撒母耳記上 12
1 撒慕爾對全以色列人說：「看，我全聽從了你們向我所說的話，立了一位君王管理你們。
Samuel said to all Israel, “Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 從此以後，有君王領導你們。至於我，我已老了，頭髮也白了；不過我的兒子還同你們在一起。我從小直到今天，常在你們面往來。
Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3 看，我在這裏，請你們在上主面前，在他受傅者面前答覆我：我奪過誰的牛，或奪過誰的驢﹖我壓迫過誰，或虐待過誰﹖從誰手裏接受過掩人耳目的賄賂﹖若有，我必歸還你們。」
Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you.”
4 他們答說：「你總沒有壓迫或虐待過我們，也沒有從任何人手裏接受過什麼。」
They said, “You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand.”
5 他又對他們說：「上主給你們作證，受傅者今日也作證：你們在我手中沒有找出什麼。」他們答說：「可以作證。」
He said to them, “Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” They said, “He is witness.”
6 撒慕爾又對百姓說：「作見證的，是興起梅瑟和亞郎，並領你們祖先從埃及地上來的上主。
Samuel said to the people, “It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 現今你們要前來，我要在上主面前使你們認清，上主向你們和你們祖先所施行的一切恩惠：
Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 當雅各伯和他的兒子來到埃及時，埃及人壓迫他們，你們的祖先就向上主哀號，上主遂派遺梅瑟和亞郎領你們的祖先離開了埃及，使他們住在這個地方。
“When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
9 但他們忘卻了上主他們的天主，他就將他們交在哈祚爾的元帥息色辣手中、培肋舍特人手中和摩阿布王手中，使這些人攻打他們。
But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10 他們就呼求上主說：我們犯了罪，離棄了上主，事奉了巴耳和阿市托勒特諸神；如今求你救我們脫離我們敵人的手，我們願事奉你。
They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’
11 上主就派耶魯巴耳、巴辣克、依弗大和三松，從你們四圍敵人的手中拯救了你們，你們纔得安居。
Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
12 當你們看見阿孟子民的君王納哈王來攻打你們時，曾對我說：不，我們要有一位君王來管理我們，──雖然上主你們的天主原是你們的君王。
“When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh your God was your king.
13 現今，看，你們所揀選，所要求的君王；看，上主立了一位君王管理你們。
Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set a king over you.
14 若是你們敬畏上主，事奉上主，聽從他的話，不背叛上主的命令；若是你們和管理你們的君王，隨從上主你們的天主，便可生存。
If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God.
15 倘若你們不聽從上主的話，背叛上主的命令，上主的手必要與你們和你們的君王作對。
But if you will not listen to Yahweh’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then Yahweh’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 現今你們前來，看上主在你們眼前要作的這偉大的奇事。
“Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes.
17 現今不是收割麥子的季節嗎﹖但是我要呼求上主打雷下雨，使你們明白，也看出：你們要求一位君王，是行了上主眼中多麼可惡的事。」
Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in Yahweh’s sight, in asking for a king.”
18 撒慕爾呼籲了上主，上主就在那天打雷下雨；全民眾對上主和撒慕爾很是害怕，
So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.
19 都對撒慕爾說：「你為你的僕人們轉求上主你的天主，別使我們死了，因為在我們一切罪惡之上，又加了一個為我們要求君王的罪過。」
All the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.”
20 撒慕爾對民眾說：「你們不必害怕；你們固然犯了這一切罪過，但決不要遠離上主，反而要全心事奉上主。
Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart.
21 你們不要追求不能援助，也不能施救的虛無邪神，因為他們只是「虛無」而已。
Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.
22 上主為了自己的大名，決不拋棄自己的百姓，因為上主喜歡你們作他的百姓。
For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself.
23 我也決不願得罪上主，停止為你們祈禱，或停止教訓你們行善道，走正路。
Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 你們只該敬畏上主，全心忠誠事奉上主，因為你們看見了，他為你們作的，是何等偉大的事。
Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
25 假使你們仍固執於惡，你們和你們的君王都必要喪亡。」
But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”
