1 Samuel 8

1 Forsothe it was don, whanne Samuel hadde wexide eld, he settide hise sones iugis on Israel.

And it came to pass, 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 first-born was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: [they were] judges in Beer-sheba.

3 And hise sones yeden not in `the weies of hym, but thei bowiden after aueryce, and thei token yiftis, and peruertiden doom.

And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.

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 assembled, 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 said to him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy 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: and 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.

And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign 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 since the day that I brought them out of Egypt even to this day, by which they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to thee.

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 hearken to their voice: yet protest solemnly to them, and show them the manner of the king that will 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,

And Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people that 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;

And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint [them] for himself, for his chariots, and [to be] his horsemen; and [some] will 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 him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and [will set them] to till his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots.

13 Also he schal make youre douytris makeris of `oynementis to hym silf, and fueris, and bakeris.

And he will take your daughters [to be] confectioneries, 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.

And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive-yards, [even] the best [of them], 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.

And 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.

And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your most choice young men, and your asses, 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 sheep: and ye will 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.

And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen for yourselves; and the LORD will not hear 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;

Nevertheless, the people refused to obey 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.

And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears 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.

And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.