1 Samuel 8
1 Lorsque Samuel devint vieux, il établit ses fils juges sur Israël.
And it happened that, when Samuel had become old, he appointed his sons as judges over Israel.
2 Son fils premier-né se nommait Joël, et le second Abija; ils étaient juges à Beer-Schéba.
Now the name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of the second was Abijah: judges at Beersheba.
3 Les fils de Samuel ne marchèrent point sur ses traces; ils se livraient à la cupidité, recevaient des présents, et violaient la justice.
But his sons did not walk in his ways. Instead, they turned aside, pursuing avarice. And they accepted bribes, and they perverted judgment.
4 Tous les anciens d’Israël s’assemblèrent, et vinrent auprès de Samuel à Rama.
Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel, having gathered together, went to Samuel at Ramah.
5 Ils lui dirent: Voici, tu es vieux, et tes fils ne marchent point sur tes traces; maintenant, établis sur nous un roi pour nous juger, comme il y en a chez toutes les nations.
And they said to him: “Behold, you are elderly, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Appoint for us a king, so that he may judge us, just as all the nations have.”
6 Samuel vit avec déplaisir qu’ils disaient: Donne-nous un roi pour nous juger. Et Samuel pria l’Éternel.
And the word was displeasing in the eyes of Samuel, for they had said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord.
7 L’Éternel dit à Samuel: Écoute la voix du peuple dans tout ce qu’il te dira; car ce n’est pas toi qu’ils rejettent, c’est moi qu’ils rejettent, afin que je ne règne plus sur eux.
Then the Lord said to Samuel: “Listen to the voice of the people in all that they are saying to you. For they have not rejected you, but me, lest I reign over them.
8 Ils agissent à ton égard comme ils ont toujours agi depuis que je les ai fait monter d’Égypte jusqu’à ce jour; ils m’ont abandonné, pour servir d’autres dieux.
In accord with all their works, which they have done from the day when I led them away from Egypt, even to this day: just as they have forsaken me, and served foreign gods, so now they also do to you.
9 Écoute donc leur voix; mais donne-leur des avertissements, et fais-leur connaître le droit du roi qui régnera sur eux.
Now therefore, hear their voice. Yet truly, testify to them and foretell to them the rights of the king who will reign over them.”
10 Samuel rapporta toutes les paroles de l’Éternel au peuple qui lui demandait un roi.
And so, Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people, who had petitioned a king from him.
11 Il dit: Voici quel sera le droit du roi qui régnera sur vous. Il prendra vos fils, et il les mettra sur ses chars et parmi ses cavaliers, afin qu’ils courent devant son char;
And he said: “This will be the right of the king who will have authority over you: He will take your sons, and place them in his chariots. And he will make them his horsemen and his runners before his four-horse chariots.
12 il s’en fera des chefs de mille et des chefs de cinquante, et il les emploiera à labourer ses terres, à récolter ses moissons, à fabriquer ses armes de guerre et l’attirail de ses chars.
And he will appoint them to be his tribunes and centurions, and the plowmen of his fields, and the harvesters of the grain, and the makers of his weapons and chariots.
13 Il prendra vos filles, pour en faire des parfumeuses, des cuisinières et des boulangères.
Likewise, your daughters he will take for himself as makers of ointments, and as cooks and bakers.
14 Il prendra la meilleure partie de vos champs, de vos vignes et de vos oliviers, et la donnera à ses serviteurs.
Also, he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your best olive groves, and he will give them to his servants.
15 Il prendra la dîme du produit de vos semences et de vos vignes, et la donnera à ses serviteurs.
Moreover, he will take one tenth of your grain and of the results of your vineyards, so that he may give these to his eunuchs and servants.
16 Il prendra vos serviteurs et vos servantes, vos meilleurs bœufs et vos ânes, et s’en servira pour ses travaux.
Then, too, he will take your servants, and handmaids, and your best young men, and your donkeys, and he will set them to his work.
17 Il prendra la dîme de vos troupeaux, et vous-mêmes serez ses esclaves.
Also, he will take a tenth of your flocks. And you will be his servants.
18 Et alors vous crierez contre votre roi que vous vous serez choisi, mais l’Éternel ne vous exaucera point.
And you will cry out, in that day, from the face of the king, whom you have chosen for yourselves. And the Lord will not heed you, in that day. For you requested a king for yourselves.”
19 Le peuple refusa d’écouter la voix de Samuel. Non! Dirent-ils, mais il y aura un roi sur nous,
But the people were not willing to listen to the voice of Samuel. Instead, they said: “By no means! For there shall be a king over us,
20 et nous aussi nous serons comme toutes les nations; notre roi nous jugera il marchera à notre tête et conduira nos guerres.
and we shall be just like all the Gentiles. And our king will judge us, and he will go out before us, and he will fight our wars for us.”
21 Samuel, après avoir entendu toutes les paroles du peuple, les redit aux oreilles de l’Éternel.
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he spoke them to the ears of the Lord.
22 Et l’Éternel dit à Samuel: Écoute leur voix, et établis un roi sur eux. Et Samuel dit aux hommes d’Israël: Allez-vous-en chacun dans sa ville.
Then the Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to their voice, and appoint a king over them.” And Samuel said to the men of Israel, “Let each one go to his own city.”
