The People Ask for a King
1 When Samuel grew old, he made his sons judges in Israel. 2 The older son was named Joel and the younger one Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But they did not follow their father's example; they were interested only in making money, so they accepted bribes and did not decide cases honestly.
4 Then all the leaders of Israel met together, went to Samuel in Ramah, 5 and said to him, “Look, you are getting old and your sons don't follow your example. So then, appoint a king to rule over us, so that we will have a king, as other countries have.” 6 Samuel was displeased with their request for a king; so he prayed to the Lord, 7 and the Lord said, “Listen to everything the people say to you. You are not the one they have rejected; I am the one they have rejected as their king. 8 Ever since I brought them out of Egypt, they have turned away from me and worshiped other gods; and now they are doing to you what they have always done to me. 9 So then, listen to them, but give them strict warnings and explain how their kings will treat them.”
10 Samuel told the people who were asking him for a king everything that the Lord had said to him. 11 “This is how your king will treat you,” Samuel explained. “He will make soldiers of your sons; some of them will serve in his war chariots, others in his cavalry, and others will run before his chariots. 12 He will make some of them officers in charge of a thousand men, and others in charge of fifty men. Your sons will have to plow his fields, harvest his crops, and make his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. 13 Your daughters will have to make perfumes for him and work as his cooks and his bakers. 14 He will take your best fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his officials. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your grapes for his court officers and other officials. 16 He will take your servants and your best cattle and donkeys, and make them work for him. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks. And you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that time comes, you will complain bitterly because of your king, whom you yourselves chose, but the Lord will not listen to your complaints.”
19 The people paid no attention to Samuel, but said, “No! We want a king, 20 so that we will be like other nations, with our own king to rule us and to lead us out to war and to fight our battles.” 21 Samuel listened to everything they said and then went and told it to the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Do what they want and give them a king.” Then Samuel told all the men of Israel to go back home.
Bathu banokumbila mambo
1 Kwakati Samuele atjikwegula kabiga bakololo babe basumikilisi mu Iziraela. 2 Nkololo uwe we mbano wakabe eyi Jowele, ngono thobeledzi iye ili Abija, ndibo bakabigwa basumikilisi mu Bheerisheba. 3 Koga bakololo babe abazotshamba thambo dza tate babo, bakabe bakakombamila mu kushaba nge bupitipiti, beamutjila zwizwimba nlomo, bekombamisa ndulamo.
4 Ndizo bakulu bose be Iziraela bakazwikubunganya bakazha kuna Samuele ku Rama. 5 Bakandwa bakati, “Bonani, imwi makula, ngono bakololo benyu abatotshamba mu thambo dzenyu, ndizo ngwenu, mutibigile mambo kutibusa koga se zwitjaba zose.” 6 Koga bakati beti, “Mutipe mambo kuti atibuse,” kuthu ikoku kukasishathise Samuele, ndizo katembezela kuna Yahwe. 7 Ngono Yahwe bakadwa Samuele bakati, “Teedza tjimwe ne tjimwe tjabanokudwa, ngoti abazolamba iwe, koga balamba imi kuti ndibe mambo wabo. 8 Koga se kwabakathama mundili, kudwa mu zhuba landakabadusa mu Egipiti kuswikila nasi, bandilasha beshingila midzimu ipoga, ndizo nawebo banokuthama beijalo. 9 Ndizo ngwenu thama tjabanoshaka, koga ubatjenjedze wakasimisa, kakale ubazibise tjinowoshingwa ndi mambo unowobabusa.”
10 Ndizo Samuele kabudza bathu bakabe bekumbila mambo munli matama wose alebgwa ndi Yahwe. 11 Wakabadwa kati, “Eyi ndiyo zila ya mambo yaanowomubusa ndiyo: Unowotola bakololo benyu kabathama bashingi be mbizi ne koloyi dzidze dze ngwa, ngono banowolabuka bali mbeli kwe koloyi iye ye ngwa. 12 Bamwe unowobathama balauli be bali zwiwulu ne balauli be bali makumi mashanu, ngono bamwe banowolima bakavuna minda iye, bebuya bethama zwibhayano zwizwe zwe ngwa ne zwishingisiwa zwe kara dzidze. 13 Unowothama bakololokadzi benyu bathami be zwizholo zwinonuhwa zwinozipa ne babhiki be zwiwunga. 14 Unowotola minda yenyu yakanaka ne minda ye mizhambi ne mitoba ebe eipa bashingi babe. 15 Unowotola kwe bugumi kwe mathunde enyu ngekwe minda ye mizhambi kakupa makulukota ne bashingi babe. 16 Balandalume ne balandakadzi benyu ne ng'ombe dzenyu mbuya kwazo ne madonki mabuya unozwitolegwa izo kuzwishingisa. 17 Unowotola zwe bugumi zwe ngubi yenyu, ngono imwi mowobe balanda babe. 18 Ngono mu zhuba ilelo alaswika, mowodoroma ngekwa mambo wenyu wamunowobe mazwishalulila, koga Yahwe abatowomudabila mu zhuba ilelo.”
19 Koga bathu bakalamba teedza Samuele, bakandwa bakati, “Atidi! Toshaka mambo atibuse, 20 kuti ndizo naswibo tifanane ne zwimwe zwitjaba, kuti mambo wedu atibuse, atitungamile atigwile mu ngwa dzedu.” 21 Kwakati Samuele asinohwa matama wose e bathu, kaabudza Yahwe kakale. 22 Yahwe bakadwa Samuele bakati, “Ubateedze ngono ubabigile mambo.” Ndizo Samuele kadwa bathu be Iziraela kati, “Mmwe ne mmwe ngaabgwilile ku nzi wa kanyi kwabo.”