1 Samuela 12

1 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela ki ʻIsileli kotoa pē, “Vakai, kuo u tokanga ki homou leʻo ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē naʻa mou tala kiate au, pea kuo u fakanofo homou tuʻi.

Then Samuel said this to all the Israeli people: “I have done everything that you told me to do, and I have given/appointed a king to rule you.

2 Pea ko eni, vakai, ʻoku hāʻele ʻae tuʻi ʻi homou ʻao: pea ko au kuo u motuʻa mo ʻuluhinā; pea vakai ʻoku ʻiate kimoutolu hoku ongo foha: pea kuo u ʻalu pe ʻi homou ʻao talu ʻeku kei siʻi ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni.

My own sons [are grown up and] with you now, but I have appointed Saul [instead of one of them], and he is now your leader. I am now old, and my hair is gray. I have been your leader ever since I was a boy.

3 Vakai ko au eni, mou fakamoʻoni kiate au ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova, pea ʻi he ʻao ʻo ʻene pani: ko e pulu ʻa hai kuo u faʻao? Pe ko e ʻasi ʻa hai kuo u toʻo? Pe ko hai ha tokotaha kuo u kākaaʻi? Pe ko hai ia kuo u fakafiuʻi? Pe naʻaku maʻu ʻae koloa totongi ʻi he nima ʻo hai ke fakakui ʻaki hoku mata? Pea te u toe ʻatu ia kiate kimoutolu.”

Now tell me, while Yahweh is listening, and while the king whom he has chosen is listening: whose ox or donkey have I stolen [during all those years]? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed/treated badly? From whom have I accepted a bribe, in order that I would ignore [the evil things he had done]? If I have done any of those things, tell me, and I will pay back what I owe.”

4 Pea naʻa nau pehē, “Naʻe ʻikai te ke kākaaʻi ʻakimautolu, pe fakafiuʻi ʻakimautolu, pea naʻe ʻikai te ke toʻo ha meʻa mei he nima ʻo ha tangata ʻe tokotaha.”

They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”

5 Pea pehē ʻe ia kiate kinautolu, “Ko ʻeku fakamoʻoni ʻa Sihova kiate kimoutolu, pea ʻoku fakamoʻoni mo ʻene pani he ʻaho ni, ʻoku ʻikai te mou ʻilo ha meʻa ʻi hoku nima.” Pea naʻa nau pehē, “Ko e fakamoʻoni [ia].”

Then Samuel said, “Today Yahweh can testify, and the king whom you chose can testify, that I have not taken a bribe from anyone.” They replied, “Yes, Yahweh can say that he knows that is true.”

6 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela ki he kakai, “Ko Sihova ia ʻaia naʻa ne fakahikihiki ʻa Mōsese mo ʻElone, mo ne ʻomi hoʻomou ngaahi tamai mei he fonua ko ʻIsipite.

Samuel continued by saying, “Yahweh is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron [to lead] our ancestors. He is the one who brought them out of Egypt. [And he is the one who will testify that what I am saying is true].

7 Pea ko eni mou tuʻu pe, koeʻuhi ke tau alea mo kimoutolu ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova ki he ngaahi ngāue māʻoniʻoni ʻa Sihova, ʻaia naʻa ne fai kiate kimoutolu, pea ki hoʻomou ngaahi tamai.

Now while Yahweh is listening, stand here quietly while I accuse you [and tell you that your requesting a king instead of trusting Yahweh to lead you was wrong]. I will do that by reminding you of all the great miracles that Yahweh performed for you and your ancestors.

8 ‌ʻI he hoko ʻa Sēkope ki ʻIsipite, pea tangi ʻa hoʻomou ngaahi tamai kia Sihova, naʻe fekau ai ʻe Sihova ʻa Mōsese mo ʻElone, ʻaia naʻa na ʻomi hoʻomou ngaahi tamai mei ʻIsipite, pea ne ne pule ke nofomaʻu ʻakinautolu ʻi he potu ni.

[“Many years] after Jacob went to Egypt, our ancestors pleaded to Yahweh to help them. So Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron to them, and they led our ancestors out of Egypt, and eventually they settled in this land.

9 Pea ʻi heʻenau fakangalongaloʻi ʻa Sihova ko honau ʻOtua, naʻa ne fakatau ʻakinautolu ki he nima ʻo Sisela, ko e ʻeikitau ʻo Hasoa, pea ki he nima ʻoe kakai Filisitia, pea ki he nima ʻoe tuʻi ʻo Moape, pea naʻa nau tauʻi ʻakinautolu.

“But our ancestors soon forgot about Yahweh, their God. So he allowed Sisera, the commander of the army from Hazor, to defeat them. He also allowed the Philistines and the army of the king of Moab to fight our ancestors and defeat them.

10 Pea naʻa nau tangi kia Sihova ʻonau pehē, ‘Kuo mau fai angahala, koeʻuhi kuo mau liʻaki ʻa Sihova, pea mau tauhi kia Peali mo ʻAsitelote: ka ko eni, fakamoʻui ʻakimautolu mei he nima ʻo homau ngaahi fili, pea te mau tauhi koe.’

Then our ancestors pleaded with Yahweh again to help them. They admitted, ‘Yahweh, we have sinned, and we have forsaken you. We have worshiped [idols that represent the god] Baal and [the goddess] Astarte. But if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you only.’

11 Pea naʻe fekau ʻe Sihova ʻa Selupeali, mo Pitani, mo Sefita, mo Samuela, ʻo ne fakamoʻui ʻakimoutolu mei he nima ʻo homou ngaahi fili, ʻi he ngaahi potu kotoa pē, pea ne mou nonofo fiemālie pe.

So Yahweh sent men such as Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and me to save you. And as a result, you did not have to worry about any enemies attacking you.

12 Pea ʻi hoʻomou mamata ʻoku haʻu ʻa Naʻasi ko e tuʻi ʻoe fānau ʻa ʻAmoni ke tauʻi ʻakimoutolu, naʻa mou pehē leva kiate au, ‘ʻIkai; ka ʻe pule ha tuʻi kiate kimoutolu: ka ko homou tuʻi ʻa Sihova ko homou ʻOtua.’

“But now, when king Nahash of Ammon came [with his army] to attack you, [you were afraid. So], you [came to me, and] said, ‘We want a king to rule us,’ even though Yahweh was already your king!

13 Pea ko eni, vakai ki he tuʻi ʻaia kuo mou fili, mo ia ne mou holi ki ai! Pea vakai, kuo fakanofo ʻe Sihova ʻae tuʻi, kiate kimoutolu.

So now, look, here is the king whom you have chosen. You asked for a king, and Yahweh has now appointed a king for you.

14 Kapau te mou manavahē kia Sihova, pea tauhi ia, pea fai talangofua ki heʻene folofola, pea ʻoua naʻa angatuʻu ki he fekau ʻa Sihova, pehē ʻe tuʻumaʻu pe ʻakimoutolu mo e tuʻi foki ʻoku pule kiate kimoutolu ʻi he muimui kia Sihova ko homou ʻOtua:

If you will revere Yahweh and if you serve him, and if you listen to what he says and obey what he commands, and if you and the king who rules over you do what Yahweh your God wants you to do, [(things will go well for you all/Yahweh will bless you)].

15 Pea kapau ʻe ʻikai te mou talangofua ki he folofola ʻa Sihova kiate kimoutolu, ʻo hangē ko hono hiki hake ki hoʻomou ngaahi tamai.

But if you do not listen to what Yahweh says, if you disobey what he commands, then he will punish [MTY] you all, just as he punished our ancestors.

16 “Pea ko eni, mou tutuʻu ʻo mamata ki he meʻa lahi ni, ʻaia ʻe fai ʻe Sihova ʻi homou ʻao.

“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.

17 ‌ʻIkai ko e ʻaho eni ʻoe ututaʻu uite? Te u ui kia Sihova, pea te ne fekau ʻae mana mo e ʻuha; koeʻuhi ke mou vakai ʻo ʻilo ʻoku lahi ʻa hoʻomou angahala, ʻaia kuo mou fai ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova ʻi hoʻomou kole ʻae tuʻi moʻomoutolu.

You know that [RHQ] [it does not rain at this time of the year], during the time when you harvest wheat. But I will ask Yahweh to send thunder [and lightning] and rain today. When he does that, you will realize that Yahweh considers that you have done a very wicked thing by requesting a king.”

18 Ko ia naʻe lotu ai ʻa Samuela kia Sihova: pea naʻe ʻomi ʻe Sihova ʻae mana mo e ʻuha ʻi he ʻaho ko ia: pea naʻe manavahē lahi ʻae kakai kotoa pē kia Sihova mo Samuela.”

Then Samuel prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh caused it to thunder [and lightning] and rain. So all the people became very afraid of Yahweh and of Samuel.

19 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe he kakai kotoa pē kia Samuela, “Ke ke hūfia ʻa hoʻo kau tamaioʻeiki kia Sihova ko ho ʻOtua ke ʻoua naʻa mau mate: he kuo mau fakalahi ʻaki ʻemau ngaahi angahala kotoa pē ʻae kovi ni, ke kole ʻae tuʻi moʻomautolu.”

They cried out to Samuel, “Pray for us! We have added to our previous sins by requesting a king! Pray to Yahweh, your God, in order that we will not die [because of having done that]!”

20 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela ki he kakai, “ʻOua naʻa mou manavahē: kuo mou fai ʻae ngaahi angahala ni kotoa pē: kaeʻoua naʻa mou tafoki mei hoʻomou muimui ʻia Sihova, ka mou tauhi ʻa Sihova ʻaki homou loto kotoa;

Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid! You have done this evil thing, but do not turn away from doing the things that Yahweh wants you to do. Instead, serve Yahweh wholeheartedly.

21 Pea ʻoua naʻa mou afe atu: he ka pehē te mou muimui ai ki he ngaahi meʻa vaʻinga, ʻaia ʻe ʻikai ʻaonga pe faʻa fakamoʻui; he ko e meʻa vaʻinga.

Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.

22 He koeʻuhi ʻe ʻikai liʻaki ʻe Sihova ʻa hono kakai koeʻuhi ko hono huafa lahi: he kuo lelei kia Sihova ke ne ngaohi ʻakimoutolu ko hono kakai.

Yahweh decided to make us his people. So he will not abandon us people whom he has chosen, because he would injure his own reputation [of being completely faithful] if he did that.

23 Pea ko au foki, Ke taʻofi ʻe he ʻOtua ʻa ʻeku fai angahala kia Sihova ʻi he tuku ʻeku hūfia ʻakimoutolu: ka teu ako kiate kimoutolu ʻae hala lelei mo totonu:

But as for me, I have solemnly promised that I will not sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you what things are good and right [for you to do].

24 Ke mou manavahē pe kia Sihova, pea tauhi ia ʻi he moʻoni ʻo homou loto kotoa: he vakai ki he ngaahi meʻa lahi kuo ne fai maʻamoutolu.

But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.

25 Pea kapau te mou kei fai angakovi, ʻe fakaʻauha ʻakimoutolu, ʻio, ʻakimoutolu mo homou tuʻi.”

But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”