1 Samuel 12

1 Da sagde Samuel til hele Israel: »Se, jeg har føjet eder i alt, hvad I har bedt mig om, og sat en Konge over eder.

Then Samuel said to all of Israel: “Behold, I have listened to your voice, according to all that you have said to me, and I have appointed a king over you.

2 Se, nu færdes Kongen for eders Ansigt; jeg er gammel og graa, og mine Sønner er nu iblandt eder; men jeg har færdedes for eders Ansigt fra min Ungdom indtil i Dag.

And now the king advances before you. But I am old and have gray hair. Moreover, my sons are with you. And so, having conversed before you from my youth, even until this day, behold, I am here.

3 Se, her staar jeg; viden imod mig i HERRENS og hans, Salvedes Paahør! Hvis Okse har jeg taget? Hvis Æsel har jeg taget? Hvem har jeg, undertrykt? Hvem har jeg gjort Uret? Af hvem har jeg taget Gave og derfor lukket Øjnene? I saa Fald vil jeg give eder Erstatning!«

Speak about me before the Lord, and before his Christ, as to whether I have taken anyone’s ox or donkey, or whether I have falsely accused anyone, or whether I have oppressed anyone, or whether I have accepted a bribe from the hand of anyone, and I will repudiate the same, this day, and I will restore it to you.”

4 Da sagde de: »Du har ikke undertrykt os eller gjort os Uret eller taget noget fra nogen.«

And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

5 Derpaa sagde han til dem: »Saa er HERREN i Dag Vidne over for eder, ogsaa hans Salvede er Vidne, at I ikke har fundet noget hos mig.« De sagde: »Ja!«

And he said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and his Christ is a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is the witness.”

6 Da sagde Samuel til Folket: »HERREN er Vidne, han, som udrustede Moses og Aron og førte eders Fædre op fra Ægypten.

And Samuel said to the people: “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who led our fathers away from the land of Egypt.

7 Saa træd nu frem, at jeg kan gaa i Rette med eder for HERRENS Aasyn og kundgøre eder alle de Gerninger, HERREN i sin Retfærdighed har øvet mod eder og eders Fædre.

Now therefore, stand, so that I may contend in judgment against you before the Lord, about all the mercies of the Lord, which he has given to you and to your fathers:

8 Da Jakob og hans Sønner var kommet til Ægypten, og Ægypterne plagede dem, raabte eders Fædre til HERREN, og HERREN sendte Moses og Aron, som førte eders Fædre ud af Ægypten, og han lod dem bosætte sig her.

How Jacob entered into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the Lord. And the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and he led your fathers away from Egypt, and he transferred them to this place.

9 Men de glemte HERREN deres Gud; derfor prisgav han dem til Kong Jabin af Hazors Hærfører Sisera, til Filisterne og til Moabs Konge, saa de angreb dem.

But they forgot the Lord their God, and so he delivered them into the hand of Sisera, master 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 Da raabte de til HERREN og sagde: Vi har syndet, thi vi forlod HERREN og dyrkede Ba'alerne og Astarterne; men fri os nu af vore Fjenders Haand, saa vil vi dyrke dig!

But afterward, they cried out to the Lord, and they said: ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and we have served the Baals and Ashtaroth. Now therefore, rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’

11 Saa sendte HERREN Jerubba'al, Barak, Jefta og Samuel; og han friede eder af eders Fjenders Haand rundt om, saa I kunde bo i Tryghed.

And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and he rescued you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived in confidence.

12 Men da I saa Ammoniterkongen Nahasj rykke frem imod eder, sagde I til mig: Nej, en Konge skal herske over os uagtet HERREN eders Gud var eders Konge!

Then, seeing that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, had arrived against you, you said to me, ‘By no means! Instead, a king shall reign over us,’ even though the Lord your God was reigning over you.

13 Og nu, her staar Kongen, som I har valgt og krævet; se, HERREN har sat en Konge over eder!

Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.

14 Hvis I frygter HERREN og tjener ham, adlyder hans Røst og ikke er genstridige mod HERRENS Bud, men følger HERREN eders Gud, baade I og Kongen, som har faaet Herredømmet over eder, da skal det gaa eder vel.

If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord, then both you, and the king who rules over you, will be following the Lord your God.

15 Adlyder I derimod ikke HERRENS Røst, men er genstridige mod HERRENS Bud, da skal HERRENS Haand ramme eder og eders Konge og ødelægge eder.

But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but instead you provoke his words, then the hand of the Lord will be over you and over your fathers.

16 Træd nu frem og se den vældige Gerning, HERREN vil øve for eders Øjne!

Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.

17 Har vi ikke Hvedehøst nu? Men jeg vil raabe til HERREN, at han skal sende Torden og Regn, for at I kan kende og se, at det i HERRENS Øjne var en stor Brøde I begik, da I krævede en Konge!«

Is it not the harvest of the wheat today? I will call upon the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain. And you will know and see that you have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, by petitioning for a king over you.”

18 Derpaa raabte Samuel til HERREN, og HERREN sendte samme Dag Torden og Regn. Da frygtede hele Folket saare for HERREN og Samuel,

And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.

19 og hele Folket sagde til Samuel: »Bed for dine Trælle til HERREN din Gud, at vi ikke skal dø, fordi vi til vore andre Synder har føjet den Brøde at kræve en Konge!«

And all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly. And all the people said to Samuel: “Pray, on behalf of your servants, to the Lord your God, so that we may not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil, that we would petition for a king.”

20 Da sagde Samuel til Folket: »Frygt ikke! Vel har I øvet al den Synd; men vend eder nu ikke fra HERREN, tjen ham af hele eders Hjerte

Then Samuel said to the people: “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil. Yet truly, do not choose to withdraw from the back of the Lord. Instead, serve the Lord with all your heart.

21 og vend eder ikke til dem, som er Tomhed og hverken kan hjælpe eller frelse, fordi de er Tomhed.

And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.

22 Thi for sit store Navns Skyld vil HERREN ikke forstøde sit Folk, da det jo har behaget HERREN at gøre eder til sit Folk.

And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.

23 Det være ogsaa langt fra mig at synde mod HERREN og høre op med at bede for eder; jeg vil ogsaa vise eder den gode og rette Vej;

So then, far be it from me, this sin against the Lord, that I would cease to pray for you. And so, I will teach you the good and upright way.

24 men frygt HERREN og tjen ham oprigtigt af hele eders Hjerte; thi se, hvor store Ting han gjorde imod eder!

Therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and from your whole heart. For you have seen the great works that he has done among you.

25 Men hvis I handler ilde, skal baade I og eders Konge gaa til Grunde!«

But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”