1 Samweli 12

1 Samweli aksema na Israeli wote, “Nimesikia kila kitu mlichoniambia, na nimemweka mfalme juu yenu.

And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and I have set a king over you.

2 Basi, yupo hapa mfalme aliyeko mbele yenu, mimi nimezeeka nakujaa mvi; na watoto wangu wako pamoja nanyi. Nimekuwa kiongozi wenu tangu ujana wangu hadi leo.

And now, behold, the king is walking before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and my sons, behold, they are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth even until this day.

3 Mimi niko hapa, Nishuhudieni mbele za BWANA na mbele za mtiwa mafuta wake. Nimechukua ng'ombe wa nani? Nimechukua punda wa nani? Ni nani nimemdhulumu? Nimemwonea nani? Nimepokea rushwa kutoka mikono ya nani inipofushe macho yangu? Nishuhudieni, nami nitawarudishia

Behold, here am I; testify against me in the presence of the Lord, and in the presence of his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received any ransom so that I withdrew my eyes from him? and I will restore it you.

4 Nao wakasema, Haujatudanganya, kutuonea, au kuiba chochote kutoka mkono wa mtu yeyote.”

And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou oppressed us, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least.

5 Akawaambia, “BWANA ni shahidi juu yenu, na masihi wake leo ni shahidi, kwamba hamkuona kitu mkononi mwangu.” Na wao wakajibu, “BWANAni shahidi.”

And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found in my hand the least: and they answered, He is witness.

6 Samweli akawaambia watu, “BWANA ndiye aliyemteua Musa na Haruni, na ndiye aliyewatoa baba zenu kutoka nchi ya Misri.

And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord who did [wonders through] Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Basi sasa, jihudhurisheni, ili niweze kutoa utetezi juu yenu kwa BWANA kuhusu matendo yote ya haki ya BWANA, ambayo aliwafanyia ninyi na baba zenu.

And now stand up, that I may hold judgment with you before the Lord concerning all the benefits of the Lord, which he hath done to you and to your fathers.

8 Yakobo alipokuwa amefika Misri, na babu zenu walimlilia BWANA. BWANA alimtuma Musa na Haruni, waliowaongoza babu zenu kutoka Misri na wakaja kukaa sehemu hii.

When Jacob was come into Egypt, then did your fathers cry unto the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and caused them to dwell in this place.

9 Lakini walimsahau BWANA Mungu wao; akawauza katika mkono wa Sisera, jemedari wa majeshi ya Hazori, katika mkono wa Wafilisti, na katika mkono wa mfalme wa Moabu; hawa wote walipigana na babu zenu.

And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sissera, the chief of the host of Chazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they made war against them.

10 Wakamlilia BWANA mkasema, 'Tumefanya dhambi, kwa sababu tumemwacha BWANA na tumewatumikia Mabaali na Mashtorethi. Lakini sasa tuokoe kutoka mikono ya maadui zetu, na tutakutumikia.'

And they cried [then] unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth; and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11 Hivyo BWANA akawatuma Yerubu Baali, Bedani, Yefta na Samweli, na akawapa ushindi dhidi ya maadui zenu wote waliowazunguka, na kwamba mliishi kwa amani.

And the Lord sent Yerubba'al, and Bedan, and Yiphthach, and Samuel, and he delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, so that ye dwelt safely.

12 Mlipoona kwamba Nahashi mfalme wa watu wa Amoni amekuja dhidi yenu, mkaniambia, 'Hapana! Badala yake, mfalme awepo atawale juu yetu'- ingawa BWANA, Mungu wenu, alikuwa mfalme wenu.

But when ye saw that Nachash the king of the children of 'Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God is your king.

13 Sasa yupo hapa mfalme ambaye mmemchagua, mliyemuomba na ambaye BWANA amemteua awe mfalme juu yenu.

And now here is the king whom ye have chosen, whom ye have asked for! and, behold, the Lord hath set over you a king.

14 Ikiwa mnamhofu BWANA, mtumikieni, muitii sauti yake, msikaidi amri ya BWANA, basi wote wawili ninyi na mfalme anayewatawala mtakuwa wafuasi wa BWANA Mungu wenu.

If ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and will not rebel against the will of the Lord: then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God.

15 Kama hamtaitii sauti ya BWANA, mkaasi amri za BWANA, ndipo mkono wa BWANA utakuwa juu yenu, kama ulivyokuwa juu ya babu zenu.

But if ye will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and rebel against the will of the Lord: then will the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 Hata sasa muwepo kabisa na muone jambo kubwa ambalo BWANA atalifanya mbele ya macho yenu.

And now stand up and see this great thing, which the Lord is about doing before your eyes.

17 Je, leo si mavuno ya ngano? Nitamwomba BWANA, naye ataleta ngurumo na mvua. Ndipo mtajua na kuona kwamba uovu wenu ni mwingi, mlioufanya machoni pa BWANA, kujiombea mfalme wenu ninyi wenyewe.”

Is there not wheat-harvest today? I will call unto the Lord, and he will send thunders and rain; and ye will [thus] perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done, in the eyes of the Lord, to ask for yourselves a king.

18 Hivyo Samweli akamwomba BWANA; na siku iyo hiyo BWANA akatuma ngurumo na mvua. Ndipo watu wote wakamwogopa sana BWANA pamoja na Samweli.

And Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunders and rain on that day: and all the people feared greatly the Lord and Samuel.

19 Kisha watu wote wakamwambia Samweli, “Waombee watumishi wako kwa BWANA Mungu wako, ili tusife. Kwa maana tumeongeza uovu huu juu ya dhambi zetu tulipojiombea mfalme sisi wenyewe.”

And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray in behalf of thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we may not die; for we have added unto all our sins yet this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.

20 Samweli akawajibu, “Msiogope. Mmefanya uovu wote huu, lakini msigeukie mbali na BWANA, bali mtumikieni BWANA kwa moyo wenu wote.

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, and serve ye the Lord with all your heart;

21 Wala msigeuke na kufuata mambo matupu yasiyo na faida au kuwaokoa, kwa sababu ni ubatili.

And turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; because they are vain.

22 Kwa ajili ya jina lake kuu, BWANA hatawakataa watu wake, kwa sababu imempendeza BWANA kuwafanya ninyi kuwa watu kwa ajili yake.

For the Lord will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you a people unto himself.

23 Kwangu mimi, iwe mbali nami kumtenda BWANA dhambi kwa kuacha kuwaombea ninyi. Badala yake, nitawafundisha njia iliyo njema na sahihi.

Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray in behalf of you; but I will teach you the good and the right way:

24 Mcheni BWANA tu na mtumikieni yeye katika kweli kwa moyo wenu wote. Tafakarini mambo makuu aliyowatendeeni.

Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things he hath done with you.

25 Lakini kama mtadumu kufanya uovu, ninyi wote na mfalme wenu mtaangamizwa.”

But if ye will in any wise do wickedly, both ye yourselves as also your king shall perish.