I Samuelis 12

1 dixit autem Samuhel ad universum Israhel ecce audivi vocem vestram iuxta omnia quae locuti estis ad me et constitui super vos regem

Then Samuel said to all of Israel, “I have paid attention to everything you asked from me, and I have given you a king to rule over you.

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

Now your king is your leader. I am old and gray, and my sons are here with you. I have led you from the time I was a boy up to today.

3 loquimini de me coram Domino et coram christo eius utrum bovem cuiusquam tulerim an asinum si quempiam calumniatus sum si oppressi aliquem si de manu cuiusquam munus accepi et contemnam illud hodie restituamque vobis

I stand here before you. Bring any charges you have against me in the presence of the Lord and of his anointed one. Have I taken anyone's ox or donkey? Have I wronged anyone? Have I oppressed anyone? Have I accepted a bribe from anyone to turn a blind eye? Tell me, and I will repay you.”

4 et dixerunt non es calumniatus nos neque oppressisti neque tulisti de manu alicuius quippiam

“No, you have never cheated or oppressed us,” they replied, “and you have never taken anything from anyone.”

5 dixitque ad eos testis Dominus adversus vos et testis christus eius in die hac quia non inveneritis in manu mea quippiam et dixerunt testis

Samuel told them, “The Lord is a witness, and his anointed is a witness today, in this case involving you, that you have not found me guilty of anything.” “He is a witness,” they replied.

6 et ait Samuhel ad populum Dominus qui fecit Mosen et Aaron et eduxit patres nostros de terra Aegypti

“The Lord is a witness, he who appointed Moses and Aaron,” Samuel went on. “He led your forefathers 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

So stand here as I present to you in the presence of the Lord the evidence of all the good things the Lord has done for you and your forefathers.

8 quomodo ingressus est Iacob in Aegyptum et clamaverunt patres vestri ad Dominum et misit Dominus Mosen et Aaron et eduxit patres vestros ex Aegypto et conlocavit eos in loco hoc

After Jacob had gone to Egypt, your fathers cried out to the Lord for help, and he sent Moses and Aaron to lead your forefathers out of Egypt and settle them here.

9 qui obliti sunt Domini Dei sui et tradidit eos in manu Sisarae magistri militiae Asor et in manu Philisthinorum et in manu regis Moab et pugnaverunt adversum eos

But they forgot about the Lord their God, so he abandoned them to Sisera, the commander of the army of Hazor, to the Philistines, and to the king of Moab, who attacked them.

10 postea autem clamaverunt ad Dominum et dixerunt peccavimus quia dereliquimus Dominum et servivimus Baalim et Astharoth nunc ergo erue nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum et serviemus tibi

They cried out to the Lord for help and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have rejected the Lord and worshiped the Baals and Ashtoreths. Please save us from the hands of our enemies, and we will worship you.’

11 et misit Dominus Hierobaal et Bedan et Ieptha et Samuhel et eruit vos de manu inimicorum vestrorum per circuitum et habitastis confidenter

Then the Lord sent Gideon, Barak, Jephthah and Samuel, and he saved you from your enemies who surrounded you so you could live in safety.

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 coming to attack you, you told me, ‘No, we want our own king,’ 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

So here's the king you have chosen, the one you asked for. Look—the Lord now gives him to you as your king!

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 honor the Lord, worship him, do what he tells you, and don't rebel against the Lord's instructions, and if both you and your king follow the Lord your God, then good!

15 si autem non audieritis vocem Domini sed exasperaveritis sermonem Domini erit manus Domini super vos et super patres vestros

However, if you refuse to do what he tells you, and rebel against the Lord's instructions, then the Lord will be against you as he was against your forefathers.

16 sed et nunc state et videte rem istam grandem quam facturus est Dominus in conspectu vestro

Now stand still and watch what the Lord is going to do, right before your very 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

Isn't it the time of wheat harvest? Well, I will ask the Lord to send thunder and rain. Then you will realize how very evil you were in the Lord's sight when you demanded your own king.”

18 et clamavit Samuhel ad Dominum et dedit Dominus voces et pluviam in die illa

Then Samuel prayed to the Lord, and that very day the Lord sent thunder and rain. Everyone was in absolute awe of the Lord and of Samuel.

19 et timuit omnis populus nimis Dominum et Samuhelem dixitque universus populus ad Samuhel ora pro servis tuis ad Dominum Deum tuum ut non moriamur addidimus enim universis peccatis nostris malum ut peteremus nobis regem

“Please pray to the Lord your God for us your servants, so we will not die!” they begged Samuel. “For we have added to all our sins the evil of asking for our own king.”

20 dixit autem Samuhel ad populum nolite timere vos fecistis universum malum hoc verumtamen nolite recedere a tergo Domini et servite Domino in omni corde vestro

“Don't be afraid,” Samuel replied. “Even though you have indeed done all these evil things, don't give up following the Lord, but dedicate yourselves completely to worshiping him.

21 et nolite declinare post vana quae non proderunt vobis neque eruent vos quia vana sunt

Don't worship worthless idols that can't help you or save you, for they are nothing.

22 et non derelinquet Dominus populum suum propter nomen suum magnum quia iuravit Dominus facere vos sibi populum

The fact is because of the kind of person the Lord is, he won't give up on his people, because he was happy to claim you as 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, how could I sin against the Lord by no longer praying for you. I will also continue to teach you the way of goodness and right.

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

Make sure you honor God and worship him faithfully, with complete dedication. Think of all the tremendous things he has done for you.

25 quod si perseveraveritis in malitia et vos et rex vester pariter peribitis

But if you continue to do what is evil, you and your king will be wiped out.”