I Samuelis 12

1 Dixit autem Samuel ad universum Israel: Ecce audivi vocem vestram iuxta omnia quae locuti estis ad me, et constitui super vos regem.

Then Samuel said to all Israel, “I have listened to your voice in all that you have said to me, and I have set over you a king.

2 Et nunc rex graditur ante vos: ego autem senui, et incanui: porro filii mei vobiscum sunt: itaque conversatus coram vobis ab adolescentia mea usque ad hanc diem, ecce praesto sum.

Now here is the king walking before you, and I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day.

3 Loquimini de me coram Domino, et coram Christo eius, utrum bovem cuiusquam tulerim, aut asinum: si quempiam calumniatus sum, si oppressi aliquem, si de manu cuiusquam munus accepi: et contemnam illud hodie, restituamque vobis.

Here I am. Bear witness against me before the LORD and before His anointed: Whose ox or donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated or oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe and closed my eyes? Tell me, and I will restore it to you.”

4 Et dixerunt: Non es calumniatus nos, neque oppressisti, neque tulisti de manu alicuius quippiam.

“You have not wronged us or oppressed us,” they replied, “nor have you taken anything from the hand of man.”

5 Dixitque ad eos: Testis est Dominus adversum vos, et testis Christus eius in die hac, quia non inveneritis in manu mea quippiam. Et dixerunt: Testis.

Samuel said to them, “The LORD is a witness against you, and His anointed is a witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

6 Et ait Samuel ad populum: Dominus qui fecit Moysen et Aaron, et eduxit patres nostros de Terra Aegypti, adest.

Then Samuel said to the people, “The LORD is the One who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Nunc ergo state, ut iudicio contendam adversum vos coram Domino de omnibus misericordiis Domini, quas fecit vobiscum et cum patribus vestris:

Now present yourselves, so that I may confront you before the LORD with all the righteous acts He has done for you and your fathers.

8 quo modo Iacob ingressus est in Aegyptum, et clamaverunt patres vestri ad Dominum: et misit Dominus Moysen et Aaron, et eduxit patres vestros de Aegypto: et collocavit eos in loco hoc.

When Jacob went to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the LORD, and He sent them Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt and settled them in this place.

9 Qui obliti sunt Domini Dei sui, et tradidit eos in manu Sisarae magistri militiae Hasor, et in manu Philisthinorum, et in manu regis Moab, et pugnaverunt adversum eos.

But they forgot the LORD their God, and He sold them into the hand of Sisera the commander of the army of Hazor, and into the hands of the Philistines and the king of Moab, who fought against them.

10 Postea autem clamaverunt ad Dominum, et dixerunt: Peccavimus, quia dereliquimus Dominum, et servivimus Baalim et Astaroth: nunc ergo erue nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum, et serviemus tibi.

Then they cried out to the LORD and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have forsaken the LORD and served the Baals and Ashtoreths. Now deliver us from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve You.’

11 Et misit Dominus Ierobaal, et Badan, et Samson, et Barac, et Iephte, et Samuel, et eruit vos de manu inimicorum vestrorum per circuitum, et habitastis confidenter.

So the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel, and He delivered you from the hands of your enemies on every side, and you dwelt securely.

12 Videntes autem quod Naas rex filiorum Ammon venisset adversum vos, dixistis mihi: Nequaquam, sed rex imperabit nobis: cum Dominus Deus vester regnaret in vobis.

But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we must have a king to rule over us’—even though the LORD your God was your king.

13 Nunc ergo praesto est rex vester, quem elegistis et petistis: ecce dedit vobis Dominus regem.

Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you requested. Behold, the LORD has placed a king over you.

14 Si timueritis Dominum, et servieritis ei, et audieritis vocem eius, et non exasperaveritis os Domini: eritis et vos, et rex qui imperat vobis, sequentes Dominum Deum vestrum.

If you fear the LORD and serve Him and obey His voice, and if you do not rebel against the command of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the LORD your God, then all will be well.

15 si autem non audieritis vocem Domini, sed exasperaveritis sermones eius, erit manus Domini super vos, sicut et super patres vestros.

But if you disobey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you as it was against your fathers.

16 Sed et nunc state, et videte rem istam grandem quam facturus est Dominus in conspectu vestro.

Now, therefore, stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes.

17 Numquid non messis tritici est hodie? invocabo Dominum, et dabit voces et pluvias: et scietis, et videbitis quia grande malum feceritis vobis in conspectu Domini, petentes super vos regem.

Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call on the LORD to send thunder and rain, so that you will know and see what a great evil you have committed in the sight of the LORD by asking for a king.”

18 Et clamavit Samuel ad Dominum, et dedit Dominus voces et pluvias in illa die.

So Samuel called to the LORD, and on that day the LORD sent thunder and rain. As a result, all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

19 Et timuit omnis populus nimis Dominum et Samuelem, et dixit universus populus ad Samuelem: Ora pro servis tuis ad Dominum Deum tuum, ut non moriamur. addidimus enim universis peccatis nostris malum, ut peteremus nobis regem.

They pleaded with Samuel, “Pray to the LORD your God for your servants so that we will not die! For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for a king.”

20 Dixit autem Samuel ad populum: Nolite timere, vos fecistis universum malum hoc: verumtamen nolite recedere a tergo Domini, sed servite Domino in omni corde vestro.

“Do not be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have committed all this evil, do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 Et nolite declinare post vana, quae non proderunt vobis, neque eruent vos, quia vana sunt.

Do not turn aside after worthless things that cannot profit you or deliver you, for they are empty.

22 Et non derelinquet Dominus populum suum propter nomen suum magnum: quia iuravit Dominus facere vos sibi populum.

Indeed, for the sake of His great name, the LORD will not abandon His people, because He was pleased to make you His own.

23 Absit autem a me hoc peccatum in Domino, ut cessem orare pro vobis, et docebo vos viam bonam et rectam.

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you the good and right way.

24 Igitur timete Dominum, et servite ei in veritate, et ex toto corde vestro. vidistis enim magnifica quae in vobis gesserit.

Above all, fear the LORD and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things He has done for you.

25 Quod si perseveraveritis in malitia: et vos et rex vester pariter peribitis.

But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.”