Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 8:1-22
8 Wathi akuba mdala uSamuweli, wabeka oonyana bakhe baziijaji kwaSirayeli.
2 Igama lonyana wokuqala lalinguYoweli, owesibini inguAbhiya,+ yaye babeziijaji eBher-shebha.
3 Kodwa aba nyana bakhe babengahambi ngeendlela zakhe. Babethanda ukufumana ingeniso ngamaqhinga,+ bevuma ukunyotywa+ futhi begqwetha ubulungisa.+
4 Ekuhambeni kwexesha abadala bakwaSirayeli baqokelelana beza kuSamuweli eRama.
5 Bathi kuye: “Jonga! Wena umdala, yaye oonyana bakho abahambi ngeendlela zakho. Sikhethele ukumkani ke abe yijaji yethu njengazo zonke ezinye iintlanga.”+
6 USamuweli wakhathazeka* xa bathi: “Sinike ukumkani abe yijaji yethu.” Ngoko uSamuweli wathandaza kuYehova,
7 waza wathi uYehova kuye: “Yimamele yonke into abakuxelela yona abantu, kuba ayinguwe lo bangamfuniyo, kodwa ndim lo bangafuniyo ukuba abe ngukumkani wabo.+
8 Benza le nto kudala beyenza, ukususela ngemini endabakhupha ngayo eYiputa de kwanamhlanje. Basoloko bendilahla+ baze bakhonze abanye oothixo,+ yaye benza kanye loo nto apha kuwe ngoku.
9 Ngoko ke bamamele. Kodwa, umele ubalumkise kakhulu. Baxelele izinto anelungelo lokuzifuna ukumkani oza kubalawula.”
10 Ngoko uSamuweli wabaxelela abantu ababecela ukumkani kuye onke amazwi kaYehova.
11 Wathi: “Nantsi into aza kuba nelungelo lokuyifuna ukumkani onilawulayo:+ uza kubathatha oonyana benu+ ababeke ezinqwelweni zakhe+ aze abenze abakhweli-mahashe bakhe,+ yaye abanye kofuneka babaleke phambi kweenqwelo zakhe.
12 Uza kubeka iinkosi phezu kwamawaka+ neenkosi phezu kwamashumi amahlanu,+ abanye bamlimele,+ bavune isivuno sakhe+ baze benze izixhobo zakhe zemfazwe nezixhobo zeenqwelo zakhe.+
13 Uza kuthatha iintombi zenu azenze abenzi bezithambiso,* abapheki nababhaki.+
14 Uza kuthatha awona masimi enu mahle, iintsimi zenu zeediliya nemithi yenu yomnquma,+ zonke ezi zinto uza kuzinika izicaka zakhe.
15 Uza kuthatha isishumi samasimi enu nesamasimi enu eediliya, asinike amagosa akhe asendlini yakhe nezicaka zakhe.
16 Uza kuthatha izicaka zenu, izicakakazi zenu, eyona mihlambi yenu ilungileyo needonki zenu, zize zimsebenzele.+
17 Uza kuthatha isishumi emihlambini yenu,+ nize nina nibe zizicaka zakhe.
18 Iza kufika yona imini eniza kukhala ngayo, nikhalela lo kumkani nimfunileyo,+ kodwa uYehova akazukuniphendula ngaloo mini.”
19 Nakuba kunjalo, abantu zange bafune ukummamela uSamuweli baza bathi: “Hayi, sifuna ukulawulwa ngukumkani thina.
20 Siza kutsho sifane nazo zonke ezinye iintlanga, yaye ukumkani wethu uza kuba yijaji yethu, asikhokele aze asilwele iimfazwe zethu.”
21 Emva kokuba uSamuweli eyive yonke into ethethwa ngabantu, wayixelela uYehova.
22 UYehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Bamamele, uze ubamisele ukumkani abalawule.”+ USamuweli wathi kumadoda akwaSirayeli: “Hambani nibuyele ezixekweni zenu.”
