Eyokuqala KaSamuweli
8 Lapho uSamuweli esemdala wabeka amadodana akhe ukuba abe ngabahluleli kwa-Israyeli. 2 Igama lendodana yakhe eyizibulo kwakunguJoweli, igama leyesibili kungu-Abhiya; + ayengabahluleli eBheri-sheba. 3 Kodwa amadodana akhe awahambanga ezinyathelweni zakhe; ayethanda ukuzitholela imali ngokungathembeki, + amukela isifumbathiso, + engenabo nobulungisa. +
4 Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wonke amadoda amadala akwa-Israyeli aqoqana aya kuSamuweli eRama. 5 Athi kuye: “Uyabona, wena usugugile, kodwa amadodana akho awahambi ezinyathelweni zakho. Manje sibekele inkosi ezosahlulela njengazo zonke ezinye izizwe.” + 6 Kodwa akumphathanga kahle uSamuweli* lapho bethi: “Sinike inkosi ezosahlulela.” Ngakho uSamuweli wathandaza kuJehova, 7 uJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Kulalele konke lokho abantu abakushoyo kuwe; ngoba akuwena abamalile, kodwa yimi abamalile ukuba ngingabi yinkosi yabo. + 8 Benza njengoba bebelokhu benza kusukela ngosuku engabakhipha ngalo eGibhithe kuze kube namuhla; balokhu bengishiya + bakhonze abanye onkulunkulu, + yilokho kanye abakwenzayo nakuwe. 9 Manje balalele. Noma kunjalo, kufanele ubaxwayise impela ngemiphumela; ubatshele lokho inkosi eyobabusa ezoba nelungelo lokukufuna kubo.”
10 Ngakho uSamuweli watshela abantu ababecela inkosi kuye wonke amazwi kaJehova. 11 Wathi: “Yilokhu inkosi eyonibusa eyoba nelungelo lokukufuna: + Iyothatha amadodana enu + iwafake ebuthweni elihamba ngezinqola, + iwagibelise amahhashi ayo, + amanye ayogijima phambi kwezinqola zayo. 12 Iyozibekela izinduna phezu kwezinkulungwane + nezinduna phezu kwamashumi amahlanu, + amanye ayoyilimela, + avune isivuno sayo, + ayakhele izikhali zempi nezinqola zayo. + 13 Iyothatha amadodakazi enu iwenze abathaki bamafutha okugcoba,* abapheki nababhaki. + 14 Iyothatha amasimu enu, amasimu amagilebhisi namasimu ezihlahla zeminqumo, + amahle kunawo wonke, iyowathatha iwanike izinceku zayo. 15 Iyothatha okweshumi kwamasimu enu nokwamasimu amagilebhisi, ikunike izikhulu zasesigodlweni sayo nezinceku zayo. 16 Iyothatha izinceku nezincekukazi zenu, imihlambi yenu engcono kunayo yonke nezimbongolo zenu, konke kusebenzele yona. + 17 Iyothatha okweshumi emihlanjini yenu yezimvu nezimbuzi, + nani niyoba yizinceku zayo. 18 Luyofika usuku eniyokhala ngalo ngenxa yenkosi enizikhethele yona, + kodwa uJehova ngeke aniphendule ngalolo suku.”
19 Nokho, abantu benqaba ukulalela lokho uSamuweli ayebatshela kona, bathi: “Akunandaba! Sifuna inkosi ezosibusa. 20 Nathi sizoba njengazo zonke ezinye izizwe, inkosi yethu izosahlulela, isihole ilwe nezitha zethu.” 21 Ngemva kokuba uSamuweli esekuzwile konke okwakushiwo abantu, wakutshela uJehova. 22 UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Balalele, ubabekele inkosi ezobabusa.” + Ngakho uSamuweli wathi emadodeni akwa-Israyeli: “Hambani nibuyele emadolobheni enu.”