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 mustered the people that were with him, —and set over them, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds.
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」。
And David sent forth the people—a third part, under the hand of Joab, and, a third part, under the hand of Abishai son of Zeruiah, brother of Joab, and, a third part, under the hand of Ittai the Gittite. Then said the king, unto the people, I myself, will, surely go forth, with you.
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 said—Thou must not go forth, for, if we, flee, they will not regard us, neither, if half of us die, will they regard us, for, thou, compared with us, [art worth] ten thousand, —now, therefore, it will be better that thou come to us out of the city, with succour.
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﹖
And the king said unto them, Whatever is best in your eyes, I will do. And the king stood beside the gate, while, all the people, came 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。
And the king charged Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Deal gently, for my sake, with the young man, even Absolom. And, all the people, heard when the king charged all the captains, for the sake of Absolom.
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 the people went forth into the field against Israel, —and the battle 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。
Then were the people of Israel defeated there, before he servants of David, —and the slaughter there was great, on that day—twenty thousand.
8 戰爭蔓廷全境，樹林內死的人，比刀劍所殺的人還多。
And the battle there was spread out over the face of all the land, —and the forest devoured more of the people than the sword devoured on that day.
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, when Absolom met the servants of David, Absolom, was riding upon a mule, and the mule came under the thick branches of a large oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, the mule that was under him passing on.
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」。
And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, —and said—Lo! I saw Absolom suspended in an oak.
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」。
Then said Joab to the man that was telling him, Lo! since thou sawest him, why didst thou not smite him there, to the ground? then should I have been bound to give thee ten pieces of silver, and a girdle.
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。
And the man said unto Joab, Though I were weighing upon my palm a thousand pieces of silver, yet would I not put forth my hand against the son of the king, —for, in our hearing, the king Charged thee and Abishai and Ittai, saying, Watch any man who [would touch] the young man Absolom.
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」。
Otherwise, had I dealt with my life falsely (and nothing can be hid from the king), then, thou thyself, wouldst have stood aloof.
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。
And Joab said, Not thus, may I tarry before thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absolom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak.
15 約阿布的十個少年圍上前來，將阿貝沙隆擊斃。
Then came round ten young men who bare Joab’s armour, —and smote Absolom, and slew 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 with a horn, and the people returned from pursuing Israel, —for Joab had restrained the people.
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。
And they took Absolom, and cast him, in the forest, into a large pit, and raised up over him a very great heap of stones, —and, all Israel, fled, every man 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。
But, Absolom, had taken, and raised up for himself, in his lifetime, the pillar that is in the king’s vale, for he said, I have no son, to keep in remembrance my name, so he called the pillar after his own name, and it is called Absolom’s monument unto this day.
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, Let me run, I pray thee, and carry tidings unto the king, —how that Yahweh hath vindicated him, at the hand 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」。
And Joab said to him—Not a man to bear tidings, art thou this day, but thou shalt bear tidings another day, —but, this day, shalt thou not bear tidings, for this cause, that, 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。
Then said Joab to a Cushite, Go tell the king, what thou hast seen. And the Cushite bowed himself down to Joab, and ran.
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! 」
Then, yet again, said Ahimaaz son of Zadok unto Joab. But, be what may, do, I pray thee, let, me also, run, after the Cushite. And Joab said—Wherefore is it that, thou, wouldst run, my son, when, thou, hast no tidings of, any profit?
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。
But, be what may, I will run. So he said to him—Run. Then ran Ahimaaz by the way of the plain, and got beyond 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, —and the watchman went on to the top of the gate-house, upon the wall, and lifted up his eyes, and looked, and lo! 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 the watchman called out, and told the king. And the king said, If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth. And he came on nearer and nearer.
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」。
Then saw the watchman another man, running, so he called out unto the porter, Lo! a man, running alone. And the king said. This one also, beareth tidings.
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」。
Then said the watchman, It seemeth, to me, that, the running of the foremost, is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok. And the king said, A good man, is he, and, with good tidings, he cometh.
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 called out Ahimaaz, and said unto the king, Peace! And he bowed himself down to the king, with his face to the earth, —and said—Blessed, be Yahweh thy God, who hath surrendered the men who were lifting up their hand, 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﹖」
And the king said, Is it, well, with the young man—Absolom? Then said Ahimaaz—I saw a great crowd, when Joab sent the king’s servant and [me] thy servant, but I knew not what [it meant].
30 王說：「你退在一邊，站在那裏」。他便退在一邊，站在那裏。
And the king said, Aside! stand, here. So he turned aside, and stood.
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」。
Then lo! the Cushite, coming in, —and the Cushite said—Tidings, getteth my lord the king, how that Yahweh hath vindicated thee to-day, at the hand of all them who had risen up against thee.
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! 」
And the king said unto the Cushite—Is it, well, with the young man—Absolom? Then said the Cushite—Be, like the young man, the enemies of my lord the king, and all who have risen up against thee, for harm.
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! 」
Then was the king deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept, —and, thus, he said as he went—O my son Absolom, my son—my son—Absolom! could, I, but have died in thy stead, O Absolom, my son—my son!
