1 Samweli 8
1 Samweli alipokuwa mzee, akaweka wanawe kuwa waamuzi wa Israeli.
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Mzaliwa wa kwanza alikuwa Yoeli, na la wa pili lilikuwa Abiya, nao wakatumika huko Beer-Sheba.
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3 Lakini wanawe hawakuenenda katika njia zake. Waliziacha wakageukia faida za udanganyifu nao wakapokea rushwa na kupotosha haki.
And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Basi wazee wote wa Israeli wakakusanyika pamoja na kumjia Samweli huko Rama.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah.
5 Wakamwambia, “Wewe umekuwa mzee, nao wanao hawaenendi katika njia zako, sasa tuteulie mfalme wa kutuongoza, kama ilivyo kwa mataifa mengine yote.”
And they said to him, Behold, thou are old, and thy sons do not walk in thy ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 Lakini wao waliposema, “Tupe mfalme wa kutuongoza,” hili lilimchukiza Samweli, hivyo akamwomba Bwana.
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.
7 Naye Bwana akamwambia: “Sikiliza yale yote watu wanakuambia. Si wewe ambaye wamekukataa, bali wamenikataa mimi kuwa mfalme wao.
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
8 Kama vile walivyofanya tangu siku nilipowapandisha kutoka Misri mpaka siku hii ya leo; wakiniacha mimi na kutumikia miungu mingine, ndivyo wanavyokufanyia wewe.
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to thee.
9 Sasa wasikilize, lakini waonye kwa makini na uwafahamishe yale watakayotendewa na mfalme atakayewatawala.”
Now therefore hearken to their voice. However thou shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.
10 Samweli akawaambia wale watu waliokuwa wakiomba wapewe mfalme maneno yote ya Bwana.
And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah to the people who asked of him a king.
11 Akasema, “Hivi ndivyo atakavyowatendea mfalme atakayewatawala. Atawachukua wana wenu na kuwafanya watumike kwa magari yake ya vita na farasi, nao watakimbia mbele ya magari yake.
And he said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them to him for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots.
12 Baadhi yao atawaweka kuwa majemadari wa jeshi wa maelfu na majemadari wa jeshi wa hamsini, wengine kulima mashamba yake na kuvuna mavuno yake, pia na wengine kutengeneza silaha za vita na vifaa kwa ajili ya magari yake.
And he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties. And he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
13 Atawachukua binti zenu kuwa watengeneza manukato, wapishi na waokaji.
And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 Atayachukua mashamba yenu yaliyo mazuri, mashamba ya mizabibu na mashamba yenu ya mizeituni na kuwapa watumishi wake.
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 Ataichukua sehemu ya kumi ya nafaka yenu na ya zabibu zenu na kuwapa maafisa wake na watumishi wake.
And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 Atawachukua watumishi wenu wa kiume na wa kike, na ngʼombe wenu walio wazuri sana na punda kwa matumizi yake mwenyewe.
And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 Atachukua sehemu ya kumi ya makundi yenu ya kondoo na mbuzi, na ninyi wenyewe mtakuwa watumwa wake.
He will take the tenth of your flocks. And ye shall be his servants.
18 Siku ile itakapowadia, mtalia kwa kutaka msaada kutokana na mfalme mliyemchagua, naye Bwana hatawajibu.”
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
19 Lakini watu wakakataa kumsikiliza Samweli wakasema, “Hapana! Tunataka mfalme wa kututawala.
But the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us
20 Kisha tutakuwa kama mataifa mengine yote, tukiwa na mfalme wa kutuongoza na kwenda mbele yetu na kutupigania vita vyetu.”
that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 Samweli aliposikia yote watu waliyosema, akarudia kuyasema mbele za Bwana.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah.
22 Bwana akamjibu, “Wasikilize na uwape mfalme.” Kisha Samweli akawaambia watu wa Israeli, “Kila mmoja arudi mjini kwake.”
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make for them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.
