撒母耳記上 8
1 撒母耳年紀老邁，就立他兒子作以色列的士師。
And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel.
2 長子名叫約珥，次子名叫亞比亞；他們在別是巴作士師。
Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.
3 他兒子不行他的道，貪圖財利，收受賄賂，屈枉正直。
And his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 以色列的長老都聚集，來到拉瑪見撒母耳，
Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel to Ramah.
5 對他說：「你年紀老邁了，你兒子不行你的道。現在求你為我們立一個王治理我們，像列國一樣。」
And they said to him, Behold, thou are old, and thy sons do not walk in thy ways. Now make for us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 撒母耳不喜悅他們說「立一個王治理我們」，他就禱告耶和華。
But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed to Jehovah.
7 耶和華對撒母耳說：「百姓向你說的一切話，你只管依從；因為他們不是厭棄你，乃是厭棄我，不要我作他們的王。
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to thee, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not be king over them.
8 自從我領他們出埃及到如今，他們常常離棄我，事奉別神。現在他們向你所行的，是照他們素來所行的。
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, in that they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also to thee.
9 故此你要依從他們的話，只是當警戒他們，告訴他們將來那王怎樣管轄他們。」
Now therefore hearken to their voice. However thou shall protest solemnly to them, and shall show them the manner of the king who shall reign over them.
10 撒母耳將耶和華的話都傳給求他立王的百姓，說：
And Samuel told all the words of Jehovah to the people who asked of him a king.
11 「管轄你們的王必這樣行：他必派你們的兒子為他趕車、跟馬，奔走在車前；
And he said, This will be the manner of the king who shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them to him for his chariots, and to be his horsemen, and they shall run before his chariots.
12 又派他們作千夫長、五十夫長，為他耕種田地，收割莊稼，打造軍器和車上的器械；
And he will appoint them to him for captains of thousands, and captains of fifties. And he will set some to plow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and the instruments of his chariots.
13 必取你們的女兒為他製造香膏，做飯烤餅；
And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, and to be cooks, and to be bakers.
14 也必取你們最好的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園賜給他的臣僕。
And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.
15 你們的糧食和葡萄園所出的，他必取十分之一給他的太監和臣僕；
And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants.
16 又必取你們的僕人婢女，健壯的少年人和你們的驢，供他的差役。
And he will take your men-servants, and your maid-servants, and your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work.
17 你們的羊群他必取十分之一，你們也必作他的僕人。
He will take the tenth of your flocks. And ye shall be his servants.
18 那時你們必因所選的王哀求耶和華，耶和華卻不應允你們。」
And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king whom ye shall have chosen you, and Jehovah will not answer you in that day.
19 百姓竟不肯聽撒母耳的話，說：「不然！我們定要一個王治理我們，
But the people refused to hearken to the voice of Samuel. And they said, No, but we will have a king over us
20 使我們像列國一樣，有王治理我們，統領我們，為我們爭戰。」
that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.
21 撒母耳聽見百姓這一切話，就將這話陳明在耶和華面前。
And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the ears of Jehovah.
22 耶和華對撒母耳說：「你只管依從他們的話，為他們立王。」撒母耳對以色列人說：「你們各歸各城去吧！」
And Jehovah said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice, and make for them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go ye every man to his city.
