1 Samuel 12
1 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.
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。
2 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.
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。
3 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.”
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。」
4 And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”
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。」
5 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.”
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。」
6 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.
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。
7 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:
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：
8 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.
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。
9 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.
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。
10 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.’
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。
11 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.
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。
12 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.
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。
13 Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.
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。
14 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.
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。
15 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.
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。
16 Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.
現今你們前來，看上主在你們眼前要作的這偉大的奇事。
17 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.”
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。」
18 And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.
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，
19 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.”
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。」
20 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.
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。
21 And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.
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。
22 And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.
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。
23 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.
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。
24 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.
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。
25 But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”
假使你們仍固執於惡，你們和你們的君王都必要喪亡。」
