撒母耳記下 18
1 達味檢閱了跟隨他的人，給他們委派了千夫長和百夫長，
Then David reviewed his troops and appointed over them commanders of hundreds and of thousands.
2 將軍人分為三隊：一隊由約阿布率領，一隊由責魯特的兒子，約阿布的兄弟阿彼瑟率領，一隊由加特人依泰率領；然後君王對軍人說：「我自己也要同你們一起出征」。
He sent out the troops, a third under Joab, a third under Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, and a third under Ittai the Gittite. And the king said to the troops, “I will surely march out with you as well.”
3 軍人回答說：「你萬不可去! 因為若我們逃散，無人對我們介意，既使我們死了一半，也無人對我們介意；但是，你一個卻抵我們一萬，所以，現今你更好留在城內，設法援助我們」。
But the people pleaded, “You must not go out! For if we have to flee, they will pay no attention to us. Even if half of us die, they will not care; but you are worth ten thousand of us. It is better for now if you support us from the city.”
4 君王對他們說：「你們看看怎樣好，我就怎樣做」。君王站在門旁，軍人整隊出發，或百人一阻，或千人一組﹖
“I will do whatever seems best to you,” the king replied. So he stood beside the gate, while all the troops marched out by hundreds and by thousands.
5 君王命令約阿布、阿阿彼瑟和依泰說：「對少年阿貝沙隆，你們應給我留情」。軍人都聽見了君王關於阿貝沙隆，給眾將領所出的命令。
Now the king had commanded Joab, Abishai, and Ittai, “Treat the young man Absalom gently for my sake.” And all the people heard the king’s orders to each of the commanders regarding Absalom.
6 軍人出發，來到平原，攻打以色列；在厄弗辣因森林發生了戰事。
So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.
7 以色列人在那裏為達味的臣僕打敗，那天死傷慘重，陣亡的有二萬人。
There the people of Israel were defeated by David’s servants, and the slaughter was great that day—twenty thousand men.
8 戰爭蔓廷全境，樹林內死的人，比刀劍所殺的人還多。
The battle spread over the whole countryside, and that day the forest devoured more people than the sword.
9 阿貝沙隆正遇上了達味的臣僕，他那時騎著一匹驢子，由大橡樹的叢枝下經過，他的頭髮被橡樹枝纏住，身懸在天地間，所騎的驢子已跑走。
Now Absalom was riding on his mule when he met the servants of David, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom’s head was caught fast in the tree. The mule under him kept going, so that he was suspended in midair.
10 有一個人看見，就告訴約阿布說：「我看見阿貝沙隆懸在橡樹上」。
When one of the men saw this, he told Joab, “I just saw Absalom hanging in an oak tree!”
11 約阿布對那向他報信的人說：「你看見了，為什麼不把他砍倒在地﹖那麼我必賞你十「協刻耳」銀子和一條腰帶」。
“You just saw him!” Joab exclaimed. “Why did you not strike him to the ground right there? I would have given you ten shekels of silver and a warrior’s belt!”
12 那人對約阿布說：「即使交在我手裏一千「協刻耳」銀子，我也不願伸手加害君王的兒子，因為我們親聽見君王吩咐你、阿彼瑟和依泰說：你們應為了我，保全少年阿貝沙隆。
The man replied, “Even if a thousand shekels of silver were weighed out into my hands, I would not raise my hand against the son of the king. For we heard the king command you and Abishai and Ittai, ‘Protect the young man Absalom for my sake.’
13 並且，若我冒性命的危險，做錯了事，也決不能瞞過君王，那時你也許不會保護我」。
If I had jeopardized my own life —and nothing is hidden from the king—you would have abandoned me.”
14 約阿布說：「不願在你面前這樣耽擱時間! 」他就手裏拿了三根短箭，射在阿貝沙隆心中，那時，他在橡樹上還著。
But Joab declared, “I am not going to wait like this with you!” And he took three spears in his hand and thrust them through the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak tree.
15 約阿布的十個少年圍上前來，將阿貝沙隆擊斃。
And ten young men who carried Joab’s armor surrounded Absalom, struck him, and killed him.
16 約阿布遂次起號角，軍人便回來，不再追趕以色列人，因為約阿布願顧惜人民。
Then Joab blew the ram’s horn, and the troops broke off their pursuit of Israel because Joab had restrained them.
17 人們取下阿貝沙隆，將他塊在樹林中的一個大坑內，在他上面堆了一大堆石頭。眾以色列人各自回本家去了。
They took Absalom, cast him into a large pit in the forest, and piled a huge mound of stones over him. Meanwhile, all the Israelites fled, each to his home.
18 阿貝沙隆活著時，在君王山谷就為自己建立一石柱說：「我沒有兒子，來懷念我的名字；」所他給那石柱起了自己的名字。直至今日，人還稱那石柱為阿貝沙隆記念碑。
During his lifetime, Absalom had set up for himself a pillar in the King’s Valley, for he had said, “I have no son to preserve the memory of my name.” So he gave the pillar his name, and to this day it is called Absalom’s Monument.
19 匝多克的兒子阿希瑪茲對約阿布說：「讓我跑去，將上主對王的仇敵替王伸冤的喜信，稟報給君王」。
Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, “Please let me run and tell the king the good news that the LORD has avenged him of his enemies.”
20 約阿布卻對他說：「今日你不是報喜的人，改天再去報吧! 因為君王的兒子死了，今日你不可去報信」。
But Joab replied, “You are not the man to take good news today. You may do it another day, but you must not do so today, because the king’s son is dead.”
21 約阿布遂對一個雇士人說：「你去將所見的事報告君王」。雇士人就拜別約阿布跑去信。
So Joab said to a Cushite, “Go, tell the king what you have seen.” The Cushite bowed to Joab and took off running.
22 匝多克的兒子阿希瑪茲又對約阿布說：「無論如何，我得跟著雇士人去! 」約阿布答說：「為什麼你要去﹖我兒，為這喜訊你得到什麼報酬! 」
Ahimaaz son of Zadok, however, persisted and said to Joab, “Regardless of whatever may happen, please let me also run behind the Cushite!” “My son,” Joab replied, “why do you want to run, since you will not receive a reward?”
23 他說：「我無論如何要去! 」他答說：「去吧! 」阿希瑪茲就沿著約旦平原的大路跑去，跑過了雇士人。
“No matter what, I want to run!” he replied. “Then run!” Joab told him. So Ahimaaz ran by way of the plain and outran the Cushite.
24 那時達味正坐在兩門中間，守衛士兵上了門樓頂。守衛兵舉目一望，見一人獨自跑來，
Now David was sitting between the two gates when the watchman went up to the roof of the gateway by the wall, looked out, and saw a man running alone.
25 就大聲喊叫．君王君王。王說：「若是一人，必有喜訊傳報」。他越來越近了。
So he called out and told the king. “If he is alone,” the king replied, “he bears good news.” As the first runner drew near,
26 守衛又看見一個人跑來，守衛兵立刻對看門的大聲喊說：「看，又有一人獨自跑來」。王說：「這也是來報喜信的」。
the watchman saw another man running, and he called out to the gatekeeper, “Look! Another man is running alone!” “This one also brings good news,” said the king.
27 守衛兵說：「我看見前一個人的跑法，像匝多克的兒子阿希瑪茲的跑法」。王說：「他是個好人，必是來報喜信的」。
The watchman said, “The first man appears to me to be running like Ahimaaz son of Zadok.” “This is a good man,” said the king. “He comes with good news.”
28 阿希瑪茲上前對君王說：「安好! 」就俯首至地，叩拜君王，接著說：「上主，你的天主是可讚美的，因為衪消滅了反抗我主大王的人」。
Then Ahimaaz called out to the king, “All is well!” And he bowed facedown before the king. He continued, “Blessed be the LORD your God! He has delivered up the men who raised their hands against my lord the king.”
29 王問說：「少年阿貝沙隆是否無恙﹖」阿希瑪茲答說：「當大王的臣僕約阿布打發你的僕人時，我見有大騷動，但不是什麼事﹖」
The king asked, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And Ahimaaz replied, “When Joab sent the king’s servant and your servant, I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.”
30 王說：「你退在一邊，站在那裏」。他便退在一邊，站在那裏。
“Move aside,” said the king, “and stand here.” So he stepped aside.
31 雇士人也來到了，雇士人說：「有喜信報告給我主大王! 上主今日對一切起來反抗你的的人為你伸了冤」。
Just then the Cushite came and said, “May my lord the king hear the good news: Today the LORD has avenged you of all who rose up against you!”
32 王問雇士人說：「少年阿貝沙隆是否無恙﹖」雇士人答說：「願我主大王的仇敵，以及凡心懷惡意起來反抗你的人，都相似這個少年人! 」
The king asked the Cushite, “Is the young man Absalom all right?” And the Cushite replied, “May what has become of the young man happen to the enemies of my lord the king and to all who rise up against you to harm you.”
33 君王一聽這話，不勝悲傷，就上了門樓痛哭；他哭著說：我兒阿貝沙隆! 我兒! 我兒阿貝沙隆，巴不得我替你死了，我兒阿貝沙隆! 我兒! 」
The king was shaken and went up to the gate chamber and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
