< 1 Samuel 8 >

1 When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
Forsothe it was don, whanne Samuel hadde wexide eld, he settide hise sones iugis on Israel.
2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second son was Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
And the name of his firste gendrid sone was Johel, and the name of the secounde was Abia, iugis in Bersabee.
3 His sons did not walk in his ways, but chased after dishonest gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
And hise sones yeden not in `the weies of hym, but thei bowiden after aueryce, and thei token yiftis, and peruertiden doom.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
Therfor alle the grettere men in birthe of Israel weren gaderid, and camen to Samuel in to Ramatha.
5 They said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”
And thei seiden to hym, Lo! thou hast wexid eld, and thi sones goen not in thi weies; ordeyne thou a kyng to vs, `that he deme vs, as also alle naciouns han.
6 But it displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” So Samuel prayed to Yahweh.
And the word displeside in the iyen of Samuel, for thei hadden seid, Yyue thou to vs a kyng, that he deme vs. And Samuel preiede to the Lord.
7 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in everything they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here thou the vois of the puple in alle thingis whiche thei speken to thee; for thei han not caste awey thee, but me, that Y regne not on hem.
8 They are acting now the same as they did since the day I brought them out of Egypt, forsaking me, and serving other gods, and so they are also doing to you.
Bi alle her werkis whiche thei diden, fro the day in whiche Y ledde hem out of Egipt `til to this dai, as thei forsoken me, and seruyden alien goddis, so thei doon also to thee.
9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know the way the king will rule over them.”
Now therfor here thou her vois; netheles witnesse thou to hem; biforseie thou to hem the riyt of the kyng, that schal regne on hem.
10 So Samuel told all the words of Yahweh to the people who were asking for a king.
Therfor Samuel seide alle the wordis of the Lord to the puple, that hadde axid of him a king; and he seide,
11 He said, “This will be the practice of the king who will reign over you. He will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots.
This schal be the `riyt of the kyng, that schal comaunde to you; he schal take youre sones, and schal sette in hise charis;
12 He will appoint for himself captains of thousands and captains of fifties. He will make some plow his ground, some reap his harvest, and some make his weapons of war and the equipment for his chariots.
and he schal make hem `to hym silf rideris, and biforegoeris of hise cartis; and he schal ordeyne to hym tribunes, `that is, souereyns of a thousynd, and centuriouns, `that is, souereyns of an hundrid, and eereris of hise feeldis, and reperis of cornes, and smythis of hise armeris, and charis.
13 He will also take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.
Also he schal make youre douytris makeris of `oynementis to hym silf, and fueris, and bakeris.
14 He will take the very best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, and give them to his servants.
And he schal take youre feeldis and vyneris and the beste places of olyues, and schal yyue to hise seruauntis.
15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give to his officers and his servants.
But also he schal take the tenthe part of youre cornes, and rentis of vyneris, that he yyue to his chaumberleyns and seruauntis.
16 He will take your male servants and your female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys; he will put them all to work for him.
Sotheli he schal take awey youre seruauntis and handmaydes, and beste yong men, and assis, and schal sette in his werk.
17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you will be his slaves.
Also he schal take the tenthe part of youre flockis, and ye schulen be `seruauntis to hym.
18 Then on that day you will cry out because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves; but Yahweh will not answer you on that day.”
And ye schulen crye in that dai fro the face of youre kyng, whom ye han chose to you; and the Lord schal not here you in that dai; for ye axiden a kyng to you.
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel; they said, “No! There must be a king over us
Sotheli the puple nolde here the vois of Samuel, but thei seiden, Nay for a kyng schal be on vs;
20 so that we might be like all the other nations, and so that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”
and we also schulen be as alle folkis, and oure kyng schal deme vs, and he schal go out bifor vs, and he schal fiyte oure batel for vs.
21 When Samuel heard all the words of the people he repeated them in the ears of Yahweh.
And Samuel herde alle the wordis of the puple, and `spak tho in the eeris of the Lord.
22 Yahweh said to Samuel, “Obey their voice and cause someone to be king for them.” So Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Every man must go to his own city.”
Forsothe the Lord seide to Samuel, Here thou `the vois of hem, and ordeyne thou a kyng on hem. And Samuel seide to the men of Israel, Ech man go in to his citee.

< 1 Samuel 8 >