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

¹撒母耳臨別贈言撒母耳對以色列人說：“看哪！我已經聽從了你們向我所說的一切話，為你們立了一個王。

²And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

²現在，有這王領導你們。至於我，我已經年老髮白，我的兒子也都在你們那裡；我自幼年直到今日都領導你們。

³Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

³看哪，我在這裡！你們只管在耶和華面前，以及在他的受膏者面前，作證指控我：我奪過誰的牛？搶過誰的驢？欺負過誰？虐待過誰？從誰手裡受過賄賂，以致我的眼睛因此被蒙住呢？如果有，我必償還給你們。”

⁴And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

⁴他們回答：“你沒有欺負過我們，沒有虐待過我們，也沒有從誰手裡取過甚麼東西。”

⁵And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

⁵撒母耳對他們說：“今天耶和華在你們中間作見證，他的膏立者也作見證；你們在我手裡沒有找到甚麼。”他們說：“願他作證。”

⁶And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

⁶撒母耳對人民說：“從前選立摩西和亞倫，又把你們的列祖從埃及地領上來的，是耶和華。

⁷Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.

⁷現在你們要站住，我要在耶和華面前與你們講論耶和華向你們的列祖所行一切公義的事。

⁸When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this place.

⁸從前雅各到了埃及，後來你們的列祖哀求耶和華，耶和華就差遣摩西和亞倫去把你們的列祖從埃及領出來，又使他們在這地方居住。

⁹And when they forgat the LORD their God, he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the host of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.

⁹他們卻忘記了耶和華他們的　神，　神就把他們交在夏瑣的將軍西西拉的手中，以及非利士人和摩押王的手中，於是這些人常常攻打他們。

¹⁰And they cried unto the LORD, and said, We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served Baalim and Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.

¹⁰他們就哀求耶和華，說：‘我們犯了罪，因為我們背棄了耶和華，又去服事巴力和亞斯他錄。現在求你救我們脫離仇敵的手，我們就必事奉你。’

¹¹And the LORD sent Jerubbaal, and Bedan, and Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side, and ye dwelled safe.

¹¹於是耶和華差遣耶路．巴力、比但、耶弗他、撒母耳，救你們脫離四圍仇敵的手，你們才可以安然居住。

¹²And when ye saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, Nay; but a king shall reign over us: when the LORD your God was your king.

¹²可是，你們看到亞捫王拿轄來攻擊你們，就對我說：‘不行，我們要有一個王來統治我們。’其實，耶和華你們的　神是你們的王。

¹³Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the LORD hath set a king over you.

¹³現在，你們所揀選、所要求的王在這裡。看哪！耶和華已經立了一個王統治你們。

¹⁴If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the LORD your God:

¹⁴如果你們敬畏耶和華，事奉他，聽從他的話，不違背他的命令，你們和統治你們的王就必跟從耶和華你們的　神。

¹⁵But if ye will not obey the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then shall the hand of the LORD be against you, as it was against your fathers.

¹⁵但是，如果你們不聽從耶和華的話，違背他的命令，耶和華的手就必攻擊你們，好像攻擊你們的列祖一樣。

¹⁶Now therefore stand and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.

¹⁶現在你們要站著，看耶和華在你們眼前將要施行的這件大事。

¹⁷Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the LORD, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of the LORD, in asking you a king.

¹⁷現今不是收割麥子的時候嗎？我要向耶和華呼求，他就會打雷降雨，你們就可以知道，又可以看見，你們為自己要求立王的事，在耶和華看來，是行了極大的惡事。”

¹⁸So Samuel called unto the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day: and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

¹⁸於是撒母耳向耶和華呼求，耶和華就在那天打雷降雨，眾民就非常懼怕耶和華和撒母耳。

¹⁹And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the LORD thy God, that we die not: for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us a king.

¹⁹眾民對撒母耳說：“求你為僕人向耶和華你的　神禱告，免得我們死亡，因為我們為自己要求立王的事，是在我們的一切罪上又增加了這一件惡事。”

²⁰And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;

²⁰撒母耳對人民說：“不要懼怕！雖然你們行了這一切惡事，只是不可偏離不跟隨耶和華，總要一心事奉他。

²¹And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.

²¹不可偏離耶和華，去追隨那些空虛的偶像，因為它們本是空虛的，對人沒有甚麼益處，也不能救人。

²²For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

²²耶和華為了自己的大名的緣故，必不丟棄他的子民，因為他喜歡使你們作他的子民。

²³Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:

²³至於我，我決不停止為你們禱告，以致得罪耶和華；我要把善道正路教導你們。

²⁴Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

²⁴你們只要敬畏耶和華，誠實全心事奉他，因為你們已經看過他為你們所作的是何等大的事。

²⁵But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.

²⁵如果你們繼續行惡，你們和你們的王就必一同滅亡。”