Dixit autem Samuel ad universum Israël: Ecce audivi vocem vestram juxta omnia quæ locuti estis ad me, et constitui super vos regem.

But Samuel protested before the whole assembly of Israel: I have granted all you asked, and given you a king,

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.

Et nunc rex graditur ante vos: ego autem senui, et incanui: porro filii mei vobiscum sunt: itaque conversatus coram vobis ab adolescentia mea usque ad hanc diem, ecce præsto sum.

who marches, now, at your head. I am an old man, and grey-haired, and you have sons of mine among you, and I am ready to answer for all my behaviour among you ever since my youth.

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.

Loquimini de me coram Domino, et coram christo ejus, utrum bovem cujusquam tulerim, aut asinum: si quempiam calumniatus sum, si oppressi aliquem, si de manu cujusquam munus accepi: et contemnam illud hodie, restituamque vobis.

Tell me, here in the presence of the Lord, and of the king he has anointed, have I robbed any man of ox or ass? Have I wronged anyone, oppressed anyone? Have I allowed anyone to bribe me? I will make restitution, not counting the cost.

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.

Et dixerunt: Non es calumniatus nos, neque oppressisti, neque tulisti de manu alicujus quippiam.

Never, they answered; never wert thou guilty of wrong or oppression; never didst thou take anything for thy own.

And they said: Thou hast not wronged us, nor oppressed us, nor taken ought at any man’s hand.

Dixitque ad eos: Testis est Dominus adversum vos, et testis christus ejus in die hac, quia non inveneritis in manu mea quippiam. Et dixerunt: Testis.

The Lord is my witness, said he, and the king he has anointed is my witness as you stand before me this day, that you can find no charge to bring against me. The Lord is thy witness, they said.

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.

Et ait Samuel ad populum: Dominus, qui fecit Moysen et Aaron, et eduxit patres nostros de terra Ægypti.

Then he said to the people, It was the Lord that gave you Moses and Aaron, and rescued your fathers from Egypt;

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.

Nunc ergo state, ut judicio contendam adversum vos coram Domino de omnibus misericordiis Domini quas fecit vobiscum et cum patribus vestris:

stand there now, in his presence, while I confront you with all the mercy the Lord has shewn to you and to your fathers,

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:

quomodo Jacob ingressus est in Ægyptum, et clamaverunt patres vestri ad Dominum: et misit Dominus Moysen et Aaron, et eduxit patres vestros de Ægypto, et collocavit eos in loco hoc.

from the time when Jacob removed to Egypt. When your fathers pleaded with the Lord, he sent Moses and Aaron to rescue them from Egypt, and gave them a home in the place where you stand.

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.

Qui obliti sunt Domini Dei sui, et tradidit eos in manu Sisaræ magistri militiæ Hasor, et in manu Philisthinorum, et in manu regis Moab: et pugnaverunt adversum eos.

But they forgot the Lord their God, till he put them at the mercy of Sisara, captain of Hazor’s army, and the Philistines, and the king of Moab, who waged war against them;

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.

Postea autem clamaverunt ad Dominum, et dixerunt: Peccavimus, quia dereliquimus Dominum, et servivimus Baalim et Astaroth: nunc ergo erue nos de manu inimicorum nostrorum, et serviemus tibi.

then they cried out to the Lord, We have sinned! We have forsaken the Lord, enslaved ourselves here to Baal, there to Astaroth! Deliver us now from the power of our enemies, and we will serve thee still.

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.

Et misit Dominus Jerobaal, et Badan, et Jephte, et Samuel, et eruit vos de manu inimicorum vestrorum per circuitum, et habitastis confidenter.

So the Lord sent Jerobaal, and Badan, and Jepthe, and Samuel, to deliver you from the power of the enemies that surrounded you, and you lived safe in your homes.

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.

Videntes autem quod Naas rex filiorum Ammon venisset adversum vos, dixistis mihi: Nequaquam, sed rex imperabit nobis: cum Dominus Deus vester regnaret in vobis.

Then, when you saw Naas king of the Ammonites levying war on you, nothing would serve but that I should appoint a king to command you; as if the Lord your God were not reigning among you as your king!

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.

Nunc ergo præsto est rex vester, quem elegistis et petistis: ecce dedit vobis Dominus regem.

Here, then, at your pleasure is the king you asked for, the king you longed for; be content, the Lord has given you a king.

Now therefore your king is here, whom you have chosen and desired: Behold the Lord hath given you a king.

Si timueritis Dominum, et servieritis ei, et audieritis vocem ejus, et non exasperaveritis os Domini, eritis et vos, et rex qui imperat vobis, sequentes Dominum Deum vestrum:

But on this condition, that you are to fear the Lord your God, and worship him, and listen to him, instead of defying his commands; both you and the king who governs you are to follow the guidance of the Lord your God.

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.

si autem non audieritis vocem Domini, sed exasperaveritis sermones ejus, erit manus Domini super vos, et super patres vestros.

If you rebel against him, if you defy his commands, the hand of the Lord will fall heavily on you and your race.

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.

Sed et nunc state, et videte rem istam grandem quam facturus est Dominus in conspectu vestro.

In token of it, here where you stand, you shall see the Lord do a wondrous thing before your eyes.

Now then stand, and see this great thing which the Lord will do in your sight.

Numquid non messis tritici est hodie? invocabo Dominum, et dabit voces et pluvias: et scietis, et videbitis, quia grande malum feceritis vobis in conspectu Domini, petentes super vos regem.

It is harvest-time for the wheat already; but when I call upon the Lord’s name, he will send thunder and rain, to give you visible proof of the great wrong you have done by defying him and asking for a king.

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.

Et clamavit Samuel ad Dominum, et dedit Dominus voces et pluvias in illa die.

With that, Samuel cried out to the Lord, and the Lord sent down both thunder and rain that day,

And Samuel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day.

Et timuit omnis populus nimis Dominum et Samuelem, et dixit universus populus ad Samuelem: Ora pro servis tuis ad Dominum Deum tuum, ut non moriamur: addidimus enim universis peccatis nostris malum, ut peteremus nobis regem.

till the whole people was smitten with a great fear of the Lord and of Samuel. The whole people cried out with one voice, Pray to the Lord thy God for us thy servants, that our lives may be spared! We had sinned enough already, and now we have done him further wrong, by asking for a king to rule us.

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.

Dixit autem Samuel ad populum: Nolite timere: vos fecistis universum malum hoc, verumtamen nolite recedere a tergo Domini, sed servite Domino in omni corde vestro.

Do not be afraid, Samuel told them; you see how great is the wrong you have done; but now follow close where the Lord leads you, and serve him with all your hearts.

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.

Et nolite declinare post vana, quæ non proderunt vobis, neque eruent vos, quia vana sunt.

Do not desert him for false gods which will play you false, granting neither aid nor deliverance.

And turn not aside after vain things which shall never profit you, nor deliver you, because they are vain.

Et non derelinquet Dominus populum suum propter nomen suum magnum: quia juravit Dominus facere vos sibi populum.

For his own renown, the Lord will not forsake his own people, and his people he has sworn you shall be.

And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because the Lord hath sworn to make you his people.

Absit autem a me hoc peccatum in Dominum, ut cessem orare pro vobis, et docebo vos viam bonam et rectam.

Pray for you? Never may I offend the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and pointing you to the good paths, the right paths.

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.

Igitur timete Dominum, et servite ei in veritate, et ex toto corde vestro: vidistis enim magnifica quæ in vobis gesserit.

Fear the Lord, and serve him loyally with all your hearts; you have seen what marvellous deeds he can do in your midst,

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.

Quod si perseveraveritis in malitia, et vos et rex vester pariter peribitis.

and if you cling to wicked ways, you shall be swept away, you and your king.

But if you will still do wickedly: both you and your king shall perish together.