撒母耳记上 12
1 撒母耳对以色列众人说：“你们向我所求的，我已应允了，为你们立了一个王；
And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 现在有这王在你们前面行。我已年老发白，我的儿子都在你们这里。我从幼年直到今日都在你们前面行。
And now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day, behold here I am.
3 我在这里，你们要在耶和华和他的受膏者面前给我作见证。我夺过谁的牛，抢过谁的驴，欺负过谁，虐待过谁，从谁手里受过贿赂因而眼瞎呢？若有，我必偿还。”
Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man’s ox, or ass: If I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man’s hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.
4 众人说：“你未曾欺负我们，虐待我们，也未曾从谁手里受过什么。”
And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.
5 撒母耳对他们说：“你们在我手里没有找着什么，有耶和华和他的受膏者今日为证。”他们说：“愿他为证。”
And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.
6 撒母耳对百姓说：“从前立摩西、亚伦，又领你们列祖出埃及地的是耶和华。
And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord, who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.
7 现在你们要站住，等我在耶和华面前对你们讲论耶和华向你们和你们列祖所行一切公义的事。
Now therefore stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:
8 从前雅各到了埃及，后来你们列祖呼求耶和华，耶和华就差遣摩西、亚伦领你们列祖出埃及，使他们在这地方居住。
How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt: and made them dwell in this place.
9 他们却忘记耶和华—他们的 神，他就把他们付与夏琐将军西西拉的手里，和非利士人并摩押王的手里。于是这些人常来攻击他们。
And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
10 他们就呼求耶和华说：‘我们离弃耶和华，事奉巴力和亚斯她录，是有罪了。现在求你救我们脱离仇敌的手，我们必事奉你。’
But afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 耶和华就差遣耶路·巴力、比但、耶弗他、撒母耳救你们脱离四围仇敌的手，你们才安然居住。
And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.
12 你们见亚扪人的王拿辖来攻击你们，就对我说：‘我们定要一个王治理我们。’其实耶和华—你们的 神是你们的王。
But seeing that Naas king of the children of Ammon was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.
13 现在，你们所求所选的王在这里。看哪，耶和华已经为你们立王了。
Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.
14 你们若敬畏耶和华，事奉他，听从他的话，不违背他的命令，你们和治理你们的王也都顺从耶和华—你们的 神就好了。
If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of the Lord your God.
15 倘若不听从耶和华的话，违背他的命令，耶和华的手必攻击你们，像从前攻击你们列祖一样。
But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.
16 现在你们要站住，看耶和华在你们眼前要行一件大事。
Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.
17 这不是割麦子的时候吗？我求告耶和华，他必打雷降雨，使你们又知道又看出，你们求立王的事是在耶和华面前犯大罪了。”
Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.
18 于是撒母耳求告耶和华，耶和华就在这日打雷降雨，众民便甚惧怕耶和华和撒母耳。
And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.
19 众民对撒母耳说：“求你为仆人们祷告耶和华—你的 神，免得我们死亡，因为我们求立王的事正是罪上加罪了。”
And all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.
20 撒母耳对百姓说：“不要惧怕！你们虽然行了这恶，却不要偏离耶和华，只要尽心事奉他。
And Samuel said to the people: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
21 若偏离耶和华去顺从那不能救人的虚神是无益的。
And turn not aside after vain things which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.
22 耶和华既喜悦选你们作他的子民，就必因他的大名不撇弃你们。
And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.
23 至于我，断不停止为你们祷告，以致得罪耶和华。我必以善道正路指教你们。
And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you, and I will teach you the good and right way.
24 只要你们敬畏耶和华，诚诚实实地尽心事奉他，想念他向你们所行的事何等大。
Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.
25 你们若仍然作恶，你们和你们的王必一同灭亡。”
But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.
