1 Samuel 12

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 Samuel addressed all Israel: "I have granted your request in every respect," he said. "I have set a king over you	1 And Samuel said to all Israel: Behold I have hearkened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 and 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.	2 And now the king goeth before you: but I am old and greyheaded: and my sons are with you: having then conversed with you from my youth unto this day, behold here I am.
3 Here 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."	3 Speak of me before the Lord, and before his anointed, whether I have taken any man's ox, or ass: If I have wronged any man, if I have oppressed any man, if I have taken a bribe at any man's hand: and I will despise it this day, and will restore it to you.
4 They replied, "You have neither cheated us, nor oppressed us, nor accepted anything from anyone."	4 And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man's hand.
5 So 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.	5 And he said to them: The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found any thing in my hand. And they said: He is witness.
6 Continuing, 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.	6 And Samuel said to the people: It is the Lord, who made Moses and Aaron, and brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now, 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.	7 Now therefore stand up, that I may plead in judgment against you before the Lord, concerning all the kindness of the Lord, which he hath shewn to you, and to your fathers:
8 When 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.	8 How Jacob went into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the Lord: and the Lord sent Moses and Aaron, and brought your fathers out of Egypt: and made them dwell in this place.
9 But 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.	9 And they forgot the Lord their God, and he delivered them into the hands of Sisara, captain of the army of Hasor, and into the hands of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab, and they fought against them.
10 Each 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.'	10 But afterwards they cried to the Lord, and said: We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord, and have served Baalim and Astaroth: but now deliver us from the hand of our enemies, and we will serve thee.
11 Accordingly, 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.	11 And the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jephte, and Samuel, and delivered you from the hand of your enemies round about, and you dwelt securely.
12 Yet, 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.	12 But seeing that Naas king of the children of Ammon was come against you, you said to me: Nay, but a king shall reign over us: whereas the Lord your God was your king.
13 "Now you have the king you want, a king the LORD has given you.	13 Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.
14 If 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.	14 If you will fear the Lord, and serve him, and hearken to his voice, and not provoke the mouth of the Lord: then shall both you, and the king who reigneth over you, be followers of the Lord your God.
15 But 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.	15 But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord, but will rebel against his words, the hand of the Lord shall be upon you, and upon your fathers.
16 Now then, stand ready to witness the great marvel the LORD is about to accomplish before your eyes.	16 Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.
17 Are 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."	17 Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call upon the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain: and you shall know and see that you yourselves have done a great evil in the sight of the Lord, in desiring a king over you.
18 Samuel 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.	18 And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.
19 They 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."	19 And all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel. And all the people said to Samuel: Pray for thy servants to the Lord thy God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king.
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.	20 And Samuel said to the people: Fear not, you have done all this evil: but yet depart not from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart.
21 Do not turn to meaningless idols which can neither profit nor save; they are nothing.	21 And turn not aside after vain things which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.
22 For the sake of his own great name the LORD will not abandon his people, since the LORD himself chose to make you his people.	22 And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.
23 As 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.	23 And far from me be this sin against the Lord, that I should cease to pray for you, and I will teach you the good and right way.
24 But you must fear the LORD and worship him faithfully with your whole heart; keep in mind the great things he has done among you.	24 Therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in truth and with your whole heart, for you have seen the great works which he hath done among you.
25 If instead you continue to do evil, both you and your king shall perish."	25 But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.