1 Samuel 12

1 Entonces Samuel dijo a todo Israel: Ciertamente escuché su voz en todo lo que me dijeron. Constituí un rey que reine sobre ustedes.

Then Samuel said to all of Israel: “Behold, I have listened to your voice, according to all that you have said to me, and I have appointed a king over you.

2 Ahora, miren, su rey marcha al frente de ustedes. Yo ya soy anciano y canoso, y también mis hijos están delante de ustedes. Desde mi juventud hasta hoy yo anduve delante de ustedes.

And now the king advances before you. But I am old and have gray hair. Moreover, my sons are with you. And so, having conversed before you from my youth, even until this day, behold, I am here.

3 Aquí estoy, testifiquen contra mí en presencia de Yavé y de su ungido, si tomé el buey o el asno de alguno, si calumnié a alguien, si agravié a alguno, o si de algún modo acepté soborno ante lo cual cerré mis ojos. Yo se lo restituiré.

Speak about me before the Lord, and before his Christ, as to whether I have taken anyone’s ox or donkey, or whether I have falsely accused anyone, or whether I have oppressed anyone, or whether I have accepted a bribe from the hand of anyone, and I will repudiate the same, this day, and I will restore it to you.”

4 Entonces dijeron: Nunca nos calumniaste, ni agraviaste, ni tomaste algo de mano de algún hombre.

And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

5 Y él les dijo: Yavé es testigo contra ustedes y su ungido es testigo hoy, que nada hallaron en mi mano. Ellos respondieron: Es testigo.

And he said to them, “The Lord is a witness against you, and his Christ is a witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is the witness.”

6 Samuel dijo al pueblo: Yavé es el que designó a Moisés y a Aarón, Quien sacó a sus antepasados de la tierra de Egipto.

And Samuel said to the people: “It is the Lord who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who led our fathers away from the land of Egypt.

7 Ahora pues, estén quietos, para que yo razone con ustedes delante de Yavé sobre todos los actos justos que Yavé hizo con ustedes y con sus antepasados.

Now therefore, stand, so that I may contend in judgment against you before the Lord, about all the mercies of the Lord, which he has given to you and to your fathers:

8 Después que Jacob entró en Egipto, sus antepasados clamaron a Yavé, y Yavé envió a Moisés y a Aarón, quienes sacaron a sus antepasados de Egipto, y los establecieron en este lugar.

How Jacob entered into Egypt, and your fathers cried out to the Lord. And the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and he led your fathers away from Egypt, and he transferred them to this place.

9 Pero ellos se olvidaron de Yavé su ʼElohim, y Él los entregó en mano de Sísara, jefe del ejército de Hazor, en mano de los filisteos, y en mano del rey de Moab, quienes pelearon contra ellos.

But they forgot the Lord their God, and so he delivered them into the hand of Sisera, master of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab. And they fought against them.

10 Entonces ellos clamaron a Yavé: Pecamos, abandonamos a Yavé y servimos a los baales y a Astarot. ¡Líbranos ahora de la mano de nuestros enemigos, y te serviremos!

But afterward, they cried out to the Lord, and they said: ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and we have served the Baals and Ashtaroth. Now therefore, rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’

11 Yavé envió a Jerobaal, Bedán, Jefté y Samuel, y los libró de mano de sus enemigos de alrededor y vivieron con seguridad.

And the Lord sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and he rescued you from the hand of your enemies all around, and you lived in confidence.

12 Pero cuando vieron que Nahas, rey de los hijos de Amón, venía contra ustedes, me dijeron: No. Un rey reinará sobre nosotros, aun cuando Yavé su ʼElohim era su Rey.

Then, seeing that Nahash, the king of the sons of Ammon, had arrived against you, you said to me, ‘By no means! Instead, a king shall reign over us,’ even though the Lord your God was reigning over you.

13 Ahora pues, aquí tienen al rey que eligieron, el cual pidieron. Ciertamente Yavé designó rey sobre ustedes.

Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.

14 Si temen a Yavé, le sirven, obedecen su voz y no son rebeldes a la Palabra de Yavé, y si tanto ustedes como su rey sirven a Yavé su ʼElohim, harán bien.

If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord, then both you, and the king who rules over you, will be following the Lord your God.

15 Pero si no obedecen la voz de Yavé y son rebeldes a la Palabra de Yavé, la mano de Yavé estará contra ustedes y contra su rey.

But if you will not listen to the voice of the Lord, but instead you provoke his words, then the hand of the Lord will be over you and over your fathers.

16 Aun ahora preséntense y vean la gran maravilla que hace Yavé ante sus ojos:

Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.

17 ¿No es ahora la cosecha del trigo? Invocaré a Yavé para que Él envíe truenos y lluvia. Sabrán y verán que fue grande la perversidad que cometieron ante Yavé al pedir un rey para ustedes.

Is it not the harvest of the wheat today? I will call upon the Lord, and he will send thunder and rain. And you will know and see that you have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, by petitioning for a king over you.”

18 Entonces Samuel invocó a Yavé. Ese día Yavé envió truenos y lluvia, y todo el pueblo temió grandemente a Yavé y a Samuel.

And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.

19 Todo el pueblo dijo a Samuel: Ora por tus esclavos ante Yavé tu ʼElohim para que no muramos, porque añadimos a todos nuestros pecados este mal de pedir rey para nosotros.

And all the people feared the Lord and Samuel exceedingly. And all the people said to Samuel: “Pray, on behalf of your servants, to the Lord your God, so that we may not die. For we have added to all our sins this evil, that we would petition for a king.”

20 Samuel respondió al pueblo: No teman. Ustedes cometieron todo este mal. Sin embargo, no se aparten de seguir a Yavé, sino sírvanle con todo su corazón.

Then Samuel said to the people: “Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil. Yet truly, do not choose to withdraw from the back of the Lord. Instead, serve the Lord with all your heart.

21 No se aparten tras vanidades que no aprovechan ni libran, porque son vanidades.

And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.

22 Porque Yavé no abandonará a su pueblo por su gran Nombre, pues Yavé se complació en convertirlos en pueblo suyo.

And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.

23 Por tanto, lejos esté de mí que peque contra Yavé al cesar de orar por ustedes. Más bien los instruiré en el camino bueno y recto.

So then, far be it from me, this sin against the Lord, that I would cease to pray for you. And so, I will teach you the good and upright way.

24 Solo teman a Yavé, y sírvanle de verdad con todo su corazón, pues consideren cuán grandes cosas hizo por ustedes.

Therefore, fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and from your whole heart. For you have seen the great works that he has done among you.

25 Pero si persisten en hacer el mal, perecerán, tanto ustedes como su rey.

But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”