1 Samuel 12

1 Da sagde Samuel til al Israel: Se jeg hørte eders Røst i alt det, I sagde til mig, og jeg har sat en Konge til at regere over eder.

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 Og nu se, der vandrer Kongen for eders Ansigt, og jeg er vorden gammel og graahærdet, og se, mine Sønner ere hos eder; og jeg har vandret for eders Ansigt fra min Ungdom indtil denne Dag.

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 Se, her er jeg, vidner imod mig for Herren og for hans salvede: Hvis Okse har jeg taget, og hvis Asen har jeg taget, og hvem har jeg gjort Vold, hvem har jeg fortrykt, og af hvis Haand har jeg taget Bestikkelse, saa jeg derved lukkede mine Øjne? Og jeg vil give eder det igen.

Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD 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 Da sagde de: Du har hverken gjort os Vold, ej heller fortrykt os, og ej taget noget af nogens Haand.

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

5 Da sagde han til dem: Herren er Vidne mod eder, og hans salvede er Vidne paa denne Dag, at I ikke have fundet noget i min Haand; og Folket sagde: Han skal være Vidne.

He said to them, “The LORD 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 Fremdeles sagde Samuel til Folket: Det er Herren, som beskikkede Mose og Aron, og som førte eders Fædre op af Ægyptens Land.

Samuel said to the people, “It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.

7 Og nu stiller eder frem, og jeg vil gaa i Rette med eder for Herrens Ansigt om alle Herrens retfærdige Gerninger, som han har gjort imod eder og imod eders Fædre.

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

8 Der Jakob var kommen til Ægypten, da raabte eders Fædre til Herren, og Herren sendte Mose og Aron, og de udførte eders Fædre af Ægypten og lode dem bo paa dette Sted.

“When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.

9 Men de forglemte Herren deres Gud; og han solgte dem i Siseras Haand, Krigshøvedsmandens i Hazor, og i Filisternes Haand og i Moabiternes Konges Haand, og disse strede imod dem.

But they forgot the LORD 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 Da raabte de til Herren og sagde: Vi have syndet, fordi vi forlode Herren og tjente Baal- og Astartebillederne; men fri os nu fra vore Fjenders Haand, saa ville vi tjene dig.

They cried to the LORD, and said, ‘We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD 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 Da sendte Herren Jerub-Baal og Bedan og Jeftha og Samuel; og han friede eder af eders Fjenders Haand trindt omkring, at I boede tryggeligen.

The LORD 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 Og der I saa, at Nahas, Ammons Børns Konge, kom imod eder, da sagde I til mig: Ikke saa, men en Konge skal regere over os, skønt Herren eders Gud var eders Konge.

“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 the LORD your God was your king.

13 Og nu, se, der er Kongen, som I have udvalgt, som I have begæret; og se, Herren har sat en Konge over eder.

Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD has set a king over you.

14 Dersom I frygte Herren og tjene ham og høre hans Røst og ikke ere genstridige mod Herrens Mund: Da skulle baade I og Kongen, som regerer over eder, være Herren eders Gud til Behag.

If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God.

15 Men dersom I ikke høre Herrens Røst, men ere genstridige mod Herrens Mund, da skal Herrens Haand være imod eder, som imod eders Fædre.

But if you will not listen to the LORD’s voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD’s hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.

16 Stiller eder nu ogsaa frem og ser denne store Ting, som Herren skal gøre for eders Øjne.

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

17 Er det ikke Hvedehøst i Dag? Jeg vil kalde paa Herren, saa skal han give Torden og Regn: Saa vider og ser, at det onde, som I have gjort for Herrens Øjne, er stort, idet at I have begæret eder en Konge.

Isn’t it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD’s sight, in asking for a king.”

18 Da raabte Samuel til Herren, og Herren gav Torden og Regn paa den samme Dag; derfor frygtede alt Folket saare for Herren og Samuel.

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

19 Og alt Folket sagde til Samuel: Bed ydmygeligen for dine Tjenere til Herren din Gud, at vi ikke skulle dø; thi vi lagde det onde til alle vore Synder, at vi begærede os en Konge.

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

20 Da sagde Samuel til Folket: Frygter ikke! I have vel gjort alt dette onde; viger dog ikke fra Herren, men tjener Herren i eders ganske Hjerte!

Samuel said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don’t turn away from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.

21 Og viger ikke af; thi saa følge I forfængelige Ting, som ej gavne eller hjælpe, thi de ere Forfængelighed.

Don’t turn away to go after vain things which can’t profit or deliver, for they are vain.

22 Thi Herren skal ikke forlade sit Folk for sit store Navns Skyld, efterdi Herren har haft Villie til at gøre eder til sit Folk.

For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.

23 Ogsaa jeg — det være langt fra mig at synde imod Herren, at jeg skulde lade af at bede ydmygeligen for eder; men jeg vil lære eder den gode og den rette Vej.

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you; but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.

24 Frygter ikkun Herren og tjener ham i Sandhed af eders ganske Hjerte; thi ser, hvor store Ting han gør imod eder.

Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.

25 Men gøre I alligevel ilde, da skulle baade I og eders Konge omkomme.

But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king.”