1And Shmuel said unto kol Yisroel, Hinei, I have paid heed unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have set a Melech over you.

2And now, hinei, the Melech walketh before you; and I am old and grayheaded; and, hinei, my banim are with you; and I have walked before you from my youth unto hayom hazeh.

3Hineni (here I am); testify against me before Hashem, and before His Moshiach. Whose shor (ox) have I taken? Or whose chamor (donkey) have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose yad have I accepted any kofer to blind mine eyes therewith? And I will restitution make to you.

4And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken anything from any yad ish.

5And he said unto them, Ed Hashem(Hashemis witness) against you, and His Moshiach is ed (witness) this day, that ye have not found anything in my yad. And they answered, He is Ed (witness).

6And Shmuel said unto HaAm, It is Hashem that made Moshe and Aharon, and that brought avoteichem up out of Eretz Mitzrayim.

7Now therefore stand still, that I may enter into shofet judgment with you before Hashem of kol tzidkot (all the righteous acts ), ²⁷which He made for you and avoteichem.

8When Ya'akov was come into Mitzrayim, and avoteichem cried unto Hashem, then Hashem sent Moshe and Aharon, which brought forth avoteichem out of Mitzrayim, and made them dwell in this makom (place).

9And when they forgot Hashem Eloheihem, He sold them into the yad Sisra, Sar Tzeva Chatzor, and into the yad Pelishtim, and into the yad Melech Moav, and they fought against them.

10And they cried unto Hashem, and said, Chatanu (we have sinned), because we have forsaken Hashem, and have served Ba'alim and Ashtarot; but now deliver us out of the yad oyeveinu (power, hand of our enemies), and we will serve Thee.

11And Hashem sent Yeruba'al, ²⁸and Bedan, and Yiftach, and Shmuel, and delivered you out of the yad oyeveichem on every side, and ye dwelled betach (in safety).

12And when ye saw that Nachash Melech Bnei Ammon came against you, ye said unto me, No; but a Melech shall reign over us: when Hashem Eloheichem was your Melech.

13Now therefore behold the Melech whom ye have chosen, and for whom ye have made request! And, hinei, Hashem hath set a Melech over you.

14If ye will fear Hashem, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of Hashem, then shall both ye and also the Melech that reigneth over you continue following after Hashem Eloheichem;

15But if ye will not obey the voice of Hashem, but rebel against the commandment of Hashem, then shall the yad Hashem be against you, as it was against avoteichem.

16Now therefore stand and see this davar hagadol (great thing), which Hashem will make before your eyes.

17Is it not ketzir chittim (wheat harvest) today? I will call unto Hashem, and He shall send kolot (thunder) and matar (rain); that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is rabbah (great), which ye have made in the eyes of Hashem, in requesting for you a Melech.

18So Shmuel called unto Hashem; and Hashem sent kolot and matar that day; and kol HaAm greatly feared Hashem and Shmuel.

19And kol HaAm said unto Shmuel, Pray for thy avadim unto Hashem Eloheicha, that we die not; for we have added unto kol chattoteinu (all our sins) this ra'ah (evil), to ask for us a Melech.

20And Shmuel said unto HaAm, Fear not; ye have done kol hara'ah hazot (all this wickedness); yet turn not aside from following Hashem, but serve Hashem with kol levavchem;

21And turn ye not aside; for then should ye go after hatohu (the vain, empty thing, idol), which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are tohu (vain, empty).

22For Hashem will not forsake His people for the sake of Shmo Hagedol; because it hath pleased Hashem to make you His people.

23Moreover, as for me, chalilah (far be it) from me that I should sin against Hashem in ceasing to pray for you; but horeiti (I will teach) you the derech hatovah v'hayesharah (the good and upright way);

24Only fear Hashem, and serve Him in emes with kol levavchem; for consider what great things He hath done for you.

25But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your Melech.