Isizwe Sifulathela INkosi Yaso
Amadodana kaSamuweli amukela izivalamlomo, ngakho abadala bacela inkosi njengezinye izizwe. UBaba wethu utshela uSamuweli ukuthi abalahlanga uSamuweli, kodwa balahle yena. USamuweli uchaza konke inkosi eyokuthatha: amadodana, amadodakazi, amasimu, okweshumi kwakho konke, kodwa abantu basavuma.
8 1Kwathi lapho uSamuweli esekhulile, wabeka amadodana akhe ukuba abe ngabahluleli phezu kuka-Israyeli. 2Indodana yakhe yamazibulo kwakunguJoweli, neyesibili kwakungu-Abhiya; babengabahluleli eBheri-Sheba. 3Amadodana akhe awazilandelanga izindlela zakhe, kodwa agijimela inzuzo engalungile, athatha izifumbathiso, onakalisa ukwahlulela.
4Khona-ke bonke abadala bakwa-Israyeli babuthana ndawonye beza kuSamuweli eRama. 5Bathi kuye: “Usukhulile, namadodana akho awazilandeli izindlela zakho. Manje sibekele inkosi ukuba isibuse, njengazo zonke izizwe.” 6Lokhu kwamdabukisa uSamuweli lapho bethi: “Siphe inkosi ukuba isibuse,” wakhuleka kuBaba wethu.
7UBaba wethu wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela abantu kukho konke abakusho kuwe; abakwalanga wena; bangalile mina ukuba ngibe yinkosi yabo. 8Njengoba, selokhu ngabakhipha eGibhithe kuze kube namuhla, bengishiyile, bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu—kanjalo benza nakuwe. 9Manje balalele, kodwa ubaxwayise ngokuqinileyo, ubatshele ukuthi inkosi yabo iyakubusa kanjani.”
USamuweli Uxwayisa Ngezindlela ZeNkosi
10Ngakho uSamuweli wawatshela abantu ababecela inkosi kuye onke amazwi kaBaba wethu. 11Wathi: “Nakhu okuyokwenziwa yinkosi eyobusa phezu kwenu: iyothatha amadodana enu iwabeke ezinqoleni zayo nakubagibeli bamahhashi, ukuba agijime phambi kwazo. 12Iyozibekela izinduna zezinkulungwane nezamashumi amahlanu, abanye ukuba balime insimu yayo bavune isivuno sayo, abanye ukuba benze izikhali zayo nezinto zezinqola zayo. 13Iyothatha amadodakazi enu abe ngabenzi bamakha nabapheki nababhaki. 14Iyothatha amasimu enu amahle, nezivini, nezivande zeminqumo, ikunike izinceku zayo. 15Iyothatha okweshumi kokusanhlamvu kwenu nezivini, ikunike izikhulu zayo nezinceku zayo. 16Iyothatha izinceku zenu ezesilisa nezesifazane, nabasha benu abahle, nezimbongolo, ikusebenzise emsebenzini wayo. 17Iyothatha okweshumi kwemihlambi yenu, nina ngokwenu niyoba yizigqila zayo. 18Kuyothi lapho lolo suku lufika, nikhale ngenxa yenkosi enizikhethele yona, kodwa uBaba wethu akayikuniphendula ngalolo suku.”
19Kodwa abantu bala ukumlalela uSamuweli. Bathi: “Cha! Sifuna inkosi ukuba ibe phezu kwethu, 20ukuze sibe njengazo zonke izizwe, inkosi yethu isibuse, isihole lapho siphuma, isilwele izimpi zethu.”
21Lapho uSamuweli ezwa onke amazwi abantu, wawaphinda kuBaba wethu.
22UBaba wethu wathi kuSamuweli: “Balalele; ubanike inkosi.” Khona-ke uSamuweli wathi emadodeni akwa-Israyeli: “Hambani, kube yilowo nalowo aye emzini wakibo.”
