< 撒母耳記上 16 >
1 上主對撒慕爾說:「我既然廢棄廢棄了撒烏耳,不要他作以色列的君王,你為他要悲傷到幾時呢﹖把你的角盛滿油,我派你到白冷人葉瑟那裏去,因為在他的兒子中,我已為我選定了一位君王」。
And Jehovah said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from being king over Israel? fill thy horn with oil, and go: I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite; for I have provided me a king among his sons.
2 撒慕爾回答說:「怎能去﹖撒烏耳聽說了,必要殺我」。上主回答說:「你手裏牽一頭小母牛說:我為祭獻上主而來。
And Samuel said, How can I go? if Saul hear it, he will kill me. And Jehovah said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to Jehovah.
3 你請葉瑟參與祭獻,我要告訴你當作的事,你要為我指要你的人傅油」。
And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do: and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.
4 撒慕爾遂依照上主吩咐他的作了。及至到白冷,城內的長老都戰憟前來迎接他說:「你駕臨這裏平安嗎﹖」
And Samuel did that which Jehovah spake, and came to Beth-lehem. And the elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, Comest thou peaceably?
5 他回答說:「平安,我是為祭獻上主而來的,你們應聖潔自己,來同我一同獻祭」。他聖潔了葉瑟和他的兒子,請他們來參與祭獻。
And he said, Peaceably; I am come to sacrifice unto Jehovah: sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice. And he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and called them to the sacrifice.
6 他們一來到,他見了厄里雅布,心裏想:這一定是立在上主前的受傅者。
And it came to pass, when they were come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely Jehovah’s anointed is before him.
7 但上主對撒慕爾說:「你不要注意他的容貌和他高大的身材,我拒絕要他,因為天主的看法人不同:人看外貌,上主卻看人心。
But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for [Jehovah seeth] not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.
8 葉瑟叫阿彼納達布來,領他到撒慕爾面前;但是他說:「這也不是不是上主所揀選的」。
Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
9 葉瑟就叫沙瑪來,他又說:「這也不是不是上主所揀選的」。
Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. And he said, Neither hath Jehovah chosen this.
10 葉瑟就叫他的七個兒子都到撒慕爾面前來,旦2對葉瑟說:「上主沒有揀選這些人」。
And Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Jehovah hath not chosen these.
11 撒慕爾於是問葉瑟說:「孩子們全到了嗎﹖」他回答說:「還有一個最小的,他正在放羊」。撒慕爾葉瑟說:「快派人帶他來,因為他不來,我們決不入席」。
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he is keeping the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him; for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 於是派人把他帶來,他是一個有血色,眉清目秀,外貌英的少年。上主說:「起來,給他傅油,就是這一位」。
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look upon. And Jehovah said, Arise, anoint him; for this is he.
13 撒慕爾拿起油角來,在他兄弟們中給他傅了油。從那天起,上主的神便降臨於達味。事後,撒慕爾起身回了辣瑪。
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.
14 上主的神離棄了撒烏耳,便有惡神從上主那裏騷擾他。
Now the Spirit of Jehovah departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from Jehovah troubled him.
15 撒烏耳的臣僕對他說:「看,由天主那裏來的惡神來騷擾你。
And Saul’s servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
16 只要我主吩咐一聲,你跟前的臣僕便會去找一個善於彈琴的人來,當惡神由天主那裏手到你身上時,叫他彈奏,你必感到舒服」。
Let our lord now command thy servants, that are before thee, to seek out a man who is a skilful player on the harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
17 撒烏耳就對他的臣僕說:「好,你們給我找一個彈於彈奏的人,引來見我」。
And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
18 有個僕人立刻提議,說:「我見過白冷人葉瑟的一個兒子會彈奏,這人又驍勇善戰,擅於辭令,身材英俊,上主又與他同在」。
Then answered one of the young men, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is skilful in playing, and a mighty man of valor, and a man of war, and prudent in speech, and a comely person; and Jehovah is with him.
19 撒烏耳遂派使者到葉瑟那裏說:「將你『那放羊』的兒子達味送到這裏來! 」葉瑟便了十個餅,一皮囊酒,一隻小山羊,叫他的兒子達味送給撒烏耳。
Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, who is with the sheep.
20 達味於是來到撒烏耳前,侍立在他左右;撒烏耳很愛他,叫他作自己的持戟侍衛。
And Jesse took an ass [laden] with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul.
21 達味於是來到撒烏耳前,侍立在他左右;撒烏耳很愛他,叫他作自己的持戟侍衛。
And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armorbearer.
22 撒烏耳於是派人到葉瑟那裏說:「讓達味侍立在我左右,因為他得了我的歡心」。
And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favor in my sight.
23 每當惡神由天主降到撒烏耳身上時,達味就拿起琴來彈奏,撒烏耳就覺得爽快舒服,惡神也就離開了他。
And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.