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 this to all the Israeli people: “I have done everything that you told me to do, and I have given/appointed a king to rule 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.
My own sons [are grown up and] with you now, but I have appointed Saul [instead of one of them], and he is now your leader. I am now old, and my hair is gray. I have been your leader ever since I was a boy.
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.
Now tell me, while Yahweh is listening, and while the king whom he has chosen is listening: whose ox or donkey have I stolen [during all those years]? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed/treated badly? From whom have I accepted a bribe, in order that I would ignore [the evil things he had done]? If I have done any of those things, tell me, and I will pay back what I owe.”
4 Entonces dijeron: Nunca nos calumniaste, ni agraviaste, ni tomaste algo de mano de algún hombre.
They replied, “[No, ] you have never cheated anyone or oppressed anyone or accepted a bribe from 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.
Then Samuel said, “Today Yahweh can testify, and the king whom you chose can testify, that I have not taken a bribe from anyone.” They replied, “Yes, Yahweh can say that he knows that is true.”
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.
Samuel continued by saying, “Yahweh is the one who appointed Moses and Aaron [to lead] our ancestors. He is the one who brought them out of Egypt. [And he is the one who will testify that what I am saying is true].
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 while Yahweh is listening, stand here quietly while I accuse you [and tell you that your requesting a king instead of trusting Yahweh to lead you was wrong]. I will do that by reminding you of all the great miracles that Yahweh performed for you and your ancestors.
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.
[“Many years] after Jacob went to Egypt, our ancestors pleaded to Yahweh to help them. So Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron to them, and they led our ancestors out of Egypt, and eventually they settled in this land.
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 our ancestors soon forgot about Yahweh, their God. So he allowed Sisera, the commander of the army from Hazor, to defeat them. He also allowed the Philistines and the army of the king of Moab to fight our ancestors and defeat 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!
Then our ancestors pleaded with Yahweh again to help them. They admitted, ‘Yahweh, we have sinned, and we have forsaken you. We have worshiped [idols that represent the god] Baal and [the goddess] Astarte. But if you rescue us from our enemies, we will worship you only.’
11 Yavé envió a Jerobaal, Bedán, Jefté y Samuel, y los libró de mano de sus enemigos de alrededor y vivieron con seguridad.
So Yahweh sent men such as Gideon, Barak, Jephthah, and me to save you. And as a result, you did not have to worry about any enemies attacking you.
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.
“But now, when king Nahash of Ammon came [with his army] to attack you, [you were afraid. So], you [came to me, and] said, ‘We want a king to rule us,’ even though Yahweh was already your king!
13 Ahora pues, aquí tienen al rey que eligieron, el cual pidieron. Ciertamente Yavé designó rey sobre ustedes.
So now, look, here is the king whom you have chosen. You asked for a king, and Yahweh has now appointed a king for you.
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 revere Yahweh and if you serve him, and if you listen to what he says and obey what he commands, and if you and the king who rules over you do what Yahweh your God wants you to do, [(things will go well for you all/Yahweh will bless you)].
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 do not listen to what Yahweh says, if you disobey what he commands, then he will punish [MTY] you all, just as he punished our ancestors.
16 Aun ahora preséntense y vean la gran maravilla que hace Yavé ante sus ojos:
“Now stand here quietly and see the great thing that Yahweh is about to do.
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.
You know that [RHQ] [it does not rain at this time of the year], during the time when you harvest wheat. But I will ask Yahweh to send thunder [and lightning] and rain today. When he does that, you will realize that Yahweh considers that you have done a very wicked thing by requesting a king.”
18 Entonces Samuel invocó a Yavé. Ese día Yavé envió truenos y lluvia, y todo el pueblo temió grandemente a Yavé y a Samuel.
Then Samuel prayed to Yahweh, and Yahweh caused it to thunder [and lightning] and rain. So all the people became very afraid of Yahweh and of Samuel.
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.
They cried out to Samuel, “Pray for us! We have added to our previous sins by requesting a king! Pray to Yahweh, your God, in order that we will not die [because of having done that]!”
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.
Samuel replied, “Do not be afraid! You have done this evil thing, but do not turn away from doing the things that Yahweh wants you to do. Instead, serve Yahweh wholeheartedly.
21 No se aparten tras vanidades que no aprovechan ni libran, porque son vanidades.
Do not abandon [Yahweh] and worship useless idols. They cannot help you or save you [from your enemies], because they are truly useless.
22 Porque Yavé no abandonará a su pueblo por su gran Nombre, pues Yavé se complació en convertirlos en pueblo suyo.
Yahweh decided to make us his people. So he will not abandon us people whom he has chosen, because he would injure his own reputation [of being completely faithful] if he did that.
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.
But as for me, I have solemnly promised that I will not sin against Yahweh by ceasing to pray for you. And I will continue to teach you what things are good and right [for you to do].
24 Solo teman a Yavé, y sírvanle de verdad con todo su corazón, pues consideren cuán grandes cosas hizo por ustedes.
But you must revere Yahweh and serve him wholeheartedly. Never forget all the great things that he has done for you.
25 Pero si persisten en hacer el mal, perecerán, tanto ustedes como su rey.
But if you keep doing wicked things, he will get rid of you and your king!”
