撒母耳記下 12
1 於是上主打發納堂先知去見達味；他一來到他跟前，就對他說：「在一座城裡有兩個人，一富一貧；
The LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.
2 富的有很多牛羊；
The rich man had very many flocks and herds,
3 貧的，除一隻小母羊外，什麼也沒有。這隻小母羊是他買來餵養的，在他和他兒女身邊長大，吃他自己的食物，喝他自己杯中的飲料，睡在他的懷裡，帶他如同自己的女兒一樣。
but the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food, drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was like a daughter to him.
4 有一個客人，來到富人那裡，他捨不得拿自己的牛羊，款待那來到他這裡的旅客，卻取了那貧窮人的母羊，來款待那到他這裡來的人。」
A traveller came to the rich man, and he didn’t want to take of his own flock and of his own herd to prepare for the wayfaring man who had come to him, but took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 達味對這人大發憤怒，向納堂說：「上主永在! 做這事的人該死!
David’s anger burnt hot against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!
6 並且，因為他這樣行事，捨不得自己的牛羊，他應七倍償還」。
He must restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing and because he had no pity!”
7 約納堂對達味說：「這人就是你! 以色列的天主上主這樣說：是我給你傅油，立你作以色列的君王，是我由撒烏耳手中將你救出，
Nathan said to David, “You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.
8 是我將你主人的家室賜給你；我把你主人的妻妾放在你懷裏，把以色列和猶大的家族也賜給了你；若還以為太少，我願再給你這樣那樣的恩惠。
I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that would have been too little, I would have added to you many more such things.
9 你為什麼輕視上主，作出衪眼中視為邪惡的事，借刀殺了赫特人烏黎雅，為佔取他的妻子，據為己有﹖你借阿孟子民的刀殺了烏黎雅。
Why have you despised the LORD’s word, to do that which is evil in his sight? You have struck Uriah the Hittite with the sword, have taken his wife to be your wife, and have slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10 從此刀劍永不離開你家! 因為你輕視了我，佔取了赫特的妻子，據為己有。
Now therefore the sword will never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken Uriah the Hittite’s wife to be your wife.’
11 上主這樣說：看，我要由自己的家裏激起災禍反對你，我要當你的眼前拿你的妻妾給與你的近人，他要在光天化日之下與你的妻妾同寢。
“This is what the LORD says: ‘Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbour, and he will lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.
12 你暗中行的事，我卻要叫這事在眾以色列前和太陽下進行」。
For you did this secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’”
13 達味對約納堂說：「我得罪了上主! 」約納堂對達味說：「上主已赦免了你的罪惡，你不致於死；
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin. You will not die.
14 但是你在這事上蔑視了上主，給你生的那個孩子，必要死去」。
However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the LORD’s enemies to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you will surely die.”
15 以後，約納堂就回家去了。上主打擊了烏黎雅給達味所生的孩子，使他患病甚重。
Then Nathan departed to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and he was very sick.
16 達味就為孩子懇求天主，並且禁食，進入房內，穿著苦衣躺在地上過夜。
David therefore begged God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground.
17 皇室的長老到他前，要將他從地上扶起來，他卻不願意，也不與他們一起吃飯。
The elders of his house arose beside him, to raise him up from the earth; but he would not, and he didn’t eat bread with them.
18 到了第七天，孩子竟然死了。達味的臣僕怕告訴他孩子死了，因為他們說：「孩子活著的時候，我們勸他，他還不聽我們的話；我們若告訴他孩子死了，豈不是更使他痛苦﹖」
On the seventh day, the child died. David’s servants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him and he didn’t listen to our voice. How will he then harm himself if we tell him that the child is dead?”
19 達味見自己的臣僕低聲耳語，就曉得孩子死了，便問臣僕說：「孩子死了嗎﹖」他們答說：「死了! 」
But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, “Is the child dead?” They said, “He is dead.”
20 達味就由地上起來，沐浴、抹油、更衣，進了上主的庭院朝拜了；然後回到家裏，叫人給他擺上飯來，他就吃了。
Then David arose from the earth, and washed and anointed himself, and changed his clothing; and he came into the LORD’s house, and worshipped. Then he came to his own house; and when he requested, they set bread before him and he ate.
21 他的臣僕對他說：「你這是作的什麼事。孩子著，你為他禁食哀哭；孩子死了你反而起來吃飯」。
Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child was dead, you rose up and ate bread.”
22 他答說：「孩子活著，我禁食悲哭，因為我想：也許上主會可憐我，使孩子生存，有誰知道﹖
He said, “While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows whether the LORD will not be gracious to me, that the child may live?’
23 如今，他死了，我為什麼還要禁食﹖難道我能叫他回來﹖是我要到他那裏去，他不會回到我這裏來了! 」
But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”
24 事後，達味安慰了妻子巴特舍巴，再走近她，與她同寢；她又生了一個兒子，給他起名叫撒羅滿；上主也喜愛他，
David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her, and lay with her. She bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. The LORD loved him;
25 派了先知約納堂去，代替上主給他起了個別號，叫耶狄狄雅。
and he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he named him Jedidiah, for the LORD’s sake.
26 那時，約阿布正攻打阿孟子民的辣巴，佔據了水城。
Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the children of Ammon, and took the royal city.
27 約阿布就派使者到達味那裏說：「攻打辣巴，已佔了水城；
Joab sent messengers to David, and said, “I have fought against Rabbah. Yes, I have taken the city of waters.
28 如今你快調集其餘的軍隊來圍攻，佔領這座城市，免得我攻下了，人拿我的名字作城名」。
Now therefore gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city and take it; lest I take the city, and it be called by my name.”
29 達味遂召集了所有的軍隊，開到辣巴，攻取了那城。
David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it.
30 達味從米耳公神的頭上，取下了那重一「塔冷通」的金冠來，上面嵌有一塊寶石，達味將這寶石戴在自己頭上，並由城中運走了大批勝利品。
He took the crown of their king from off his head; and its weight was a talent of gold, and in it were precious stones; and it was set on David’s head. He brought a great quantity of plunder out of the city.
31 至於城內的居民，根將他們帶走，叫他們拉鋸、操斧、劈石、做磚；達味對待阿孟子民所有的城市都是如此。然後率領自己的軍隊回了耶路撒冷。
He brought out the people who were in it, and put them to work under saws, under iron picks, under axes of iron, and made them go to the brick kiln; and he did so to all the cities of the children of Ammon. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.
