1 Samuel 8
1 Forsothe it was don, whanne Samuel hadde wexide eld, he settide hise sones iugis on Israel.
It happened, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 And the name of his firste gendrid sone was Johel, and the name of the secounde was Abia, iugis in Bersabee.
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abijah: they were judges in Beersheba.
3 And hise sones yeden not in `the weies of hym, but thei bowiden after aueryce, and thei token yiftis, and peruertiden doom.
His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside toward dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Therfor alle the grettere men in birthe of Israel weren gaderid, and camen to Samuel in to Ramatha.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah;
5 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.
and they said to him, "Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations."
6 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.
But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7 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.
The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
8 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.
According to all the works which they have done to me since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to you.
9 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.
Now therefore listen to their voice: however you shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the way of the king who shall reign over them."
10 Therfor Samuel seide alle the wordis of the Lord to the puple, that hadde axid of him a king; and he seide,
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who asked of him a king.
11 This schal be the `riyt of the kyng, that schal comaunde to you; he schal take youre sones, and schal sette in hise charis;
He said, "This will be the way of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons, and appoint them to him, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and they shall run before his chariots.
12 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.
And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands, and commanders of fifties; and he will assign some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and gather his vintage, and to make his implements of war, and the equipment of his chariots.
13 Also he schal make youre douytris makeris of `oynementis to hym silf, and fueris, and bakeris.
He will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 And he schal take youre feeldis and vyneris and the beste places of olyues, and schal yyue to hise seruauntis.
He will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive groves, even their best, and give them to his servants.
15 But also he schal take the tenthe part of youre cornes, and rentis of vyneris, that he yyue to his chaumberleyns and seruauntis.
He will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 Sotheli he schal take awey youre seruauntis and handmaydes, and beste yong men, and assis, and schal sette in his werk.
He will take your male servants, and your female servants, and your best cattle, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 Also he schal take the tenthe part of youre flockis, and ye schulen be `seruauntis to hym.
He will take the tenth of your flocks: and you shall be his servants.
18 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.
You shall cry out in that day because of your king whom you shall have chosen for yourselves, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 Sotheli the puple nolde here the vois of Samuel, but thei seiden, Nay for a kyng schal be on vs;
But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No; but we will have a king over us,
20 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.
that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles."
21 And Samuel herde alle the wordis of the puple, and `spak tho in the eeris of the Lord.
Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the LORD.
22 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.
The LORD said to Samuel, "Listen to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Every man go to his city."
