撒母耳記下 3
1 撒烏耳家與達味家間的戰爭相持很久；但達味家逐漸強盛，撒烏耳家卻日趨衰弱。
Now the war between the house of Saul and the house of David was protracted. And David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.
2 達味在赫貝龍生的兒子：長子阿默農，是依次勒耳人阿希諾罕所生；
And sons were born to David in Hebron: His firstborn was Amnon, by Ahinoam of Jezreel;
3 次子基肋阿布，是曾作加爾默耳人納巴耳妻子的阿彼蓋耳所生；
his second was Chileab, by Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; his third was Absalom, the son of Maacah daughter of King Talmai of Geshur;
4 四子阿多尼雅，是哈基特所生；五子舍法提雅，是阿彼塔耳所生；
his fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith; his fifth was Shephatiah, the son of Abital;
5 六子依特蘭，是達味妻子厄革拉所生：以上是達味在赫貝龍所生的兒子。
and his sixth was Ithream, by David’s wife Eglah. These sons were born to David in Hebron.
6 撒烏耳家同達味家戰爭期間，阿貝乃爾獲得操縱撒烏耳家的權柄。
During the war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner had continued to strengthen his position in the house of Saul.
7 撒烏耳有一妾名叫黎茲帕，是阿雅的女兒，阿貝乃爾娶了她；依市巴耳對阿貝乃爾說：「你為什麼親近我父親的妾﹖」
Meanwhile, Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. So Ish-bosheth questioned Abner, “Why did you sleep with my father’s concubine?”
8 為了依市巴耳這句話，阿貝乃爾勃然大怒說：「莫非我是猶大的狗頭﹖直到今天我憐恤你父親撒烏耳，和他的兄弟以及他的朋友，沒有使你落在達味手裏；你今天竟為了一個女人挑我的錯!
Abner was furious over Ish-bosheth’s accusation. “Am I the head of a dog that belongs to Judah?” he asked. “All this time I have been loyal to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends. I have not delivered you into the hand of David, but now you accuse me of wrongdoing with this woman!
9 若我今後不依照上主對達味所誓許的去行：
May God punish Abner, and ever so severely, if I do not do for David what the LORD has sworn to him:
10 廢除撒烏耳家的王位，建立達味的寶座，使他由丹直到貝爾舍巴，統治全以色列和猶大，願天主如此，並加倍地懲罰我! 」
to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul and to establish the throne of David over Israel and Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.”
11 依市巴耳因為怕阿貝乃爾，連一句話也不敢回答。
And for fear of Abner, Ish-bosheth did not dare to say another word to him.
12 阿貝乃爾立即派使者到赫貝龍見達味說：「這地是誰的﹖」是說：「只要你與我訂立盟約，我必伸手援助你，使全以色列都歸順你。」
Then Abner sent messengers in his place to say to David, “To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and surely my hand will be with you to bring all Israel over to you.”
13 達味答說：「好! 我願與你訂立盟約，但是，我要求你一個條件：就是你來見我時，若不把撒烏耳的女兒米加耳帶來，你休想見我。」
“Good,” replied David, “I will make a covenant with you. But there is one thing I require of you: Do not appear before me unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.”
14 隨後，達味就派使者到撒烏耳的兒子依市巴耳那裏說：「請把我的妻米加耳歸還給我，她是我以一百培肋特舍人的包皮聘定的。」
Then David sent messengers to say to Ish-bosheth son of Saul, “Give me back my wife, Michal, whom I betrothed to myself for a hundred Philistine foreskins.”
15 依市巴耳就派人，從拉依士的兒子帕耳提耳，她丈夫那裏把她帶來。
So Ish-bosheth sent and took Michal from her husband Paltiel son of Laish.
16 她的丈夫與她同行，一邊走一邊哭，送她到了巴胡凌。阿貝乃爾向他說：「你回去罷! 」他就回去了。
Her husband followed her, weeping all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, “Go back.” So he returned home.
17 阿貝乃爾同以色列的長老商議說：「你們早已渴望達味作你們的君王。
Now Abner conferred with the elders of Israel and said, “In the past you sought David as your king.
18 現在你們就進行罷! 因為上主曾論及達味說：我要藉我的僕人達味，從培肋舍特人及一切仇敵手中，拯救我的百姓以色列。」
Now take action, because the LORD has said to David, ‘Through My servant David I will save My people Israel from the hands of the Philistines and of all their enemies.’”
19 阿貝乃爾也遊說了本雅明人；以後阿貝乃爾去赫貝龍見達味，向他報告以色列和本雅明全家共同贊成的事。
Abner also spoke to the Benjamites and went to Hebron to tell David all that seemed good to Israel and to the whole house of Benjamin.
20 阿貝乃爾遂率領二十人去赫貝龍見達味。達味設宴款待了阿貝乃爾和他的隨員。
When Abner and twenty of his men came to David at Hebron, David held a feast for them.
21 阿貝乃爾向達味說：「我要動身去號召全以色列，來擁護我主大王，使他們與你立約：這樣你能依照你的心願來統治一切。」事後，達味放阿貝乃爾平安走了。
Then Abner said to David, “Let me go at once, and I will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may rule over all that your heart desires.” So David dismissed Abner, and he went in peace.
22 達味的臣僕和約阿布出征回來，帶回了很多戰利品。那時，阿貝乃爾已不在赫貝龍達味那裏了，因為達味放他平安走了。
Just then David’s soldiers and Joab returned from a raid, bringing with them a great plunder. But Abner was not with David in Hebron because David had sent him on his way in peace.
23 約阿布和他率領的軍隊一來到，就有人告訴他說：「乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾曾來到君王前，君王放他平安走了。」
When Joab and all his troops arrived, he was informed, “Abner son of Ner came to see the king, who sent him on his way in peace.”
24 約阿布就去見君王說：「你作的是什麼事﹖阿貝乃爾到你這裏來，你為什麼放他平安走了﹖
So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him? Now he is getting away!
25 你豈不認識乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾﹖他來是為欺騙你，願探聽你的出入，知道你的一切行動。」
Surely you realize that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you and to track your movements and all that you are doing.”
26 約阿布離開達味就打發差役去追趕阿貝乃爾。他們從息辣的旱井旁，把他帶回來，。達味一點也不知道。
As soon as Joab had left David, he sent messengers after Abner, who brought him back from the well of Sirah; but David was unaware of it.
27 阿貝乃爾一回到赫貝龍，約阿布就領他到大門旁，彷彿要與他暗地交談，就在那裏一刀剌穿了他的肚腹，他立即死了；這樣替他兄弟阿撒耳報了血仇。
When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab pulled him aside into the gateway, as if to speak to him privately, and there Joab stabbed him in the stomach. So Abner died on account of the blood of Joab’s brother Asahel.
28 事後，達味一聽說這事，就說：「我和我的國家，對乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾的血案，在上主面前，永遠是無罪的!
Afterward, David heard about this and said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner.
29 願這罪歸在約阿布的頭上和他父的全家! 願約阿布家中不斷有患淋症，長癩病，只會紡線，喪身刀下和缺糧的人! 」
May it whirl over the heads of Joab and the entire house of his father, and may the house of Joab never be without one having a discharge or skin disease, or one who leans on a staff or falls by the sword or lacks food.”
30 約阿布和他的兄弟阿彼瑟暗殺了阿貝乃爾，是因為他在基貝紅打仗時，殺死了他們的兄弟阿撒耳。
(Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31 達味向約阿布和同他在一起的民眾說：「要撕裂你們的衣服，穿上喪服，為阿貝乃爾舉哀! 」達味王也跟在靈柩後送葬。
Then David ordered Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourn before Abner.” And King David himself walked behind the funeral bier.
32 他們在赫貝龍埋葬了阿貝乃爾；君王在阿貝乃爾墓旁放聲大哭，民眾也都哭了。
When they buried Abner in Hebron, the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb, and all the people wept.
33 君王作哀歌弔阿貝乃爾說：「阿貝乃爾豈應像傻瓜一樣死去﹖
And the king sang this lament for Abner: “Should Abner die the death of a fool?
34 你的手並未束拷，你的腳也沒帶鐐，怎麼你斃命，竟如兇犯斃命一樣! 」為此民眾更加痛哭。
Your hands were not bound, your feet were not fettered. As a man falls before the wicked, so also you fell.” And all the people wept over him even more.
35 隨後，眾人前來勸君王進食，那時還是白天，達味卻發誓說：「若我在日落前進食，或嘗什麼東西，願天主如此，並加倍地懲罰我!」
Then all the people came and urged David to eat something while it was still day, but David took an oath, saying, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36 眾人見到此事，都心悅誠服，因為凡君王所行的，無不叫眾人心悅誠服。
All the people took note and were pleased. In fact, everything the king did pleased them.
37 如此，眾人和全以色列當天都知道，殺乃爾的兒子阿貝乃爾，不是出於君王的命令。
So on that day all the troops and all Israel were convinced that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.
38 達味向他的臣僕說：「你們不知道今天在以色列喪失了一位將領和偉人嗎﹖
Then the king said to his servants, “Do you not realize that a great prince has fallen today in Israel?
39 我今天雖是傅油的君王，仍年幼無力，責魯雅的兒子們又比我剛強；願上主依照人所行的邪惡，來施行報復! 」
And I am weak this day, though anointed as king, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too fierce for me. May the LORD repay the evildoer according to his evil!”
