1 uSamuweli 8

₁Kwathi uSamuweli esemdala, wabeka amadodana akhe abe ngabahluleli phezu kuka-Israyeli. ₂Igama lendodana yakhe eyizibulo lalinguJoweli; igama leyesibili lalingu-Abiya; babe ngabahluleli eBeri Sheba. ₃Amadodana akhe ayengahambi ngezindlela zakhe, kepha aphambukela inzuzo embi, athengwa ngemivuzo, aphendukezela izahlulelo.

₄Kwabuthana onke amalunga akwa-Israyeli, aya kuSamuweli eRama; ₅athi kuye: “Bheka, usumdala, amadodana akho awahambi ngezindlela zakho; sibekele inkosi ukuba isahlulele njengezizwe zonke.”

₆Kepha leyo nto yaba mbi emehlweni kaSamuweli, lapho bethi: “Siphe inkosi ukuba isahlulele.” USamuweli wayesekhuleka kuJehova. ₇UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela izwi labantu kukho konke abakushoyo kuwe, ngokuba akusuwe abakulahlileyo, kepha balahle mina, ukuze ngingabi yinkosi phezu kwabo. ₈Njengemisebenzi yonke abayenzileyo, kusukela osukwini engabakhuphula ngalo eGibithe kuze kube namuhla, bangishiya bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu, benze njalo nakuwe. ₉Manje lalela izwi labo, ugamele nokugamela kubo kuphela, ubatshele amalungelo enkosi eyakubusa phezu kwabo.”

₁₀USamuweli wabatshela abantu abacela kuye inkosi onke amazwi kaJehova. ₁₁Wathi: “Nanka amalungelo enkosi eyakubusa phezu kwenu: iyakuthatha amadodana enu, izibekele wona ezinqoleni zayo nasemahhashini ayo, agijime phambi kwezinqola zayo; ₁₂iyakuzibekela wona abe yizinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, alime umhlabathi wayo, avune isivuno sayo, enze izikhali zayo zokulwa nempahla yezinqola zayo. ₁₃Iyakuthatha amadodakazi enu abe ngabathaki, nabapheki, nabaphekizinkwa. ₁₄Iyakuthatha amasimu enu, nezivini zenu, neminqumo yenu emihle, ikunike izinceku zayo. ₁₅Iyakuthatha okweshumi kwembewu yenu nokwesivini senu, ikunike izinduna zayo nezinceku zayo. ₁₆Iyakuthatha izinceku zenu, nezincekukazi zenu, nezinsizwa zenu ezinhle, nezimbongolo zenu, izenze ukuba zisebenze imisebenzi yayo. ₁₇Iyakuthatha okweshumi kwezimvu zenu, nibe yizinceku zayo. ₁₈Niyakukhala ngalolo suku ngenxa yenkosi yenu, eniyakube nizikhethele yona; kepha uJehova akayikuniphendula ngalolo suku.”

₁₉Kepha abantu bala ukulalela izwi likaSamuweli, bathi: “Hhayi, sifuna ukuba kube khona inkosi phezu kwethu, ₂₀ukuze nathi sibe njengezizwe zonke, inkosi yethu isahlulele, iphume phambi kwethu, ilwe izimpi zethu.”

₂₁USamuweli wezwa onke amazwi abantu, wawalanda ezindlebeni zikaJehova. ₂₂UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela izwi labo, ubanike inkosi.”

USamuweli wathi kubantu bakwa-Israyeli: “Hambani niye, kube yilowo nalowo emzini wakini.”