1
Kisha Samweli akawaambia Israeli wote, Angalieni, nimeisikiliza sauti yenu katika hayo yote mliyoniambia, nami nimemtawaza mfalme juu yenu.
Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.
2
Basi sasa, angalieni, mfalme anakwenda mbele yenu; na mimi ni mzee, mwenye mvi; tena, tazameni, wana wangu wapo pamoja nanyi; nami nimekwenda mbele yenu toka ujana wangu hata leo.
Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.
3
Nami nipo hapa; basi, mnishuhudie mbele za Bwana, na mbele ya masihi wake,nalitwaa ng`ombe wa nani? au nalitwaa punda wa nani? au ni nani niliye mdhulumu? Ni nani niliyemwonea? Au kwa mkono wa nani nimepokea rushwa inipofushe macho? Nami nitawarudishia ninyi.
Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”
4
Nao wakasema, hukutudhulumu, wala hukutuonea, wala hukupokea kitu kwa mkono wa mtu awaye yote.
“You have not cheated us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”
5
Akawaambia, Bwana ni shahidi juu yenu, na masihi
Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.
6
Samweli akawaambia watu, Ni yeye Bwana aliyewaweka Musa na Haruni, ndiye yeye aliyewatoa baba zenu kutoka nchi ya Misri.
Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7
Basi sasa simameni, ili niwahutubie mbele za Bwana, kwa kutaja matendo yote ya haki ya Bwana, aliyowatendea ninyi na baba zenu.
Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.
8
Yakobo alipokuwa ameingia Misri, na baba zenu walipomlilia Bwana, ndipo Bwana akawapeleka Musa na Haruni, nao wakawatoa baba zenu kutoka Misri, wakawakalisha mahali hapa.
When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.
9
Lakini wakamsahau Bwana, Mungu wao, naye akawauza na kuwatia katika mikono ya Sisera, jemadari wa jeshi la Hazori, na katika mikono ya Wafilisti, na katika mikono ya mfalme wa Moabu, nao wakapigana nao.
But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.
10
Nao wakamlilia Bwana, wakasema, Tumefanya dhambi, kwa kuwa tumemwacha Bwana, na kuwatumikia Mabaali na Maashtorethi; lakini sasa utuokoe na mikono ya adui zetu, nasi tutakutumikia wewe.
Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’
11
Bwana akawatuma Yerubaali, na Baraka, na Yeftha, na Samweli, akawaokoa ninyi na mikono ya adui zenu pande zote, nanyi mkakaa salama.
So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.
12
Hata mlipomwona Nahashi, mfalme wa wana wa Amoni, amekuja kupigana nanyi, mliniambia, Sivyo, lakini mfalme atatutawala; ingawa Bwana, Mungu wenu, ni mfalme wenu.
But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.
13
Basi sasa, mtazameni mfalme mliyemchagua na kumtaka; tazameni, Bwana ameweka mfalme juu yenu.
Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.
14
Kama mkimcha Bwana, na kumtumikia, na kuisikia sauti yake, msiiasi amri ya Bwana, tena kama ninyi, na mfalme anayewatawala, mkimfuata Bwana, Mungu wenu, vema!
If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who rules over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.
15
Bali msipoisikia sauti ya Bwana, mkiiasi amri ya Bwana, ndipo mkono wa Bwana utakuwa juu yenu, kama ulivyokuwa juu ya baba zenu.
But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.
16
Na sasa simameni, mkalione jambo hili kubwa, Bwana atakalolitenda mbele ya macho yenu.
Now, therefore, present yourselves and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.
17
Leo je! Si mavuno ya ngano? Nitamwomba Bwana, kwamba apeleke ngurumo na mvua; nanyi mtajua na kuona ya kuwa uovu wenu ni mwingi sana, mlioufanya machoni pa Bwana, kwa kujitakia mfalme.
Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”
18
Basi Samweli akamwomba Bwana, naye Bwana akapeleka ngurumo na mvua siku ile; nao watu wote wakamwogopa Bwana sana, na Samweli pia.
So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19
Watu wote wakamwambia Samweli, Utuombee sisi watumwa wako kwa Bwana, Mungu wako, tusije tukafa; maana tumeongeza dhambi zetu zote kwa uovu huu, wa kujitakia mfalme.
They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”
20
Samweli akawaambia, Msiogope; ni kweli mmeutenda uovu huu wote; lakini msigeuke na kuacha kumfuata Bwana, bali mtumikieni Bwana kwa mioyo yenu yote.
“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21
Wala msigeuke upande, maana, kufuata vitu vya ubatili,
Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.
22
visivyoweza kusaidia wala kuokoa, kwa kuwa havifai kitu. Maana Bwana hatawaacha watu wake kwa ajili ya jina lake kuu; kwa kuwa imempendeza Bwana kuwafanya ninyi kuwa watu wake mwenyewe.
Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.
23
Walakini mimi, hasha! Nisimtende Bwana dhambi kwa kuacha kuwaombea ninyi; lakini nitawaelimisha katika njia iliyo njema, na kunyoka
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.
24
Mcheni Bwana tu, mkamtumikie kwa kweli kwa mioyo yenu yote; maana, kumbukeni jinsi alivyowatendea mambo makuu.
Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.
25
Lakini kama mkiendelea kutenda mabaya, mtaangamia, ninyi na mfalme wenu pia.
But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”