1 Samuel 12
1 Then Samuel said this to all the Israeli people: “I have done everything that you told me to do, and I have given/appointed a king to rule you.
Samuel dijo a todo Israel: “He aquí que he escuchado vuestra voz en todo lo que me habéis dicho, y he puesto un rey sobre vosotros.
2 My own sons [are grown up and] with you now, but I have appointed Saul [instead of one of them], and he is now your leader. I am now old, and my hair is gray. I have been your leader ever since I was a boy.
Ahora, he aquí que el rey camina delante de ustedes. Yo soy viejo y canoso. He aquí que mis hijos están contigo. He caminado delante de ti desde mi juventud hasta hoy.
3 Now tell me, while Yahweh is listening, and while the king whom he has chosen is listening: whose ox or donkey have I stolen [during all those years]? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed/treated badly? From whom have I accepted a bribe, in order that I would ignore [the evil things he had done]? If I have done any of those things, tell me, and I will pay back what I owe.”
Aquí estoy. Atestigüen contra mí ante el Señor y ante su ungido. ¿De quién es el buey que he tomado? ¿De quién he tomado el asno? ¿A quién he defraudado? ¿A quién he oprimido? ¿De quién he tomado un soborno para que me ciegue los ojos? Te lo devolveré”.
4 They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from anyone.”
Dijeron: “No nos has defraudado, ni nos has oprimido, ni has tomado nada de la mano de nadie”.
5 Then Samuel said, “Today Yahweh can testify, and the king whom you chose can testify, that I have not taken a bribe from anyone.” They replied, “Yes, Yahweh can say that he knows that is true.”
Les dijo: “Yahvé es testigo contra vosotros, y su ungido es testigo hoy, de que no habéis encontrado nada en mi mano.” Dijeron: “Él es testigo”.
6 Samuel continued by saying, “Yahweh is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron [to lead] our ancestors. He is the one who brought them out of Egypt. [And he is the one who will testify that what I am saying is true].
Samuel dijo al pueblo: “Es Yahvé quien designó a Moisés y a Aarón, y quien sacó a vuestros padres de la tierra de Egipto.
7 Now while Yahweh is listening, stand here quietly while I accuse you [and tell you that your requesting a king instead of trusting Yahweh to lead you was wrong]. I will do that by reminding you of all the great miracles that Yahweh performed for you and your ancestors.
Ahora, pues, quédense quietos, para que yo pueda alegar ante Yahvé todos los actos justos de Yahvé, que hizo con ustedes y con sus padres.
8 [“Many years] after Jacob went to Egypt, our ancestors pleaded to Yahweh to help them. So Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron to them, and they led our ancestors out of Egypt, and eventually they settled in this land.
“Cuando Jacob entró en Egipto, y vuestros padres clamaron a Yahvé, entonces Yahvé envió a Moisés y a Aarón, quienes sacaron a vuestros padres de Egipto y los hicieron habitar en este lugar.
9 “But our ancestors soon forgot about Yahweh, their God. So he allowed Sisera, the commander of the army from Hazor, to defeat them. He also allowed the Philistines and the army of the king of Moab to fight our ancestors and defeat them.
Pero ellos se olvidaron de Yahvé, su Dios, y él los vendió en manos de Sísara, capitán del ejército de Hazor, y en manos de los filisteos, y en manos del rey de Moab; y pelearon contra ellos.
10 Then our ancestors pleaded with Yahweh again to help them. They admitted, ‘Yahweh, we have sinned, and we have forsaken you. We have worshiped [idols that represent the god] Baal and [the goddess] Astarte. But if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you only.’
Ellos clamaron a Yahvé y dijeron: “Hemos pecado, porque hemos abandonado a Yahvé y hemos servido a los baales y a Astarot; pero líbranos ahora de la mano de nuestros enemigos, y te serviremos”.
11 So Yahweh sent men such as Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and me to save you. And as a result, you did not have to worry about any enemies attacking you.
Yahvé envió a Jerobaal, a Bedán, a Jefté y a Samuel, y os libró de la mano de vuestros enemigos de todas partes, y vivisteis seguros.
12 “But now, when king Nahash of Ammon came [with his army] to attack you, [you were afraid. So], you [came to me, and] said, ‘We want a king to rule us,’ even though Yahweh was already your king!
“Cuando viste que Nahas, el rey de los hijos de Amón, venía contra ti, me dijiste: ‘No, sino que un rey reinará sobre nosotros’, cuando Yahvé, tu Dios, era tu rey.
13 So now, look, here is the king whom you have chosen. You asked for a king, and Yahweh has now appointed a king for you.
Ahora, pues, vean al rey que han elegido y al que han pedido. He aquí que el Señor ha puesto un rey sobre ustedes.
14 If you will revere Yahweh and if you serve him, and if you listen to what he says and obey what he commands, and if you and the king who rules over you do what Yahweh your God wants you to do, [(things will go well for you all/Yahweh will bless you)].
Si temes a Yahvé, le sirves y escuchas su voz, y no te rebelas contra el mandamiento de Yahvé, tanto tú como el rey que reina sobre ti son seguidores de Yahvé vuestro Dios.
15 But if you do not listen to what Yahweh says, if you disobey what he commands, then he will punish [MTY] you all, just as he punished our ancestors.
Pero si no escuchan la voz de Yahvé y se rebelan contra el mandamiento de Yahvé, la mano de Yahvé estará contra ustedes, como lo estuvo contra sus padres.
16 “Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.
“Ahora, pues, quédense quietos y vean esta gran cosa que el Señor va a hacer ante sus ojos.
17 You know that [RHQ] [it does not rain at this time of the year], during the time when you harvest wheat. But I will ask Yahweh to send thunder [and lightning] and rain today. When he does that, you will realize that Yahweh considers that you have done a very wicked thing by requesting a king.”
¿No es hoy la cosecha de trigo? Invocaré a Yahvé, para que envíe truenos y lluvia; y ustedes sabrán y verán que es grande la maldad que han hecho ante los ojos de Yahvé, al pedir un rey.”
18 Then Samuel prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh caused it to thunder [and lightning] and rain. So all the people became very afraid of Yahweh and of Samuel.
Entonces Samuel invocó a Yahvé, y Yahvé envió truenos y lluvia aquel día. Entonces todo el pueblo temió mucho a Yahvé y a Samuel.
19 They cried out to Samuel, “Pray for us! We have added to our previous sins by requesting a king! Pray to Yahweh, your God, in order that we will not die [because of having done that]!”
Todo el pueblo dijo a Samuel: “Ruega por tus siervos a Yahvé, tu Dios, para que no muramos, pues hemos añadido a todos nuestros pecados esta maldad de pedir un rey.”
20 Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid! You have done this evil thing, but do not turn away from doing the things that Yahweh wants you to do. Instead, serve Yahweh wholeheartedly.
Samuel dijo al pueblo: “No tengan miedo. Ciertamente han hecho todo este mal; pero no se aparten de seguir a Yahvé, sino que sirvan a Yahvé con todo su corazón.
21 Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.
No se aparten para ir en pos de cosas vanas que no pueden aprovechar ni liberar, porque son vanas.
22 Yahweh decided to make us his people. So he will not abandon us people whom he has chosen, because he would injure his own reputation [of being completely faithful] if he did that.
Porque Yahvé no abandonará a su pueblo por causa de su gran nombre, porque a Yahvé le ha gustado hacer de ustedes un pueblo para sí mismo.
23 But as for me, I have solemnly promised that I will not sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you what things are good and right [for you to do].
Además, en cuanto a mí, lejos de pecar contra Yahvé al dejar de orar por ustedes, los instruiré en el camino bueno y correcto.
24 But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.
Sólo temed a Yahvé y servidle de verdad con todo vuestro corazón, pues considerad las grandes cosas que ha hecho por vosotros.
25 But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”
Pero si sigues haciendo el mal, serás consumido, tanto tú como tu rey”.
