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；
And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and I have set a king 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。
And now, behold, the king is walking before you; and I am old and gray-headed; and my sons, behold, they are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth even until this day.
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。」
Behold, here am I; testify against me in the presence of the Lord, and in the presence of his anointed: Whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or from whose hand have I received any ransom so that I withdrew my eyes from him? and I will restore it 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。」
And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor hast thou oppressed us, and thou hast not taken from any man's hand the least.
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。」
And he said unto them, The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found in my hand the least: and they answered, He is witness.
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。
And Samuel said unto the people, It is the Lord who did [wonders through] Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up 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。
And now stand up, that I may hold judgment with you before the Lord concerning all the benefits of the Lord, which he hath done to you and to your fathers.
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。
When Jacob was come into Egypt, then did your fathers cry unto the Lord, and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and they brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and caused them to dwell in this place.
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。
And when they forgot the Lord their God, he sold them into the hand of Sissera, the chief of the host of Chazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they made war against 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。』
And they cried [then] unto the Lord, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served the Be'alim and the 'Ashtaroth; and now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
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。
And the Lord sent Yerubba'al, and Bedan, and Yiphthach, and Samuel, and he delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, so that ye dwelt safely.
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 ye saw that Nachash the king of the children of 'Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a king shall reign over us: when the Lord your God is 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。
And now here is the king whom ye have chosen, whom ye have asked for! and, behold, the Lord hath set over you a 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 ye will fear the Lord, and serve him, and obey his voice, and will not rebel against the will of the Lord: then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God.
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。
But if ye will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, and rebel against the will of the Lord: then will the hand of the Lord be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 現在你們要站住，看耶和華在你們眼前要行一件大事。
And now stand up and see this great thing, which the Lord is about doing before your 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。」
Is there not wheat-harvest today? I will call unto the Lord, and he will send thunders and rain; and ye will [thus] perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done, in the eyes of the Lord, to ask for yourselves a 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。
And Samuel called unto the Lord; and the Lord sent thunders and rain on that day: and all the people feared greatly the Lord and 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。」
And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray in behalf of thy servants unto the Lord thy God, that we may not die; for we have added unto all our sins yet this evil, to ask for ourselves a 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。
And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not; ye have indeed done all this evil: yet turn not aside from following the Lord, and serve ye the Lord with all your heart;
21 若偏離耶和華去順從那不能救人的虛神是無益的。
And turn ye not aside; for then would ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; because they are vain.
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。
For the Lord will not forsake his people for the sake of his great name; because it hath pleased the Lord to make you a people unto himself.
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。
Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray in behalf of you; but I will teach you the good and the right way:
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。
Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for see what great things he hath done with you.
25 你們若仍然作惡，你們和你們的王必一同滅亡。」
But if ye will in any wise do wickedly, both ye yourselves as also your king shall perish.
