The People of Israel Want a King
1-2 Samuel had two sons. The older one was Joel, and the younger one was Abijah. When Samuel was getting old, he let them be leaders at Beersheba. 3 But they were not like their father. They were dishonest and accepted bribes to give unfair decisions.
4 One day the nation's leaders came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said, “You are an old man. You set a good example for your sons, but they haven't followed it. Now we want a king to be our leader, just like all the other nations. Choose one for us!”
6 Samuel was upset to hear the leaders say they wanted a king, so he prayed about it. 7 The Lord answered:
Samuel, do everything they want you to do. I am really the one they have rejected as their king. 8 Ever since the day I rescued my people from Egypt, they have turned from me to worship idols. Now they are turning away from you. 9 Do everything they ask, but warn them and tell them how a king will treat them.
10 Samuel told the people who were asking for a king what the Lord had said:
11 If you have a king, this is how he will treat you. He will force your sons to join his army. Some of them will ride in his chariots, some will serve in the cavalry, and others will run ahead of his own chariot. 12 Some of them will be officers in charge of 1,000 soldiers, and others will be in charge of 50. Still others will have to farm the king's land and harvest his crops, or make weapons and parts for his chariots. 13 Your daughters will have to make perfume or do his cooking and baking.
14 The king will take your best fields, as well as your vineyards, and olive orchards and give them to his own officials. 15 He will also take a tenth of your grain and grapes and give it to his officers and officials.
16 The king will take your slaves and your best young men and your donkeys and make them do his work. 17 He will also take a tenth of your sheep and goats. You will become the king's slaves, 18 and you will finally cry out for the Lord to save you from the king you wanted. But the Lord won't answer your prayers.
19-20 The people would not listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want to be like other nations. We want a king to rule us and lead us in battle.”
21 Samuel listened to them and then told the Lord exactly what they had said. 22 “Do what they want,” the Lord answered. “Give them a king.”
Samuel told the people to go back to their homes.
Yisaraele Eji tate 'Bädri'ba ta
1 Ondro Samuele te agoambago ro oko, nda 'ba ŋgwàagoro ndaro te vure ope'ba ro Yisaraele dri. 2 Ävuru ŋgwa käti ndaro ro ni Yoele, ago ävuru ŋgwa ṛiri ndaro ro ni Abija; ànya orivoya vureope'bai Beraseba ya. 3 Caoko ŋgwàagoro ndaro soyi kote taoye anyaro vo, oko soyite ta ŋgaliti ro vo; ànya ruyi ta miogye rote ago enjiyi ta'diri oye te.
4 'Dooko 'di 'desii cini Yisaraele ro otoyikalate voaloya ago ikyiyite Samuele re Rama ya, 5 Ago ànya atayite ndäri ekye: “Mindre, mi te agoambago ro ago ŋgwàagoro miro soyi kote taoye miro vo; nyaka'da 'bädri'ba ämäri ama mirine oso tu'dei cini azi ronye.” 6 Oko tase ànya kejibe ekye 'bädri'ba ka'dane ànya mirine ono tana si Samuele kote. Ago Samuele ye mätu te OPI ri. 7 Ago OPI atate Samuele ri ekye: “Tase cini lidri kabe atana miri 'do nyeri; tana ànya gayi mi ko zo ayani, oko ànya gayi ma tezo ayani a'done 'bädri'ba ro ànya dri. 8 Oso tase cini ànya koloyeyibe märi, ṛoni tuse molofo ànya be tesi ni Ezipeto yasi ca le yauono ànya e'beyi ma te, ago uguyi lui azaka mätu te, ago yau ono ànya kayi kpate oyena inye miri. 9 Ka'do inye, nyeri ata ànyaro, oko aba nyemba mi ànya ro mbara, ago nyaka'da taoye se 'bädri'bai se orina 'da ànya dri ro ànyari.”
10 Ndi Samuele iti ata cini OPI rote lidri se kejiyi ta 'bädri'ba ro be ni nda sisi kai ri. 11 Nda atate ekye: “Kwoi ni taoye 'bädri'bai se mirina ami 'da ro owo: Nda uruna ŋgwàagoro amiro 'da ago o'bana ànya 'da ruindune arabia kyila ro ndaro yasi ago a'done farasi'bai ndaro ro, ago azakana umune arabia kyila ro ndaro mile. 12 Nda o'bana azaka ànyaro 'da otaozo'bai kyila ro ro kutu kyila'bai ro drisi ago 'butenji ro drisi, ago o'bana rukä ànyaro 'da ämvu osone ndäri ago jalia ndaro ŋgana kotone, ago lakazà kyila ro edene ndi lakazà arabia kyila ro ndaro be. 13 Nda uruna ndiriŋwa amiro 'da a'done ŋga tägyi tagyiri ro la'di'bai ro ago ŋgaonya la'di'bai ro ago ambata o'be'bai ro. 14 Nda uruna ämvu amiro se kadopara 'da, ämvukono ro, ndi ämvu ice ido ro robe ago ozona ànya 'da ruindu'bai ndaro ri. 15 Nda uruna telesi alo 'bute inya amiro ro ndi telesi alo 'bute doŋgokono ro amiro robe 'da ago ozona ànya 'da dri'bai, ndaro ndi ruindu'bai ndaro be ri. 16 Nda uruna ruindu'bai amiro manoàgo ro ndi 'ditoko robe 'da, ago uruna tii kadopara amiro ndi doŋgyii be 'da, ago o'bana ànya 'da losi oyene ndäri. 17 Nda uruna telesi alo 'bute gboko timele ndi indri amiro ro be 'da. Ago ami modo nyà'dona 'da iyeäṛii ro ndäri. 18 Ago ondro tu gi ana kesate oko nyìliyina 'da ni 'bädri'ba amiro se andivo amiro konjibe ni ono ri; oko OPI ri tadri amiro ozane tu gi ana si te i'do.”
19 Oko lidri gatezo ta Samuele ro erine; ago ànya atayite ekye: “Hwa! Màle amaro 'bädri'ba ayani, a'done ämädri. 20 Tana mà'do robe oso tu'dei cini azi ronye, tana 'bädri'ba amaro kimiri ama robe ago kelepe ama robe kyila ya kyila oyene.” 21 Ndi Samuele eri ata cini lidri rote, ago nda go logo ata ànyaro te OPI ri. 22 Ago OPI atate Samuele ri ekye: “Nyeri ta ànyaro, ago mi'ba 'bädri'ba ànya ri.” Ago Samuele atate lidri cini Yisaraele ro ri ekye: “Vo 'dicini ro koyi 'ba ndaro ya.”