you: and a witness [is] His anointed this day, that ye have not found anything in my hand;' and they say, 'A witness.'
6 Kisha Samweli akawaambia watu, “Bwana ndiye alimchagua Mose na Aroni, na kuwaleta baba zenu akiwapandisha kutoka Misri.
And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Jehovah — He who made Moses and Aaron, and who brought up your fathers 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.
and, now, station yourselves, and I judge you before Jehovah, with all the righteous acts of Jehovah, which He did with you, and with 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 hath come in to Egypt, and your fathers cry unto Jehovah, then Jehovah sendeth Moses and Aaron, and they bring out your fathers from Egypt, and cause them to dwell 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.
and they forget Jehovah their God, and He selleth them into the hand of Sisera, head of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fight 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.’
and they cry unto Jehovah, and say, We have sinned, because we have forsaken Jehovah, and serve the Baalim, and Ashtaroth, and now, deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we serve Thee.
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 Jehovah sendeth Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivereth you out of the hand of your enemies round about, and ye dwell confidently.
12 “Lakini mlipomwona yule Nahashi mfalme wa Waamoni anakuja dhidi yenu, mliniambia, ‘Hapana, tunataka mfalme atutawale,’ hata ingawa Bwana Mungu wenu alikuwa mfalme wenu.
'And ye see that Nahash king of the Bene-Ammon hath come against you, and ye say to me, Nay, but a king doth reign over us; and Jehovah your God [is] your king!
13 Sasa huyu hapa ndiye mfalme mliyemchagua, yule mliyeomba; tazameni, Bwana amemweka mfalme juu yenu.
And, now, lo, the king whom ye have chosen — whom ye have asked! and lo, Jehovah hath placed over 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 ye fear Jehovah, and have served Him, and hearkened to His voice, then ye do not provoke the mouth of Jehovah, and ye have been — both ye and the king who hath reigned over you — after Jehovah 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.
'And if ye do not hearken to the voice of Jehovah — then ye have provoked the mouth of Jehovah, and the hand of Jehovah hath been against you, and against your fathers.
16 “Sasa basi, simameni kimya mkaone jambo hili kubwa ambalo Bwana anakwenda kulifanya mbele ya macho yenu!
'Also now, station yourselves and see this great thing which Jehovah is doing 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 wheat-harvest to-day? I call unto Jehovah, and He doth give voices and rain; and know ye and see that your evil is great which ye have done in the eyes of Jehovah, to ask for you a king.'
18 Kisha Samweli akamwomba Bwana, na siku ile ile Bwana akatuma ngurumo na mvua. Hivyo watu wote wakamwogopa sana Bwana na Samweli.
And Samuel calleth unto Jehovah, and Jehovah giveth voices and rain, on that day, and all the people greatly fear Jehovah 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.”
and all the people say unto Samuel, 'Pray for thy servants unto Jehovah thy God, and we do not die, for we have added to all our sins evil to ask for us a king.'
20 Samweli akajibu, “Msiogope, mmefanya uovu huu wote; hata hivyo msimwache Bwana, bali mtumikieni Bwana kwa moyo wenu wote.
And Samuel saith unto the people, 'Fear not; ye have done all this evil; only, turn not aside from after Jehovah — and ye have served Jehovah with all your heart,
21 Msigeukie sanamu zisizofaa. Haziwezi kuwatendea jema, wala haziwezi kuwaokoa kwa sababu hazina maana.
and ye do not turn aside after the vain things which do not profit nor deliver, for they [are] vain,
22 Kwa ajili ya jina lake kuu Bwana hatawakataa watu wake, kwa sababu ilimpendeza Bwana kuwafanya kuwa wake mwenyewe.
for Jehovah doth not leave His people, on account of His great name; for Jehovah hath been pleased to make you to Him for a people.
23 Kwa habari yangu, iwe mbali nami kutenda dhambi dhidi ya Bwana kwa kushindwa kuwaombea. Mimi nitawafundisha njia iliyo njema na ya kunyooka.
'I, also, far be it from me to sin against Jehovah, by ceasing to pray for you, and I have directed you in 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.
only, fear ye Jehovah, and ye have served Him in truth with all your heart, for see that which He hath made great with you;
25 Hata hivyo mkiendelea kufanya uovu, ninyi na mfalme wenu mtafutiliwa mbali!”
and if ye really do evil, both ye and your king are consumed.'
