Chapter 8

¹And it came about when Samuel was old that he appointed his sons judges over Israel.

¹撒母耳年紀老邁，就立他兒子作以色列的士師。

²Now the name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; [they] were judging in Beersheba.

²長子名叫約珥，次子名叫亞比亞；他們在別是巴作士師。

³His sons, however, did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after dishonest gain and took bribes and perverted justice.

³他兒子不行他的道，貪圖財利，收受賄賂，屈枉正直。

⁴Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah;

⁴以色列的長老都聚集，來到拉瑪見撒母耳，

⁵and they said to him, 'Behold, you have grown old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint a king for us to judge us like all the nations.'

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。

⁶But the thing was displeasing in the sight of Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the LORD.

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。

⁷The LORD said to Samuel, 'Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.

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。

⁸'Like all the deeds which they have done since the day that I brought them up from Egypt even to this day-- in that they have forsaken Me and served other gods-- so they are doing to you also.

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。

⁹'Now then, listen to their voice; however, you shall solemnly warn them and tell them of the procedure of the king who will reign over them.'

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。

¹⁰So Samuel spoke all the words of the LORD to the people who had asked of him a king.

¹⁰撒母耳將耶和華的話都傳給求他立王的百姓，說：

¹¹He said, 'This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place [them] for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots.

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；

¹²'He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and [some] to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for 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；

¹³'He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers.

¹³必取你們的女兒為他製造香膏，做飯烤餅；

¹⁴'He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give [them] to his servants.

¹⁴也必取你們最好的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園賜給他的臣僕。

¹⁵'He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and 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；

¹⁶'He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use [them] for his work.

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。

¹⁷'He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants.

¹⁷你們的羊群，他必取十分之一，你們也必作他的僕人。

¹⁸'Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.'

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。

¹⁹Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, 'No, but there shall be a king over us,

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，

²⁰that we also may be like all the nations, that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.'

²⁰使我們像列國一樣，有王治理我們，統領我們，為我們爭戰。

²¹Now after Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the LORD'S hearing.

²¹撒母耳聽見百姓這一切話，就將這話陳明在耶和華面前。

²²The LORD said to Samuel, 'Listen to their voice and appoint them a king.' So Samuel said to the men of Israel, 'Go every man to his city.'

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！