< 列王紀下 7 >

1 厄里叟說:「請聽上主的話:上主這樣說:明天這個時候,在撒瑪黎雅城門口,一「色阿」上等麵粉只值一「協刻耳,」兩「色阿」大麥,只值一「協刻耳。」
Then said Elisha', Hear ye the word of the Lord: Thus hath said the Lord, About this time tomorrow a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 那個手扶君王的侍衛回答天主的人說:「縱使上主打開天上的閘,也不會有這樣的事! 」先知說:「你必親眼看到,只是吃不上。」
Then answered the lord of the king, on whose hand he used to lean, the man of God, and said, Behold, will the Lord make windows in the heavens, that this thing shall be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thy eyes, but thereof shalt thou not eat.
3 在城門口有四個癩病人,他們彼此說:「我們為什麼在這裏坐著等死呢﹖
And there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate: and they said one to another, Why do we remain here until we die?
4 如果我們決意進城去,城裏也有饑荒,我們必死在那裏;如果留在這裏,我們也是一樣死;不如去投到阿蘭人營中,假如他們讓我們活著,我們就活著;假如他們要殺我們,我們就死罷。」
If we say, We will enter into the city, then is the famine in the city, and we shall die there; and if we remain here, we die [also]: now therefore come, and let us go over unto the camp of the Syrians; if they will let us live, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 他們於是在黃昏時起身,往阿蘭人的營盤那裏去;及至到了阿蘭人的營盤邊時,哦! 那裏一個人也沒有了。
And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there.
6 原來上主早已使阿蘭人的營盤中聽到戰車馬隊和大軍的喧囂聲,他們就彼此說:「呀! 以色列王雇用了赫特人王和慕茲黎人王來攻打我們了。」
For the Lord had caused the camp of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, the noise of a large army: and they said one to the other, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 所以,他們在黃昏時,即起身逃走,丟下了他們的帳幕騾馬,只顧逃命,留下營盤未動。
And they were arisen and fled in the twilight, and had left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 這些癩病人到了營盤邊,進了一個帳幕,又吃又喝,將那裏的金銀和衣服拿走,去收藏起來;然後又回來,進了另一帳幕,拿走了那裏的東西,去收藏起來。
And so came these lepers to the uttermost part of the camp, and they went into one tent, and ate and drank, and carried away thence silver, and gold, and garments, and went and hid them; and they returned, and entered into another tent, and carried away [something] thence, and went and hid it.
9 以後,癩病人彼此說:「我們這樣做得不對,今天原是報喜訊的日子,我們竟然不聲不響;如果等到早晨天亮,我們就有罪了。來,現在我們就去向王室報信! 」
And then they said one to the other, We do not act correctly; this day is a day of good tidings; and if we remain silent, and tarry till the morning-light, we shall incur guilt: now then come, and let us go and tell it at the king's house.
10 他們於是去向把守城門的人喊叫,給他們報告說:「我們曾到過罷蘭人的營盤,那裏一個人也沒有,也沒有人聲,只有栓著的馬,栓著的驢;帳幕一點未動。」
So they went and called unto one of the gate-keepers of the city, and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, nor the voice of man; but the horses were tied, and the asses were tied, and the tents as they had been.
11 把守城門的人就高聲喊叫,向王室傳報消息。
And he called the gate-keepers; and they told it at the king's house within.
12 君王夜間起來,對自己的臣僕說:「現在讓我給你們解釋,阿蘭人對我們所做得事:他們知道我們鬧饑荒,所以離開營盤,埋伏在田間,心想:以色列人必由城裏出來,那時,我們可將他們活活捉住,然後開進城去。」
And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I can easily tell you what the Syrians have done to us: they know that we are hungry; and they are therefore gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, If they should come out of the city, we will catch them alive, and enter into the city.
13 有個臣僕回答說:「請叫人從這裏所剩下的馬中,牽出五匹來,無論怎樣,同別的一樣要死,倒不如派人去看看。
And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, let it fare with them as with all the multitude of Israel that are left in it, [or] let it fare with them as with all the multitude of Israel that have perished: and let us send out and see.
14 他們於是推出兩輛戰車,五匹馬,君王就派他們去追趕阿蘭軍隊說:「你們去看看! 」
And they took two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the camp of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15 那些人追蹤阿蘭人,直到約旦河,見路上滿是阿蘭人在倉卒逃走中,丟下的衣服和裝備;使者們便回來報告了君王。
And they went after them as far as the Jordan; and, lo, the whole way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste: and the messengers returned, and told it to the king.
16 人民便出來搶掠了阿蘭人的營盤。於是一「色阿」上等麵粉,只值一「協刻耳,」兩「色阿」大麥,只值一「協刻耳,」正應驗了上主所說的話。
And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians: and a seah of fine flour was to be had for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.
17 君王派定那手扶自己的侍衛,把守城門;但人民在城門口把他踏死了,應驗了天主的人,在君王下來見他時,所說的話。
And the king had appointed the lord on whose hand he used to lean to have the charge of the gate; and the people trod him down in the gate, and he died; as the man of God had spoken, which he spoke when the king came down to him.
18 原來,天主的人對君王說過:「明天這個時候,在撒瑪黎雅城門口一『色阿』上等麵粉,只值一『協刻耳。』兩『色阿』大麥,只值一『協刻耳。』」
And it came to pass as the man of God was speaking to the king, saying, Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria:
19 那侍衛曾回答天主的人說:「縱然上主打開天上的閘,也不會有這樣的事! 」先知回答說:「你必親眼看到,只是吃不上。」
That the Lord had answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if even the Lord were to make windows in the heavens, would such a thing be? And he had said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thy eyes, but thereof shalt thou not eat.
20 這事果然發生在他身上了:人民在城門口把他踏死了。
And it happened unto him so; for the people trod him down in the gate, and he died.

< 列王紀下 7 >