撒母耳記上 11
1 大約過了一個月，阿孟人納哈士上來圍困基肋阿得的雅貝士，雅貝士所有的居民對納哈士說：「你與我們立約，我們就服事你。」
Nahash the Ammonite came with his army and besieged Jabesh-gilead. All the people of Jabesh said to him, “Make a peace treaty with us, and we will be your subjects.”
2 阿孟人納哈士回答他們說：「在這條件下，我纔與你們立約：就是剜出你們各人的右眼，我要藉此羞辱全以色列。」
But Nahash the Ammonite responded, “I'll make a peace treaty with you on one condition: that I gouge out everyone's right eye to bring shame on all Israelites.”
3 雅貝士的長老回答他說：「請讓我們休戰七天，我們派人到以色列全境去，如果沒有人來救我們，我們就向你投降。
“Let us have seven days so we can send messengers all over Israel,” replied the town elders of Jabesh. “If no one comes to help us, we will surrender to you.”
4 使者到了撒烏耳的基貝亞，就把這事講給民眾聽，民眾遂放聲大哭。
When the messengers arrived in Gibeah of Saul and gave the message as the people listened, they all wept out loud.
5 那時撒烏耳正跟著牛從田間回來，便問說：「民眾有什麼事，如此號淘大哭﹖」人們就把雅貝士人的話講給他聽。
Right then Saul was coming back from ploughing a field with his oxen. “Why is everyone so upset?” he asked. They told him what the men from Jabesh had said.
6 撒烏耳一聽說這些話，上主的神便降在他身上，遂勃然大怒，
The Spirit of God came on Saul in power when he heard about this, and he grew very angry.
7 立即牽了一對牛來，剖分成塊，託使者分送到以色列全境說：「凡不隨從撒烏耳如撒慕爾出征的，也必這樣對待他的牛! 」上主的驚嚇降在民眾身上，因而他們好像一個人一齊出征。
He took a pair of oxen and cut them into pieces. Then he sent them by messenger to every part of Israel with the message, “This is what will happen to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.” The Lord made the people anxious to do so, and they came out as one.
8 撒烏耳在貝則克檢閱了他們；以色列人共三十萬，猶大人三萬。
When Saul counted them at Bezek, there were 300,000 men from Israel and 30,000 men from Judah.
9 撒烏耳對來的使者說：「你們這樣對基肋阿得的雅貝士人說：明天太陽正熱時，救援就必達到你們那裏。」使者便回去，向雅貝士人報告，他們都很喜歡。
They said to the messengers who came, “Tell the men of Jabesh Gilead, ‘Tomorrow you'll be rescued, by the time the sun is hot.’” The people of Jabesh were so happy when the messengers arrived and told them this.
10 雅貝士人遂對阿孟人說：「明天我們向你們投降，你們看著怎樣好，就怎樣對待我們罷!
They told the Ammonites, “We will surrender to you tomorrow, and then you can do to us whatever you want.”
11 第二天撒烏耳把民眾分作三隊，在黎明以前衝入了阿孟人營中，擊殺他們一直到日中最熱的時候；剩下的人都逃散了，以至沒有兩人在一起。
The next day Saul organized the army into three divisions. They attacked the Ammonite camp before dawn and went on killing them until the day grew hot. The survivors were so scattered that not even two of them were left together.
12 民眾於是對撒慕爾說：「誰曾說過：撒烏耳豈能作我們的君王﹖把這些人交出來，讓我們處死他們! 」
Then the people asked Samuel, “Who was saying, ‘Why should we have Saul as our king?’ Hand these men over so we can execute them.”
13 撒烏耳回答說：「今天不可處死任何人，因為今天上主在以色列中施行了救恩。」
But Saul replied, “No one's going to be executed today, for this is the day that the Lord saved Israel.”
14 撒慕爾以後對民眾說：「來，我們到基耳加耳去，在那裏重新建立王國。」
Then Samuel said to the people, “Come with me—let's go to Gilgal and renew the kingdom.”
15 民眾便都去了基耳加耳，在那裏於上主面前立撒烏耳為王，並給上主奉獻了和平祭；撒烏耳同全體以色列人舉行了盛大的盛會。
Everyone went to Gilgal and confirmed Saul as king before the Lord. They sacrificed friendship offerings to the Lord, and Saul together with all the Israelites had a great celebration.
