Judges 9:8–9

The trees once went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ But the olive tree said to them, ‘Shall I leave my abundance, by which gods and men are honored, and go hold sway over the trees?’

One day the trees went out to anoint a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’

“But the olive tree answered, ‘Should I give up my oil, by which both gods and humans are honored, to hold sway over the trees?’

The trees decided

to anoint a king over themselves.

They said to the olive tree, “Reign over us.”

But the olive tree said to them,

“Should I stop giving my oil

that people use to honor both God and men,

and rule over the trees?”

Once upon a time the trees decided to choose a king.

First they said to the olive tree,

‘Be our king!’

But the olive tree refused, saying,

‘Should I quit producing the olive oil

that blesses both God and people,

just to wave back and forth over the trees?’

“The trees went certainly,

to anoint a king over themselves.

And they said to the olive tree,

‘Rule over us.’

And the olive tree replied,

‘Should I stop producing my oil,

which by me gods and men are honored,

to go sway over the trees?’

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?