列王紀上 2
1 [達味王的遺囑]達味死的日子已經近了，便囑咐自己的兒子撒羅滿說：「
The time of David's death was approaching, so he gave his son Solomon these last instructions:
2 我現在要走世人應走的路，你要作英勇有為的大丈夫，
“I am about to go the way everybody on earth must go. Be brave, and act like a man.
3 恪守上主你天主的典章，履行他的道路，遵守他的規律、誡命、法令和制度，如梅瑟法律上所記載的：這樣無論你做什麼，無論你往何處去，必然順利；
Do what God orders you to do, follow his ways. Keep his rules, his commands, and his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses, so you may be successful in everything you do, and in everything you give your attention to.
4 上主也必履行他關於我所說的話，說：如果你的子孫固守他們的道路，真能全心全意在我面前行走，那麼，你的後代就決不缺坐上以色列寶座的人。
If so, then the Lord will keep his promise to me when he said: ‘If your descendants are to live right before me, faithfully and with complete commitment, then you will always have one of them on the throne of Israel.’
5 此外，你也知道責魯雅的兒子約阿布對我所做的事，對以色列軍隊的兩個統帥，乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾和耶特爾的兒子阿瑪撒所做的事；他在昇平時，殺了他們，像在戰爭時殺人，使我腰間的帶子和腳上的鞋染了無辜的血。
In addition, you know what Joab, son of Zeruiah, did to me and what he did to Abner, son of Ner, and Amasa, son of Jether, the two army commanders of Israel. He murdered them, spilling the blood of war during a time of peace. He smeared the blood of war on his belt and on his sandals.
Do what you think is right, but don't let his gray head go down peacefully into the grave. (Sheol h7585)
7 至於基肋阿得人巴爾齊來人的子孫，你卻應該厚待他們，使他們列入你席上的食客，因為當我逃避你哥哥阿貝沙隆時，他們是怎樣的照顧了我。
But be kind to the sons of Barzillai of Gilead. Bring them into your royal court, for they helped me when I ran from your brother Absalom.
8 看，在你身旁還有巴胡陵地的本雅明人革辣的兒子史米，在我去瑪哈納殷那一天，他惡毒地咒罵了我；但是，後來他又下到約旦河來迎接我，當時我指著上主對他起誓說：我決不用刀處決你。
Don't you forget Shimei, son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who cursed me with painful words when I went to Mahanaim. When he met me at the Jordan I swore to him by the Lord, ‘I will not kill you with the sword.’
So don't leave him unpunished. You're a wise man and you know what you have to do to him—send him down into the grave with blood on his gray head.” (Sheol h7585)
10 達味與自己的列祖同眠，葬在達味城。
Then David died and his was buried in the City of David.
11 達味作以色列王四十年：在赫貝龍作王七年，在耶路撒冷作王三十三年。
His reign over Israel lasted forty years; seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
12 撒羅滿於是坐上了他父親達味的寶座，他的王國恨是鞏固。阿多尼雅自招殺身之禍
Solomon took over as king, sitting on the throne of his father David, and his hold on his kingdom was secure.
13 哈基特的兒子阿多尼雅來見撒羅滿的母親巴特舍巴，她問說：「你來這裏平安嗎﹖」阿多尼雅回答說：「平安。」
Adonijah, son of Haggith, went to see Bathsheba, Solomon's mother. She asked him, “Have you come here with good intentions?” He replied, “Yes, with good intentions.”
14 繼而又說：「我有句話對你說。」巴特舍巴說：「請說罷!」
“I have something I'd like to ask of you,” he continued. “Go on,” she said.
15 他說：「你知道王國原該歸於我，全以色列都期待我為王。無奈王國反而歸於我的弟弟；當然，歸他是由於上主。
“You know that the kingdom was mine,” he declared, “and everyone in Israel was looking forward to me being their next king. But everything was turned upside-down, and the kingdom passed to my brother, because that's what the Lord wanted.
16 現在，我要求你一件事，請你不要拒絕我! 」巴特舍巴對他說：「說罷! 」
Now I've just one request to ask of you—please don't say no.” “Tell me,” she said.
17 阿多尼雅說：「我求你向撒羅滿說：將叔能的女子阿彼沙格給我為妻，因為他決不會拒絕你的請求。」
He went on, “Please talk to King Solomon for me because he won't turn you down. Ask him to give me Abishag from Shunem as my wife.”
18 巴特舍巴說：「好! 我要為你請求君王。」
“Very well,” Bathsheba replied. “I will talk to the king for you.”
19 巴特舍巴於是去見撒羅滿王，為阿多尼雅請求。君王遂起身迎接她，向她俯首致敬，然後坐在寶座上；又叫人為君王的母親另預備了一個座位，她便坐在君王的右邊。
So Bathsheba went to talk to King Solomon for Adonijah. The king got up from his throne to meet her, and bowed before her. Then he sat back down and ordered another throne brought in for his mother. She sat to his right.
20 巴特舍巴說：「我要求你一件小事，請你不要拒絕我! 」君王對她說：「母親! 你求罷! 我決不拒絕。」
“I have just one small request to ask of you,” she said. “Please don't say no.” The king replied, “Ask away, dear mother. I won't say no to you.”
21 巴特舍巴說：「請你將叔能的女子給你哥哥阿多尼雅為妻。」
“Please give Abishag from Shunem to your brother Adonijah as his wife,” she replied.
22 撒羅滿回答母親說：「你為什麼為阿多尼雅要求叔能的女子阿彼沙格呢﹖你為他要求王國罷! 因為他是我的哥哥，何況厄貝雅塔爾司祭和責魯雅的兒子約阿布又都擁護他。」
King Solomon answered his mother, “Why on earth are you asking me to give Abishag to Adonijah? You might as well ask me to give my brother the kingdom! He is my older brother, and Abiathar the priest and Joab, son of Zeruiah, are on his side!”
23 撒羅滿王便指著上主起誓說：「如果阿多尼雅說了這話，而不喪失性命，願上主嚴厲懲罰我，並加倍地懲罰我!
Then King Solomon vowed before the Lord, “May God punish me, really punish me, if what Adonijah has asked for doesn't cost him his life.
24 上主支持我，使我坐上了我父親達味的寶座，照他所應許的，給我建立了王室，現在，我指著永生的上主起誓：阿多尼雅今天必該處死! 」
So I vow, as the Lord lives, who affirmed me as king and placed me on the throne of my father David, making me the head of a dynasty as he promised, Adonijah shall be executed today.”
25 撒羅滿王便派約雅達的兒子貝納雅去殺了阿多尼雅；阿多尼雅便死了。厄貝雅塔爾被革職
King Solomon sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, who carried out the king's orders and executed Adonijah.
26 此後，君王對於厄貝雅塔爾司祭說：「你回阿納托特，往你的莊田去罷! 你原是該死的人，但今天我不殺你，因為你曾在我父親達味面前，抬過吾主上主的約櫃，與我父親同受過一切艱苦。」
In the case of Abiathar, the high priest, the king told him, “Go home and take care of your fields. You should be condemned to death, but I will not kill you right now because you carried the Ark of the Lord God ahead of my father David and went through all his hard times with him.”
27 這樣，撒羅滿罷免了厄貝雅塔爾作上主的司祭，應驗了上主昔日在史羅指著厄里家族所說的話。約阿布被處決
So Solomon dismissed Abiathar from his position as priest of the Lord, and so fulfilled what the Lord had said at Shiloh regarding the descendants of Eli.
28 約阿布既然支持阿多尼雅，而沒有支持撒羅滿，他聽到了這消息，便跑到上主的會幕裏，抱住祭壇的角。
When Joab heard the news he ran to the Lord's Tent and grabbed hold of the horns of the altar. (He had not supported Absalom's rebellion but he had supported Adonijah.)
29 有人報告撒羅滿王說：「約阿布逃到上主的會幕裏，站在祭壇旁。」撒羅滿就吩咐約雅達的兒子貝納雅說：「你去，將他殺死! 」
When King Solomon was told that Joab was seeking sanctuary by the altar, he sent Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to execute him.
30 貝納雅便到上主的會幕內，對約阿布說：「君王這樣吩咐：你出來罷! 」他回答說：「我不出去，我寧願死在這裏。」貝納雅回來向君王覆命說：「約阿布這樣說了，這樣回答了我。」
Benaiah went to the Lord's Tent and told called to Joab, “The king orders you to come out!” “No! I'll die here!” Joab replied. Benaiah went back to the king and told him what Joab had said.
31 君王對他說：「你就照他所說的去做：將他殺死埋掉，今天你即應從我身上，由我父家除去約阿布所流的無辜之血。
“Do as he says,” the king told Benaiah. “Strike him down and bury him. In that way you will remove from me and my family the guilt of the innocent blood that Joab shed.
32 上主必要使他所流的血歸到他頭上，因為他曾殺死了兩個比他更正義，更慈善的人。他用刀殺死了乃爾的兒子，以色列軍隊的統帥阿貝乃爾，和耶特爾的兒子，猶大軍隊的統帥阿瑪撒，這事我父親一點都不知道。
The Lord will pay him back for the blood he shed, for without my father David's knowledge, he killed two good men who were better than he was. With his sword he killed Abner, son of Ner, commander of Israel's army, and Amasa, son of Jether, commander of Judah's army.
33 他們的血要永歸在約阿布和他子孫的頭上；至於達味，他的後裔，他的家族，他的王位，必永遠享受遺上主而來的平安! 」
May the responsibility for shedding their blood come back on Joab and his descendants forever; but may the Lord give peace and prosperity to David, his descendants, his family, and his dynasty forever.”
34 約雅達的兒子貝納雅就上去，殺了他，把他葬在他曠野中的家園。
So Benaiah son of Jehoiada returned and killed Joab. He was buried at his home in the wilderness.
35 君王遂委任約雅達的兒子貝納雅，代替約阿布統率軍隊，又委任匝多克司祭，代替厄貝雅塔爾。史米違命處死
The king appointed Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to take over Joab's role as army commander, and replaced Abiathar with Zadok the priest.
36 君王派人將史米召來，對他說：「你要在耶路撒冷為你建築一座房屋，住在那裏，不可從那裏出來，到任何地方去。
Then the king summoned Shimei and told him, “Go and build yourself a house in Jerusalem and stay there, but don't leave and go anywhere else.
37 你應當知道：你那一天出來，渡過克德龍溪，你那一天就一定要死；你的血必歸在你頭上。」
You should know for certain that the day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley you will die. Your death will be your own responsibility.”
38 史米對君王說：「這話很好! 我主大王怎樣說，你的僕人就怎樣做。」史米於是常住在耶路撒冷。
“What Your Majesty says is fair,” Shimei replied. “Your servant will do as my lord the king has ordered.” Shimei lived in Jerusalem for a long time.
39 三年以後，史米的兩個僕人逃到瑪敖客的兒子，加特的君王阿基士那裏去了。有人告訴史米說：「你的僕人在加特。」
But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves escaped to Achish, son of Maacah, king of Gath. Shimei was told, “Look, your slaves are in Gath.”
40 史米便起來，備好自己的驢，往加特阿基士那裏，找他的僕人。史米去了，從加特帶回了自己的僕人。
So Shimei saddled up his donkey and went to Achish in Gath to look for his slaves. He found them and brought them back from Gath.
41 有人告訴撒羅滿說：「史米從耶路撒冷去了加特，意回來了。」
Solomon was informed that Shimei had left Jerusalem to go to Gath, and had then returned.
42 君王便派人將史米召來，對他說：「難道我沒有叫你指著上主起誓，預先警告你說：你應當知道：你那一天出去，不論到任何地方，你那一天就一定要死麼﹖你不是也對我說過：這話很好，我聽見了麼﹖
The king summoned Shimei and asked him, “Didn't I vow to you by the Lord, didn't I warn you that the day you left and went somewhere else that you should know for certain that you would die? Didn't you reply to me, ‘What Your Majesty says is fair; I'll do as you ordered’?
43 為什麼你沒有遵守對上主的誓言和我吩咐你的命令﹖」
So why haven't you kept your vow to the Lord, and obeyed my orders?”
44 君王又對史米說：「你心裏明白你對我父親達味所做的一切惡事，所以上主要將你的邪惡都歸在你頭上。
The king also told Shimei, “Deep down you know all the evil things you did to my father David. That's why the Lord will repay you for your evil.
45 而撒羅滿王卻要蒙受祝福，達味的王權要在上主面前，永遠堅定不移! 」
But I, King Solomon, will be blessed and David's dynasty will be kept safe in the presence of the Lord forever.”
46 於是君王命令約雅達的兒子貝納雅出去，擊殺了史米，史米就死了。於是王國在撒羅滿治下纔算鞏固了。
The king ordered Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, to execute Shimei, so he went and killed Shimei. In this way Solomon's hold on the kingdom was made secure.
