| | 1 | 撒母耳年紀老邁、就立他兒子作以色列的士師。
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as judges for Israel. | |
| | 2 | 長子名叫約珥、次子名叫亞比亞．他們在別是巴作士師。
The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. | |
| | 3 | 他兒子不行他的道、貪圖財利、收受賄賂、屈枉正直。
But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. | |
| | 4 | 以色列的長老都聚集、來到拉瑪見撒母耳、
So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at 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。
They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have." | |
| | 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 when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. | |
| | 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 the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. | |
| | 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。
As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. | |
| | 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 listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do." | |
| | 10 | 撒母耳將耶和華的話、都傳給求他立王的百姓、說、
Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for 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．
He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of 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。
Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. | |
| | 13 | 必取你們的女兒為他製造香膏、作飯烤餅。
He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. | |
| | 14 | 也必取你們最好的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園、賜給他的臣僕。
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. | |
| | 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。
He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. | |
| | 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。
Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. | |
| | 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 a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. | |
| | 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。
When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD 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 listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want 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。
Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to 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。
When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. | |
| | 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、你們各歸各城去罷。
The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town." | |
