| 撒慕爾紀上 |
1 Samuel |
| 1撒慕爾對全以色列人說：「看，我全聽從了你們向我所說的話，立了一位君王管理你們。 |
1Samuel addressed all Israel: "I have granted your request in every respect," he said. "I have set a king over you |
| 2從此以後，有君王領導你們。至於我，我已老了，頭髮也白了；不過我的兒子還同你們在一起。我從小直到今天，常在你們面前往來。」 |
2and now the king is your leader. As for me, I am old and gray, and have sons among you. I have lived with you from my youth to the present day. |
| 3看，我在這裏，請你們在上主面前，在他受傅者面前答覆我：我奪過誰的牛，或奪過誰的驢？我壓迫過誰，或虐待過誰？從誰手裏接受過掩人耳目的賄賂？若有，我必歸還你們。」 |
3Here I stand! Answer me in the presence of the LORD and of his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose ass have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whom have I accepted a bribe and overlooked his guilt? I will make restitution to you." |
| 4他們答說：「你總沒有壓迫或虐待過我們，也沒有從任何人手裏接受過什麼。」 |
4They replied, "You have neither cheated us, nor oppressed us, nor accepted anything from anyone." |
| 5他又對他們說：「上主給你們作證，受傅者今日也作證：你們在我手中沒有找出什麼。」他們答說：「可以作證。」 |
5So he said to them, "The LORD is witness against you this day, and his anointed as well, that you have found nothing in my possession." "He is witness," they agreed. |
| 6撒慕爾又對百姓說：「作見證的，是興起梅瑟和亞郎，並領你們祖先從埃及地上來的上主。 |
6Continuing, Samuel said to the people: "The LORD is witness, who appointed Moses and Aaron, and who brought your fathers up from the land of Egypt. |
| 7現今你們要前來，我要在上主面前使你們認清，上主向你們和你們祖先所施行的一切恩惠： |
7Now, therefore, take your stand, and I shall arraign you before the LORD, and shall recount for you all the acts of mercy the LORD has done for you and your fathers. |
| 8當雅各伯和他的兒子來到埃及時，埃及人壓迫他們，你們的祖先就向上主哀號，上主遂派遣梅瑟和亞郎領你們的祖先離開了埃及，使他們住在這個地方。 |
8When Jacob and his sons went to Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them, your fathers appealed to the LORD, who sent Moses and Aaron to bring them out of Egypt, and he gave them this place to live in. |
| 9但他們忘卻了上主他們的天主，他就將他們交在哈祚爾的元帥息色辣手中、培肋舍特人手中和摩阿布王手中，使這些人攻打他們。 |
9But they forgot the LORD their God; and he allowed them to fall into the clutches of Sisera, the captain of the army of Jabin, king of Hazor, into the grasp of the Philistines, and into the grip of the king of Moab, who made war against them. |
| 10他們就呼求上主說：我們犯了罪，離棄了上主，事奉了巴耳和阿市托勒特諸神；如今求你救我們脫離我們敵人的手，我們願事奉你。 |
10Each time they appealed to the LORD and said, 'We have sinned in forsaking the LORD and worshiping Baals and Ashtaroth; but deliver us now from the power of our enemies, and we will worship you.' |
| 11上主就派耶魯巴耳、巴辣克、依弗大和三松，從你們四圍敵人的手中拯救了你們，你們纔得安居。 |
11Accordingly, the LORD sent Jerubbaal, Barak, Jephthah, and Samuel; he delivered you from the power of your enemies on every side, so that you were able to live in security. |
| 12當你們看見阿孟子民的君王納哈士來攻打你們時，曾對我說：不，我們要有一位君王來管理我們──雖然上主你們的天主原是你們的君王。 |
12Yet, when you saw Nahash, king of the Ammonites, advancing against you, you said to me, 'Not so, but a king must rule us,' even though the LORD your God is your king. |
| 13現今，看，你們所揀選，所要求的君王；看，上主立了一位君王管理你們。 |
13"Now you have the king you want, a king the LORD has given you. |
| 14若是你們敬畏上主，事奉上主，聽從他的話，不背叛上主的命令；若是你們和管理你們的君王，隨從上主你們的天主，便可生存。 |
14If you fear the LORD and worship him, if you are obedient to him and do not rebel against the LORD'S command, if both you and the king who rules you follow the LORD your God--well and good. |
| 15倘若你們不聽從上主的話，背叛上主的命令，上主的手必要與你們和你們的君王作對。 |
15But if you do not obey the LORD and if you rebel against his command, the LORD will deal severely with you and your king, and destroy you. |
| 16現今你們前來，看上主在你們眼前要作的這偉大的奇事。 |
16Now then, stand ready to witness the great marvel the LORD is about to accomplish before your eyes. |
| 17現今不是收割麥子的季節嗎？但是我要呼求上主打雷下雨，使你們明白，也看出：你們要求一位君王，是行了上主眼中多麼可惡的事。」 |
17Are we not in the harvest time for wheat? Yet I shall call to the LORD, and he will send thunder and rain. Thus you will see and understand how greatly the LORD is displeased that you have asked for a king." |
| 18撒慕爾呼籲了上主，上主就在那天打雷下雨；全民眾對上主和撒慕爾很是害怕， |
18Samuel then called to the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. As a result, all the people dreaded the LORD and Samuel. |
| 19都對撒慕爾說：「你為你的僕人們轉求上主你的天主，別使我們死了，因為在我們一切罪惡之上，又加了一個為我們要求君王的罪過。」 |
19They said to Samuel, "Pray to the LORD your God for us, your servants, that we may not die for having added to all our other sins the evil of asking for a king." |
| 20撒慕爾對民眾說：「你們不必害怕；你們固然犯了這一切罪過，但決不要遠離上主，反而要全心事奉上主。 |
20"Do not fear," Samuel answered them. "It is true you have committed all this evil; still, you must not turn from the LORD, but must worship him with your whole heart. |
| 21你們不要追求不能援助，也不能施救的虛無邪神，因為他們只是『虛無』而已。 |
21Do not turn to meaningless idols which can neither profit nor save; they are nothing. |
| 22上主為了自己的大名，決不拋棄自己的百姓，因為上主喜歡你們作他的百姓。 |
22For the sake of his own great name the LORD will not abandon his people, since the LORD himself chose to make you his people. |
| 23我也決不願得罪上主，停止為你們祈禱，或停止教訓你們行善道，走正路。 |
23As for me, far be it from me to sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you and to teach you the good and right way. |
| 24你們只該敬畏上主，全心忠誠事奉上主，因為你們看見了，他為你們作的，是何等偉大的事。 |
24But you must fear the LORD and worship him faithfully with your whole heart; keep in mind the great things he has done among you. |
| 25假使你們仍固執於惡，你們和你們的君王都必要喪亡。」 |
25If instead you continue to do evil, both you and your king shall perish." |
