1 و َلَمّا شاخَ صَمُوئِيلُ، عَيَّنَ ابنَيهِ قاضِيَينِ لإسْرائِيلَ.

When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel.

2 و َكانَ اسْمُ ابنِهِ الأوَّلِ يُوئِيلَ، وَالثّانِي أبِيّا. وَكانَ يُوئِيلُ وَأبِيّا قاضِيَينِ فِي بِئرِ السَّبعِ.

Now the name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba.

3 ل َكِنَّ ابنَي صَمُوئِيلَ لَمْ يَعِيشا باستِقامَةٍ مِثلَ أبِيهِما، بَلِ انْحَرَفا وَراءَ رِبْحِ المالِ بِالرَّشاوِي وَظُلْمِ النَّاسِ.

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

4 ف اجتَمَعَ كُلُّ شُيُوخِ إسْرائِيلَ مَعاً، وَذَهَبُوا إلَى الرّامَةِ لِلِقاءِ صَمُوئِيلَ.

All the elders of Israel assembled and came to Samuel at Ramah

5 و َقالُوا لَهُ: «أنْتَ شِخْتَ، وَابْناكَ لا يَعِيشانِ حَياةً مُستَقِيمَةً مِثلَكَ، وَالآنَ عَيِّنْ مَلِكاً لِيَحكُمْ عَلَينا كَما هُوَ الحالُ عِندَ كُلِّ الأُمَمِ الأُخرَى.»

And said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint us a king to rule over us like all the other nations.

6 ط َلَبَ الشُّيُوخُ مَلِكاً، فَاسْتاءَ صَمُوئِيلُ وَصَلَّى إلَى اللهِ.

But it displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to govern us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord.

7 ف َأجابَ اللهُ صَمُوئِيلَ: «افعَلْ ما طَلَبَهُ الشَّعبُ مِنكَ. إنَّهُمْ لا يَرفُضُونَكَ أنتَ، بَلْ يَرفُضُونَنِي أنا. إذْ لا يُرِيدُونَنِي أنْ أكُونَ مَلِكاً عَلَيهِمْ.

And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be King over them.

8 و َهُمْ يَفعَلُونَ ما فَعَلُوهُ عَلَى الدَّوامِ. فَبَعدَ أنْ أخْرَجتُهُمْ مِنْ مِصْرَ قَدِيماً، تَرَكُونِي وَعَبَدُوا آلِهَةً أُخْرَى. وَهُمْ يَعمَلُونَ الأمْرَ نَفسَهُ بِكَ.

According to all the works which they have done since I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they also do to you.

9 ف َاسْتَمِعْ إلَى الشَّعبِ، وَافعَلْ ما يَقُولُونَهُ. لَكِنْ حَذِّرْهُمْ. وَأخبِرهُمْ بِما يُمكِنُ أنْ يَفعَلَهُ المَلِكُ بِهِمْ. وَاشرَحْ لَهُمْ كَيفَ يُمكِنُ للِمَلِكِ أنْ يَحكُمَ شَعباً.»

So listen now to their voice; only solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.

10 ط َلَبَ هَؤُلاءِ مَلِكاً. فَأخبَرَهُمْ صَمُوئِيلُ كُلَّ ما قالَهُ اللهُ.

So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king.

11 ق الَ صَمُوئِيلُ: «إنْ حَكَمَكُمْ مَلِكٌ، فَهَذا ما سَيَفعَلُهُ: سَيَأخُذُ أولادَكُمْ لَيَقُودُوا مَركَباتِهِ وَيَصِيرُوا فُرْساناً فِي جَيشِهِ وَيَركُضُوا أمامَ عَرَبَتِهِ.

And he said, These will be the ways of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots.

12 « سَيُجْبِرُ المَلِكُ أولادَكُمْ عَلَى دُخُولِ جَيشِهِ. هُوَ سَيَختارُ مَنْ سَيَكُونُونَ قادَةَ أُلُوفٍ أوْ قادَةَ خَماسِينَ. سَيُجبِرُ المَلِكُ بَنِيكُمْ على العَمَلِ فِي حِراثَةِ حُقولِهِ وَجَمْعِ حَصادِهِ وَصُنْعِ أسلِحَةٍ وَأدَواتٍ لِمَركَباتِهِ.

He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots.

13 « سَيَأخُذُ المَلِكُ بَناتَكُمْ لِيَعمَلْنَ صانِعاتِ عُطُورٍ وَطَبّاخاتٍ وَخَبّازاتٍ.

He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers.

14 « سَيَأخُذُ المَلِكُ أفْضَلَ حُقُولِكُمْ وَكُرُومِكُمْ وَبَساتِينِ زَيتُونِكُمْ. سَيَنتَزِعُها مِنكُمْ وَيُعطِيها لِضُبّاطِهِ وَمَسؤُولِيهِ.

He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants.

15 و َسَيَأخُذُ عُشْرَ مَزرُوعاتِكُمْ وَعِنَبِكُمْ وَسَيُعطِيها لِضُبّاطِهِ وَمَسؤُولِيهِ.

He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.

16 « سَيَأخُذُ المَلِكُ خَدَمَكُمْ وَخادِماتِكُمْ. وَسَيَأخُذُ خِيارَ بَقَرِكُمْ وَحَمِيرِكُمْ. وَسَيَستَعمِلُها كُلَّها لِشُغلِهِ الخاصِّ.

He will take your men and women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys and put them to his work.

17 و َسَيَأخُذُ عُشْرَ مَواشِيكُمْ. وَسَتَصِيرُونَ أنتُمْ أنفُسُكُمْ عَبِيداً لِلمَلِكِ.

He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his slaves.

18 ح ِينَئِذٍ، سَتَصرُخُونَ ضِيقاً مِنَ المَلِكِ الَّذِي اختَرتُمُوهُ. لَكِنَّ اللهَ لَنْ يَستَجِيبَ لَكُمْ فِي ذَلِكَ الوَقتِ.»

In that day you will cry out because of your king you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not hear you then.

19 ل َكِنَّ الشَّعبَ رَفَضُوا أنْ يُصغُوا إلَى صَمُوئِيلَ. وَقالُوا: «لا، بَلْ نُرِيدُ أنْ يَحكُمَنا مَلِكٌ.

Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No! We will have a king over us,

20 ح ِينَئِذِ سَنَكُونُ مِثلَ الأُمَمِ الأُخرَى، فَيَقُودُنا مَلِكٌ وَيُحارِبُ حُرُوبَنا.»

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

21 ف َسَمِعَ صَمُوئِيلُ ما قالَهُ الشَّعبُ، وَتَكَلَّمْ بِهِ عَلَى مَسامِعِ اللهِ.

Samuel heard all the people’s words and repeated them in the Lord’s ears.

22 ف َأجابَ اللهُ: «اسمَعْ لَهُمْ وَنَصِّبْ عَلَيهِمْ مَلِكاً.» فَقالَ صَمُوئِيلُ لِشُيُوخِ إسْرائِيلَ: «سَيَكُونُ لَكُمْ مَلِكٌ. فاذهَبُوا الآنَ إلَى بُيُوتِكُمْ.»

And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to their voice and appoint them a king. And Samuel said to the men of Israel, Go every man to his city.