撒母耳記上 12
1 撒母耳對以色列眾人說：「你們向我所求的，我已應允了，為你們立了一個王；
Then Samuel said to all of Israel, “I have paid attention to everything you asked from me, and I have given you a king to rule over you.
2 現在有這王在你們前面行。我已年老髮白，我的兒子都在你們這裏。我從幼年直到今日都在你們前面行。
Now your king is your leader. I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from the time I was a boy up to today.
3 我在這裏，你們要在耶和華和他的受膏者面前給我作見證。我奪過誰的牛，搶過誰的驢，欺負過誰，虐待過誰，從誰手裏受過賄賂因而眼瞎呢？若有，我必償還。」
I stand here before you. Bring any charges you have against me in the presence of the Lord and of his anointed one. Have I taken anyone's ox or donkey? Have I wronged anyone? Have I oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone to turn a blind eye? Tell me, and I will repay you.”
4 眾人說：「你未曾欺負我們，虐待我們，也未曾從誰手裏受過甚麼。」
“No, you have never cheated or oppressed us,” they replied, “and you have never taken anything from anyone.”
5 撒母耳對他們說：「你們在我手裏沒有找着甚麼，有耶和華和他的受膏者今日為證。」他們說：「願他為證。」
Samuel told them, “The Lord is a witness, and his anointed is a witness today, in this case involving you, that you have not found me guilty of anything.” “He is a witness,” they replied.
6 撒母耳對百姓說：「從前立摩西、亞倫，又領你們列祖出埃及地的是耶和華。
“The Lord is a witness, he who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel went on. “He led your forefathers out of the land of Egypt.
7 現在你們要站住，等我在耶和華面前對你們講論耶和華向你們和你們列祖所行一切公義的事。
So stand here as I present to you in the presence of the Lord the evidence of all the good things the Lord has done for you and your forefathers.
8 從前雅各到了埃及，後來你們列祖呼求耶和華，耶和華就差遣摩西、亞倫領你們列祖出埃及，使他們在這地方居住。
After Jacob had gone to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron to lead your forefathers out of Egypt and settle them here.
9 他們卻忘記耶和華－他們的上帝，他就把他們付與夏瑣將軍西西拉的手裏，和非利士人並摩押王的手裏。於是這些人常來攻擊他們。
But they forgot about the Lord their God, so he abandoned them to Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab, who attacked them.
10 他們就呼求耶和華說：『我們離棄耶和華，事奉巴力和亞斯她錄，是有罪了。現在求你救我們脫離仇敵的手，我們必事奉你。』
They cried out to the Lord for help and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have rejected the Lord and worshiped the Baals and Ashtoreths. Please save us from the hands of our enemies, and we will worship you.’
11 耶和華就差遣耶路‧巴力、比但、耶弗他、撒母耳救你們脫離四圍仇敵的手，你們才安然居住。
Then the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he saved you from your enemies who surrounded you so you could live in safety.
12 你們見亞捫人的王拿轄來攻擊你們，就對我說：『我們定要一個王治理我們。』其實耶和華－你們的上帝是你們的王。
But when you saw that Nahash, king of the Ammonites, was coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, we want our own king,’ even though the Lord your God was your king.
13 現在，你們所求所選的王在這裏。看哪，耶和華已經為你們立王了。
So here's the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. Look—the Lord now gives him to you as your king!
14 你們若敬畏耶和華，事奉他，聽從他的話，不違背他的命令，你們和治理你們的王也都順從耶和華－你們的上帝就好了。
If you honor the Lord, worship him, do what he tells you, and don't rebel against the Lord's instructions, and if both you and your king follow the Lord your God, then good!
15 倘若不聽從耶和華的話，違背他的命令，耶和華的手必攻擊你們，像從前攻擊你們列祖一樣。
However, if you refuse to do what he tells you, and rebel against the Lord's instructions, then the Lord will be against you as he was against your forefathers.
16 現在你們要站住，看耶和華在你們眼前要行一件大事。
Now stand still and watch what the Lord is going to do, right before your very eyes.
17 這不是割麥子的時候嗎？我求告耶和華，他必打雷降雨，使你們又知道又看出，你們求立王的事是在耶和華面前犯大罪了。」
Isn't it the time of wheat harvest? Well, I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain. Then you will realize how very evil you were in the Lord's sight when you demanded your own king.”
18 於是撒母耳求告耶和華，耶和華就在這日打雷降雨，眾民便甚懼怕耶和華和撒母耳。
Then Samuel prayed to the Lord, and that very day the Lord sent thunder and rain. Everyone was in absolute awe of the Lord and of Samuel.
19 眾民對撒母耳說：「求你為僕人們禱告耶和華－你的上帝，免得我們死亡；因為我們求立王的事正是罪上加罪了。」
“Please pray to the Lord your God for us your servants, so we will not die!” they begged Samuel. “For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for our own king.”
20 撒母耳對百姓說：「不要懼怕！你們雖然行了這惡，卻不要偏離耶和華，只要盡心事奉他。
“Don't be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have indeed done all these evil things, don't give up following the Lord, but dedicate yourselves completely to worshiping him.
21 若偏離耶和華去順從那不能救人的虛神是無益的。
Don't worship worthless idols that can't help you or save you, for they are nothing.
22 耶和華既喜悅選你們作他的子民，就必因他的大名不撇棄你們。
The fact is because of the kind of person the Lord is, he won't give up on his people, because he was happy to claim you as his own.
23 至於我，斷不停止為你們禱告，以致得罪耶和華。我必以善道正路指教你們。
As for me, how could I sin against the Lord by no longer praying for you. I will also continue to teach you the way of goodness and right.
24 只要你們敬畏耶和華，誠誠實實地盡心事奉他，想念他向你們所行的事何等大。
Make sure you honor God and worship him faithfully, with complete dedication. Think of all the tremendous things he has done for you.
25 你們若仍然作惡，你們和你們的王必一同滅亡。」
But if you continue to do what is evil, you and your king will be wiped out.”
