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 there was a long war between Saul's people and David's people; and David became stronger and stronger, but those on Saul's side became more and more feeble.
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；
While David was in Hebron he became the father of sons: the oldest was Amnon, son of 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；
And the second, Chileab, whose mother was Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom, son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, king 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；
And the fourth, Adonijah, the son of Haggith; and the fifth, 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 the sixth, Ithream, whose mother was David's wife Eglah. These were the sons of David, whose birth took place 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。
Now while there was war between Saul's people and David's people, Abner was making himself strong among the supporters 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﹖」
Now Saul had among his wives a woman named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah: and Ish-bosheth said to Abner, Why have you taken my father's wife?
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!
And Abner was very angry at the words of Ish-bosheth, and he said, Am I a dog's head of Judah? I am this day doing all in my power for the cause of your father Saul and for his brothers and his friends, and have not given you up into the hands of David, and now you say I have done wrong with a woman.
9 若我今後不依照上主對達味所誓許的去行：
May God's punishment be on Abner, if I do not for David as the Lord in his oath has said,
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! 」
And if I do not take away the kingdom from the family of Saul and make David ruler over Israel and Judah from Dan as far as Beer-sheba!
11 依市巴耳因為怕阿貝乃爾，連一句話也不敢回答。
And so great was Ish-bosheth's fear of Abner that he was not able to say a word in answer.
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。」
And Abner sent men to David at Hebron, saying, Make an agreement with me, and I will give you my support in getting all Israel on your side.
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。」
And he said, It is well; I will make an agreement with you, but on one condition, which is, that when you come before me, Saul's daughter Michal is to come with you; till she comes you will not see my face.
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。」
And David sent men to Saul's son Ish-bosheth, saying, Give me back Michal, my wife, whom I made mine for the price of the private parts of a hundred Philistines.
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 her from her husband Paltiel, the 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。
And her husband went with her as far as Bahurim, weeping while he went. Then Abner said to him, Go back. And he went back.
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。
Then Abner had a talk with the chief men of Israel, saying, In the past it was your desire to make David your king: so now, do it:
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。」
For the Lord has said of David, By the hand of my servant David I will make my people Israel safe from the Philistines, and from all who are against them.
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。
And Abner said the same things to Benjamin: and he went to David in Hebron to make clear to him what seemed good to Israel and to all the people 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。
So Abner, with twenty men, came to Hebron, to David. And David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him.
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。
And Abner said to David, Now I will go, and make all Israel come to my lord the king, so that they may make an agreement with you, and your kingdom may be as wide as your heart's desire. Then David sent Abner away 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。
Now the servants of David and Joab had been out attacking a band of armed men, and they came back with a great store of goods taken in the fight: but Abner was no longer in Hebron with David, for he had sent him away and he had gone 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 his men came, news was given them that Abner, the son of Ner, had come to the king, who had let him go away again 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﹖
Then Joab came to the king, and said, What have you done? when Abner came to you why did you send him away and let him go?
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。」
Is it not clear to you that Abner, the son of Ner, came with deceit to get knowledge of your going out and your coming in and of all 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。
And when Joab had come out from David, he sent men after Abner, and they overtook him at the water-spring of Sirah, and made him come back with them: but David had no knowledge 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。
And when Abner was back in Hebron, Joab took him on one side by the doorway of the town to have a word with him quietly, and there he gave him a wound in the stomach, causing his death in payment for the death of his 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!
And when David had word of it he said, May I and my kingdom be clear for ever in the eyes of the Lord from the blood of Abner, the 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 come on the head of Joab and all his father's family: among the men of Joab's family may there ever be some who are diseased or lepers, or who do the work of women, or are put to the sword, or are wasted from need of 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。
So Joab and Abishai his brother put Abner to death, because he had put to death their brother Asahel in the fight 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。
And David said to Joab and all the people who were with him, Go in grief and put haircloth about you, in sorrow for Abner. And King David went after the dead body.
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。
And they put Abner's body to rest in Hebron; and the king and all the people were weeping loudly by the resting-place of Abner's body.
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 made a song of grief for Abner and said, Was the death of Abner to be like the death of a foolish man?
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 free, your feet were not chained: like the downfall of a man before evil men, so was your fall. And the weeping of the people over him went on again.
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!」
And the people came to make David take food, while it was still day, but David with an oath said, May God's punishment be on me if I take a taste of bread or any other thing till the sun has gone down!
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。
And all the people took note of it and were pleased: like everything the king did, it was pleasing to the people.
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 it was clear to Israel and to all the people on that day that the king was not responsible for the death of Abner, the 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﹖
And the king said to his servants, Do you not see that a chief and a great man has come to his end 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! 」
While I, though I am crowned king, have little strength, and these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are out of my control: may the Lord give to the evil-doer the reward of his evil-doing!
