1 Samuela 8
1 Pea naʻe pehē, ʻi heʻene hoko ʻo motuʻa ʻa Samuela naʻa ne fakanofo hono ongo foha ke fakamaau ki ʻIsileli.
When Samuel became old, he appointed his two sons, Joel and Abijah, to lead/rule the people of Israel.
2 Pea ko hono hingoa ʻoe ʻuluaki foha ko Sioeli pea ko e hingoa ʻo hono tokoua, ko ʻApia pea ko e ongo fakamaau ʻakinaua ʻi Peasipa.
They judged people’s disputes/cases in Beersheba [town].
3 Pea naʻe ʻikai ʻalu ʻa hono ongo foha ʻi hono ngaahi hala ʻoʻona, ka naʻa na tafoki ʻo kumi koloa, ʻo na maʻu koloa totongi, pea fakahalaʻi ʻae fakamaau.
But they were not like their father. They wanted only to get a lot of money. They accepted bribes, and they did not make honest decisions about people’s disputes/cases.
4 Pea naʻe toki fakakātoa fakataha ʻakinautolu ʻe he kau mātuʻa kotoa pē ʻo ʻIsileli, ʻo haʻu kia Samuela ki Lama,
Finally, the Israeli leaders met at Ramah [town to discuss the matter] with Samuel.
5 ʻO nau pehē kiate ia, “Vakai kuo ke motuʻa, pea ʻoku ʻikai ʻalu ʻa ho ongo foha ʻi ho ngaahi hala: pea ko eni fakanofo ha tuʻi moʻomautolu ke ne fakamaauʻi ʻakimautolu ʻo hangē ko e ngaahi puleʻanga kotoa pē.”
They said to him, “Listen! You are now old, and your sons are not like you. Appoint a king to rule over us, like the kings that other countries have!”
6 Ka naʻe kovi lahi kia Samuela ʻa ʻenau pehē, “Tuku kiate kimautolu ha tuʻi ke ne fakamaauʻi ʻakimautolu.” Pea naʻe lotu ʻe Samuela kia Sihova.
Samuel was very unhappy with them for requesting that, so he prayed to Yahweh about it.
7 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova kia Samuela, “Tokanga ki he leʻo ʻoe kakai ʻi he meʻa kotoa pē ʻoku nau tala kiate koe: he ʻoku teʻeki ai tenau siʻaki koe, ka kuo nau siʻaki au, ke ʻoua naʻaku pule kiate kinautolu.
Yahweh replied, “Do what they have requested you to do. But ([do not think/the truth is not]) that you are the one whom they are really rejecting. I have been their king, and I am the one they are really rejecting.
8 Hangē ko e ngaahi ngāue ʻaia kuo nau fai talu ʻae ʻaho ʻaia ne u ʻomi ai kinautolu mei ʻIsipite, ʻio, ʻo aʻu ki he ʻaho ni, ʻaia kuo nau liʻaki au, pea tauhi ʻae ngaahi ʻotua kehe; ʻoku pehē ʻenau fai kiate koe.
Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have rejected me, and they have worshiped other gods. And now they are also rejecting you in the same way.
9 Pea ko eni, tokanga ki honau leʻo; ka ke valoki mamafa kiate kinautolu, pea fakahā kiate kinautolu hono anga ʻoe tuʻi, ʻaia ʻe pule kiate kinautolu.”
Do what they are asking you to do. But warn/tell them about how their kings will act toward them!”
10 Pea naʻe fakahā ʻe Samuela ʻae ngaahi folofola kotoa pē ʻa Sihova ki he kakai naʻe tala tuʻi kiate ia.
So Samuel told those people what Yahweh had said.
11 Pea pehē ʻe ia, “Ko hono anga eni ʻoe tuʻi, ʻaia ʻe pule kiate kimoutolu: Te ne toʻo homou ngaahi foha pea vaheʻi ʻakinautolu moʻona, ki heʻene ngaahi saliote, pea ke hoko ko ʻene kau heka hoosi; pea ke lele muʻomuʻa ʻi hono ngaahi saliote.
He said, “If a king rules over you, this is what he will do to you: He will force many of your sons to join the army. He will make [some of] them run in front of his chariots [to clear people out of his way].
12 Pea ʻe fakanofo ʻe ia moʻona ʻae ngaahi ʻeiki pule ki he ngaahi toko afe, mo e ʻeiki pule ki he ngaahi toko nimangofulu; pea te ne fakafatongia kinautolu ke keli ʻene ngoue, pea ke tuʻusi ʻene taʻu, pea kenau ngaohi ʻene mahafutau, mo e ngaahi meʻa ki hono ngaahi saliote.
[Some of] them will be commanders of his soldiers, but others will work for him like slaves. He will force some of them to plow his fields and [then later] harvest his crops. He will force others to make his weapons and equipment for his chariots.
13 Pea te ne pule ke hoko ʻa homou ngaahi ʻofefine, ko e kau ngaohi mā melie, ko e kau teu kai, mo e kau taʻo mā.
The king will take [some of] your daughters [from you and force them] to make perfumes for him and cook food for him and bake [bread for him].
14 Pea ʻe maʻu ʻe ia hoʻomou ngaahi ngoue, mo hoʻomou ngoue vaine, mo e ngoue ʻolive, ʻio, ʻaia ʻoku lelei lahi, pea ʻe foaki ia ki heʻene kau tamaioʻeiki.
He will take your best fields and vineyards and olive tree groves/orchards, and give them to his own officials.
15 Pea te ne toʻo hono hongofulu ʻo hono vahe ʻi hoʻomou tengaʻi ʻakau, pea mo hoʻomou ngoue vaine, pea foaki ki heʻene kau matāpule mo ʻene kau tamaioʻeiki.
He will take a tenth of your harvests and distribute it among the officers and servants [who work in] his [palace].
16 Pea te ne toʻo hoʻomou kau tamaioʻeiki, mo hoʻomou kau kaunanga, mo hoʻomou kau tangata toulekeleka, mo hoʻomou fanga ʻasi, ʻo tuku ʻakinautolu ki heʻene ngāue.
He will take from you your male and female servants, your best cattle and donkeys, and force them to work for him.
17 ʻE toʻo ʻe ia ʻo ʻave hono hongofulu ʻoe vahe ʻo hoʻomou fanga sipi: pea te mou hoko ko ʻene kau tamaioʻeiki.
He will take one tenth of your sheep and goats. And you will become his slaves!
18 Pea te mou tangi kalanga ʻi he ʻaho ko ia, ko e meʻa ʻi he tuʻi ʻaia kuo mou fili moʻomoutolu; pea ʻe ʻikai ongoʻi ʻakimoutolu ʻe Sihova ʻi he ʻaho ko ia.”
When that time comes, you will complain loudly to the king, the king that you yourselves have chosen, but Yahweh will not (pay attention to/help) you.”
19 Ka naʻe ʻikai tui ʻae kakai ki he leʻo ʻo Samuela, pea naʻa nau pehē, “ʻIkai, ka te mau maʻu ha tuʻi, ke pule kiate kimautolu;
But the people refused to pay attention to what Samuel said. They said, “We do not [care what you say]! We want a king!
20 koeʻuhi ke mau tatau foki mo e ngaahi puleʻanga; pea ke fakamaaua kimautolu ʻe homau tuʻi, pea ke ʻalu muʻomuʻa ia ʻiate kimautolu, ke fai ʻemau ngaahi tau.”
We want to be like the other nations. We want a king to rule us and to lead our soldiers when they go to fight.”
21 Pea naʻe fanongo ʻe Samuela ki he ngaahi lea kotoa pē ʻae kakai, pea ne lea ʻaki ia ʻi he ʻao ʻo Sihova.
When Samuel told Yahweh what the people had said,
22 Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Sihova kia Samuela, “Tokanga ki honau leʻo, pea fakanofo ha tuʻi moʻonautolu.” Pea naʻe pehē ʻe Samuela ki he kau tangata ʻo ʻIsileli, “Mou ʻalu, ko e tangata taki taha ki hono kolo.”
Yahweh replied, “Do what they are telling you to do. Give them a king!” [So Samuel agreed], and then he sent the people home.
