Verse 1: Kwathi uSamuweli esemdala, wabeka amadodana akhe abe ngabahluleli phezu kuka-Israyeli.
Verse 2: Igama lendodana yakhe eyizibulo lalinguJoweli; igama leyesibili lalingu-Abiya; babe ngabahluleli eBeri Sheba.
Verse 3: Amadodana akhe ayengahambi ngezindlela zakhe, kepha aphambukela inzuzo embi, athengwa ngemivuzo, aphendukezela izahlulelo.
Verse 4: Kwabuthana onke amalunga akwa-Israyeli, aya kuSamuweli eRama;
Verse 5: athi kuye: “Bheka, usumdala, amadodana akho awahambi ngezindlela zakho; sibekele inkosi ukuba isahlulele njengezizwe zonke.”
Verse 6: Kepha leyo nto yaba mbi emehlweni kaSamuweli, lapho bethi: “Siphe inkosi ukuba isahlulele.” USamuweli wayesekhuleka kuJehova.
Verse 7: UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela izwi labantu kukho konke abakushoyo kuwe, ngokuba akusuwe abakulahlileyo, kepha balahle mina, ukuze ngingabi yinkosi phezu kwabo.
Verse 8: Njengemisebenzi yonke abayenzileyo, kusukela osukwini engabakhuphula ngalo eGibithe kuze kube namuhla, bangishiya bekhonza abanye onkulunkulu, benze njalo nakuwe.
Verse 9: Manje lalela izwi labo, ugamele nokugamela kubo kuphela, ubatshele amalungelo enkosi eyakubusa phezu kwabo.”
Verse 10: USamuweli wabatshela abantu abacela kuye inkosi onke amazwi kaJehova.
Verse 11: Wathi: “Nanka amalungelo enkosi eyakubusa phezu kwenu: iyakuthatha amadodana enu, izibekele wona ezinqoleni zayo nasemahhashini ayo, agijime phambi kwezinqola zayo;
Verse 12: iyakuzibekela wona abe yizinduna zezinkulungwane nezinduna zamashumi ayisihlanu, alime umhlabathi wayo, avune isivuno sayo, enze izikhali zayo zokulwa nempahla yezinqola zayo.
Verse 13: Iyakuthatha amadodakazi enu abe ngabathaki, nabapheki, nabaphekizinkwa.
Verse 14: Iyakuthatha amasimu enu, nezivini zenu, neminqumo yenu emihle, ikunike izinceku zayo.
Verse 15: Iyakuthatha okweshumi kwembewu yenu nokwesivini senu, ikunike izinduna zayo nezinceku zayo.
Verse 16: Iyakuthatha izinceku zenu, nezincekukazi zenu, nezinsizwa zenu ezinhle, nezimbongolo zenu, izenze ukuba zisebenze imisebenzi yayo.
Verse 17: Iyakuthatha okweshumi kwezimvu zenu, nibe yizinceku zayo.
Verse 18: Niyakukhala ngalolo suku ngenxa yenkosi yenu, eniyakube nizikhethele yona; kepha uJehova akayikuniphendula ngalolo suku.”
Verse 19: Kepha abantu bala ukulalela izwi likaSamuweli, bathi: “Hhayi, sifuna ukuba kube khona inkosi phezu kwethu,
Verse 20: ukuze nathi sibe njengezizwe zonke, inkosi yethu isahlulele, iphume phambi kwethu, ilwe izimpi zethu.”
Verse 21: USamuweli wezwa onke amazwi abantu, wawalanda ezindlebeni zikaJehova.
Verse 22: UJehova wathi kuSamuweli: “Lalela izwi labo, ubanike inkosi.” USamuweli wathi kubantu bakwa-Israyeli: “Hambani niye, kube yilowo nalowo emzini wakini.”