< 撒母耳記下 13 >
1 此後,還發生了一件事:達味的兒子阿貝沙隆有個妹妹,名叫塔瑪爾,很是美麗,達味的兒子阿默農很愛她。
After this, Absalom the son of David had a beautiful sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.
2 阿默農為了他妹妹塔瑪爾的緣故,竟憂愁悶成疾;因為她還是處女,所以在阿默農看來,對她行事幾乎不可能。
Amnon was so troubled that he became sick because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin, and it seemed hard to Amnon to do anything to her.
3 阿默農有個朋友,名叫約納達布,是達味的兄弟史默亞的兒子。約納達布是一個很狡滑的人。
But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother; and Jonadab was a very subtle man.
4 他向阿默農說:「太子,為什麼你一天一天如此萎靡不振﹖你不肯告訴我嗎﹖」阿默農回答說:「我愛上我兄弟阿貝沙隆的妹妹塔瑪爾」。
He said to him, “Why, son of the king, are you so sad from day to day? Won’t you tell me?” Amnon said to him, “I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.”
5 約納達布向他說:「你在躺床裝病,你父親來看你時,你就對他說:我很希望我的妹妹塔瑪爾來,給我準備食物,她要在我眼前準備,叫我看看著,並且由她手中取食。
Jonadab said to him, “Lay down on your bed and pretend to be sick. When your father comes to see you, tell him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me bread to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’”
6 阿默農就臥床裝病,君王來看他時,阿默農向君王說:「求你叫我妹妹塔瑪爾來,在我前做兩塊餅,好叫我從她手中取食」。
So Amnon lay down and faked being sick. When the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let my sister Tamar come and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.”
7 達味就派人到塔瑪爾房中說:「請妳到妳哥哥房裏去,給他準備食物」。
Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Go now to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.”
8 塔瑪爾到了她哥哥阿默農房裏,他正躺在床上。她取了麵,在他眼前和好,烤成餅。
So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes.
9 她就拿過鍋來,在他面前將餅倒出,他卻推辭不吃。阿默農說:「妳叫眾人都由面前出去」。眾人就都由他面前出去了。
She took the pan and poured them out before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, “Have all men leave me.” Then every man went out from him.
10 阿默農對塔瑪爾說:「妳給我把食物拿到內室來,好叫我由妳手中取食」。塔瑪爾拿著她做的餅,進了內室,送到她哥哥阿默農前。
Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the room, that I may eat from your hand.” Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the room to Amnon her brother.
11 她正遞給他時,他就抓住她說:「我的妹妹,來與我同寢! 」
When she had brought them near to him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, “Come, lie with me, my sister!”
12 她回答說:「我的哥哥! 不可這樣,不要作賤我! 在以色列不應作這樣 木事,不要作這愚蠢的事!
She answered him, “No, my brother, do not force me! For no such thing ought to be done in Israel. Don’t you do this folly!
13 我帶著這恥辱到哪裏去呢﹖你在以色列也成了一個愚妄人。請你向君王說明,他決不會拒絕使我屬於你的! 」
As for me, where would I carry my shame? And as for you, you will be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, please speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.”
However, he would not listen to her voice; but being stronger than she, he forced her and lay with her.
15 事後,阿默農立即十分憎恨她,並且他如今對她的憎恨,遠超過以前對她的愛戀,就向她說:「起來,走吧! 」
Then Amnon hated her with exceedingly great hatred; for the hatred with which he hated her was greater than the love with which he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Arise, be gone!”
16 她答說:「我的哥哥,那不可以。氮趕我走,比你對我所行的,更為無理! 」他卻石聽從她,
She said to him, “Not so, because this great wrong in sending me away is worse than the other that you did to me!” But he would not listen to her.
17 就叫服侍自己的僕人來,向他說:「把這女人從我這裏趕出去! 她走後,隨鎖上門! 」
Then he called his servant who ministered to him, and said, “Now put this woman out from me, and bolt the door after her.”
18 她那時穿著彩色長衣,因為君王的女兒,在未出嫁以前,昔日都是如此裝束。他的僕人將她趕出去,隨後鎖上了門。
She had a garment of various colours on her, for the king’s daughters who were virgins dressed in such robes. Then his servant brought her out and bolted the door after her.
19 塔瑪爾把灰撒在頭上,撕破自己所穿的彩色長衣,雙手抱著頭,一路邊哭邊走。
Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore her garment of various colours that was on her; and she laid her hand on her head and went her way, crying aloud as she went.
20 她的哥哥阿貝沙隆問她說:「莫非妳的哥哥阿默農與妳同寢了﹖妹妹,暫且不要出聲,因為他是好的兄弟,不可把這事放在心上! 」塔瑪爾從此就憂悶不樂,住在她哥哥阿貝沙隆家裏。
Absalom her brother said to her, “Has Amnon your brother been with you? But now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother. Don’t take this thing to heart.” So Tamar remained desolate in her brother Absalom’s house.
21 達味聽說了這一切事,十分生氣;怛他不願傷他兒子阿默農的心,因為他是長子,格外愛他。
But when King David heard of all these things, he was very angry.
22 至於,無論好話歹話,一句也不向阿默農說。他惱恨阿默農,因為他污辱了他妹妹塔瑪爾。
Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had forced his sister Tamar.
23 過了兩年,當阿貝沙隆在厄弗辣因的巴耳哈祚爾剪羊毛的時節,阿貝沙隆邀請了君王所有的兒子。
After two full years, Absalom had sheep shearers in Baal Hazor, which is beside Ephraim; and Absalom invited all the king’s sons.
24 阿貝沙隆來到君王前說:「看,你的僕人剪羊毛的時節,請君王帶著臣僕都到你僕人那裏去! 」
Absalom came to the king and said, “See now, your servant has sheep shearers. Please let the king and his servants go with your servant.”
25 君王回答阿貝沙隆說:「我兒,不必如此! 我們不必都去麻煩你」。他雖然懇求,君王仍不願去,只祝福了他。
The king said to Absalom, “No, my son, let’s not all go, lest we be burdensome to you.” He pressed him; however he would not go, but blessed him.
26 阿貝沙隆便說:「至少讓我的兄弟阿默農同我們一起去! 」君王回答說:「為什麼要他同你一起去﹖」
Then Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.” The king said to him, “Why should he go with you?”
27 阿貝沙隆還是再三懇求,達味便派阿默農和君王所有的兒子,同他一起去了。阿貝沙隆擺設筳席,好像御筳。
But Absalom pressed him, and he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him.
28 阿貝沙隆吩咐僕人說:「你們要注意! 阿默農暢飲的時候,我向你們說:刺死阿默農! 你們就打死他,不要害怕,是我吩咐了你們,要大膽勇敢」。
Absalom commanded his servants, saying, “Mark now, when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine; and when I tell you, ‘Strike Amnon,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I commanded you? Be courageous, and be valiant!”
29 阿貝沙隆的僕人,就照他所吩咐的,對阿默農做了。君王所有的兒子遂起來,各自騎上騾子逃跑了。
The servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons arose, and every man got up on his mule and fled.
30 他們還在路上,消息已傳到達味前說:「阿貝沙隆殺了君王所有的兒子,沒有一個幸免」。
While they were on the way, the news came to David, saying, “Absalom has slain all the king’s sons, and there is not one of them left!”
31 君王便起來,撕裂了自己的衣服,俯伏在地;他身邊的臣僕,也都撕裂了自己的衣服。
Then the king arose, and tore his garments, and lay on the earth; and all his servants stood by with their clothes torn.
32 達味的兄弟史默亞的兒子說道:「我主不要想:所有的青年,君王所有兒子都被殺了;其實只有阿默農一人死了。自從阿默農污辱了他的妹妹塔瑪爾那日起,阿貝沙隆就決定了這事。
Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David’s brother, answered, “Don’t let my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king’s sons, for Amnon only is dead; for by the appointment of Absalom this has been determined from the day that he forced his sister Tamar.
33 主君王,且不要將這事放在心上,以為君王所有的兒子都死了,因為只有阿默農一人死了」。
Now therefore don’t let my lord the king take the thing to his heart, to think that all the king’s sons are dead; for only Amnon is dead.”
34 逃走了。守衛的僕人舉目一望,看見在往曷洛納因山坡的路上,有一大群人下來。守衛的就去報告君王說:「我看見一群人,從曷洛納因山坡的路上下來了」。
But Absalom fled. The young man who kept the watch lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, many people were coming by way of the hillside behind him.
35 約納達布就向君王說:「看,執行的兒子回來了,正如你僕人所說的,現在實現了」。
Jonadab said to the king, “Behold, the king’s sons are coming! It is as your servant said.”
36 他剛說完這話,君王的兒子都來到了,放聲大哭;君王和眾臣僕也都號咷痛哭。
As soon as he had finished speaking, behold, the king’s sons came, and lifted up their voices and wept. The king also and all his servants wept bitterly.
37 同時,阿貝沙隆逃到革叔爾王阿米胡得的兒子塔取買那裏去了。君王天天哀悼自己的兒子。
But Absalom fled and went to Talmai the son of Ammihur, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son every day.
So Absalom fled and went to Geshur, and was there three years.
39 此時,君王的心漸漸不再惱怒阿貝沙隆,對阿默農的死,也不再難過了。
King David longed to go out to Absalom, for he was comforted concerning Amnon, since he was dead.