Samuel's Farewell Speech
1 Samuel told the Israelites:
I have given you a king, just as you asked. 2 You have seen how I have led you ever since I was a young man. I'm already old. My hair is gray, and my own sons are grown. Now you must see how well your king will lead you.
3 Let me ask this. Have I ever taken anyone's ox or donkey or forced you to give me anything? Have I ever hurt anyone or taken a bribe to give an unfair decision? Answer me so the Lord and his chosen king can hear you. And if I have done any of these things, I will give it all back.
4 “No,” the Israelites answered. “You've never cheated us in any way!”
5 Samuel said, “The Lord and his chosen king are witnesses to what you have said.”
“That's true,” they replied.
6 Then Samuel told them:
The Lord brought your ancestors out of Egypt and chose Moses and Aaron to be your leaders. 7 Now the Lord will be your judge. So stand here and listen, while I remind you how often the Lord has saved you and your ancestors from your enemies.
8 After Jacob went to Egypt, your ancestors cried out to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron. They brought your ancestors out of Egypt and led them here to settle this land. 9 But your ancestors forgot the Lord, so he let them be defeated by the Philistines, the king of Moab, and Sisera, the commander of Hazor's army.
10 Again your ancestors cried out to the Lord for help. They said, “We have sinned! We stopped worshiping you, our Lord, and started worshiping Baal and Astarte. But now, if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you.”
11 The Lord sent Gideon, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel to rescue you from your enemies, and you didn't have to worry about being attacked. 12 Then you saw that King Nahash of Ammon was going to attack you. And even though the Lord your God is your king, you told me, “This time it's different. We want a king to rule us!”
13 You asked for a king, and you chose one. Now he stands here where all of you can see him. But it was really the Lord who made him your king. 14 If you and your king want to be followers of the Lord, you must worship him and do what he says. Don't be stubborn! 15 If you're stubborn and refuse to obey the Lord, he will turn against you and your king.
16 Just stand here and watch the Lord show his mighty power. 17 Isn't this the dry season? I'm going to ask the Lord to send a thunderstorm. When you see it, you will realize how wrong you were to ask for a king.
18 Samuel prayed, and that same day the Lord sent a thunderstorm. Everyone was afraid of the Lord and of Samuel. 19 They told Samuel, “Please, pray to the Lord your God for us! We don't want to die. We have sinned many times in the past, and we were very wrong to ask for a king.”
20 Samuel answered:
Even though what you did was wrong, you don't need to be afraid. But you must always follow the Lord and worship him with all your heart. 21 Don't worship idols! They don't have any power, and they can't help you or save you when you're in trouble. 22 But the Lord has chosen you to be his own people. He will always take care of you so that everyone will know how great he is.
23 I would be disobeying the Lord if I stopped praying for you! I will always teach you how to live right. 24 You also must obey the Lord—you must worship him with all your heart and remember the great things he has done for you. 25 But if you and your king do evil, the Lord will wipe you out.
Samuel ma virikiza otjiwaṋa
1 Samuel wa tja nai kOvaisrael avehe: “Tareye, ami mba puratena ku eṋe mu avihe mbi mwe ndji raera, nu mbe mu zikira ombara. 2 Nambano eye ngo nge mu hongorere. Ami mba kurupa nu mba hara ozonḓi, novazandu vandje owo mbo puna eṋe. Ami mbe mu hongorera okuza koumutanda wandje nga ku ndinondi. 3 Owami ngwi. Ndji hongononeye komurungu wa Muhona na komurungu womutwirisiwa we: Tji mba kambura ongombe yomundu worive poo okasino ke poo tji mba ṋiṋikiza nokutatumisa omundu poo tji mba kambura otjimariva tjombopero, me vi yarura ku eṋe.”
4 Notjiwaṋa tja zira nai: “Ove ko tu ṋiṋikizire, nu ko tu tatumisire, nu ko kamburire otjiṋa komundu.”
5 Samuel otja zira a tja: “Muhona nombara ndja toorora, ombe ri ovahongonone ndinondi kutja eṋe mwe ndji munu omuhinandjo oparukaze.”
Nowo va ravaera ave tja: “Muhona onguri omuhongonone wetu.”
6 Norukwao Samuel wa hungira kotjiwaṋa a tja: “Muhona onguri omuhongonone; eye ongwa toorora ooMoses na Aron nongwa tjindisa ooiho mukururume mehi ra Engipte. 7 Nambano kurameye mbo pu mu ri kutja ami mbi mu pangure komurungu wa Muhona mena rozondjito zouwa azehe Muhona nḓa tjita ku eṋe na kooiho mukururume. 8 Jakob neṱunḓu re tji ve yere kOengipte nOvaengipte tji ve ve tatumisire, ooiho mukururume va kwa ombatero ku Muhona, neye wa hinda ooMoses na Aron mbe ve tjindisa mOengipte nokuveturisa mehi ndi. 9 Nungwari owo va zemba Muhona, Ndjambi wawo; neye otje ve yandja mouvara wa Sisera, omuhongore wotjimbumba tja Hasor tjovita, na mouvara wOvafilisti nowombara yOvamoab mbe ve rwisa nave ve havere. 10 Nowo va kwa ombatero ku Muhona ave tja: ‘Twa tura ondjo tjinga atwa humburuka na ove, Muhona, natu karere oomukuru vovisenginina ooBaal na Astarte. Tu yama nambano kovanavita na eṱe, otji matu Ku karere!’ 11 Nu Muhona wa hinda Jerubbaal na Barak na Jefta na ami, Samuel, mbu twe mu yama kovanavita na eṋe mbe mu kondoroka kutja mu ture nokuhinatjipo. 12 Nungwari tji mwa muna kutja Nahas, ombara yOvaamoni, me mu rwisa, otji mwa tja nai ku ami: ‘Ayee, matu vanga ombara!’ Ingwi Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu, ngunda e ri ombara yeṋu.”
13 “Nambano tareye ombara ndji mwa toorora, nu ndji mwa ningira, oyo ndji, Muhona we mu pe. 14 Avihe mavi kara nawa ku eṋe tji mamu tira Muhona, Ndjambi weṋu, nokumukarera, nokuzuva ku ye nokuṱakamisa omarakiza we, neṋe nombara yeṋu tji mamu ryanga mozondjira ze. 15 Nungwari tji mu hi nakupuratena keraka ra Muhona nu tji mu hi nokuṱakamisa omarakiza we, eye ma pirukire eṋe nombara yeṋu. 16 Nambano kurameye mbo pu mu ri, neṋe mamu munu otjiṋa otjinene Muhona tji ma tjiti. 17 Indwi kandu ri oruveze rwomakondero wovikokotwa are? Ami me kumbu ku Muhona kutja eye a ete otuṱuṱumo nombura. Notji mamu tjiwa nokumuna kutja ouvi mbu mwa tjita komurungu wa Muhona owo ounene, indu tji mwa ningira okupewa ombara.”
18 Samuel otja kumba ku Muhona, nu meyuva tjingero ndo Muhona wa hinda otuṱuṱumo nombura; notjiwaṋa atjihe tja tira Muhona na Samuel tjinene. 19 Notjiwaṋa atjihe arire tji tja tja ku Samuel: “Kumbira ovakarere voye, ku Muhona, Ndjambi woye, kutja atu ha ṱu, eṱe tjinga atwa weza ouvi komauvi wetu aehe ngu twa tjita, indu tji twa ningira ombara.”
20 Nu Samuel wa zira a tja: “Amu tira! Eṋe mwa tjita omauvi nga aehe; nungwari nambano amu humburuka na Muhona, nu mu karereye nomitima vyeṋu avihe. 21 Amu hondjo koomukuru vovisenginina. Owo kave nakumuvatera nokumuyama, tjinga ave he ri ovatjiri. 22 Muhona kamaa imbirahi otjiwaṋa tje mena rena re enene, tjinga apa tjata ku ye okumutjita otjiwaṋa tje. 23 Ami wina himee isa okukumbira eṋe kutja e ha tura ondjo komurungu wa Muhona, nungwari ami me vanga okumuhonga ondjira ombwa nosemba. 24 Tireye Muhona nu mu mu karere nouṱakame nomitima vyeṋu avihe. Zemburukeye oviṋa ovinene eye mbye mu tjitira. 25 Nungwari tji mamu tjiti ouvi komeho, eṋe oveni nombara yeṋu mamu yandekwa.”
