1 Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you. 2 Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day. 3 Here I am. Witness against me before Yahweh and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a bribe to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."

4 They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone’s hand."

5 He said to them, "Yahweh is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand."

They said, "He is witness." 6 Samuel said to the people, "It is Yahweh who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. 7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before Yahweh concerning all the righteous acts of Yahweh, which he did to you and to your fathers.

8 "When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to Yahweh, then Yahweh sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place. 9 But they forgot Yahweh their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain 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 They cried to Yahweh, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken Yahweh and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth; but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.’ 11 Yahweh sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.

12 "When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, ‘No, but a king shall reign over us,’ when Yahweh your God was your king. 13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, Yahweh has set a king over you. 14 If you will fear Yahweh, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of Yahweh your God. 15 But if you will not listen to Yahweh’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of Yahweh, then Yahweh’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 "Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which Yahweh will do before your eyes. 17 Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to Yahweh, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in Yahweh’s sight, in asking for a king."

18 So Samuel called to Yahweh, and Yahweh sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared Yahweh and Samuel.

19 All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to Yahweh your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king."

20 Samuel said to the people, "Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following Yahweh, but serve Yahweh with all your heart. 21 Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain. 22 For Yahweh will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased Yahweh to make you a people for himself. 23 Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against Yahweh in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way. 24 Only fear Yahweh, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you. 25 But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king."

1 撒母耳对以色列人说： "看哪！ 我已经听从了你们向我所说的一切话， 为你们立了一个王。

2 现在， 有这王领导你们。至于我， 我已经年老发白， 我的儿子也都在你们那里； 我自幼年直到今日都领导你们。

3 看哪， 我在这里！ 你们只管在耶和华面前， 以及在他的受膏者面前， 作证指控我： 我夺过谁的牛？抢过谁的驴？欺负过谁？虐待过谁？从谁手里受过贿赂， 以致我的眼睛因此被蒙住呢？如果有， 我必偿还给你们。"

4 他们回答： "你没有欺负过我们， 没有虐待过我们， 也没有从谁手里取过什么东西。"

5 撒母耳对他们说： "今天耶和华在你们中间作见证， 他的膏立者也作见证； 你们在我手里没有找到什么。"他们说： "愿他作证。"

6 撒母耳对人民说： "从前选立摩西和亚伦， 又把你们的列祖从埃及地领上来的， 是耶和华。

7 现在你们要站住， 我要在耶和华面前与你们讲论耶和华向你们的列祖所行一切公义的事。

8 从前雅各到了埃及， 后来你们的列祖哀求耶和华， 耶和华就差遣摩西和亚伦去把你们的列祖从埃及领出来， 又使他们在这地方居住。

9 他们却忘记了耶和华他们的 神， 神就把他们交在夏琐的将军西西拉的手中， 以及非利士人和摩押王的手中， 于是这些人常常攻打他们。

10 他们就哀求耶和华， 说： ‘我们犯了罪， 因为我们背弃了耶和华， 又去服事巴力和亚斯他录。现在求你救我们脱离仇敌的手， 我们就必事奉你。’

11 于是耶和华差遣耶路．巴力、比但、耶弗他、撒母耳， 救你们脱离四围仇敌的手， 你们才可以安然居住。

12 可是， 你们看到亚扪王拿辖来攻击你们， 就对我说： ‘不行， 我们要有一个王来统治我们。’其实， 耶和华你们的 神是你们的王。

13 现在， 你们所拣选、所要求的王在这里。看哪！ 耶和华已经立了一个王统治你们。

14 如果你们敬畏耶和华， 事奉他， 听从他的话， 不违背他的命令， 你们和统治你们的王就必跟从耶和华你们的 神。

15 但是， 如果你们不听从耶和华的话， 违背他的命令， 耶和华的手就必攻击你们， 好像攻击你们的列祖一样。

16 现在你们要站着， 看耶和华在你们眼前将要施行的这件大事。

17 现今不是收割麦子的时候吗？我要向耶和华呼求， 他就会打雷降雨， 你们就可以知道， 又可以看见， 你们为自己要求立王的事， 在耶和华看来， 是行了极大的恶事。"

18 于是撒母耳向耶和华呼求， 耶和华就在那天打雷降雨， 众民就非常惧怕耶和华和撒母耳。

19 众民对撒母耳说： "求你为仆人向耶和华你的 神祷告， 免得我们死亡， 因为我们为自己要求立王的事， 是在我们的一切罪上又增加了这一件恶事。"

20 撒母耳对人民说： "不要惧怕！ 虽然你们行了这一切恶事， 只是不可偏离不跟随耶和华， 总要一心事奉他。

21 不可偏离耶和华， 去追随那些空虚的偶像， 因为它们本是空虚的， 对人没有什么益处， 也不能救人。

22 耶和华为了自己的大名的缘故， 必不丢弃他的子民， 因为他喜欢使你们作他的子民。

23 至于我， 我决不停止为你们祷告， 以致得罪耶和华； 我要把善道正路教导你们。

24 你们只要敬畏耶和华， 诚实全心事奉他， 因为你们已经看过他为你们所作的是何等大的事。

25 如果你们继续行恶， 你们和你们的王就必一同灭亡。"