1 Samuel 12

1And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.

2And now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day, behold here I am.

3Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man’s ox, or ass: If I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man’s hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.

4And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.

5And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.

6And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord, who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.

7Now therefore stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:

8How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt: and made them dwell in this place.

9And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

10But afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

11And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.

12But seeing that Naas king of the children of Ammon was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.

13Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.

14If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of the Lord your God.

15But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.

16Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.

17Is it not wheat harvest today? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.

18And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.

19And all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.

20And Samuel said to the people: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.

21And turn not aside after vain things which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.

22And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.

23And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you, and I will teach you the good and right way.

24Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.

25But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.

1Dixit autem Samuel ad universum Israël: Ecce audivi vocem vestram juxta omnia quæ locuti estis ad me, et constitui super vos regem.

2Et 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 præsto sum.

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

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

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

6Et ait Samuel ad populum: Dominus, qui fecit Moysen et Aaron, et eduxit patres nostros de terra Ægypti.

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

8quomodo Jacob ingressus est in Ægyptum, et clamaverunt patres vestri ad Dominum: et misit Dominus Moysen et Aaron, et eduxit patres vestros de Ægypto, et collocavit eos in loco hoc.

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

10Postea 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.

11Et misit Dominus Jerobaal, et Badan, et Jephte, et Samuel, et eruit vos de manu inimicorum vestrorum per circuitum, et habitastis confidenter.

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

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

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

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

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

17Numquid 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.

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

19Et 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

1Then 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.

2And 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.

3Speak 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.”

4And they said, “You have not falsely accused us, nor oppressed us, nor have you taken anything from the hand of anyone.”

5And 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.”

6And 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.

7Now 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:

8How 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.

9But 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.

10But 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.’

11And 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.

12Then, 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.

13Now therefore, your king is present, whom you chose and requested. Behold, the Lord has given you a king.

14If 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.

15But 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.

16Therefore, stand now, and see this great thing, which the Lord will accomplish in your sight.

17Is 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.”

18And Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain on that day.

19And 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.”

20Then 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.

21And do not choose to turn aside after vanities, which will never benefit you, nor rescue you, since they are empty.

22And the Lord will not abandon his people, because of his great name. For the Lord has sworn to make you his people.

23So 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.

24Therefore, 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.

25But if you persevere in wickedness, both you and your king will perish together.”