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。
Then a long struggle occurred between the house of Saul and the house of David, with David prospering and growing ever stronger, but the house of Saul decreasing daily.
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. And his firstborn son was Amnon, from Ahinoam the Jezreelite.
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 after him, there was Chileab, from Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel. Then the third was Absalom, the son of Maacah, the daughter of Talmai, the 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；
Then the fourth was Adonijah, the son of Haggith. And the 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。
Also, the sixth was Ithream, from Eglah, the wife of David. These were born to David at 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。
Then, while there was a battle between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner, the son of Ner, was reigning over 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﹖」
Now Saul had a concubine named Rizpah, the daughter of Aiah. And Ishbosheth said to Abner,
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!
“Why did you enter to the concubine of my father?” But he, being exceedingly angry at the words of Ishbosheth, said: “Am I the head of a dog against Judah this day? I have shown mercy to the house of Saul, your father, and to his brothers and friends. And I have not delivered you into the hands of David. And yet today you have sought me, so that you might rebuke me over a woman?
9 若我今後不依照上主對達味所誓許的去行：
May God do these things to Abner, and may he add these other things, if, in the same way that the Lord swore to David, I do not do so with 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! 」
that the kingdom be transferred from the house of Saul, and that the throne of David be elevated over Israel and over 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 he was not able to respond anything to him, because he was in fear of 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。」
Therefore, Abner sent messengers to David for himself, saying, “Whose is the land?” and so that they would say, “Make a friendship with me, and my hand will be with you, and I will lead back all of Israel 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。」
And he said: “It is best. I will make a friendship with you. But one thing I ask of you, saying: You shall not see my face before you bring Michal, the daughter of Saul. And in this way, you shall come, and 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 Ishbosheth, the son of Saul, saying, “Restore my wife Michal, whom I espoused to myself for one hundred foreskins of the 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。
Therefore, Ishbosheth 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 was following her, weeping, as far as Bahurim. And Abner said to him, “Go and return.” And he returned.
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。
Likewise, Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying: “As much yesterday as the day before, you were seeking David, so that he might reign over you.
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。」
Therefore, accomplish it now. For the Lord has spoken to David, saying: ‘By the hand of my servant David, I will save my people Israel from the hand 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。
Then Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And he went away, so that he might speak to David in Hebron all that would be pleasing to Israel and to all 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。
And he went to David in Hebron with twenty men. And David made a feast for Abner, and for his men who had arrived 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, “I will rise up, so that I may gather all of Israel to you, my lord the king, and so that I may enter into a pact with you, and so that you may reign over all, just as your soul desires.” Then, when David had led Abner away, and he had departed 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。
immediately the servants of David and of Joab arrived, after having slain robbers, with exceedingly great spoils. But Abner was not with David in Hebron. For by then he had sent him away, and he had set out 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。」
And Joab, and the entire army that was with him, had arrived afterward. And so, it was reported to Joab, explaining that Abner, the son of Ner, went to the king, and he dismissed him, and he went away 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﹖
And Joab entered to the king, and he said: “What have you done? Behold, Abner came to you. Why did you dismiss him, so that he has gone and departed?
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。」
Do you not know, about Abner, the son of Ner, that he came to you for this, so that he might deceive you, and might know of your departure and your return, and so that he might know all that you do?”
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 so, Joab, going out from David, sent messengers after Abner, and he brought him back from the cistern of Sirah, without David knowing.
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 had returned to Hebron, Joab took him alone to the middle of the gate, so that he might speak to him, but with deceit. And there, he stabbed him in the groin, and he died, in revenge for the blood of Asahel, his brother.
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 heard of it, now that the matter was done, he said: “I and my kingdom are clean before the Lord, even forever, of 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! 」
And may it fall upon the head of Joab, and upon the entire house of his father. And may there not fail to be, in the house of Joab, one who suffers from a flow of seed, or one who is leprous, or one who is effeminate, or one who falls by the sword, or one who is in need of bread.”
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。
And so, Joab and his brother Abishai killed Abner, because he had killed their brother Asahel at Gibeon, during the battle.
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 said to Joab, and to all the people who were with him, “Tear your garments, and gird yourselves with sackcloth, and mourn before the funeral procession of Abner.” Moreover, king David himself was following the casket.
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 when they had buried Abner in Hebron, king David lifted up his voice, and he wept over the burial mound of Abner. And all the people also 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, mourning and lamenting Abner, said: “By no means has Abner died the way that cowards usually die.
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 are not bound, and your feet are not weighed down with fetters. But just as men often fall before the sons of iniquity, so you have fallen.” And while repeating this, all the people wept over him.
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 when the entire multitude had arrived to take food with David, while it was still broad daylight, David swore, saying, “May God do these things to me, and may he add these other things, 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。
And all the people heard it, and everything that the king did in the sight of the entire people was pleasing to 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。
And every common person, and all of Israel, realized on that day that the killing of Abner, the son of Ner, had not been done by the king.
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﹖
The king also said to his servants: “Could you be ignorant that a leader and a very great man 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! 」
But I am still tender, and yet anointed king. And these men of the sons of Zeruiah are too harsh for me. May the Lord repay whoever does evil in accord with his malice.”
