< 撒母耳記上 21 >
1 達味去諾布,到了阿希肋客那裏;阿希默肋客戰戰兢兢出來迎接達味,問他說:「為什麼你一個人來,沒有人隨從你﹖」
And David came to Nob to Achimelech the priest; and Achimelech hastened trembling to meet David, and said unto him, Why art thou alone, and no man is with thee?
2 達味回答阿希默肋客說:「君王今天吩咐我一件事,曾對說:我派你,吩咐你去作的事,別叫任何人知道。我已經和我的僮僕約定了某處見面。
And David said unto Achimelech the priest, The king commanded me a business, and said unto me, Let not any man know the least of the business concerning which I send thee, and which I have commanded thee. And the young men have I appointed to such and such a place.
3 現今,你手中若有五個餅,請給我,或給我別的什麼東西」。
And now what hast thou on hand: put five loaves of bread into my hand, or what else can be found.
4 司祭回答達味說:「我手中沒有普通餅,只有聖餅;但是你的僮僕們戒了女色沒有﹖」
And the priest answered David, and said, I have no common bread on hand, but there is hallowed bread; if the young men have only withheld themselves from women.
5 達味回答司祭說:「當然,我們戒絕了女色;我出征時,僮僕們常是身潔的;這次上路雖為了俗務,但今天他們仍是身身的」。
And David answered the priest and said to him, To a certainty women have been denied us yesterday and the day before, when I went forth, and the vessels of the young men were holy: and if this was the custom with unholy things, how much more will it remain this day holy in the vessels.
6 於是司祭就將聖餅給了他,因為那天在沒有別的餅,只有供餅;即由上主面前撤下來,為另換上新的供餅。
So the priest gave him hallowed bread; for there was no bread there except the showbread, that was removed from before the Lord, so as to put down hot bread on the day when it was taken away.
7 那一天,在那裏正有撒烏耳的一個臣僕留在上主面前,名叫多厄格,厄東人,是撒烏耳的侍衛長。──
Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there on that day, detained before the Lord; and his name was Doeg, the Edomite, the chief of the herdsmen that belonged to Saul.
8 達味又對阿希默肋客說:「你手邊有沒有一支槍或一把刀﹖我的刀和我的武器,沒有帶在手邊,因為君王的事很緊急」。
And David said unto Achimelech, Hast thou not also here at hand a spear or sword: for both my sword as also my other weapons have I not brought with me, because the king's business was urgent.
9 司祭答說:「有你在厄拉谷中所殺的那培肋舍特人哥肋雅的刀。看,用外衣包著,放在「厄弗得」後面;假使你願意拿去,就拿去吧! 因為在這裏沒有別的」。達味答說:「沒有像這把刀更好的了! 就請你給我吧! 」
And the priest said, The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom thou didst slay in the valley of Elah, behold, it is here wrapped up in a cloth behind the ephod: if thou wilt take that for thyself, take it; for there is no other save it here. And David said, There is none like that: give it to me.
10 那一天,達味起身,逃避了撒烏耳的面,到了加特王阿基士前。
And David arose, and fled on that day from before Saul, and came to Achish the king of Gath.
11 阿基士的臣僕對王說:「這不是國王達味嗎﹖在歌舞中所歌頌的:撒烏耳殺了一千,達味殺了一萬,不就是他嗎﹖」
And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not of this man sing one to another in the dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
12 達味細想這些話,在加特王阿基士前感到十分恐懼。
And David took these words to his heart, and was greatly afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
13 於是便在他們面前裝作傻子,在他們中佯作瘋子,亂敲門戶,鬍鬚上流著唾沬。
And he disguised his reason before their eyes, and played the madman in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down upon his beard.
14 阿基士對臣僕說:「他們看,這是個瘋子,為什麼送他到我這裏來﹖
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see, the man is mad: wherefore then will ye bring him to me?
15 難道我缺乏瘋子,你們竟領他到這裏來,向我發瘋。這樣的人豈能進入我的宮室﹖」
Have I lack of madmen, that ye have brought this man to play his pranks about me? shall this one come into my house?