1 Samweli 8
1 Samweli alipozeeka, aliwaweka watoto wake wawe waamuzi juu ya Israeli.
Now when Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 Mtoto wake wa kwanza aliitwa Yoeli, na mtoto wake wa pili aliitwa Abiya. Hawa walikuwa waamuzi katika Bersheba.
The name of his first son was Joel and the name of his second Abijah: they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3 Watoto wake hawakuenenda katika njia za baba yao, bali walipiga mbio kutafuta mapato ya udhalimu. Walipokea rushwa na na kupotosha hukumu.
And his sons did not go in his ways, but moved by the love of money took rewards, and were not upright in judging.
4 Ndipo wazee wote wa Israeli walikutana pamoja na kumwendea Samweli huko Rama.
Then all the responsible men of Israel got together and went to Samuel at Ramah,
5 Wakamwambia, “Angalia, wewe umekuwa mzee, na watoto wako hawaenendi katika njia zako. Tuchagulie mfalme wakutuamua kama yalivyo mataifa yote.”
And said to him, See now, you are old, and your sons do not go in your ways: give us a king now to be our judge, so that we may be like the other nations.
6 Lakini haikumpendeza Sameli waliposema, “Utupatie mfalme wa kutuamua.” Hivyo akamwomba BWANA.
But Samuel was not pleased when they said to him, Give us a king to be our judge. And Samuel made prayer to the Lord.
7 Na BWANA akamwambia Samweli, “Sikiliza sauti ya watu kwa kila jambo wanalokwambia; kwa sababu hwajakukataa wewe, bali wamenikataa mimi nisiwe mfalme wao.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to the voice of the people and what they say to you: they have not been turned away from you, but they have been turned away from me, not desiring me to be king over them.
8 Sasa wanafanya kama vile walivyotenda tangu siku ile nilipowatoa huko Misri, kwa kuniacha, na kuwatumikia miungu mingine, na ndivyo hivyo pia wanakufanyia na wewe.
As they have done from the first, from the day when I took them out of Egypt till this day, turning away from me and worshipping other gods, so now they are acting in the same way to you.
9 Basi sasa uwasikilize; lakini uwaonye sawasawa na uwafahamishe tabia ya mfalme atakaye waongoza.
Give ear now to their voice: but make a serious protest to them, and give them a picture of the sort of king who will be their ruler.
10 Kwa hiyo Samweli akawaambia watu waliokuwa wakiomba mfalme maneno yote ya BWANA.
And Samuel said all these words of the Lord to the people who were desiring a king.
11 Akasema, “Hivi ndivyo jinsi mfalme atakavyowatawala.
And he said, This is the sort of king who will be your ruler: he will take your sons and make them his servants, his horsemen, and drivers of his war-carriages, and they will go running before his war-carriages;
12 Atawachukua watoto wenu wa kiume na kuwaweka juu ya magari ya vita na kuwa wapanda farasi wake, na kukimbia mbele ya magari yake. Atawaweka ma- kapteni wake juu ya maelfu ya askari, na ma-kapteni juu ya askari hamsini. Wengine atawafanya wakulima wamashamba yake, wengine wavunaji wa mazao yake, wengine watatengeneza silaha zake na zana za magari yake.
And he will make them captains of thousands and of fifties; some he will put to work ploughing and cutting his grain and making his instruments of war and building his war-carriages.
13 Naye atawachukua binti zenu kuwa watengeneza manukato, wapishi, na waoka mikate.
Your daughters he will take to be makers of perfumes and cooks and bread-makers.
14 Atachukua mashamba yenu mazuri, mashamba ya mizabibu, na yale ya mizeituni na kuwapa watumishi wake.
He will take your fields and your vine-gardens and your olive-gardens, all the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 Atachukua moja ya kumi ya nafaka zenu na mizabibu na na kuwapa maofisa na watumishi wake.
He will take a tenth of your seed and of the fruit of your vines and give it to his servants.
16 Atawachukua watumwa wenu na wajakazi wenu na vijana wenu waliowazuri na punda wenu; atawatumikisha wote kwa ajili yake.
He will take your men-servants and your servant-girls, and the best of your oxen and your asses and put them to his work.
17 Atawatoza moja ya kumi ya mifugo yenu, na mtakuwa watumwa wake.
He will take a tenth of your sheep: and you will be his servants.
18 Ndipo mtalia siku ile kwa sababu ya mfalme wenu mliyemchagua kwa ajili yenu; lakini siku ile BWANA hatawajibu
Then you will be crying out because of your king whom you have taken for yourselves; but the Lord will not give you an answer in that day.
19 Lakini watu walikataa kumsikiliza Samweli; wakasema, “Hapana!” Lazima awepo mfalme juu yetu.
But the people gave no attention to the voice of Samuel; and they said, No, but we will have a king over us,
20 Ili tuweze kuwa kama mataifa mengine yote, na hivyo mfalme wetu aweze kutuamua na atoke mbele yetu na atupiganie vita yetu.
So that we may be like the other nations, and so that our king may be our judge and go out before us to war.
21 Naye Samweli aliposikia maneno yote ya watu, akayarudia katika masiko ya BWANA.
Then Samuel, after hearing all the people had to say, went and gave an account of it to the Lord.
22 BWANA akamwambia Samweli, “Sikiliza sauti yao na uwafanyie mfalme.” Hivyo Samweli akawaambia watu wa Israeli, “Kila mtu na arudi mjini kwake.”
And the Lord said to Samuel, Give ear to their voice and make a king for them. Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, Let every man go back to his town.
